Серце темряви
Chapter 3
"Ithoughthismemorywasliketheothermemoriesofthedeadthataccumulateineveryman’slife—avagueimpressonthebrainofshadowsthathadfallenonitintheirswiftandfinalpassage;butbeforethehighandponderousdoor,betweenthetallhousesofastreetasstillanddecorousasawell-keptalleyinacemetery,Ihadavisionofhimonthestretcher,openinghismouthvoraciously,asiftodevouralltheearthwithallitsmankind.Helivedthenbeforeme;helivedasmuchashehadeverlived—ashadowinsatiableofsplendidappearances,offrightfulrealities;ashadowdarkerthantheshadowofthenight,anddrapednoblyinthefoldsofagorgeouseloquence.Thevisionseemedtoenterthehousewithme—thestretcher,thephantom-bearers,thewildcrowdofobedientworshippers,thegloomoftheforests,theglitterofthereachbetweenthemurkybends,thebeatofthedrum,regularandmuffledlikethebeatingofaheart—theheartofaconqueringdarkness.Itwasamomentoftriumphforthewilderness,aninvadingandvengefulrushwhich,itseemedtome,Iwouldhavetokeepbackaloneforthesalvationofanothersoul.AndthememoryofwhatIhadheardhimsayafarthere,withthehornedshapesstirringatmyback,intheglowoffires,withinthepatientwoods,thosebrokenphrasescamebacktome,wereheardagainintheirominousandterrifyingsimplicity.Irememberedhisabjectpleading,hisabjectthreats,thecolossalscaleofhisviledesires,themeanness,thetorment,thetempestuousanguishofhissoul.
