Серце темряви
Chapter 2
Unexpected,wild,andviolentastheyhadbeen,theyhadgivenmeanirresistibleimpressionofsorrow.Theglimpseofthesteamboathadforsomereasonfilledthosesavageswithunrestrainedgrief.Thedanger,ifany,Iexpounded,wasfromourproximitytoagreathumanpassionletloose.Evenextremegriefmayultimatelyventitselfinviolence—butmoregenerallytakestheformofapathy...
"Youshouldhaveseenthepilgrimsstare!Theyhadnohearttogrin,oreventorevileme:butIbelievetheythoughtmegonemad—withfright,maybe.Ideliveredaregularlecture.Mydearboys,itwasnogoodbothering.Keepalookout?Well,youmayguessIwatchedthefogforthesignsofliftingasacatwatchesamouse;butforanythingelseoureyeswereofnomoreusetousthanifwehadbeenburiedmilesdeepinaheapofcotton-wool.Itfeltlikeit,too—choking,warm,stifling.Besides,allIsaid,thoughitsoundedextravagant,wasabsolutelytruetofact.Whatweafterwardsalludedtoasanattackwasreallyanattemptatrepulse.Theactionwasveryfarfrombeingaggressive—itwasnotevendefensive,intheusualsense:itwasundertakenunderthestressofdesperation,andinitsessencewaspurelyprotective.
"Itdevelopeditself,Ishouldsay,twohoursafterthefoglifted,anditscommencementwasataspot,roughlyspeaking,aboutamileandahalfbelowKurtz’sstation.Wehadjustflounderedandfloppedroundabend,whenIsawanislet,ameregrassyhummockofbrightgreen,inthemiddleofthestream.
