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

‘It’s like a tile falling on my head. I—I—executive member!It’s the first I hear of it! What do I know of militaryrifles? C’est funambulesque!’ he had exclaimed to his favouritesister; for the Decoud family—except the old father andmother—used the French language amongst themselves.‘And you should see the explanatory and confidential letter!Eight pages of it—no less!’This letter, in Antonia’s handwriting, was signed by DonJose, who appealed to the ‘young and gifted Costaguanero’on public grounds, and privately opened his heart to histalented god-son, a man of wealth and leisure, with widerelations, and by his parentage and bringing-up worthy ofall confidence.‘Which means,’ Martin commented, cynically, to his sister,‘that I am not likely to misappropriate the funds, or goblabbing to our Charge d’Affaires here.’The whole thing was being carried out behind the back ofthe War Minister, Montero, a mistrusted member of the RibieraGovernment, but difficult to get rid of at once. He wasnot to know anything of it till the troops under Barrios’scommand had the new rifle in their hands. The President-Dictator, whose position was very difficult, was alone in thesecret.‘How funny!’ commented Martin’s sister and confidante;to which the brother, with an air of best Parisian blague,had retorted:‘It’s immense! The idea of that Chief of the State engaged,with the help of private citizens, in digging a mine underhis own indispensable War Minister. No! We are unap-