Ностромо
Chapter 6
“Hecertainlypromisedmethat,butnowyouaskmewhy,Icouldnottellyouhisreasons.Hetalkedwithhisusualcarelessness,which,ifhehadbeenanythingelsebutacommonsailor,Iwouldcallaposeoranaffectation.”
Decoud,interruptinghimself,lookedatMrs.Gouldcuriously.
“Uponthewhole,”hecontinued,“Isupposeheexpectssomethingtohisadvantagefromit.Youmustn’tforgetthathedoesnotexercisehisextraordinarypoweroverthelowerclasseswithoutacertainamountofpersonalriskandwithoutagreatprofusioninspendinghismoney.Onemustpayinsomewayorotherforsuchasolidthingasindividualprestige.Hetoldmeafterwemadefriendsatadance,inaPosadakeptbyaMexicanjustoutsidethewalls,thathehadcomeheretomakehisfortune.Isupposehelooksuponhisprestigeasasortofinvestment.”
“Perhapsheprizesitforitsownsake,”Mrs.Gouldsaidinatoneasifshewererepellinganundeservedaspersion.“Viola,theGaribaldino,withwhomhehaslivedforsomeyears,callshimtheIncorruptible.”
“Ah!hebelongstothegroupofyourprotegesouttheretowardstheharbour,Mrs.Gould.Muybien.AndCaptainMitchellcallshimwonderful.Ihaveheardnoendoftalesofhisstrength,hisaudacity,hisfidelity.Noendoffinethings.H’m!incorruptible!ItisindeedanameofhonourfortheCapatazoftheCargadoresofSulaco.Incorruptible!Fine,butvague.However,Isupposehe’ssensible,too.
