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           Canyouimaginesuchimpudence!’‘Anythingsincethen?’askedtheotherhoarsely.‘Ivory,’jerkedthenephew;‘lotsofit—primesort—lots—mostannoying,fromhim.’‘Andwiththat?’questionedtheheavyrumble.‘Invoice,’wasthereplyfiredout,sotospeak.Thensilence.TheyhadbeentalkingaboutKurtz.

           "Iwasbroadawakebythistime,but,lyingperfectlyatease,remainedstill,havingnoinducementtochangemyposition.‘Howdidthativorycomeallthisway?’growledtheelderman,whoseemedveryvexed.TheotherexplainedthatithadcomewithafleetofcanoesinchargeofanEnglishhalf-casteclerkKurtzhadwithhim;thatKurtzhadapparentlyintendedtoreturnhimself,thestationbeingbythattimebareofgoodsandstores,butaftercomingthreehundredmiles,hadsuddenlydecidedtogoback,whichhestartedtodoaloneinasmalldugoutwithfourpaddlers,leavingthehalf-castetocontinuedowntheriverwiththeivory.Thetwofellowsthereseemedastoundedatanybodyattemptingsuchathing.Theywereatalossforanadequatemotive.Astome,IseemedtoseeKurtzforthefirsttime.Itwasadistinctglimpse:thedugout,fourpaddlingsavages,andthelonewhitemanturninghisbacksuddenlyontheheadquarters,yonrelief,onthoughtsofhome—perhaps;settinghisfacetowardsthedepthsofthewilderness,towardshisemptyanddesolatestation.Ididnotknowthemotive.Perhapshewasjustsimplyafinefellowwhostucktohisworkforitsownsake.Hisname,youunderstand,hadnotbeenpronouncedonce.