\"’Now，ifhedoesnotsaytherightthingtothemwearealldonefor，’saidtheRussianatmyelbow。Theknotofmenwiththestretcherhadstoppedtoo，half-waytothesteamer，asifpetrified。Isawthemanonthestretchersitup，lankandwithanupliftedarm，abovetheshouldersofthebearers。’Letushopethatthemanwhocantalksowellofloveingeneralwillfindsomeparticularreasontospareusthistime，’Isaid。I
resentedbitterlytheabsurddangerofoursituation，asiftobeatthemercyofthatatrociousphantomhadbeenadishonoringnecessity。Icouldnothearasound，butthroughmyglassesIsawthethinarmextendedcommandingly，thelowerjawmoving，theeyesofthatapparitionshiningdarklyfarinitsbonyheadthatnoddedwithgrotesquejerks。Kurtz——Kurtz——thatmeansshortinGerman——don’tit？Well，thenamewasastrueaseverythingelseinhislife——anddeath。Helookedatleastsevenfeetlong。Hiscoveringhadfallenoff，andhisbodyemergedfromitpitifulandappallingasfromawinding-sheet。Icouldseethecageofhisribsallastir，thebonesofhisarmwaving。Itwasasthoughananimatedimageofdeathcarvedoutofoldivoryhadbeenshakingitshandwithmenacesatamotionlesscrowdofmenmadeofdarkandglitteringbronze。Isawhimopenhismouthwide——itgavehimaweirdlyvoraciousaspect，asthoughhehadwantedtoswallowalltheair，alltheearth，allthemenbeforehim。
Adeepvoicereachedmefaintly。Hemusthavebeenshouting。Hefellbacksuddenly。Thestretchershookasthebearersstaggeredforwardagain，andalmostatthesametimeInoticedthatthecrowdofsavageswasvanishingwithoutanyperceptiblemovementofretreat，asiftheforestthathadejectedthesebeingssosuddenlyhaddrawntheminagainasthebreathisdrawninalongaspiration。
\"Someofthepilgrimsbehindthestretchercarriedhisarms——twoshot-guns，aheavyrifle，andalightrevolver-
carbine——thethunderboltsofthatpitifulJupiter。Themanagerbentoverhimmurmuringashewalkedbesidehishead。Theylaidhimdowninoneofthelittlecabins——justaroomforabed-placeandacamp-stoolortwo，youknow。Wehadbroughthisbelatedcorrespondence，andalotoftornenvelopesandopenletterslitteredhisbed。Hishandroamedfeeblyamongstthesepapers。I