Ностромо
Chapter 2
Gouldinherlandau—“andthen,senora,weshallconvertourswordsintoplough-sharesandgrowrich.EvenI,myself,assoonasthislittlebusinessissettled,shallopenafundaciononsomelandIhaveonthellanosandtrytomakealittlemoneyinpeaceandquietness.Senora,youknow,allCostaguanaknows—whatdoIsay?—thiswholeSouthAmericancontinentknows,thatPabloBarrioshashadhisfillofmilitaryglory.”
CharlesGouldwasnotpresentattheanxiousandpatrioticsend-off.Itwasnothisparttoseethesoldiersembark.Itwasneitherhispart,norhisinclination,norhispolicy.Hispart,hisinclination,andhispolicywereunitedinoneendeavourtokeepuncheckedtheflowoftreasurehehadstartedsingle-handedfromthere-openedscarintheflankofthemountain.Astheminedevelopedhehadtrainedforhimselfsomenativehelp.Therewereforemen,artificersandclerks,withDonPepeforthegobernadoroftheminingpopulation.Fortheresthisshouldersalonesustainedthewholeweightofthe“ImperiuminImperio,”thegreatGouldConcessionwhosemereshadowhadbeenenoughtocrushthelifeoutofhisfather.
Mrs.Gouldhadnosilverminetolookafter.InthegenerallifeoftheGouldConcessionshewasrepresentedbyhertwolieutenants,thedoctorandthepriest,butshefedherwoman’sloveofexcitementoneventswhosesignificancewaspurifiedtoherbythefireofherimaginativepurpose.OnthatdayshehadbroughttheAvellanos,fatheranddaughter,downtotheharbourwithher.
