Ностромо
Chapter 1
Lateron,asyoumighthaveheard,herenderedusaservicebydisclosingtothethenchiefofpolicethepresenceinthetownofsomeprofessionalthieves,whocamefromadistancetowreckandrobourmonthlypaytrain.HehascertainlyorganizedthelighterageserviceoftheharbourfortheO.S.N.Companywithgreatability.Heknowshowtomakehimselfobeyed,foreignerthoughheis.ItistruethattheCargadoresarestrangershere,too,forthemostpart—immigrants,Islenos.”
“Hisprestigeishisfortune,”mutteredthedoctor,sourly.
“Themanhasprovedhistrustworthinessuptothehiltoninnumerableoccasionsandinallsortsofways,”arguedtheengineer.“Whenthisquestionofthesilverarose,CaptainMitchellnaturallywasverywarmlyoftheopinionthathisCapatazwastheonlymanfitforthetrust.Asasailor,ofcourse,Isupposeso.Butasaman,don’tyouknow,Gould,Decoud,andmyselfjudgedthatitdidn’tmatterintheleastwhowent.Anyboatmanwouldhavedonejustaswell.Pray,whatcouldathiefdowithsuchalotofingots?Ifheranoffwiththemhewouldhaveintheendtolandsomewhere,andhowcouldheconcealhiscargofromtheknowledgeofthepeopleashore?Wedismissedthatconsiderationfromourminds.Moreover,Decoudwasgoing.TherehavebeenoccasionswhentheCapatazhasbeenmoreimplicitlytrusted.”
“Hetookaslightlydifferentview,”thedoctorsaid.
