Ностромо

           Thebuildingshadbeenburntdown,theminingplanthadbeendestroyed,theminingpopulationhaddisappearedfromtheneighbourhoodyearsandyearsago;theveryroadhadvanishedunderafloodoftropicalvegetationaseffectuallyasifswallowedbythesea;andthemaingalleryhadfalleninwithinahundredyardsfromtheentrance.Itwasnolongeranabandonedmine;itwasawild,inaccessible,androckygorgeoftheSierra,wherevestigesofcharredtimber,someheapsofsmashedbricks,andafewshapelesspiecesofrustyironcouldhavebeenfoundunderthemattedmassofthornycreeperscoveringtheground.Mr.Gould,senior,didnotdesiretheperpetualpossessionofthatdesolatelocality;infact,themerevisionofitarisingbeforehismindinthestillwatchesofthenighthadthepowertoexasperatehimintohoursofhotandagitatedinsomnia.

           Itsohappened,however,thattheFinanceMinisterofthetimewasamantowhom,inyearsgoneby,Mr.Gouldhad,unfortunately,declinedtograntsomesmallpecuniaryassistance,basinghisrefusalonthegroundthattheapplicantwasanotoriousgamblerandcheat,besidesbeingmorethanhalfsuspectedofarobberywithviolenceonawealthyrancheroinaremotecountrydistrict,wherehewasactuallyexercisingthefunctionofajudge.Now,afterreachinghisexaltedposition,thatpoliticianhadproclaimedhisintentiontorepayevilwithgoodtoSenorGould—thepoorman.Heaffirmedandreaffirmedthisresolutioninthedrawing-roomsofSta.