Page 197 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

Spanish fathers was a serious object to the rest of Europe—
as represented by the bold buccaneers. There is a curse of
futility upon our character: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza,
chivalry and materialism, high-sounding sentiments and a
supine morality, violent efforts for an idea and a sullen ac-
quiescence in every form of corruption. We convulsed a
continent for our independence only to become the passive
prey of a democratic parody, the helpless victims of scoun-
drels and cut-throats, our institutions a mockery, our laws
a farce—a Guzman Bento our master! And we have sunk so
low that when a man like you has awakened our conscience,
a stupid barbarian of a Montero—Great Heavens! a Mon-
tero!—becomes a deadly danger, and an ignorant, boastful
Indio, like Barrios, is our defender.’
But Don Jose, disregarding the general indictment
as though he had not heard a word of it, took up the de-
fence of Barrios. The man was competent enough for his
special task in the plan of campaign. It consisted in an of-
fensive movement, with Cayta as base, upon the flank of the
Revolutionist forces advancing from the south against Sta.
Marta, which was covered by another army with the Presi-
dent-Dictator in its midst. Don Jose became quite animated
with a great flow of speech, bending forward anxiously un-
der the steady eyes of his daughter. Decoud, as if silenced by
so much ardour, did not make a sound. The bells of the city
were striking the hour of Oracion when the carriage rolled
under the old gateway facing the harbour like a shapeless
monument of leaves and stones. The rumble of wheels un-
der the sonorous arch was traversed by a strange, piercing

1 Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard