Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART FIRST: THE SILVER OF THE MINE 6. CHAPTER SIX (continued)

Thus the great personage had spoken then, in his own private
office, in a great city where other men (very considerable in the
eyes of a vain populace) waited with alacrity upon a wave of his
hand. And rather more than a year later, during his unexpected
appearance in Sulaco, he had emphasized his uncompromising
attitude with a freedom of sincerity permitted to his wealth and
influence. He did this with the less reserve, perhaps, because
the inspection of what had been done, and more still the way in
which successive steps had been taken, had impressed him with the
conviction that Charles Gould was perfectly capable of keeping up
his end.

"This young fellow," he thought to himself, "may yet become a
power in the land."

This thought flattered him, for hitherto the only account of this
young man he could give to his intimates was--

"My brother-in-law met him in one of these one-horse old German
towns, near some mines, and sent him on to me with a letter. He's
one of the Costaguana Goulds, pure-bred Englishmen, but all born
in the country. His uncle went into politics, was the last
Provincial President of Sulaco, and got shot after a battle. His
father was a prominent business man in Sta. Marta, tried to keep
clear of their politics, and died ruined after a lot of
revolutions. And that's your Costaguana in a nutshell."