wgolding.lordoftheflies-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ger　did　not　consider　his　escape；　but　looked　from　the　nuts　to　Henry　and　back　again。
　The　subsoil　beneath　the　palm　trees　was　a　raised　beach；　and　generations　of　palms　had　worked　loose　in　this　the　stones　that　had　lain　on　the　sands　of　another　shore。　Roger　stooped；　picked　up　a　stone；　aimed；　and　threw　it　at　Henry　…　threw　it　to　miss。　The　stone；　that　token　of　preposterous　time；　bounced　five　yards　to　Henry's　right　and　fell　in　the　water。　Roger　gathered　a　handful　of　stones　and　began　to　throw　them。　Yet　there　was　a　space　round　Henry；　perhaps　six　yards　in　diameter；　into　which；　he　dare　not　throw。　Here；　invisible　yet　strong；　was　the　taboo　of　the　old　life。　Round　the　squatting　child　was　the　protection　of　parents　and　school　and　policemen　and　the　law。　Roger's　arm　was　conditioned　by　a　civilization　that　knew　nothing　of　him　and　was　in　ruins。
　Henry　was　surprised　by　the　plopping　sounds　in　the　water。　He　abandoned　the　noiseless　transparencies　and　pointed　at　the　center　of　the　spreading　rings　like　a　setter。　This　side　and　that　the　stones　fell；　and　Henry　turned　obediently　but　always　too　late　to　see　the　stones　in　the　air。　At　last　he　saw　one　and　laughed；　looking　for　the　friend　who　was　teasing　him。　But　Roger　had　whipped　behind　the　palm　again；　was　leaning　against　it　breathing　quickly；　his　eyelids　fluttering。　Then　Henry　lost　interest　in　stones　and　wandered　off。。
　〃Roger。〃
　Jack　was　standing　under　a　tree　about　ten　yards　away。　When　Roger　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　him；　a　darker　shadow　crept　beneath　the　swarthiness　of　his　skin；　but　Jack　noticed　nothing。　He　was　eager；　impatient；　beckoning；　so　that　Roger　went　to　him。
　There　was　a　small　pool　at　the　end　of　the　river；　dammed　back　by　sand　and　full　of　white　water…lilies　and　needle…like　reeds。　Here　Sam　and　Eric　were　waiting；　and　Bill　Jack；　concealed　from　the　sun；　knelt　by　the　pool　and　opened　the　two　large　leaves　that　he　carried。　One　of　them　contained　white　clay；　and　the　other　red。　By　them　lay　a　stick　of　charcoal　brought　down　from　the　fire。
　Jack　explained　to　Roger　as　he　worked。
　〃They　don't　smell　me。　They　see　me；　I　think。　Something　pink；　under　the　trees。〃
　He　smeared　on　the　clay。
　〃If　only　I'd　some　green！〃
　He　turned　a　halt…concealed　face　up　to　Roger　and　answered　the　inprehension　of　his　gaze。
　〃For　hunting。　Like　in　the　war。　You　know…dazzle　paint　Like　things　trying　to　look　like　something　else…〃　He　twisted　in　the　urgency　of　telling。　〃…lake　moths　on　a　tree　trunk。〃
　Roger　understood　and　nodded　gravely。　The　twins　moved　toward　Jack　and　began　to　protest　timidly　about　something。　Jack　waved　them　away。
　〃Shut　up。〃
　He　rubbed　the　charcoal　stick　between　the　patches　of　red　and　white　on　his　face。
　〃No。　You　two　e　with　me。〃
　He　peered　at　his　reflection　and　disliked　it。　He　bent　down；　took　up　a　double　handful　of　lukewarm　water　and　rubbed　the　mess　from　his　face。　Freckles　and　sandy　eyebrows　appeared。
　Roger　smiled；　unwillingly。
　〃You　don't　half　look　a　mess。〃
　Jack　planned　his　new　face。　He　made　one　cheek　and　one　eye…socket　white；　then　he　rubbed　red　over　the　other　half　of　his　face　and　slashed　a　black　bar　of　charcoal　across　from　right　ear　to　left　jaw。　He　looked　in　the　pool　for　his　reflection；　but　his　breathing　troubled　the　mirror。
　〃Samneric。　Get　me　a　coconut。　An　empty　one。〃
　He　knelt；　holding　the　shell　of　water。　A　rounded　patch　of　sunlight　fell　on　his　face　and　a　brightness　appeared　in　the　depths　of　the　water。　He　looked　in　astonishment；　no　longer　at　himself　but　at　an　awesome　stranger。　He　spilt　the　water　and　leapt　to　his　feet；　laughing　excitedly。　Beside　the　pool　his　sinewy　body　held　up　a　mask　that　drew　their　eyes　and　appalled　them。　He　began　to　dance　and　his　laughter　became　a　bloodthirsty　snarling。　He　capered　toward　Bill；　and　the　mask　was　a　thing　on　its　own；　behind　which　Jack　hid；　liberated　from　shame　and　self…consciousness。　The　face　of　red　and　white　and　black　swung　through　the　air　and　jigged　toward　Bill。　Bill　started　up　laughing；　then　suddenly　he　fell　silent　and　blundered　away　through　the　bushes。
　Jack　rushed　toward　the　twins。　
　〃The　rest　are　making　a　line。　e　on！〃
　〃But…〃
　〃…we…〃
　〃e　on！　I'll　creep　up　and　stab…〃
　The　mask　pelled　them。
　
　Ralph　climbed　out　of　the　bathing　pool　and　trotted　up　the　beach　and　sat　in　the　shade　beneath　the　palms。　His　fair　hair　was　plastered　over　his　eyebrows　and　he　pushed　it　back。　Simon　was　floating　in　the　water　and　kicking　with　his　feet；　and　Maurice　was　practicing　diving。　Piggy　was　mooning　about；　aimlessly　picking　up　things　and　discarding　them。　The　rock…pools　which　so　fascinated　him　were　covered　by　the　tide；　so　he　was　without　an　interest　until　the　tide　went　back。　Presently；　seeing　Ralph　under　the　palms；　he　came　and　sat　by　him。
　Piggy　wore　the　remainders　of　a　pair　of　shorts；　his　fat　body　was　golden　brown；　and　the　glasses　still　flashed　when　he　looked　at　anything。　He　was　the　only　boy　on　the　island　whose　hair　never　seemed　to　grow。　The　rest　were　shock…headed；　but　Piggy's　hair　still　lay　in　wisps　over　his　head　as　though　baldness　were　his　natural　state　and　this　imperfect　covering　would　soon　go；　like　the　velvet　on　a　young　stag's　antlers。
　〃I've　been　thinking；〃　he　said；　〃about　a　clock。　We　could　make　a　sundial　We　could　put　a　stick　in　the　sand；　and　then…〃
　The　effort　to　express　the　mathematical　processes　involved　was　too　great。　He　made　a　few　passes　instead。
　〃And　an　airplane；　and　a　TV　set；〃　said　Ralph　sourly；　〃and　a　steam　engine。〃
　Piggy　shook　his　head。
　〃You　have　to　have　a　lot　of　metal　things　for　that；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　haven't　got　no　metal。　But　we　got　a　stick。〃
　Ralph　turned　and　smiled　involuntarily。　Piggy　was　a　bore；　his　fat；　his　ass…mar　and　his　matter…of…fact　ideas　were　dull；　but　there　was　always　a　little　pleasure　to　be　got　out　of　pulling　his　leg；　even　if　one　did　it　by　accident。
　Piggy　saw　the　smile　and　misinterpreted　it　as　friendliness。　There　had　grown　up　tacitly　among　the　biguns　the　opinion　that　Piggy　was　an　outsider；　not　only　by　accent；　which　did　not　matter；　but　by　fat；　and　ass…mar；　and　specs；　and　a　certain　disinclination　for　manual　labor。　Now；　finding　that　something　he　had　said　made　Ralph　smile；　he　rejoiced　and　pressed　his　advantage。
　〃We　got　a　lot　of　sticks。　We　could　have　a　sundial　each。　Then　we　should　know　what　the　time　was。〃
　〃A　fat　lot　of　good　that　would　be。〃
　〃You　said　you　wanted　things　done。　So　as　we　could　be　rescued。〃
　〃Oh；　shut　up。〃
　He　leapt　to　his　feet　and　trotted　back　to　the　pool；　just　as
　Maurice　did　a　rather　poor　dive。　Ralph　was　glad　of　a　chance　to　change　the　subject。　He　shouted　as　Maurice　came　to　the　surface。
　〃Belly　flop！　Belly　flop！〃
　Maurice　flashed　a　smile　at　Ralph　who　slid　easily　into　the　water。　Of　all　the　boys；　he　was　the　most　at　home　there；　but　today；　irked　by　the　mention　of　rescue；　the　useless；　footling　mention　of　rescue；　even　the　green　depths　of　water　and　the　shattered；　golden　sun　held　no　balm。　Instead　of　remaining　and　playing；　he　swam　with　steady　strokes　under　Simon　and　crawled　out　of　the　other　side　of　the　pool　to　lie　there；　sleek　and　streaming　like　a　seal。　Piggy；　always　clumsy；　stood　up　and　came　to　stand　by　him；　so　mat　Ralph　rolled　on　his　stomach　and　pretended　not　to　see。　The　mirages　had　died　away　and　gloomily　he　ran　his　eye　along　the　taut　blue　line　of　the　horizon。
　The　next　moment　he　was　on　his　feet　and　shouting。
　〃Smoke！　Smoke！〃
　Simon　tried　to　sit　up　in　the　water　and　got　a　mouthful。　Maurice；　who　had　been　standing　ready　to　dive；　swayed　back　on　his　heels；　made　a　bolt　for　the　platform；　then　swerved　back　to　the　grass　under　the　palms。　There　he　started　to　pull　on　his　tattered　shorts；　to　be　ready　for　anything。
　Ralph　stood；　one　hand　holding　back　his　hair；　the　other　clenched。　Simon　was　climbing　out　of　the　water。　Piggy　was　rubbing　his　glasses　on　his　shorts　and　squinting　at　the　sea。　Maurice　had　got　both　legs　through　one　leg　of　his　shorts。　Of　all　the　boys；　only　Ralph　was　still。
　1　can't　see　no　smoke；〃　said　Piggy　incredulously。　〃I　can't　see　no　smoke；　Ralph…where　is　it？〃
　Ralph　said　nothing。　Now　both　his　hands　were　clenched　over　his　forehead　so　that　the　fair　hair　was　kept　out　of　his　eyes。　He　was　leaning　forward　and　already　the　salt　was　whitening　his　body。
　〃Ralph…where　s　the　ship？〃
　Simon　stood　by；　looking　from　Ralph　to　the　horizon。　Maurice's　trousers　gave　way　with　a　sigh　and　he　abandoned　them　as　a　wreck；　rushed　toward　the　forest；　and　then　came　back　again。
　The　smoke　was　a　tight　little　knot　on　the　horizon　and　was　uncoiling　slowly。　Beneath　the　smoke　was　a　dot　that　might　be　a　funnel。　Ralph's　face　was　pale　as　he　spoke　to　himself。
　They'll　see　our　smoke。〃
　Piggy　was　looking　in　the　right　direction　now。
　〃It　don't　look　much。〃
　He　turned　round　and　peered　up　at　the　mountain。　Ralph　continued　to　watch　the　ship；　ravenously。　Color　was　ing　back　into　his　face。　Simon　stood　by　him；　silent。
　〃I　know　I　can't　see　very　much；〃　said　Piggy；　〃but　have　we　got　any　smoke？〃
　Ralph　moved　impatiently；　still　watching　the　ship。
　〃The　smoke　on　the　mountain。〃
　Maurice　came　running；　and　stared　out　to　sea。　Both　Simon　and　Piggy　were　looking　up　at　the　mountain。　Piggy　screwed　up　his　face　but　Simon　cried　out　as　though　he　had　hurt　himself。
　〃Ralph！　Ralph！〃
　The　quality　of　his　speech　twisted　Ralph　on　the　sand。
　〃You　tell　me；〃　said　Piggy　anxiously。　〃Is　there　a　signal？〃
　Ralph　looked　back　at　the　dispersing　smoke　on　the　horizon；　then　up　at　the　mountain。
　〃Ralph…please！　Is　there　a　signal？〃
　Simon　put　out　his　hand；　timidly；　to　touch　Ralph；　but　Ralph　started　to　run；　splashing　through　the　shallow　end　of　the　bathing　pool；　across　the　hot；　white　sand　and　under　the　palms。　A　moment　later　he　was　battling　with　the　plex　undergrowth　that　was　already　engulfing　the　scar。　Simon　ran　after　him；　then　Maurice。　Piggy　shouted。
　〃Ralph！　Please…Ralph！〃
　Then　he　too　started　to　run；　stumbling　over　Maurice's　discarded　shorts　before　he　was　across　the　terrace。　Behind　the　four　boys；　the　smoke　moved　gently　along　the　horizon；　and　on　the　beach；　Henry　and　Johnny　were　throwing　sand　at　Percival　who　was　crying　quietly　again；　and　all　three　were　in　plete　ignorance　of　the　excitement。
　By　the　time　Ralph　had　reached　the　landward　end　of　the　scar　he　was　using　precious　breath　to　swear。　He　did　desperate　violence　to　his　naked　body　among　the　rasping　creepers　so　that　blood　was　sliding　over　him。　Just　where　the　steep　ascent　of　the　mountain　began；　he　stopped。　Maurice　was　only　a　few　y