Серце темряви
Chapter 2
Thehighstillnessconfrontedthesetwofigureswithitsominouspatience,waitingforthepassingawayofafantasticinvasion.
"Theysworealoudtogether—outofsheerfright,Ibelieve—thenpretendingnottoknowanythingofmyexistence,turnedbacktothestation.Thesunwaslow;andleaningforwardsidebyside,theyseemedtobetuggingpainfullyuphilltheirtworidiculousshadowsofunequallength,thattrailedbehindthemslowlyoverthetallgrasswithoutbendingasingleblade.
"InafewdaystheEldoradoExpeditionwentintothepatientwilderness,thatcloseduponitastheseaclosesoveradiver.Longafterwardsthenewscamethatallthedonkeysweredead.Iknownothingastothefateofthelessvaluableanimals.They,nodoubt,liketherestofus,foundwhattheydeserved.Ididnotinquire.IwasthenratherexcitedattheprospectofmeetingKurtzverysoon.WhenIsayverysoonImeanitcomparatively.ItwasjusttwomonthsfromthedayweleftthecreekwhenwecametothebankbelowKurtz’sstation.
"Goingupthatriverwasliketravelingbacktotheearliestbeginningsoftheworld,whenvegetationriotedontheearthandthebigtreeswerekings.Anemptystream,agreatsilence,animpenetrableforest.Theairwaswarm,thick,heavy,sluggish.Therewasnojoyinthebrillianceofsunshine.Thelongstretchesofthewaterwayranon,deserted,intothegloomofovershadoweddistances.Onsilverysand-bankshipposandalligatorssunnedthemselvessidebyside.
