With this chapter we move into the romantic drama proper that closes the novel. Nostromo, having established the Violas on the Great Isabel, comes to propose marriage to Giselle instead of his expected wife Linda, but at the last second hesitates to do anything unusual that might cost him access to the island and his hidden silver. Thus he finds himself engaged to Linda against his wishes. Left alone with Giselle, he proclaims his true love for her, and promises to elope with her as soon as he has grown rich.
Allegorically, Linda as the light-keeper represents private property and the
established society of laws and duty. Her language of love is entirely based
on themes of ownership and control. In contrast, Giselle displays an utter pacifism,
a non-possessive, all-accepting love, and a total carelessness regarding issues
of property. Nostromo's revelation that he is a thief makes no difference whatsoever
to her; she expresses neither moral indignation nor monetary excitement, but
merely wishes to be with him. She thus represents the ultimate dream-ideal in
this novel of conquering dream-ideals: a society without conquest and
property, a harmonious utopia of love. For the People, caught between the oppressive
society they reject and the "bloodthirsty" opposition they dislike,
the utopian ideal represents the last resting place for their baffled integrity
of soul. Their dilemma is that, to achieve the utopia, they must "grow
rich slowly"; they must continue their sham engagement to the lawful society
so that they can be a thief within it. The utopia must wait...and at the end
of the chapter we leave the People torn unhappily between the ideal of love
and the spell of wealth.