Joseph Conrad
heart of Darkness
The yacht "Nelly" swayed at anchor - her sails were motionless - and froze. The tide was high, the wind almost died down, and since she had to go down the river, she had no choice but to drop the anchor and wait for the low tide.
The mouth of the Thames opened before us, like an entrance to an endless strait. At this point, sea and sky merged, and on the dazzling surface the barges rising with the tide up the river seemed motionless; bunches of sunburned reddish sails, pointed at the top, glistened with their polished sprints. Mist hung over the low shores, which seemed to melt away, running down to the sea. A shadow fell over Gravesand, and further into the depths, the shadows thickened into a dull twilight, frozen over the largest and greatest city on earth.
The captain and owner of the yacht was the director of the joint stock company. The four of us looked at him amiably when he, turning his back to us, stood on the bow and looked towards the sea. On the whole river, no one was as much like a typical sailor as he was. He was like a pilot who, for sailors, personifies everything that is worthy of trust. It was hard to believe that his profession drew him not forward, to this dazzling mouth, but back - to where the darkness thickened.
As I said before, we were all bound by the bonds of the sea. By maintaining our friendship through long periods of separation, this bond helped us to tolerate the stories and even beliefs of each of us. The lawyer - an excellent old man - used, due to his advanced age and numerous virtues, the only pillow available on deck, and lay on our only blanket. The accountant had already taken out a box of dominoes and amused himself by erecting structures of bone tiles. Marlowe sat cross-legged with his back against the mizzen mast. He had sunken cheeks yellow faces, straight torso and ascetic appearance; sitting with his hands down and his palms turned outward, he looked like an idol. The director, making sure that the anchor was holding well, returned to the stern and joined us. We exchanged a few words lazily. Then silence descended aboard the yacht. For some reason, we didn't play dominoes. We were thoughtful and in a complacent contemplative mood. The day was serenely burning out in a blinding brilliance. The water sparkled peacefully; the sky, not tainted by a single cloud, was flooded with blissful and pure light; even the fog over the Essex swamps was like a shining and thin fabric that, descending from the wooded hills, draped the low banks in transparent folds. But in the west, upstream of the river, darkness deepened with every minute, as if irritated by the approach of the sun.
And finally, imperceptibly making its way, the sun touched the horizon and from a blazing white ball turned into a dull red ball, devoid of rays and heat, as if this ball was about to fade away, struck to death by the touch of darkness hanging over the crowds of people.
The view of the river immediately changed, the shine began to fade, and the silence became even deeper. The old wide river, untouched by the ripples, rested on the side of the day after many centuries of faithful service to the people who inhabited its banks; it stretches out unperturbed and majestic, like a waterway leading to the most remote corners of the earth. We looked at the mighty stream and saw it not in the bright radiance of a short day, which lights up and fades away forever, but in the solemn light of unfading memories. Indeed, a person who, with reverence and love, as they say, “gave himself to the sea”, can easily resurrect the great spirit of the past in the lower Thames. The stream, always carrying its service, keeps the memories of people and ships that rose upstream, returning home to rest, or descended to the sea, to meet the battles. The river served all the people of which the nation is proud - knew everyone from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin; they were knights, titled and untitled - great knights - vagabonds of the seas. All ships walked along it, whose names, like precious stones, sparkle in the nights of centuries - all ships, starting with the "Golden Doe" with round sides, which was filled with treasures and after the visit of the queen fell out of the glorious legend, and ending with "Erebus" and "Horror", striving for other conquests and never came back. The river knew ships and people; they came from Datford, from Greenwich, from Erit - adventurers and colonists, warships and merchant captains, admirals, unknown smugglers of the eastern seas and emissaries, "generals" of the East Indian fleet. Those who were looking for gold, and those who aspired to glory - they all went down this river, holding a sword and often a torch, messengers of power within the country, carriers of the spark of the sacred fire.
The sun went down, dusk descended on the river, and lights began to light up along the bank. The Chapman lighthouse shone brightly on the muddy shallow, as if on three legs. The lights of the ships glided down the river - a great movement of lights that approached and receded. And further west, the monstrous city was still marked by an ominous shadow in the sky - a dusky cloud marked it during the day, and a crimson reflection under the sparkling stars at night.
“And here, too, was one of the gloomy corners of the earth,” said Marlowe suddenly.
He was the only one of us who still sailed the seas. The worst thing that could be said about him is that he was not a typical representative of his profession. He was a sailor, but at the same time he was a vagabond, while most sailors lead, so to speak, a sedentary lifestyle. By nature, they are homebodies, and their home - the ship - is always with them, as well as their homeland - the sea. All ships are similar to one another, and the sea is always the same. Against the background of the environment that never changes, foreign shores, foreign faces, the changeable face of life glide past, veiled not by a sense of mystery, but slightly contemptuous ignorance, for only the sea is mysterious for a sailor - his lord, - a sea, inscrutable, like itself fate. After a day's work, a casual walk or a binge on the shore reveals to the sailor the secret of the whole continent, and usually the sailor comes to the conclusion that this secret should not have been revealed. The sailors' stories are simple, and their meaning is, as it were, enclosed in a nut shell. But Marlowe was not a typical sailor (if we exclude his love of composing stories), and for him the meaning of the episode was not inside, like a kernel of a nut, but in the conditions that were opened thanks to this episode: thus, thanks to the ghostly moonlight, foggy rings sometimes become visible ...
Nobody found his remark strange. It looked so much like Marlowe. They listened to him in silence. Nobody even bothered to mutter something in response. Finally he spoke very slowly:
- I thought about those distant times when the Romans first appeared here, one thousand nine hundred years ago ... yesterday ... The light, you say, lit up on this river during the time of the knights? Yes, but it was like a flame spreading to the plain, like lightning in a cloud. We live in a flash of lightning - may it not go out while our old Earth moves in orbit! But yesterday it was dark. Imagine the mood of the beautiful commander ... what are they called? .. oh yeah! .. triremes in the Mediterranean, who suddenly received an order to sail north. He travels by land, hastily crosses the land of the Gauls and takes command of one of those ships, which, according to the books, were built by a hundred legionnaires within one or two months ... What clever guys these people must have been! .. Imagine that this the commander came here, to the end of the world ... The sea is leaden, the sky is the color of smoke, the ship is clumsy, like a concertina, and he rises up the river, carrying orders, or goods, or ... whatever you want. Sandbanks, swamps, forests, savages ... there is very little food for a civilized man, and there is nothing but water from the Thames to quench your thirst. Here, there is no Falernian wine, you cannot go ashore. In some places, a military camp can be seen, lost in the wilderness like a needle in a haystack. Cold, fog, storms, disease, exile and death - death lurking in the air, in the water, in the bushes. People here must have died like flies. And yet he endured it. He carried it out as a fine fellow, not wasting time on reflection, and only later boasted, perhaps remembering everything that he had to endure. Yes, they were people courageous enough to look into the face of darkness. Perhaps he was supported by the hope of moving forward, getting into the fleet in Ravenna, if good friends were found in Rome and if his terrible climate would spare him. And imagine a young Roman from a good family, clothed in a toga. He, you know, was too fond of the game of dice, and in order to improve his affairs, he arrived here in the retinue of the prefect, tax collector or merchant. He landed among the marshes, walked through the forests and at some parking lot in the depths of the country felt the wilderness close around him, felt the beat of a mysterious life in the forest, in the jungle, in the hearts of savages. There could be no initiation into these secrets. He is doomed to live in an environment inaccessible to understanding, which in itself is disgusting. And there is in this some kind of charm that makes itself felt. Enchanting power in disgusting. Imagine his growing regret, desire to flee, helpless disgust, refusal to fight, hatred ...
The devil found this place ideal: a small and unremarkable town with the most ordinary inhabitants. Just what you need to realize your insidious plans without publicity and fuss and conquer the whole world!
More detailsThe Intrigues of the Man Without the Face
After long travels around the world, Ethan returns to hometown... Yes, not alone, but with the bride, the fair-haired beauty Claire. He can't wait to introduce his beloved to his father. However, will everything turn out as the young man intended? Despite the happy love, on the way home, Ethan is tormented by dark forebodings ...
Native places have changed beyond recognition! A dense fog has thickened over the city, the streets are empty and quiet, and a huge black tower of incredible height rises on the horizon. Flocks of crows circle in the sky, blocking the dim sun. At that moment, Ethan and Claire had to trust their intuition and run from here as fast as it was before it was too late! But the lovers thought that there is nothing worse than stopping halfway. They didn't know who he was then Man Without a Face and what meanness he is capable of.
It is necessary at all costs to free the lovers from the Devil's lair! To do this, look for items on the list, solve entertaining puzzles and go through mini-games. Great graphics and plot twists will bring you true pleasure in the game!
This is a story about a crushing thirst for revenge that sweeps away everything in its path, and about an unbreakable love that can overcome any obstacles. Ethan Blake and his fiancée Claire met about a year ago. They intended to get married in early fall, and it seemed that nothing could interfere with their happiness. But fate decreed otherwise.
Also, my father sent a strange box, inside which was a small figure of Claire. What could this mean? After all, Ethan's father had not yet met Claire and had never seen her before. Sensing that something terrible has happened, the lovers go to the city of Cedar Falls.
Dangerous adventures begin right on the train. At first, when Ethan and Claire were in the compartment, a creature in a creepy mask suddenly appeared on the other side of the window and shattered the glass. The guys fell into a deep sleep and woke up only at night when the train was racing at breakneck speed.
Suddenly, a powerful explosion occurred, which threw the train from the bridge right into the sea. Ethan and Claire miraculously survived and ended up on the beach near the town of Cedar Falls. But that's all tragic events are not over. Barely reaching the city, that terrible shadow with a mask appeared again and kidnapped Claire right from under the nose of her fiance.
Eerie shadows will haunt you everywhere, the whole city is shrouded in darkness, and the dark empty streets are terrifying. Bulletin boards and scraps of newspapers are full of terrible news of the numerous kidnappings in the city. Judging by the advertisements, “faceless” roam the city, as the locals call these masked creatures. The purpose of the kidnapping is not known. But above the city, a tall tower can be seen, which twists into the sky like a funnel at the top. Clouds and gloom thickened around her. Apparently, this is the very place where you can find answers to all your questions.
Fear not, you won't have to wander the dark city streets alone. There, Ethan will meet a man named Leonard, who will offer his help in finding Claire.
You will find many locations with hidden objects and mines puzzles. You will not be able to find some items from the list right away, but only after performing an action. For example, cut an apple with a knife to find a worm, or open a wallet to get money. In difficult times, you can use the hint or the button for skipping the mini-game so as not to waste time on difficult tasks. But it will take time to recharge before you can use the hint again. Check your diary more often so you don't miss important clues, clues, or hints about solving a particular puzzle. Also in the diary, you will find a map that will help you not get lost in the city.
Download game "Heart of Darkness. Forbidden City" for free
A young girl named Audrey was in trouble, or rather, her husband Patrick got into trouble, although we do not know anything about this yet. A vain search for the police did not yield any results and the investigation reached a dead end. But now, just as opportunely, the ghost of the postman appeared to Audrey, who showed Audrey the way to the old abandoned town, covered with darkness. A brave girl, having lost all hope, goes to places forgotten by God.
|Jane Lockwood does not remember her parents, therefore, having received a mysterious letter from her own aunt, she immediately prepared to go to her father's house. Don't leave the girl in trouble, go with Jane! Together you will find her father and restore the magic hours of balance. Locations will be tempting and unusually colorful, they will have a lot of different things you need to solve tricky puzzles and numerous tasks. Your faithful companions will be the card and the good-natured dwarf Fay, he will be irreplaceable in all matters, up to the bonus chapter!
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