Page 514 - nostromo-a-tale-of-the-seaboard

no divers, but he has a ship, boats, ropes, chains, sailors—of
a sort. Let him fish for the silver. Let him set his fools to
drag backwards and forwards and crossways while he sits
and watches till his eyes drop out of his head.’
‘Really, this is an admirable idea,’ muttered the doctor.
‘Si. You tell him that, and see whether he will not believe
you! He will spend days in rage and torment—and still he
will believe. He will have no thought for anything else. He
will not give up till he is driven off—why, he may even forget
to kill you. He will neither eat nor sleep. He—‘
‘The very thing! The very thing!’ the doctor repeated in
an excited whisper. ‘Capataz, I begin to believe that you are
a great genius in your way.’
Nostromo had paused; then began again in a changed
tone, sombre, speaking to himself as though he had forgot-
ten the doctor’s existence.
‘There is something in a treasure that fastens upon a
man’s mind. He will pray and blaspheme and still persevere,
and will curse the day he ever heard of it, and will let his
last hour come upon him unawares, still believing that he
missed it only by a foot. He will see it every time he closes
his eyes. He will never forget it till he is dead—and even
then——Doctor, did you ever hear of the miserable grin-
gos on Azuera, that cannot die? Ha! ha! Sailors like myself.
There is no getting away from a treasure that once fastens
upon your mind.’
‘You are a devil of a man, Capataz. It is the most plau-
sible thing.’
Nostromo pressed his arm.

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