本书共收这位英国著名作家较有代表性的中短篇小说九篇。

诺斯托罗莫，萨拉科港口的码头工长，集勇敢、机智、忠诚诸种美德于一身。在共和国的一场军事叛乱中，他孤身穿越数百里叛乱区，引领着正义之师，绕道海上，直抵萨拉科，拯救人民于水火。这样一个传奇人物，完美的化身，却有着不为人知的另一面。在一船谣传已沉入海底的银锭面前，他那万口传颂的人性的光辉黯淡了。

In a novella which remains highly controversial to this day, Conrad explores the relations between Africa and Europe. On the surface, this is a horrifying tale of colonial exploitation. The narrator, Marlowe, journeys on business deep into the heart of Africa. But there he encounters Kurtz, an idealist apparently crazed and depraved by his power over the natives, and the meeting prompts Marlowe to reflect on the darkness at the heart of all men. This short but complex and often ambiguous story, which has been the basis of several films and plays, continues to provoke interpretation and discussion.