These lines have a double meaning relating to the silver as the dream-ideal. Sotillo
represents a society in a fragile state of Unity, i.e., any society. What keeps
society unified is hope in the dream-ideal. Monygham, the cynic, does not believe
in the dream-ideal (in his mind the silver is lost), but he intends to keep the
false hope of it alive in Sotillo's little society, in order that it remain unified
and thus less dangerous. In the next chapter the plan for Sotillo will take on
metaphoric dimensions, with Monygham cast as the Devil who would deliberately
fasten the dream-ideal on society while knowing it to be false and tragic.