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

CHAPTER SIXAT THAT time Nostromo had been already long enoughin the country to raise to the highest pitch CaptainMitchell’s opinion of the extraordinary value of his discovery.Clearly he was one of those invaluable subordinateswhom to possess is a legitimate cause of boasting. CaptainMitchell plumed himself upon his eye for men—but hewas not selfish—and in the innocence of his pride was alreadydeveloping that mania for ‘lending you my Capatazde Cargadores’ which was to bring Nostromo into personalcontact, sooner or later, with every European in Sulaco, asa sort of universal factotum—a prodigy of efficiency in hisown sphere of life.‘The fellow is devoted to me, body and soul!’ CaptainMitchell was given to affirm; and though nobody, perhaps,could have explained why it should be so, it was impossibleon a survey of their relation to throw doubt on that statement,unless, indeed, one were a bitter, eccentric characterlike Dr. Monygham—for instance—whose short, hopelesslaugh expressed somehow an immense mistrust of mankind.Not that Dr. Monygham was a prodigal either oflaughter or of words. He was bitterly taciturn when at hisbest. At his worst people feared the open scornfulness of histongue. Only Mrs. Gould could keep his unbelief in men’smotives within due bounds; but even to her (on an occasion