Голод
Part II
No,itwasreallytoodeliciousthewayhethoughttofindmoneyinthepapercornet!Heonlycoughedonce,too!Iwonderifheispacingupanddownthereyet!Sittingonmybench?thepearlybluesea...theships....
Iopenedmyeyes;howcouldIkeepthemshutwhenIcouldnotsleep?Thesamedarknessbroodedoverme;thesameunfathomableblacketernitywhichmythoughtsstroveagainstandcouldnotunderstand.Imadethemostdespairingeffortstofindawordblackenoughtocharacterizethisdarkness;awordsohorriblyblackthatitwoulddarkenmylipsifInamedit.Lord!howdarkitwas!andIamcarriedbackinthoughttotheseaandthedarkmonstersthatlayinwaitforme.Theywoulddrawmetothem,andclutchmetightlyandbearmeawaybylandandsea,throughdarkrealmsthatnosoulhasseen.Ifeelmyselfonboard,drawnthroughwaters,hoveringinclouds,sinking—sinking.
Igiveahoarsecryofterror,clutchthebedtightly—Ihadmadesuchaperilousjourney,whizzingdownthroughspacelikeabolt.Oh,didInotfeelthatIwassavedasIstruckmyhandsagainstthewoodenframe!"Thisisthewayonedies!"saidItomyself."Nowyouwilldie!"andIlayforawhileandthoughtoverthatIwastodie.
ThenIstartupinbedandaskseverely,"IfIfoundtheword,amInotabsolutelywithinmyrighttodecidemyselfwhatitistosignify?"...IcouldhearmyselfthatIwasraving.IcouldhearitnowwhilstIwastalking.
