Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 3. CHAPTER THREE (continued)

"I will see them as far as the ford," said Charles Gould to his
wife. She stood on the edge of the sidewalk with her hands
clasped lightly, and nodded to him as he followed after the
carriage. And now the windows of the Amarilla Club were dark. The
last spark of resistance had died out. Turning his head at the
corner, Charles Gould saw his wife crossing over to their own
gate in the lighted patch of the street. One of their neighbours,
a well-known merchant and landowner of the province, followed at
her elbow, talking with great gestures. As she passed in all the
lights went out in the street, which remained dark and empty from
end to end.

The houses of the vast Plaza were lost in the night. High up,
like a star, there was a small gleam in one of the towers of the
cathedral; and the equestrian statue gleamed pale against the
black trees of the Alameda, like a ghost of royalty haunting the
scenes of revolution. The rare prowlers they met ranged
themselves against the wall. Beyond the last houses the carriage
rolled noiselessly on the soft cushion of dust, and with a
greater obscurity a feeling of freshness seemed to fall from the
foliage of the trees bordering the country road. The emissary
from Hernandez's camp pushed his horse close to Charles Gould.

"Caballero," he said in an interested voice, "you are he whom
they call the King of Sulaco, the master of the mine? Is it not
so?"

"Yes, I am the master of the mine," answered Charles Gould.

The man cantered for a time in silence, then said, "I have a
brother, a sereno in your service in the San Tome valley. You
have proved yourself a just man. There has been no wrong done to
any one since you called upon the people to work in the
mountains. My brother says that no official of the Government, no
oppressor of the Campo, has been seen on your side of the stream.
Your own officials do not oppress the people in the gorge.
Doubtless they are afraid of your severity. You are a just man
and a powerful one," he added.