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           CharlesGouldassumedthatiftheappearanceoflisteningtodeplorablebalderdashmustformpartofthepricehehadtopayforbeingleftunmolested,theobligationofutteringbalderdashpersonallywasbynomeansincludedinthebargain.Hedrewthelinethere.Totheseprovincialautocrats,beforewhomthepeaceablepopulationofallclasseshadbeenaccustomedtotremble,thereserveofthatEnglish-lookingengineercausedanuneasinesswhichswungtoandfrobetweencringingandtruculence.Graduallyallofthemdiscoveredthat,nomatterwhatpartywasinpower,thatmanremainedinmosteffectivetouchwiththehigherauthoritiesinSta.Marta.

           Thiswasafact,anditaccountedperfectlyfortheGouldsbeingbynomeanssowealthyastheengineer-in-chiefonthenewrailwaycouldlegitimatelysuppose.FollowingtheadviceofDonJoseAvellanos,whowasamanofgoodcounsel(thoughrenderedtimidbyhishorribleexperiencesofGuzmanBento’stime),CharlesGouldhadkeptclearofthecapital;butinthecurrentgossipoftheforeignresidentstherehewasknown(withagooddealofseriousnessunderlyingtheirony)bythenicknameof“KingofSulaco.”AnadvocateoftheCostaguanaBar,amanofreputedabilityandgoodcharacter,memberofthedistinguishedMoragafamilypossessingextensiveestatesintheSulacoValley,waspointedouttostrangers,withashadeofmysteryandrespect,astheagentoftheSanTomemine—“political,youknow.”Hewastall,black-whiskered,anddiscreet.