Ностромо

           Serious,well-informedmenseemedtobelievethefact,tohopeforbetterthings,fortheestablishmentoflegality,ofgoodfaithandorderinpubliclife.Somuchthebetter,then,thoughtSirJohn.Heworkedalwaysonagreatscale;therewasaloantotheState,andaprojectforsystematiccolonizationoftheOccidentalProvince,involvedinonevastschemewiththeconstructionoftheNationalCentralRailway.Goodfaith,order,honesty,peace,werebadlywantedforthisgreatdevelopmentofmaterialinterests.Anybodyonthesideofthesethings,andespeciallyifabletohelp,hadanimportanceinSirJohn’seyes.Hehadnotbeendisappointedinthe“KingofSulaco.”Thelocaldifficultieshadfallenaway,astheengineer-in-chiefhadforetoldtheywould,beforeCharlesGould’smediation.SirJohnhadbeenextremelyfetedinSulaco,nexttothePresident-Dictator,afactwhichmighthaveaccountedfortheevidentill-humourGeneralMonterodisplayedatlunchgivenonboardtheJunojustbeforeshewastosail,takingawayfromSulacothePresident-Dictatorandthedistinguishedforeignguestsinhistrain.

           TheExcellentissimo(“thehopeofhonestmen,”asDonJosehadaddressedhiminapublicspeechdeliveredinthenameoftheProvincialAssemblyofSulaco)satattheheadofthelongtable;CaptainMitchell,positivelystony-eyedandpurpleinthefacewiththesolemnityofthis“historicalevent,”occupiedthefootastherepresentativeoftheO.S.N.