Серце темряви
Chapter 1
‘HewillbeasomebodyintheAdministrationbeforelong.They,above—theCouncilinEurope,youknow—meanhimtobe.’
"Heturnedtohiswork.Thenoiseoutsidehadceased,andpresentlyingoingoutIstoppedatthedoor.Inthesteadybuzzoffliesthehomeward-boundagentwaslyingfinishedandinsensible;theother,bentoverhisbooks,wasmakingcorrectentriesofperfectlycorrecttransactions;andfiftyfeetbelowthedoorstepIcouldseethestilltree-topsofthegroveofdeath.
"NextdayIleftthatstationatlast,withacaravanofsixtymen,foratwo-hundred-miletramp.
"Nousetellingyoumuchaboutthat.Paths,paths,everywhere;astamped-innetworkofpathsspreadingovertheemptyland,throughthelonggrass,throughburntgrass,throughthickets,downandupchillyravines,upanddownstonyhillsablazewithheat;andasolitude,asolitude,nobody,notahut.Thepopulationhadclearedoutalongtimeago.Well,ifalotofmysteriousniggersarmedwithallkindsoffearfulweaponssuddenlytooktotravellingontheroadbetweenDealandGravesend,catchingtheyokelsrightandlefttocarryheavyloadsforthem,Ifancyeveryfarmandcottagethereaboutswouldgetemptyverysoon.Onlyherethedwellingsweregone,too.StillIpassedthroughseveralabandonedvillages.There’ssomethingpatheticallychildishintheruinsofgrasswalls.Dayafterday,withthestampandshuffleofsixtypairofbarefeetbehindme,eachpairundera60-lb.load.Camp,cook,sleep,strikecamp,march.
