Ностромо
Chapter 7
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Aftersettingthesewordsdowninthepocket-bookwhichhewasfillingupforthebenefitofhissister,Decoudliftedhisheadtolisten.Buttherewerenosounds,neitherintheroomnorinthehouse,exceptthedripofthewaterfromthefilterintothevastearthenwarejarunderthewoodenstand.Andoutsidethehousetherewasagreatsilence.Decoudloweredhisheadagainoverthepocket-book.
“Iamnotrunningaway,youunderstand,”hewroteon.“Iamsimplygoingawaywiththatgreattreasureofsilverwhichmustbesavedatallcosts.PedroMonterofromtheCampoandtherevoltedgarrisonofEsmeraldafromtheseaareconverginguponit.Thatitistherelyingreadyforthemisonlyanaccident.TherealobjectiveistheSanTomemineitself,asyoumaywellimagine;otherwisetheOccidentalProvincewouldhavebeen,nodoubt,leftaloneformanyweeks,tobegatheredatleisureintothearmsofthevictoriousparty.DonCarlosGouldwillhaveenoughtodotosavehismine,withitsorganizationanditspeople;this‘ImperiuminImperio,’thiswealth-producingthing,towhichhissentimentalismattachesastrangeideaofjustice.Heholdstoitassomemenholdtotheideaofloveorrevenge.UnlessIammuchmistakenintheman,itmustremaininviolateorperishbyanactofhiswillalone.Apassionhascreptintohiscoldandidealisticlife.ApassionwhichIcanonlycomprehendintellectually.Apassionthatisnotlikethepassionsweknow,wemenofanotherblood.Butitisasdangerousasanyofours.
