Ностромо
Chapter 4
Themethodfollowedhadbeentheonlyonepossible.TheGouldConcessionhadransomeditswaythroughallthoseyears.Itwasanauseousprocess.HequiteunderstoodthatCharlesGouldhadgotsickofitandhadlefttheoldpathtobackupthathopelessattemptatreform.ThedoctordidnotbelieveinthereformofCostaguana.Andnowtheminewasbackagaininitsoldpath,withthedisadvantagethathenceforthithadtodealnotonlywiththegreedprovokedbyitswealth,butwiththeresentmentawakenedbytheattempttofreeitselffromitsbondagetomoralcorruption.Thatwasthepenaltyoffailure.WhatmadehimuneasywasthatCharlesGouldseemedtohimtohaveweakenedatthedecisivemomentwhenafrankreturntotheoldmethodswastheonlychance.ListeningtoDecoud’swildschemehadbeenaweakness.
Thedoctorflunguphisarms,exclaiming,“Decoud!Decoud!”Hehobbledabouttheroomwithslight,angrylaughs.ManyyearsagobothhisankleshadbeenseriouslydamagedinthecourseofacertaininvestigationconductedinthecastleofSta.Martabyacommissioncomposedofmilitarymen.Theirnominationhadbeensignifiedtothemunexpectedlyatthedeadofnight,withscowlingbrow,flashingeyes,andinatempestuousvoice,byGuzmanBento.Theoldtyrant,maddenedbyoneofhissuddenaccessesofsuspicion,mingledsplutteringappealstotheirfidelitywithimprecationsandhorriblemenaces.Thecellsandcasementsofthecastleonthehillhadbeenalreadyfilledwithprisoners.
