Quotation from: Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard

Written by: Joseph Conrad


At about that time, in the Intendencia of Sulaco, Charles Gould was
assuring Pedrito Montero, who had sent a request for his presence there,
that he would never let the mine pass out of his hands for the profit of
a Government who had robbed him of it. The Gould Concession could not
be resumed. His father had not desired it. The son would never surrender
it. He would never surrender it alive. And once dead, where was the
power capable of resuscitating such an enterprise in all its vigour and
wealth out of the ashes and ruin of destruction? There was no such power
in the country. And where was the skill and capital abroad that would
condescend to touch such an ill-omened corpse? Charles Gould talked in
the impassive tone which had for many years served to conceal his anger
and contempt. He suffered. He was disgusted with what he had to say. It
was too much like heroics. In him the strictly practical instinct was in
profound discord with the almost mystic view he took of his right. The
Gould Concession was symbolic of abstract justice. Let the heavens
fall. But since the San Tome mine had developed into world-wide fame
his threat had enough force and effectiveness to reach the rudimentary
intelligence of Pedro Montero, wrapped up as it was in the futilities
of historical anecdotes. The Gould Concession was a serious asset in the
country's finance, and, what was more, in the private budgets of many
officials as well. It was traditional. It was known. It was said. It
was credible. Every Minister of Interior drew a salary from the San
Tome mine. It was natural. And Pedrito intended to be Minister of the
Interior and President of the Council in his brother's Government. The
Duc de Morny had occupied those high posts during the Second French
Empire with conspicuous advantage to himself.

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