Ностромо

           Hiscourage,hismagnificence,hisleisure,hiswork,everythingwasasbefore,onlyeverythingwasasham.Butthetreasurewasreal.Heclungtoitwithamoretenacious,mentalgrip.Buthehatedthefeeloftheingots.Sometimes,afterputtingawayacoupleoftheminhiscabin—thefruitofasecretnightexpeditiontotheGreatIsabel—hewouldlookfixedlyathisfingers,asifsurprisedtheyhadleftnostainonhisskin.

           Hehadfoundmeansofdisposingofthesilverbarsindistantports.Thenecessitytogofarafieldmadehiscoastingvoyageslong,andcausedhisvisitstotheViolahouseholdtoberareandfarbetween.Hewasfatedtohavehiswifefromthere.HehadsaidsooncetoGiorgiohimself.ButtheGaribaldinohadputthesubjectasidewithamajesticwaveofhishand,clutchingasmoulderingblackbriar-rootpipe.Therewasplentyoftime;hewasnotthemantoforcehisgirlsuponanybody.

           Astimewenton,Nostromodiscoveredhispreferencefortheyoungerofthetwo.Theyhadsomeprofoundsimilaritiesofnature,whichmustexistforcompleteconfidenceandunderstanding,nomatterwhatoutwarddifferencesoftemperamenttheremaybetoexercisetheirownfascinationofcontrast.Hiswifewouldhavetoknowhissecretorelselifewouldbeimpossible.