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

too remote, and she had not learned that they were desirable.On the other hand, she had not known anything of absolutewant. Even the very poverty of her aunt, the Marchesa, hadnothing intolerable to a refined mind; it seemed in accordwith a great grief: it had the austerity of a sacrifice offeredto a noble ideal. Thus even the most legitimate touch of materialismwas wanting in Mrs. Gould’s character. The deadman of whom she thought with tenderness (because he wasCharley’s father) and with some impatience (because he hadbeen weak), must be put completely in the wrong. Nothingelse would do to keep their prosperity without a stain on itsonly real, on its immaterial side!Charles Gould, on his part, had been obliged to keepthe idea of wealth well to the fore; but he brought it forwardas a means, not as an end. Unless the mine was goodbusiness it could not be touched. He had to insist on thataspect of the enterprise. It was his lever to move men whohad capital. And Charles Gould believed in the mine. Heknew everything that could be known of it. His faith in themine was contagious, though it was not served by a greateloquence; but business men are frequently as sanguineand imaginative as lovers. They are affected by a personalitymuch oftener than people would suppose; and CharlesGould, in his unshaken assurance, was absolutely convincing.Besides, it was a matter of common knowledge to themen to whom he addressed himself that mining in Costaguanawas a game that could be made considably more thanworth the candle. The men of affairs knew that very well.The real difficulty in touching it was elsewhere. Against that