Ностромо

           However,herewepossesstheadvantageofhavingonlyoneSouthAmericanGovernmenthangingaroundforplunderoutofthedeal.Itisanadvantage;butthentherearedegreesofbadness,andthatGovernmentistheCostaguanaGovernment.”

           Thusspoketheconsiderablepersonage,themillionaireendowerofchurchesonascalebefittingthegreatnessofhisnativeland—thesametowhomthedoctorsusedthelanguageofhorridandveiledmenaces.Hewasabig-limbed,deliberateman,whosequietburlinesslenttoanamplesilk-facedfrock-coatasuperfinedignity.Hishairwasirongrey,hiseyebrowswerestillblack,andhismassiveprofilewastheprofileofaCaesar’sheadonanoldRomancoin.ButhisparentagewasGermanandScotchandEnglish,withremotestrainsofDanishandFrenchblood,givinghimthetemperamentofaPuritanandaninsatiableimaginationofconquest.Hewascompletelyunbendingtohisvisitor,becauseofthewarmintroductionthevisitorhadbroughtfromEurope,andbecauseofanirrationallikingforearnestnessanddeterminationwherevermet,towhateverenddirected.

           “TheCostaguanaGovernmentshallplayitshandforallit’sworth—anddon’tyouforgetit,Mr.Gould.Now,whatisCostaguana?Itisthebottomlesspitof10percent.loansandotherfoolinvestments.Europeancapitalhasbeenflungintoitwithbothhandsforyears.Notours,though.Weinthiscountryknowjustaboutenoughtokeepindoorswhenitrains.Wecansitandwatch.Ofcourse,somedayweshallstepin.Weareboundto.