Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 1. CHAPTER ONE (continued)

It was not from any liking for the doctor that the
engineer-in-chief had lingered in the inn upon the plain. He
liked old Viola much better. He had come to look upon the Albergo
d'ltalia Una as a dependence of the railway. Many of his
subordinates had their quarters there. Mrs. Gould's interest in
the family conferred upon it a sort of distinction. The
engineer-in-chief, with an army of workers under his orders,
appreciated the moral influence of the old Garibaldino upon his
countrymen. His austere, old-world Republicanism had a severe,
soldier-like standard of faithfulness and duty, as if the world
were a battlefield where men had to fight for the sake of
universal love and brotherhood, instead of a more or less large
share of booty.

"Poor old chap!" he said, after he had heard the doctor's account
of Teresa. "He'll never be able to keep the place going by
himself. I shall be sorry."

"He's quite alone up there," grunted Doctor Monygham, with a toss
of his heavy head towards the narrow staircase. "Every living
soul has cleared out, and Mrs. Gould took the girls away just
now. It might not be over-safe for them out here before very
long. Of course, as a doctor I can do nothing more here; but she
has asked me to stay with old Viola, and as I have no horse to
get back to the mine, where I ought to be, I made no difficulty
to stay. They can do without me in the town."

"I have a good mind to remain with you, doctor, till we see
whether anything happens to-night at the harbour," declared the
engineer-in-chief. "He must not be molested by Sotillo's
soldiery, who may push on as far as this at once. Sotillo used to
be very cordial to me at the Goulds' and at the club. How that
man'll ever dare to look any of his friends here in the face I
can't imagine."

"He'll no doubt begin by shooting some of them to get over the
first awkwardness," said the doctor. "Nothing in this country
serves better your military man who has changed sides than a few
summary executions." He spoke with a gloomy positiveness that
left no room for protest. The engineer-in-chief did not attempt
any. He simply nodded several times regretfully, then said--