Ностромо

           PedritoMonterosurprisedoneatfirstsightbythevastdevelopmentofhisbaldforehead,ashinyyellowexpansebetweenthecrinklycoal-blacktuftsofhairwithoutanylustre,theengagingformofhismouth,andanunexpectedlycultivatedvoice.Buthiseyes,veryglisteningasiffreshlypaintedoneachsideofhishookednose,hadaround,hopeless,birdlikestarewhenopenedfully.Now,however,henarrowedthemagreeably,throwinghissquarechinupandspeakingwithclosedteethslightlythroughthenose,withwhatheimaginedtobethemannerofagrandseigneur.

           Inthatattitude,hedeclaredsuddenlythatthehighestexpressionofdemocracywasCaesarism:theimperialrulebaseduponthedirectpopularvote.Caesarismwasconservative.Itwasstrong.Itrecognizedthelegitimateneedsofdemocracywhichrequiresorders,titles,anddistinctions.Theywouldbeshoweredupondeservingmen.Caesarismwaspeace.Itwasprogressive.Itsecuredtheprosperityofacountry.PedritoMonterowascarriedaway.LookatwhattheSecondEmpirehaddoneforFrance.ItwasaregimewhichdelightedtohonourmenofDonCarlos’sstamp.TheSecondEmpirefell,butthatwasbecauseitschiefwasdevoidofthatmilitarygeniuswhichhadraisedGeneralMonterotothepinnacleoffameandglory.Pedritoelevatedhishandjerkilytohelptheideaofpinnacle,offame.“Weshallhavemanytalksyet.Weshallunderstandeachotherthoroughly,DonCarlos!”hecriedinatoneoffellowship.Republicanismhaddoneitswork.