Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 13. CHAPTER THIRTEEN (continued)

"I cannot see her. . . . No matter," he went on, with the shadow
of the old magnificent carelessness in his voice. "One kiss is
enough, if there is no time for more. An airy soul, senora!
Bright and warm, like sunshine--soon clouded, and soon serene.
They would crush it there between them. Senora, cast on her the
eye of your compassion, as famed from one end of the land to the
other as the courage and daring of the man who speaks to you. She
will console herself in time. And even Ramirez is not a bad
fellow. I am not angry. No! It is not Ramirez who overcame the
Capataz of the Sulaco Cargadores." He paused, made an effort, and
in louder voice, a little wildly, declared--

"I die betrayed--betrayed by----"

But he did not say by whom or by what he was dying betrayed.

"She would not have betrayed me," he began again, opening his
eyes very wide. "She was faithful. We were going very far--very
soon. I could have torn myself away from that accursed treasure
for her. For that child I would have left boxes and boxes of
it--full. And Decoud took four. Four ingots. Why? Picardia! To
betray me? How could I give back the treasure with four ingots
missing? They would have said I had purloined them. The doctor
would have said that. Alas! it holds me yet!"

Mrs. Gould bent low, fascinated--cold with apprehension.

"What became of Don Martin on that night, Nostromo?"

"Who knows? I wondered what would become of me. Now I know. Death
was to come upon me unawares. He went away! He betrayed me. And
you think I have killed him! You are all alike, you fine people.
The silver has killed me. It has held me. It holds me yet. Nobody
knows where it is. But you are the wife of Don Carlos, who put it
into my hands and said, 'Save it on your life.' And when I
returned, and you all thought it was lost, what do I hear? 'It
was nothing of importance. Let it go. Up, Nostromo, the faithful,
and ride away to save us, for dear life!'"