Сердце тьмы
Chapter 1
‘Ah!Sotheytalkofhimdownthere,’hemurmuredtohimself.Thenhebeganagain,assuringmeMr.Kurtzwasthebestagenthehad,anexceptionalman,ofthegreatestimportancetotheCompany;thereforeIcouldunderstandhisanxiety.Hewas,hesaid,‘very,veryuneasy.’Certainlyhefidgetedonhischairagooddeal,exclaimed,‘Ah,Mr.Kurtz!’brokethestickofsealing-waxandseemeddumfoundedbytheaccident.Nextthinghewantedtoknow‘howlongitwouldtaketo’...Iinterruptedhimagain.Beinghungry,youknow,andkeptonmyfeettoo.Iwasgettingsavage.‘HowcanItell?’Isaid.‘Ihaven’tevenseenthewreckyet—somemonths,nodoubt.’Allthistalkseemedtomesofutile.‘Somemonths,’hesaid.‘Well,letussaythreemonthsbeforewecanmakeastart.Yes.Thatoughttodotheaffair.’Iflungoutofhishut(helivedallaloneinaclayhutwithasortofverandah)mutteringtomyselfmyopinionofhim.Hewasachatteringidiot.AfterwardsItookitbackwhenitwasborneinuponmestartlinglywithwhatextremenicetyhehadestimatedthetimerequisiteforthe‘affair.’
"Iwenttoworkthenextday,turning,sotospeak,mybackonthatstation.InthatwayonlyitseemedtomeIcouldkeepmyholdontheredeemingfactsoflife.Still,onemustlookaboutsometimes;andthenIsawthisstation,thesemenstrollingaimlesslyaboutinthesunshineoftheyard.Iaskedmyselfsometimeswhatitallmeant.