Ностромо

           HeimploredhissonnevertoreturntoCostaguana,nevertoclaimanypartofhisinheritancethere,becauseitwastaintedbytheinfamousConcession;nevertotouchit,nevertoapproachit,toforgetthatAmericaexisted,andpursueamercantilecareerinEurope.Andeachletterendedwithbitterself-reproachesforhavingstayedtoolonginthatcavernofthieves,intriguers,andbrigands.

           Tobetoldrepeatedlythatone’sfutureisblightedbecauseofthepossessionofasilvermineisnot,attheageoffourteen,amatterofprimeimportanceastoitsmainstatement;butinitsformitiscalculatedtoexciteacertainamountofwonderandattention.Incourseoftimetheboy,atfirstonlypuzzledbytheangryjeremiads,butrathersorryforhisdad,begantoturnthematteroverinhismindinsuchmomentsashecouldsparefromplayandstudy.InaboutayearhehadevolvedfromthelectureofthelettersadefiniteconvictionthattherewasasilvermineintheSulacoprovinceoftheRepublicofCostaguana,wherepoorUncleHarryhadbeenshotbysoldiersagreatmanyyearsbefore.Therewasalsoconnectedcloselywiththatmineathingcalledthe“iniquitousGouldConcession,”apparentlywrittenonapaperwhichhisfatherdesiredardentlyto“tearandflingintothefaces”ofpresidents,membersofjudicature,andministersofState.Andthisdesirepersisted,thoughthenamesofthesepeople,henoticed,seldomremainedthesameforawholeyeartogether.