Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com 10 that for him Mr. Kurtz was one of the immortals. ‘Well!’
said I at last, ‘speak out. As it happens, I am Mr. Kurtz’s
friend—in a way.’
‘He stated with a good deal of formality that had we not
been ‘of the same profession,’ he would have kept the matter
to himself without regard to consequences. ‘He suspected
there was an active ill-will towards him on the part of these
white men that—’ ‘You are right,’ I said, remembering a cer-
tain conversation I had overheard. ‘The manager thinks you
ought to be hanged.’ He showed a concern at this intelli-
gence which amused me at first. ‘I had better get out of the
way quietly,’ he said earnestly. ‘I can do no more for Kurtz
now, and they would soon find some excuse. What’s to stop
them? There’s a military post three hundred miles from here.’
‘Well, upon my word,’ said I, ‘perhaps you had better go if
you have any friends amongst the savages near by.’ ‘Plenty,’
he said. ‘They are simple people—and I want nothing, you
know.’ He stood biting his lip, then: ‘I don’t want any harm
to happen to these whites here, but of course I was thinking
of Mr. Kurtz’s reputation—but you are a brother seaman
and—’ ‘All right,’ said I, after a time. ‘Mr. Kurtz’s reputation
is safe with me.’ I did not know how truly I spoke.
‘He informed me, lowering his voice, that it was Kurtz
who had ordered the attack to be made on the steamer. ‘He
hated sometimes the idea of being taken away—and then
again.... But I don’t understand these matters. I am a simple
man. He thought it would scare you away—that you would
give it up, thinking him dead. I could not stop him. Oh, I
had an awful time of it this last month.’ ‘Very well,’ I said.