Серце темряви

           Itseemedtohaveconsumedallthoughtofselfsocompletely,thatevenwhilehewastalkingtoyou,youforgotthatitwashe—themanbeforeyoureyes—whohadgonethroughthesethings.IdidnotenvyhimhisdevotiontoKurtz,though.Hehadnotmeditatedoverit.Itcametohim,andheaccepteditwithasortofeagerfatalism.Imustsaythattomeitappearedaboutthemostdangerousthingineverywayhehadcomeuponsofar.

           "Theyhadcometogetherunavoidably,liketwoshipsbecalmedneareachother,andlayrubbingsidesatlast.IsupposeKurtzwantedanaudience,becauseonacertainoccasion,whenencampedintheforest,theyhadtalkedallnight,ormoreprobablyKurtzhadtalked.‘Wetalkedofeverything,’hesaid,quitetransportedattherecollection.‘Iforgottherewassuchathingassleep.Thenightdidnotseemtolastanhour.Everything!Everything!...Oflove,too.’‘Ah,hetalkedtoyouoflove!’Isaid,muchamused.‘Itisn’twhatyouthink,’hecried,almostpassionately.‘Itwasingeneral.Hemademeseethings—things.’

           "Hethrewhisarmsup.Wewereondeckatthetime,andtheheadmanofmywood-cutters,loungingnearby,turneduponhimhisheavyandglitteringeyes.Ilookedaround,andIdon’tknowwhy,butIassureyouthatnever,neverbefore,didthisland,thisriver,thisjungle,theveryarchofthisblazingsky,appeartomesohopelessandsodark,soimpenetrabletohumanthought,sopitilesstohumanweakness.‘And,eversince,youhavebeenwithhim,ofcourse?’Isaid.