Серце темряви
Chapter 1
Huntersforgoldorpursuersoffame,theyallhadgoneoutonthatstream,bearingthesword,andoftenthetorch,messengersofthemightwithintheland,bearersofasparkfromthesacredfire.Whatgreatnesshadnotfloatedontheebbofthatriverintothemysteryofanunknownearth!...Thedreamsofmen,theseedofcommonwealths,thegermsofempires.
Thesunset;theduskfellonthestream,andlightsbegantoappearalongtheshore.TheChapmanlight-house,athree-leggedthingerectonamud-flat,shonestrongly.Lightsofshipsmovedinthefairway—agreatstiroflightsgoingupandgoingdown.Andfartherwestontheupperreachestheplaceofthemonstroustownwasstillmarkedominouslyonthesky,abroodinggloominsunshine,aluridglareunderthestars.
"Andthisalso,"saidMarlowsuddenly,"hasbeenoneofthedarkplacesoftheearth."
Hewastheonlymanofuswhostill"followedthesea."Theworstthatcouldbesaidofhimwasthathedidnotrepresenthisclass.Hewasaseaman,buthewasawanderer,too,whilemostseamenlead,ifonemaysoexpressit,asedentarylife.Theirmindsareofthestay-at-homeorder,andtheirhomeisalwayswiththem—theship;andsoistheircountry—thesea.Oneshipisverymuchlikeanother,andtheseaisalwaysthesame.
