Chapter 6

           ATTHATtimeNostromohadbeenalreadylongenoughinthecountrytoraisetothehighestpitchCaptainMitchell’sopinionoftheextraordinaryvalueofhisdiscovery.Clearlyhewasoneofthoseinvaluablesubordinateswhomtopossessisalegitimatecauseofboasting.CaptainMitchellplumedhimselfuponhiseyeformen—buthewasnotselfish—andintheinnocenceofhispridewasalreadydevelopingthatmaniafor“lendingyoumyCapatazdeCargadores”whichwastobringNostromointopersonalcontact,soonerorlater,witheveryEuropeaninSulaco,asasortofuniversalfactotum—aprodigyofefficiencyinhisownsphereoflife.

           “Thefellowisdevotedtome,bodyandsoul!”CaptainMitchellwasgiventoaffirm;andthoughnobody,perhaps,couldhaveexplainedwhyitshouldbeso,itwasimpossibleonasurveyoftheirrelationtothrowdoubtonthatstatement,unless,indeed,onewereabitter,eccentriccharacterlikeDr.Monygham—forinstance—whoseshort,hopelesslaughexpressedsomehowanimmensemistrustofmankind.NotthatDr.Monyghamwasaprodigaleitheroflaughterorofwords.Hewasbitterlytaciturnwhenathisbest.Athisworstpeoplefearedtheopenscornfulnessofhistongue.OnlyMrs.