Серце темряви
Chapter 1
Mypurposewastostrollintotheshadeforamoment;butnosoonerwithinthanitseemedtomeIhadsteppedintothegloomycircleofsomeInferno.Therapidswerenear,andanuninterrupted,uniform,headlong,rushingnoisefilledthemournfulstillnessofthegrove,wherenotabreathstirred,notaleafmoved,withamysterioussound—asthoughthetearingpaceofthelaunchedearthhadsuddenlybecomeaudible.
"Blackshapescrouched,lay,satbetweenthetreesleaningagainstthetrunks,clingingtotheearth,halfcomingout,halfeffacedwithinthedimlight,inalltheattitudesofpain,abandonment,anddespair.Anothermineonthecliffwentoff,followedbyaslightshudderofthesoilundermyfeet.Theworkwasgoingon.Thework!Andthiswastheplacewheresomeofthehelpershadwithdrawntodie.
"Theyweredyingslowly—itwasveryclear.Theywerenotenemies,theywerenotcriminals,theywerenothingearthlynow—nothingbutblackshadowsofdiseaseandstarvation,lyingconfusedlyinthegreenishgloom.Broughtfromalltherecessesofthecoastinallthelegalityoftimecontracts,lostinuncongenialsurroundings,fedonunfamiliarfood,theysickened,becameinefficient,andwerethenallowedtocrawlawayandrest.Thesemoribundshapeswerefreeasair—andnearlyasthin.Ibegantodistinguishthegleamoftheeyesunderthetrees.Then,glancingdown,Isawafacenearmyhand.
