Ностромо
Chapter 7
“Ifyouhadhadallthissilverhere,”thedoctorsaid,“orevenifithadbeenknowntobeatthemine,youcouldhavebribedSotillotothrowoffhisrecentMonterism.Youcouldhaveinducedhimeithertogoawayinhissteameroreventojoinyou.”
“Certainlynotthatlast,”CharlesGoulddeclared,firmly.“Whatcouldonedowithamanlikethat,afterwards—tellme,doctor?Thesilverisgone,andIamgladofit.Itwouldhavebeenanimmediateandstrongtemptation.Thescrambleforthatvisibleplunderwouldhaveprecipitatedadisastrousending.Iwouldhavehadtodefendit,too.Iamgladwe’veremovedit—evenifitislost.Itwouldhavebeenadangerandacurse.”
“Perhapsheisright,”thedoctor,anhourlater,saidhurriedlytoMrs.Gould,whomhemetinthecorridor.“Thethingisdone,andtheshadowofthetreasuremaydojustaswellasthesubstance.Letmetrytoserveyoutothewholeextentofmyevilreputation.IamoffnowtoplaymygameofbetrayalwithSotillo,andkeephimoffthetown.”
Sheputoutbothherhandsimpulsively.“Dr.Monygham,youarerunningaterriblerisk,”shewhispered,avertingfromhisfacehereyes,fulloftears,forashortglanceatthedoorofherhusband’sroom.Shepressedbothhishands,andthedoctorstoodasifrootedtothespot,lookingdownather,andtryingtotwisthislipsintoasmile.
