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

established reputation. Trumpeted by Captain Mitchell,grown in repetition, and fixed in general assent, Nostromo’sfaithfulness had never been questioned by Dr. Monyghamas a fact. It was not likely to be questioned now he stood indesperate need of it himself. Dr. Monygham was human; heaccepted the popular conception of the Capataz’s incorruptibilitysimply because no word or fact had ever contradicteda mere affirmation. It seemed to be a part of the man, likehis whiskers or his teeth. It was impossible to conceive himotherwise. The question was whether he would consent togo on such a dangerous and desperate errand. The doctorwas observant enough to have become aware from thefirst of something peculiar in the man’s temper. He was nodoubt sore about the loss of the silver.‘It will be necessary to take him into my fullest confidence,’he said to himself, with a certain acuteness of insightinto the nature he had to deal with.On Nostromo’s side the silence had been full of black irresolution,anger, and mistrust. He was the first to break it,however.‘The swimming was no great matter,’ he said. ‘It is whatwent before—and what comes after that—‘He did not quite finish what he meant to say, breakingoff short, as though his thought had butted against a solidobstacle. The doctor’s mind pursued its own schemes withMachiavellian subtlety. He said as sympathetically as hewas able—‘It is unfortunate, Capataz. But no one would think ofblaming you. Very unfortunate. To begin with, the treasure