Ностромо

           Duringthelastfewdays,asithappened,CharlesGouldhadbeenkepttoobusythinkingtwicebeforehespoketohavepaidmuchattentiontothestateofhisfeelings.Buttheirswasasuccessfulmatch,andhehadnodifficultyinfindinghisanswer.

           “Thebestofmyfeelingsareinyourkeeping,mydear,”hesaid,lightly;andtherewassomuchtruthinthatobscurephrasethatheexperiencedtowardsheratthemomentagreatincreaseofgratitudeandtenderness.

           Mrs.Gould,however,didnotseemtofindthisanswerintheleastobscure.Shebrightenedupdelicately;alreadyhehadchangedhistone.

           “Buttherearefacts.Theworthofthemine—asamine—isbeyonddoubt.Itshallmakeusverywealthy.Themereworkingofitisamatteroftechnicalknowledge,whichIhave—whichtenthousandothermenintheworldhave.Butitssafety,itscontinuedexistenceasanenterprise,givingareturntomen—tostrangers,comparativestrangers—whoinvestmoneyinit,isleftaltogetherinmyhands.Ihaveinspiredconfidenceinamanofwealthandposition.Youseemtothinkthisperfectlynatural—doyou?Well,Idon’tknow.Idon’tknowwhyIhave;butitisafact.Thisfactmakeseverythingpossible,becausewithoutitIwouldneverhavethoughtofdisregardingmyfather’swishes.