Серце темряви
Chapter 1
Somethinglikeanemissaryoflight,somethinglikealowersortofapostle.Therehadbeenalotofsuchrotletlooseinprintandtalkjustaboutthattime,andtheexcellentwoman,livingrightintherushofallthathumbug,gotcarriedoffherfeet.Shetalkedabout‘weaningthoseignorantmillionsfromtheirhorridways,’till,uponmyword,shemademequiteuncomfortable.IventuredtohintthattheCompanywasrunforprofit.
"‘Youforget,dearCharlie,thatthelabourerisworthyofhishire,’shesaid,brightly.It’squeerhowoutoftouchwithtruthwomenare.Theyliveinaworldoftheirown,andtherehasneverbeenanythinglikeit,andnevercanbe.Itistoobeautifulaltogether,andiftheyweretosetitupitwouldgotopiecesbeforethefirstsunset.Someconfoundedfactwemenhavebeenlivingcontentedlywitheversincethedayofcreationwouldstartupandknockthewholethingover.
"AfterthisIgotembraced,toldtowearflannel,besuretowriteoften,andsoon—andIleft.Inthestreet—Idon’tknowwhy—aqueerfeelingcametomethatIwasanimposter.OddthingthatI,whousedtoclearoutforanypartoftheworldattwenty-fourhours’notice,withlessthoughtthanmostmengivetothecrossingofastreet,hadamoment—Iwon’tsayofhesitation,butofstartledpause,beforethiscommonplaceaffair.ThebestwayIcanexplainittoyouisbysayingthat,forasecondortwo,Ifeltasthough,insteadofgoingtothecentreofacontinent,Iwereabouttosetoffforthecentreoftheearth.
