The Pearl--Chapter 4--Costello

This was extravagant and not to be countenanced.

This was extravagant and not to be countenanced.

The sun was hot yellow that morning, and it drew the moisture from the estuary and from the Gulf and hung it in shimmering scarves in the air so that the air vibrated and vision was insubstantial.

Kino put on his large straw hat and felt it with his hand to see that it was properly placed, not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man, and not flat as an elder would wear it, but tilted a little forward to show aggressiveness and seriousness and vigor.

Kino put on his large straw hat and felt it with his hand to see that it was properly placed, not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man, and not flat as an elder would wear it, but tilted a little forward to show aggressiveness and seriousness and vigor.

The gathering procession was solemn, for they sensed the importance of this day, and any children who showed a tendency to scuffle, to scream, to cry out, to steal hats and rumple hair, were hissed to silence by their elders.

The gathering procession was solemn, for they sensed the importance of this day, and any children who showed a tendency to scuffle, to scream, to cry out, to steal hats and rumple hair, were hissed to silence by their elders.

So important was this day that an old man came to see, riding on the stalwart shoulders of his nephew.

They got out papers so that they could be at work when Kino appeared, and they put their pearls in the desks, for it is not good to let an inferior pearl be seen beside a beauty.

His face was fatherly and benign, and his eyes twinkled with friendship.

He was a caller of good mornings, a ceremonious shaker of hands, a jolly man who knew all jokes and yet who hovered close to sadness, for in the midst of a laugh he could remember the death of your aunt, and his eyes could become wet with sorrow for your loss.

And Juan Tomas stood beside him and snorted a little at the understatement.

Now Kino's face was perplexed and worried.

Go to their offices and show your pearl- or better, let them come here, so that you can see there is no collusion.

He felt the evil coagulating about him, and he was helpless to protect himself.

Long after Juan Tomas had gone Kino sat brooding on his sleeping mat.

A lethargy had settled on him, and a little gray hopelessness.

His eyes were entranced, and he could sense the wary, watchful evil outside the brush house; he could feel the dark creeping things waiting for him to go out into the night.