Joseph Conrad: Nostromo

PART THIRD: THE LIGHTHOUSE 11. CHAPTER ELEVEN (continued)

"And yet," struck in the doctor, "we who played our part in it
had our reward. Don Pepe, though superannuated, still can sit a
horse. Barrios is drinking himself to death in jovial company
away somewhere on his fundacion beyond the Bolson de Tonoro. And
the heroic Father Roman--I imagine the old padre blowing up
systematically the San Tome mine, uttering a pious exclamation at
every bang, and taking handfuls of snuff between the
explosions--the heroic Padre Roman says that he is not afraid of
the harm Holroyd's missionaries can do to his flock, as long as
he is alive."

Mrs. Gould shuddered a little at the allusion to the destruction
that had come so near to the San Tome mine.

"Ah, but you, dear friend?"

"I did the work I was fit for."

"You faced the most cruel dangers of all. Something more than
death."

"No, Mrs. Gould! Only death--by hanging. And I am rewarded beyond
my deserts."

Noticing Mrs. Gould's gaze fixed upon him, he dropped his eyes.

"I've made my career--as you see," said the Inspector-General of
State Hospitals, taking up lightly the lapels of his superfine
black coat. The doctor's self-respect marked inwardly by the
almost complete disappearance from his dreams of Father Beron
appeared visibly in what, by contrast with former carelessness,
seemed an immoderate cult of personal appearance. Carried out
within severe limits of form and colour, and in perpetual
freshness, this change of apparel gave to Dr. Monygham an air at
the same time professional and festive; while his gait and the
unchanged crabbed character of his face acquired from it a
startling force of incongruity.

"Yes," he went on. "We all had our rewards--the
engineer-in-chief, Captain Mitchell----"

"We saw him," interrupted Mrs. Gould, in her charming voice. "The
poor dear man came up from the country on purpose to call on us
in our hotel in London. He comported himself with great dignity,
but I fancy he regrets Sulaco. He rambled feebly about
'historical events' till I felt I could have a cry."