Chapter 5

           INTHISwayonlywasthepowerofthelocalauthoritiesvindicatedamongstthegreatbodyofstrong-limbedforeignerswhodugtheearth,blastedtherocks,drovetheenginesforthe“progressiveandpatrioticundertaking.”IntheseverywordseighteenmonthsbeforetheExcellentissimoSenordonVincenteRibiera,theDictatorofCostaguana,haddescribedtheNationalCentralRailwayinhisgreatspeechattheturningofthefirstsod.

           HehadcomeonpurposetoSulaco,andtherewasaone-o’clockdinner-party,aconviteofferedbytheO.S.N.CompanyonboardtheJunoafterthefunctiononshore.CaptainMitchellhadhimselfsteeredthecargolighter,alldrapedwithflags,which,intowoftheJuno’ssteamlaunch,tooktheExcellentissimofromthejettytotheship.EverybodyofnoteinSulacohadbeeninvited—theoneortwoforeignmerchants,alltherepresentativesoftheoldSpanishfamiliesthenintown,thegreatownersofestatesontheplain,grave,courteous,simplemen,caballerosofpuredescent,withsmallhandsandfeet,conservative,hospitable,andkind.TheOccidentalProvincewastheirstronghold;theirBlancopartyhadtriumphednow;itwastheirPresident-Dictator,aBlancooftheBlancos,whosatsmilingurbanelybetweentherepresentativesoftwofriendlyforeignpowers.TheyhadcomewithhimfromSta.Martatocountenancebytheirpresencetheenterpriseinwhichthecapitaloftheircountrieswasengaged.TheonlyladyofthatcompanywasMrs.Gould,thewifeofDonCarlos,theadministratoroftheSanTomesilvermine.