Сердце тьмы

           Nowandthenacarrierdeadinharness,atrestinthelonggrassnearthepath,withanemptywater-gourdandhislongstafflyingbyhisside.Agreatsilencearoundandabove.Perhapsonsomequietnightthetremoroffar-offdrums,sinking,swelling,atremorvast,faint;asoundweird,appealing,suggestive,andwild—andperhapswithasprofoundameaningasthesoundofbellsinaChristiancountry.Onceawhitemaninanunbuttoneduniform,campingonthepathwithanarmedescortoflankZanzibaris,veryhospitableandfestive—nottosaydrunk.Waslookingaftertheupkeepoftheroad,hedeclared.Can’tsayIsawanyroadoranyupkeep,unlessthebodyofamiddle-agednegro,withabullet-holeintheforehead,uponwhichIabsolutelystumbledthreemilesfartheron,maybeconsideredasapermanentimprovement.Ihadawhitecompanion,too,notabadchap,butrathertoofleshyandwiththeexasperatinghabitoffaintingonthehothillsides,milesawayfromtheleastbitofshadeandwater.Annoying,youknow,toholdyourowncoatlikeaparasoloveraman’sheadwhileheiscomingto.Icouldn’thelpaskinghimoncewhathemeantbycomingthereatall.‘Tomakemoney,ofcourse.Whatdoyouthink?’hesaid,scornfully.Thenhegotfever,andhadtobecarriedinahammockslungunderapole.AsheweighedsixteenstoneIhadnoendofrowswiththecarriers.Theyjibbed,ranaway,sneakedoffwiththeirloadsinthenight—quiteamutiny.