Quotation from: Lord Jim

Written by: Joseph Conrad


'I said that was true, and after remarking that he too liked to live
well and in style, only that, for the present, he had to be saving of
every penny--"none too many for the business! Isn't that so, Captain
Robinson?"--he squared his shoulders and stroked his dumpy moustache,
while the notorious Robinson, coughing at his side, clung more than ever
to the handle of the umbrella, and seemed ready to subside passively
into a heap of old bones. "You see, the old chap has all the money,"
whispered Chester confidentially. "I've been cleaned out trying to
engineer the dratted thing. But wait a bit, wait a bit. The good time is
coming." . . . He seemed suddenly astonished at the signs of impatience
I gave. "Oh, crakee!" he cried; "I am telling you of the biggest thing
that ever was, and you . . ." "I have an appointment," I pleaded mildly.
"What of that?" he asked with genuine surprise; "let it wait." "That's
exactly what I am doing now," I remarked; "hadn't you better tell me
what it is you want?" "Buy twenty hotels like that," he growled to
himself; "and every joker boarding in them too--twenty times over." He
lifted his head smartly "I want that young chap." "I don't understand,"
I said. "He's no good, is he?" said Chester crisply. "I know nothing
about it," I protested. "Why, you told me yourself he was taking it to
heart," argued Chester. "Well, in my opinion a chap who . . . Anyhow, he
can't be much good; but then you see I am on the look-out for somebody,
and I've just got a thing that will suit him. I'll give him a job on
my island." He nodded significantly. "I'm going to dump forty coolies
there--if I've to steal 'em. Somebody must work the stuff. Oh! I mean
to act square: wooden shed, corrugated-iron roof--I know a man in Hobart
who will take my bill at six months for the materials. I do. Honour
bright. Then there's the water-supply. I'll have to fly round and get
somebody to trust me for half-a-dozen second-hand iron tanks. Catch
rain-water, hey? Let him take charge. Make him supreme boss over the
coolies. Good idea, isn't it? What do you say?" "There are whole years
when not a drop of rain falls on Walpole," I said, too amazed to laugh.
He bit his lip and seemed bothered. "Oh, well, I will fix up something
for them--or land a supply. Hang it all! That's not the question."

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