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

A puzzled look came upon Mrs. Gould’s face, andDecoud, approaching, explained confidentially—‘Don’t you see, he’s such an idealist.’Mrs. Gould flushed pink, and her eyes grew darker at thesame time.‘Charley an idealist!’ she said, as if to herself, wonderingly.‘What on earth do you mean?’‘Yes,’ conceded Decoud, ‘it’s a wonderful thing to saywith the sight of the San Tome mine, the greatest fact in thewhole of South America, perhaps, before our very eyes. Butlook even at that, he has idealized this fact to a point—‘ Hepaused. ‘Mrs. Gould, are you aware to what point he hasidealized the existence, the worth, the meaning of the SanTome mine? Are you aware of it?’He must have known what he was talking about.The effect he expected was produced. Mrs. Gould, readyto take fire, gave it up suddenly with a low little sound thatresembled a moan.‘What do you know?’ she asked in a feeble voice.‘Nothing,’ answered Decoud, firmly. ‘But, then, don’t yousee, he’s an Englishman?’‘Well, what of that?’ asked Mrs. Gould.‘Simply that he cannot act or exist without idealizingevery simple feeling, desire, or achievement. He could notbelieve his own motives if he did not make them first a partof some fairy tale. The earth is not quite good enough forhim, I fear. Do you excuse my frankness? Besides, whetheryou excuse it or not, it is part of the truth of things whichhurts the—what do you call them?—the Anglo-Saxon’s sus-