Ностромо
Chapter 5
Thepopularloreofallnationstestifiesthatduplicityandcunning,togetherwithbodilystrength,werelookedupon,evenmorethancourage,asheroicvirtuesbyprimitivemankind.Toovercomeyouradversarywasthegreataffairoflife.Couragewastakenforgranted.Buttheuseofintelligenceawakenedwonderandrespect.Stratagems,providingtheydidnotfail,werehonourable;theeasymassacreofanunsuspectingenemyevokednofeelingsbutthoseofgladness,pride,andadmiration.Notperhapsthatprimitivemenweremorefaithlessthantheirdescendantsofto-day,butthattheywentstraightertotheiraim,andweremoreartlessintheirrecognitionofsuccessastheonlystandardofmorality.
Wehavechangedsince.Theuseofintelligenceawakenslittlewonderandlessrespect.Buttheignorantandbarbarousplainsmenengagingincivilstrifefollowedwillinglyaleaderwhooftenmanagedtodelivertheirenemiesbound,asitwere,intotheirhands.PedroMonterohadatalentforlullinghisadversariesintoasenseofsecurity.Andasmenlearnwisdomwithextremeslowness,andarealwaysreadytobelievepromisesthatflattertheirsecrethopes,PedroMonterowassuccessfultimeaftertime.WhetheronlyaservantorsomeinferiorofficialintheCostaguanaLegationinParis,hehadrushedbacktohiscountrydirectlyheheardthathisbrotherhademergedfromtheobscurityofhisfrontiercommandancia.
