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Chapter 5
Martabythecablefromtheotherseaboard.Wehavethegreatestriches,thegreatestfertility,thepurestbloodinourgreatfamilies,themostlaboriouspopulation.TheOccidentalProvinceshouldstandalone.TheearlyFederalismwasnotbadforus.ThencamethisunionwhichDonHenriqueGouldresisted.Itopenedtheroadtotyranny;and,eversince,therestofCostaguanahangslikeamillstoneroundournecks.TheOccidentalterritoryislargeenoughtomakeanyman’scountry.Lookatthemountains!Natureitselfseemstocrytous,‘Separate!’”
Shemadeanenergeticgestureofnegation.Asilencefell.
“Oh,yes,Iknowit’scontrarytothedoctrinelaiddowninthe‘HistoryofFiftyYears’Misrule.’Iamonlytryingtobesensible.Butmysenseseemsalwaystogiveyoucauseforoffence.HaveIstartledyouverymuchwiththisperfectlyreasonableaspiration?”
Sheshookherhead.No,shewasnotstartled,buttheideashockedherearlyconvictions.Herpatriotismwaslarger.Shehadneverconsideredthatpossibility.
“Itmayyetbethemeansofsavingsomeofyourconvictions,”hesaid,prophetically.
Shedidnotanswer.Sheseemedtired.Theyleanedsidebysideontherailofthelittlebalcony,veryfriendly,havingexhaustedpolitics,givingthemselvesuptothesilentfeelingoftheirnearness,inoneofthoseprofoundpausesthatfallupontherhythmofpassion.
