and it was proper that the
Provincial Assembly should send a deputation, too, if only to assert
the existence of parliamentary institutions. Don Juste proposed that Don
Carlos Gould, as the most prominent citizen of the province, should join
the Assembly's deputation. His position was exceptional, his personality
known through the length and breadth of the whole Republic. Official
courtesies must not be neglected, if they are gone through with a
bleeding heart. The acceptance of accomplished facts may save yet the
precious vestiges of parliamentary institutions. Don Juste's eyes glowed
dully; he believed in parliamentary institutions--and the convinced
drone of his voice lost itself in the stillness of the house like the
deep buzzing of some ponderous insect.

Charles Gould had turned round to listen patiently, leaning his elbow on
the balustrade. He shook his head a little, refusing, almost touched by
the anxious gaze of the President of the Provincial Assembly. It was not
Charles Gould's policy to make the San Tome mine a party to any formal
proceedings.

"My advice, senores, is that you should wait for your fate in your
houses. There is no necessity for you to give yourselves up formally
into Montero's hands. Submission to the inevitable, as Don Juste calls
it, is all very well, but when the inevitable is called Pedrito
Montero there is no need to exhibit pointedly the whole extent of your
surrender. The fault of this country is the want of measure in
political life. Flat acquiescence in illegality, followed by sanguinary
reaction--that, senores, is not the way to a stable and prosperous
future."

Charles Gould stopped before the sad bewilderment of the faces, the
wondering, anxious glances of the eyes. The feeling of pity for those
men, putting all their trust into words of some sort, while murder and
rapine stalked over the land, had betrayed him into what seemed empty
loquacity. Don Juste murmured--

"You are abandoning us, Don Carlos. . . . And yet, parliamentary
institutions--"

He could not finish from grief. For a moment he put his hand over his
eyes. Charles Gould, in his fear of empty loquacity, made no answer
to the charge. He returned in silence their ceremonious bows. His
taciturnity was his refuge. He understood that what they sought was to
get the influence of the San Tome mine on their side. They wanted to
go on a conciliating errand to the victor under the wing of the Gould
Concession. Other pu