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

CHAPTER FIVEIN THIS way only was the power of the local authoritiesvindicated amongst the great body of strong-limbedforeigners who dug the earth, blasted the rocks, drove theengines for the ‘progressive and patriotic undertaking.’ Inthese very words eighteen months before the ExcellentissimoSenor don Vincente Ribiera, the Dictator of Costaguana,had described the National Central Railway in his greatspeech at the turning of the first sod.He had come on purpose to Sulaco, and there was aone-o’clock dinner-party, a convite offered by the O.S.N.Company on board the Juno after the function on shore.Captain Mitchell had himself steered the cargo lighter, alldraped with flags, which, in tow of the Juno’s steam launch,took the Excellentissimo from the jetty to the ship. Everybodyof note in Sulaco had been invited—the one or twoforeign merchants, all the representatives of the old Spanishfamilies then in town, the great owners of estates on theplain, grave, courteous, simple men, caballeros of pure descent,with small hands and feet, conservative, hospitable,and kind. The Occidental Province was their stronghold;their Blanco party had triumphed now; it was their President-Dictator,a Blanco of the Blancos, who sat smilingurbanely between the representatives of two friendly foreignpowers. They had come with him from Sta. Marta to