Ностромо

           “Lateatnightweformedasmalljuntaoffour—thetwowomen,DonCarlos,andmyself—inMrs.Gould’sblue-and-whiteboudoir.

           “ElReydeSulacothinkshimself,nodoubt,averyhonestman.Andsoheis,ifonecouldlookbehindhistaciturnity.Perhapshethinksthatthisalonemakeshishonestyunstained.ThoseEnglishmenliveonillusionswhichsomehoworotherhelpthemtogetafirmholdofthesubstance.Whenhespeaksitisbyarare‘yes’or‘no’thatseemsasimpersonalasthewordsofanoracle.Buthecouldnotimposeonmebyhisdumbreserve.Iknewwhathehadinhishead;hehashismineinhishead;andhiswifehadnothinginherheadbuthispreciousperson,whichhehasboundupwiththeGouldConcessionandtieduptothatlittlewoman’sneck.Nomatter.ThethingwastomakehimpresenttheaffairtoHolroyd(theSteelandSilverKing)insuchamannerastosecurehisfinancialsupport.Atthattimelastnight,justtwenty-fourhoursago,wethoughtthesilveroftheminesafeintheCustomHousevaultstillthenorth-boundsteamercametotakeitaway.Andaslongasthetreasureflowednorth,withoutabreak,thatuttersentimentalist,Holroyd,wouldnotdrophisideaofintroducing,notonlyjustice,industry,peace,tothebenightedcontinents,butalsothatpetdreamofhisofapurerformofChristianity.Lateron,theprincipalEuropeanreallyinSulaco,theengineer-in-chiefoftherailway,cameridinguptheCalle,fromtheharbour,andwasadmittedtoourconclave.