Серце темряви
Chapter 1
Icouldseeeveryrib,thejointsoftheirlimbswerelikeknotsinarope;eachhadanironcollaronhisneck,andallwereconnectedtogetherwithachainwhosebightsswungbetweenthem,rhythmicallyclinking.AnotherreportfromthecliffmademethinksuddenlyofthatshipofwarIhadseenfiringintoacontinent.Itwasthesamekindofominousvoice;butthesemencouldbynostretchofimaginationbecalledenemies.Theywerecalledcriminals,andtheoutragedlaw,liketheburstingshells,hadcometothem,aninsolublemysteryfromthesea.Alltheirmeagrebreastspantedtogether,theviolentlydilatednostrilsquivered,theeyesstaredstonilyuphill.Theypassedmewithinsixinches,withoutaglance,withthatcomplete,deathlikeindifferenceofunhappysavages.Behindthisrawmatteroneofthereclaimed,theproductofthenewforcesatwork,strolleddespondently,carryingariflebyitsmiddle.Hehadauniformjacketwithonebuttonoff,andseeingawhitemanonthepath,hoistedhisweapontohisshoulderwithalacrity.Thiswassimpleprudence,whitemenbeingsomuchalikeatadistancethathecouldnottellwhoImightbe.Hewasspeedilyreassured,andwithalarge,white,rascallygrin,andaglanceathischarge,seemedtotakemeintopartnershipinhisexaltedtrust.Afterall,Ialsowasapartofthegreatcauseofthesehighandjustproceedings.
"Insteadofgoingup,Iturnedanddescendedtotheleft.Myideawastoletthatchain-ganggetoutofsightbeforeIclimbedthehill.
