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

ciple is old.’He ruminated his discontent for a while, then beganafresh with a sidelong glance at Antonia—‘No, but just imagine our forefathers in morions andcorselets drawn up outside this gate, and a band of adventurersjust landed from their ships in the harbour there.Thieves, of course. Speculators, too. Their expeditions, eachone, were the speculations of grave and reverend personsin England. That is history, as that absurd sailor Mitchell isalways saying.’‘Mitchell’s arrangements for the embarkation of thetroops were excellent!’ exclaimed Don Jose.‘That!—that! oh, that’s really the work of that Genoeseseaman! But to return to my noises; there used to be in theold days the sound of trumpets outside that gate. War trumpets!I’m sure they were trumpets. I have read somewherethat Drake, who was the greatest of these men, used to dinealone in his cabin on board ship to the sound of trumpets.In those days this town was full of wealth. Those men cameto take it. Now the whole land is like a treasure-house, andall these people are breaking into it, whilst we are cuttingeach other’s throats. The only thing that keeps them out ismutual jealousy. But they’ll come to an agreement someday—and by the time we’ve settled our quarrels and becomedecent and honourable, there’ll be nothing left for us.It has always been the same. We are a wonderful people, butit has always been our fate to be’—he did not say ‘robbed,’but added, after a pause—‘exploited!’Mrs. Gould said, ‘Oh, this is unjust!’ And Antonia inter-