Сердце тьмы

           Helookedverydubious;butImadeagrabathisarm,andheunderstoodatonceImeanthimtosteerwhetherorno.Totellyouthetruth,Iwasmorbidlyanxioustochangemyshoesandsocks.‘Heisdead,’murmuredthefellow,immenselyimpressed.‘Nodoubtaboutit,’saidI,tugginglikemadattheshoe-laces.‘Andbytheway,IsupposeMr.Kurtzisdeadaswellbythistime.’

           "Forthemomentthatwasthedominantthought.Therewasasenseofextremedisappointment,asthoughIhadfoundoutIhadbeenstrivingaftersomethingaltogetherwithoutasubstance.Icouldn’thavebeenmoredisgustedifIhadtravelledallthiswayforthesolepurposeoftalkingwithMr.Kurtz.Talkingwith...Iflungoneshoeoverboard,andbecameawarethatthatwasexactlywhatIhadbeenlookingforwardto—atalkwithKurtz.ImadethestrangediscoverythatIhadneverimaginedhimasdoing,youknow,butasdiscoursing.Ididn’tsaytomyself,‘NowIwillneverseehim,’or‘NowIwillnevershakehimbythehand,’but,‘NowIwillneverhearhim.’Themanpresentedhimselfasavoice.NotofcoursethatIdidnotconnecthimwithsomesortofaction.Hadn’tIbeentoldinallthetonesofjealousyandadmirationthathehadcollected,bartered,swindled,orstolenmoreivorythanalltheotheragentstogether?Thatwasnotthepoint.