Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 6. CHAPTER SIX (continued)

"Listen, Padre. The very fact that those thieving macaques in
Sulaco are trying to find out the price of my honour proves that
Senor Don Carlos and all in the Casa Gould are safe. As to my
honour, that also is safe, as every man, woman, and child knows.
But the negro Liberals who have snatched the town by surprise do
not know that. Bueno. Let them sit and wait. While they wait they
can do no harm."

And he regained his composure. He regained it easily, because
whatever happened his honour of an old officer of Paez was safe.
He had promised Charles Gould that at the approach of an armed
force he would defend the gorge just long enough to give himself
time to destroy scientifically the whole plant, buildings, and
workshops of the mine with heavy charges of dynamite; block with
ruins the main tunnel, break down the pathways, blow up the dam
of the water-power, shatter the famous Gould Concession into
fragments, flying sky high out of a horrified world. The mine had
got hold of Charles Gould with a grip as deadly as ever it had
laid upon his father. But this extreme resolution had seemed to
Don Pepe the most natural thing in the world. His measures had
been taken with judgment. Everything was prepared with a careful
completeness. And Don Pepe folded his hands pacifically on his
sword hilt, and nodded at the priest. In his excitement, Father
Roman had flung snuff in handfuls at his face, and, all besmeared
with tobacco, round-eyed, and beside himself, had got out of the
hammock to walk about, uttering exclamations.

Don Pepe stroked his grey and pendant moustache, whose fine ends
hung far below the clean-cut line of his jaw, and spoke with a
conscious pride in his reputation.

"So, Padre, I don't know what will happen. But I know that as
long as I am here Don Carlos can speak to that macaque, Pedrito
Montero, and threaten the destruction of the mine with perfect
assurance that he will be taken seriously. For people know me."

He began to turn the cigar in his lips a little nervously, and
went on--