Серце темряви
Chapter 3
True,hehadmadethatlaststride,hehadsteppedovertheedge,whileIhadbeenpermittedtodrawbackmyhesitatingfoot.Andperhapsinthisisthewholedifference;perhapsallthewisdom,andalltruth,andallsincerity,arejustcompressedintothatinappreciablemomentoftimeinwhichwestepoverthethresholdoftheinvisible.Perhaps!Iliketothinkmysumming-upwouldnothavebeenawordofcarelesscontempt.Betterhiscry—muchbetter.Itwasanaffirmation,amoralvictorypaidforbyinnumerabledefeats,byabominableterrors,byabominablesatisfactions.Butitwasavictory!ThatiswhyIhaveremainedloyaltoKurtztothelast,andevenbeyond,whenalongtimeafterIheardoncemore,nothisownvoice,buttheechoofhismagnificenteloquencethrowntomefromasoulastranslucentlypureasacliffofcrystal.
"No,theydidnotburyme,thoughthereisaperiodoftimewhichIremembermistily,withashudderingwonder,likeapassagethroughsomeinconceivableworldthathadnohopeinitandnodesire.Ifoundmyselfbackinthesepulchralcityresentingthesightofpeoplehurryingthroughthestreetstofilchalittlemoneyfromeachother,todevourtheirinfamouscookery,togulptheirunwholesomebeer,todreamtheirinsignificantandsillydreams.Theytrespasseduponmythoughts.Theywereintruderswhoseknowledgeoflifewastomeanirritatingpretence,becauseIfeltsosuretheycouldnotpossiblyknowthethingsIknew.
