Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 9. CHAPTER NINE (continued)

Nostromo's prolonged silence made the doctor uneasy. He pointed
out, quite unnecessarily, that though for the present he was
safe, he could not live concealed for ever. The choice was
between accepting the mission to Barrios, with all its dangers
and difficulties, and leaving Sulaco by stealth, ingloriously, in
poverty.

"None of your friends could reward you and protect you just now,
Capataz. Not even Don Carlos himself."

"I would have none of your protection and none of your rewards. I
only wish I could trust your courage and your sense. When I
return in triumph, as you say, with Barrios, I may find you all
destroyed. You have the knife at your throat now."

It was the doctor's turn to remain silent in the contemplation of
horrible contingencies.

"Well, we would trust your courage and your sense. And you, too,
have a knife at your throat."

"Ah! And whom am I to thank for that? What are your politics and
your mines to me--your silver and your constitutions--your Don
Carlos this, and Don Jose that--"

"I don't know," burst out the exasperated doctor. "There are
innocent people in danger whose little finger is worth more than
you or I and all the Ribierists together. I don't know. You
should have asked yourself before you allowed Decoud to lead you
into all this. It was your place to think like a man; but if you
did not think then, try to act like a man now. Did you imagine
Decoud cared very much for what would happen to you?"

"No more than you care for what will happen to me," muttered the
other.

"No; I care for what will happen to you as little as I care for
what will happen to myself."

"And all this because you are such a devoted Ribierist?" Nostromo
said in an incredulous tone.

"All this because I am such a devoted Ribierist," repeated Dr.
Monygham, grimly.