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Chapter 6
Itwasimperativesometimestoknowhowtodisobeythesolemnwishesofthedead.Heresolvedfirmlytomakehisdisobedienceasthorough(bywayofatonement)asitwellcouldbe.Theminehadbeenthecauseofanabsurdmoraldisaster;itsworkingmustbemadeaseriousandmoralsuccess.Heowedittothedeadman’smemory.Suchwerethe—properlyspeaking—emotionsofCharlesGould.HisthoughtsranuponthemeansofraisingalargeamountofcapitalinSanFranciscoorelsewhere;andincidentallythereoccurredtohimalsothegeneralreflectionthatthecounselofthedepartedmustbeanunsoundguide.Notoneofthemcouldbeawarebeforehandwhatenormouschangesthedeathofanygivenindividualmayproduceintheveryaspectoftheworld.
ThelatestphaseinthehistoryofthemineMrs.Gouldknewfrompersonalexperience.Itwasinessencethehistoryofhermarriedlife.ThemantleoftheGoulds’hereditarypositioninSulacohaddescendedamplyuponherlittleperson;butshewouldnotallowthepeculiaritiesofthestrangegarmenttoweighdownthevivacityofhercharacter,whichwasthesignofnomeremechanicalsprightliness,butofaneagerintelligence.ItmustnotbesupposedthatMrs.Gould’smindwasmasculine.Awomanwithamasculinemindisnotabeingofsuperiorefficiency;sheissimplyaphenomenonofimperfectdifferentiation—interestinglybarrenandwithoutimportance.