Ностромо
Chapter 6
Hispersonalfeelingshadnotbeenoutraged,anditisdifficulttoresentwithproperanddurableindignationthephysicalormentalanguishofanotherorganism,evenifthatotherorganismisone’sownfather.BythetimehewastwentyCharlesGouldhad,inhisturn,fallenunderthespelloftheSanTomemine.Butitwasanotherformofenchantment,moresuitabletohisyouth,intowhosemagicformulathereenteredhope,vigour,andself-confidence,insteadofwearyindignationanddespair.Leftafterhewastwentytohisownguidance(exceptforthesevereinjunctionnottoreturntoCostaguana),hehadpursuedhisstudiesinBelgiumandFrancewiththeideaofqualifyingforaminingengineer.Butthisscientificaspectofhislaboursremainedvagueandimperfectinhismind.Mineshadacquiredforhimadramaticinterest.Hestudiedtheirpeculiaritiesfromapersonalpointofview,too,asonewouldstudythevariedcharactersofmen.Hevisitedthemasonegoeswithcuriositytocalluponremarkablepersons.HevisitedminesinGermany,inSpain,inCornwall.Abandonedworkingshadforhimstrongfascination.Theirdesolationappealedtohimlikethesightofhumanmisery,whosecausesarevariedandprofound.Theymighthavebeenworthless,butalsotheymighthavebeenmisunderstood.Hisfuturewifewasthefirst,andperhapstheonlypersontodetectthissecretmoodwhichgovernedtheprofoundlysensible,almostvoicelessattitudeofthismantowardstheworldofmaterialthings.
