Ностромо
Chapter 9
TheIsabel!Whatstupidity!Whatmiserableinvention!Ah!youareallalike,youfinemenofintelligence.Allyouarefitforistobetraymenofthepeopleintoundertakingdeadlyrisksforobjectsthatyouarenotevensureabout.Ifitcomesoffyougetthebenefit.Ifnot,thenitdoesnotmatter.Heisonlyadog.Ah!MadredeDios,Iwould—”Heshookhisfistsabovehishead.
Thedoctorwasoverwhelmedatfirstbythisfierce,hissingvehemence.
“Well!Itseemstomeonyourownshowingthatthemenofthepeoplearenomeanfools,too,”hesaid,sullenly.“No,butcome.Youaresoclever.Haveyouabetterplace?”
Nostromohadcalmeddownasquicklyashehadflaredup.
“Iamcleverenoughforthat,”hesaid,quietly,almostwithindifference.“Youwanttotellhimofahiding-placebigenoughtotakedaysinransacking—aplacewhereatreasureofsilveringotscanbeburiedwithoutleavingasignonthesurface.”
“Andcloseathand,”thedoctorputin.
“Justso,senor.Tellhimitissunk.”
“Thishasthemeritofbeingthetruth,”thedoctorsaid,contemptuously.“Hewillnotbelieveit.”
“Youtellhimthatitissunkwherehemayhopetolayhishandsonit,andhewillbelieveyouquickenough.Tellhimithasbeensunkintheharbourinordertoberecoveredafterwardsbydivers.
