Ностромо
Chapter 4
EversinceshehadgoneintoherroomafterseeingthedepartureofDonaAntoniawithherdyingfather,therehadbeennosoundbehindherdoor.
Thedoctor,rousinghimselfoutofprofoundreflection,toldherabruptlytocallhermistressatonce.HehobbledofftowaitforMrs.Gouldinthesala.Hewasverytired,buttooexcitedtositdown.Inthisgreatdrawing-room,nowempty,inwhichhiswitheredsoulhadbeenrefreshedaftermanyaridyearsandhisoutcastspirithadacceptedsilentlythetolerationofmanyside-glances,hewanderedhaphazardamongstthechairsandtablestillMrs.Gould,envelopedinamorningwrapper,cameinrapidly.
“YouknowthatIneverapprovedofthesilverbeingsentaway,”thedoctorbeganatonce,asapreliminarytothenarrativeofhisnight’sadventuresinassociationwithCaptainMitchell,theengineer-in-chief,andoldViola,atSotillo’sheadquarters.Tothedoctor,withhisspecialconceptionofthispoliticalcrisis,theremovalofthesilverhadseemedanirrationalandill-omenedmeasure.Itwasasifageneralweresendingthebestpartofhistroopsawayontheeveofbattleuponsomereconditepretext.ThewholelotofingotsmighthavebeenconcealedsomewherewheretheycouldhavebeengotatforthepurposeofstavingoffthedangerswhichweremenacingthesecurityoftheGouldConcession.TheAdministradorhadactedasiftheimmenseandpowerfulprosperityoftheminehadbeenfoundedonmethodsofprobity,onthesenseofusefulness.Anditwasnothingofthekind.
