Серце темряви

           PerhapsyouwillthinkitpassingstrangethisregretforasavagewhowasnomoreaccountthanagrainofsandinablackSahara.Well,don’tyousee,hehaddonesomething,hehadsteered;formonthsIhadhimatmyback—ahelp—aninstrument.Itwasakindofpartnership.Hesteeredforme—Ihadtolookafterhim,Iworriedabouthisdeficiencies,andthusasubtlebondhadbeencreated,ofwhichIonlybecameawarewhenitwassuddenlybroken.Andtheintimateprofundityofthatlookhegavemewhenhereceivedhishurtremainstothisdayinmymemory—likeaclaimofdistantkinshipaffirmedinasuprememoment.

           "Poorfool!Ifhehadonlyleftthatshutteralone.Hehadnorestraint,norestraint—justlikeKurtz—atreeswayedbythewind.AssoonasIhadputonadrypairofslippers,Idraggedhimout,afterfirstjerkingthespearoutofhisside,whichoperationIconfessIperformedwithmyeyesshuttight.Hisheelsleapedtogetheroverthelittledoorstep;hisshoulderswerepressedtomybreast;Ihuggedhimfrombehinddesperately.Oh!hewasheavy,heavy;heavierthananymanonearth,Ishouldimagine.ThenwithoutmoreadoItippedhimoverboard.Thecurrentsnatchedhimasthoughhehadbeenawispofgrass,andIsawthebodyrollovertwicebeforeIlostsightofitforever.Allthepilgrimsandthemanagerwerethencongregatedontheawning-deckaboutthepilot-house,chatteringateachotherlikeaflockofexcitedmagpies,andtherewasascandalizedmurmuratmyheartlesspromptitude.