, which could be brought back in a few days to
Sulaco if only Decoud managed to make his way at once down the coast. For the
military chief there was Barrios, who had nothing but a bullet to expect from
Montero, his former professional rival and bitter enemy. Barrios's concurrence
was assured. As to his army, it had nothing to expect from Montero either; not
even a month's pay. From that point of view the existence of the treasure was of
enormous importance. The mere knowledge that it had been saved from the
Monterists would be a strong inducement for the Cayta troops to embrace the
cause of the new State.
    The doctor turned round and contemplated his companion for some time.
    »This Decoud, I see, is a persuasive young beggar,« he remarked at last.
»And pray is it for this, then, that Charles Gould has let the whole lot of
ingots go out to sea in charge of that Nostromo?«
    »Charles Gould,« said the engineer-in-chief, »has said no more about his
motive than usual. You know, he doesn't talk. But we all here know his motive,
and he has only one - the safety of the San Tomé mine with the preservation of
the Gould Concession in the spirit of his compact with Holroyd. Holroyd is
another uncommon man. They understand each other's imaginative side. One is
thirty, the other nearly sixty, and they have been made for each other. To be a
millionaire, and such a millionaire as Holroyd, is like being eternally young.
The audacity of youth reckons upon what it fancies an unlimited time at its
disposal; but a millionaire has unlimited means in his hand - which is better.
One's time on earth is an uncertain quantity, but about the long reach of
millions there is no doubt. The introduction of a pure form of Christianity into
this continent is a dream for a youthful enthusiast, and I have been trying to
explain to you why Holroyd at fifty-eight is like a man on the threshold of
life, and better, too. He's not a missionary, but the San Tomé mine holds just
that for him. I assure you, in sober truth, that he could not manage to keep
this out of a strictly business conference upon the finances of Costaguana he
had with Sir John a couple of years ago. Sir John mentioned it with amazement in
a letter he wrote to me here, from San Francisco, when on his way home. Upon my
word, doctor, things seem