Ностромо

           “Iheardhimdeclareinthisveryroomthatitwouldbethemostdesperateaffairofhislife.Hemadeasortofverbalwillhereinmyhearing,appointingoldViolahisexecutor;and,byJove!doyouknow,he—he’snotgrownrichbyhisfidelitytoyougoodpeopleoftherailwayandtheharbour.Isupposeheobtainssome—howdoyousaythat?—somespiritualvalueforhislabours,orelseIdon’tknowwhythedevilheshouldbefaithfultoyou,Gould,Mitchell,oranybodyelse.Heknowsthiscountrywell.Heknows,forinstance,thatGamacho,theDeputyfromJavira,hasbeennothingelsebuta‘tramposo’ofthecommonestsort,apettypedlaroftheCampo,tillhemanagedtogetenoughgoodsoncreditfromAnzanitoopenalittlestoreinthewilds,andgothimselfelectedbythedrunkenmozosthathangabouttheEstanciasandthepoorestsortofrancheroswhowereinhisdebt.AndGamacho,whoto-morrowwillbeprobablyoneofourhighofficials,isastranger,too—anIsleno.HemighthavebeenaCargadorontheO.S.N.wharfhadhenot(theposaderoofRinconisreadytoswearit)murderedapedlarinthewoodsandstolenhispacktobeginlifeon.AnddoyouthinkthatGamacho,then,wouldhaveeverbecomeaherowiththedemocracyofthisplace,likeourCapataz?Ofcoursenot.Heisn’thalftheman.No;decidedly,IthinkthatNostromoisafool.”

           Thedoctor’stalkwasdistastefultothebuilderofrailways.“Itisimpossibletoarguethatpoint,”hesaid,philosophically.“Eachmanhashisgifts