PATHOLOGY

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad. Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besidesholding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making ustolerant of each other’s yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had, because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the onlyrug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturallywith the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He hadsunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his armsdropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director satisfied the anchor hadgood hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily. Afterward there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not beginthat game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day wasending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, withouta speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was likea gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores indiaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became moresomber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved andimperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without raysand without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloombrooding over a crowd of men.1) The narrator of this passage is telling his story from ____