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           Hisfaithintheminewascontagious,thoughitwasnotservedbyagreateloquence;butbusinessmenarefrequentlyassanguineandimaginativeaslovers.Theyareaffectedbyapersonalitymuchoftenerthanpeoplewouldsuppose;andCharlesGould,inhisunshakenassurance,wasabsolutelyconvincing.Besides,itwasamatterofcommonknowledgetothementowhomheaddressedhimselfthatmininginCostaguanawasagamethatcouldbemadeconsidablymorethanworththecandle.Themenofaffairsknewthatverywell.Therealdifficultyintouchingitwaselsewhere.AgainstthattherewasanimplicationofcalmandimplacableresolutioninCharlesGould’sveryvoice.Menofaffairsventuresometimesonactsthatthecommonjudgmentoftheworldwouldpronounceabsurd;theymaketheirdecisionsonapparentlyimpulsiveandhumangrounds.“Verywell,”hadsaidtheconsiderablepersonagetowhomCharlesGouldonhiswayoutthroughSanFranciscohadlucidlyexposedhispointofview.“LetussupposethattheminingaffairsofSulacoaretakeninhand.Therewouldthenbeinit:first,thehouseofHolroyd,whichisallright;then,Mr.CharlesGould,acitizenofCostaguana,whoisalsoallright;and,lastly,theGovernmentoftheRepublic.SofarthisresemblesthefirststartoftheAtacamanitratefields,wheretherewasafinancinghouse,agentlemanofthenameofEdwards,and—aGovernment;or,rather,twoGovernments—twoSouthAmericanGovernments.Andyouknowwhatcameofit.Warcameofit;devastatingandprolongedwarcameofit,Mr.Gould.