Ностромо

           “Butherewehavethenakedtruthfromthemouthofthatchild.Youareright,DonJose.ThenaturaltreasuresofCostaguanaareofimportancetotheprogressiveEuroperepresentedbythisyouth,justasthreehundredyearsagothewealthofourSpanishfatherswasaseriousobjecttotherestofEurope—asrepresentedbytheboldbuccaneers.Thereisacurseoffutilityuponourcharacter:DonQuixoteandSanchoPanza,chivalryandmaterialism,high-soundingsentimentsandasupinemorality,violenteffortsforanideaandasullenacquiescenceineveryformofcorruption.Weconvulsedacontinentforourindependenceonlytobecomethepassivepreyofademocraticparody,thehelplessvictimsofscoundrelsandcut-throats,ourinstitutionsamockery,ourlawsafarce—aGuzmanBentoourmaster!Andwehavesunksolowthatwhenamanlikeyouhasawakenedourconscience,astupidbarbarianofaMontero—GreatHeavens!aMontero!—becomesadeadlydanger,andanignorant,boastfulIndio,likeBarrios,isourdefender.”

           ButDonJose,disregardingthegeneralindictmentasthoughhehadnotheardawordofit,tookupthedefenceofBarrios.Themanwascompetentenoughforhisspecialtaskintheplanofcampaign.Itconsistedinanoffensivemovement,withCaytaasbase,upontheflankoftheRevolutionistforcesadvancingfromthesouthagainstSta.Marta,whichwascoveredbyanotherarmywiththePresident-Dictatorinitsmidst.