Сердце тьмы

           YouknowIamnotparticularlytender;I’vehadtostrikeandtofendoff.I’vehadtoresistandtoattacksometimes—that’sonlyonewayofresisting—withoutcountingtheexactcost,accordingtothedemandsofsuchsortoflifeasIhadblunderedinto.I’veseenthedevilofviolence,andthedevilofgreed,andthedevilofhotdesire;but,byallthestars!thesewerestrong,lusty,red-eyeddevils,thatswayedanddrovemen—men,Itellyou.ButasIstoodonthishillside,IforesawthatintheblindingsunshineofthatlandIwouldbecomeacquaintedwithaflabby,pretending,weak-eyeddevilofarapaciousandpitilessfolly.Howinsidioushecouldbe,too,Iwasonlytofindoutseveralmonthslaterandathousandmilesfarther.ForamomentIstoodappalled,asthoughbyawarning.FinallyIdescendedthehill,obliquely,towardsthetreesIhadseen.

           "Iavoidedavastartificialholesomebodyhadbeendiggingontheslope,thepurposeofwhichIfounditimpossibletodivine.Itwasn’taquarryorasandpit,anyhow.Itwasjustahole.Itmighthavebeenconnectedwiththephilanthropicdesireofgivingthecriminalssomethingtodo.Idon’tknow.ThenInearlyfellintoaverynarrowravine,almostnomorethanascarinthehillside.Idiscoveredthatalotofimporteddrainage-pipesforthesettlementhadbeentumbledinthere.Therewasn’tonethatwasnotbroken.Itwasawantonsmash-up.AtlastIgotunderthetrees.