Nostromo - A Tale of the Seaboard.pdf - Planet eBook

The Excellency was a man of many moods. With the receiptof the money a great mellowness had descended uponhis simple soul. Unexpectedly he fetched a deep sigh.‘Ah, Don Carlos! What we want is advanced men like youin the province. The lethargy—the lethargy of these aristocrats!The want of public spirit! The absence of all enterprise!I, with my profound studies in Europe, you understand—‘With one hand thrust into his swelling bosom, he roseand fell on his toes, and for ten minutes, almost withoutdrawing breath, went on hurling himself intellectually tothe assault of Charles Gould’s polite silence; and when, stoppingabruptly, he fell back into his chair, it was as though hehad been beaten off from a fortress. To save his dignity hehastened to dismiss this silent man with a solemn inclinationof the head and the words, pronounced with moody,fatigued condescension—‘You may depend upon my enlightened goodwill as longas your conduct as a good citizen deserves it.’He took up a paper fan and began to cool himself witha consequential air, while Charles Gould bowed and withdrew.Then he dropped the fan at once, and stared with anappearance of wonder and perplexity at the closed door forquite a long time. At last he shrugged his shoulders as if toassure himself of his disdain. Cold, dull. No intellectuality.Red hair. A true Englishman. He despised him.His face darkened. What meant this unimpressed andfrigid behaviour? He was the first of the successive politicianssent out from the capital to rule the OccidentalProvince whom the manner of Charles Gould in official in-