Серце темряви

           Andseveraltimesaweekacoastcaravancameinwithtradegoods—ghastlyglazedcalicothatmadeyoushudderonlytolookatit,glassbeadsvalueaboutapennyaquart,confoundedspottedcottonhandkerchiefs.Andnorivets.Threecarrierscouldhavebroughtallthatwaswantedtosetthatsteamboatafloat.

           "Hewasbecomingconfidentialnow,butIfancymyunresponsiveattitudemusthaveexasperatedhimatlast,forhejudgeditnecessarytoinformmehefearedneitherGodnordevil,letaloneanymereman.IsaidIcouldseethatverywell,butwhatIwantedwasacertainquantityofrivets—andrivetswerewhatreallyMr.Kurtzwanted,ifhehadonlyknownit.Nowletterswenttothecoasteveryweek...‘Mydearsir,’hecried,‘Iwritefromdictation.’Idemandedrivets.Therewasaway—foranintelligentman.Hechangedhismanner;becameverycold,andsuddenlybegantotalkaboutahippopotamus;wonderedwhethersleepingonboardthesteamer(Istucktomysalvagenightandday)Iwasn’tdisturbed.Therewasanoldhippothathadthebadhabitofgettingoutonthebankandroamingatnightoverthestationgrounds.Thepilgrimsusedtoturnoutinabodyandemptyeveryrifletheycouldlayhandsonathim.Someevenhadsatupo’nightsforhim.Allthisenergywaswasted,though.‘Thatanimalhasacharmedlife,’hesaid;‘butyoucansaythisonlyofbrutesinthiscountry.Noman—youapprehendme?—nomanherebearsacharmedlife.’