Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART FIRST: THE SILVER OF THE MINE 7. CHAPTER SEVEN (continued)

"If you intend to build villages and assemble a population near
the mine, you shall require a decree of the Minister of the
Interior for that," he suggested in a business-like manner.

"I have already sent a memorial," said Charles Gould, steadily,
"and I reckon now confidently upon your Excellency's favourable
conclusions."

The Excellency was a man of many moods. With the receipt of the
money a great mellowness had descended upon his simple soul.
Unexpectedly he fetched a deep sigh.

"Ah, Don Carlos! What we want is advanced men like you in the
province. The lethargy--the lethargy of these aristocrats! The
want of public spirit! The absence of all enterprise! I, with my
profound studies in Europe, you understand--"

With one hand thrust into his swelling bosom, he rose and fell on
his toes, and for ten minutes, almost without drawing breath,
went on hurling himself intellectually to the assault of Charles
Gould's polite silence; and when, stopping abruptly, he fell back
into his chair, it was as though he had been beaten off from a
fortress. To save his dignity he hastened to dismiss this silent
man with a solemn inclination of the head and the words,
pronounced with moody, fatigued condescension--

"You may depend upon my enlightened goodwill as long as your
conduct as a good citizen deserves it."

He took up a paper fan and began to cool himself with a
consequential air, while Charles Gould bowed and withdrew. Then
he dropped the fan at once, and stared with an appearance of
wonder and perplexity at the closed door for quite a long time.
At last he shrugged his shoulders as if to assure himself of his
disdain. Cold, dull. No intellectuality. Red hair. A true
Englishman. He despised him.

His face darkened. What meant this unimpressed and frigid
behaviour? He was the first of the successive politicians sent
out from the capital to rule the Occidental Province whom the
manner of Charles Gould in official intercourse was to strike as
offensively independent.