The
fact is that the political chief, seeing the situation desperate, did
not care what he signed. It was the last official document he signed
before he left the palace of the Intendencia for the refuge of the
O.S.N. Company's office. But even had he meant his act to be effective
it was already too late. The riot which he feared and expected broke out
in less than an hour after Father Corbelan had left him. Indeed, Father
Corbelan, who had appointed a meeting with Nostromo in the Dominican
Convent, where he had his residence in one of the cells, never managed
to reach the place. From the Intendencia he had gone straight on to the
Avellanos's house to tell his brother-in-law, and though he stayed there
no more than half an hour he had found himself cut off from his ascetic
abode. Nostromo, after waiting there for some time, watching uneasily
the increasing uproar in the street, had made his way to the offices of
the Porvenir, and stayed there till daylight, as Decoud had mentioned
in the letter to his sister. Thus the Capataz, instead of riding towards
the Los Hatos woods as bearer of Hernandez's nomination, had remained in
town to save the life of the President Dictator, to assist in repressing
the outbreak of the mob, and at last to sail out with the silver of the
mine.
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