wgolding.lordoftheflies-第15部分

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ng　over　him。　Just　where　the　steep　ascent　of　the　mountain　began；　he　stopped。　Maurice　was　only　a　few　yards　behind　him。
　〃Piggy's　specs！〃　shouted　Ralph。　〃If　the　fire's　all　out；　well　need　them…〃
　He　stopped　shouting　and　swayed　on　his　feet。　Piggy　was　only　just　visible；　bumbling　up　from　the　beach。　Ralphlooked　at　the　horizon；　then　up　to　the　mountain。　Was　it　better　to　fetch　Piggy's　glasses；　or　would　the　ship　have　gone？　Or　if　they　climbed　on；　supposing　the　fire　was　all　out；　and　they　had　to　watch　Piggy　crawling　nearer　and　the　ship　sinking　under　the　horizon？　Balanced　on　a　high　peak　of　need；　agonized　by　indecision；　Ralph　cried　out：
　〃Oh　God；　oh　God！〃
　Simon；　struggling　with　bushes；　caught　his　breath。　His　face　was　twisted。　Ralph　blundered　on；　savaging　himself；　as　the　wisp　of　smoke　moved　on。
　The　fire　was　dead。　They　saw　that　straight　away；　saw　what　they　had　really　known　down　on　the　beach　when　the　smoke　of　home　had　beckoned。　The　fire　was　out；　smokeless　and　dead；　the　watchers　were　gone。　A　pile　of　unused　fuel　lay　ready。
　Ralph　turned　to　the　sea。　The　horizon　stretched；　impersonal　once　more；　barren　of　all　but　the　faintest　trace　of　smoke。　Ralph　ran　stumbling　along　the　rocks；　saved　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　pink　cliff；　and　screamed　at　the　ship。
　〃e　back！　e　back！〃
　He　ran　backwards　and　forwards　along　the　cliff；　his　face　always　to　the　sea；　and　his　voice　rose　insanely。
　〃e　back！　e　back！〃
　Simon　and　Maurice　arrived。　Ralph　looked　at　them　with　unwinking　eyes。　Simon　turned　away；　smearing　the　water　from　his　cheeks。　Ralph　reached　inside　himself　for　the　worst　word　he　knew。
　〃They　let　the　bloody　fire　go　out。〃
　He　looked　down　the　unfriendly　side　of　the　mountain。　Piggy　arrived；　out　of　breath　and　whimpering　like　a　littlun。　Ralph　clenched　his　fist　and　went　very　red。　The　intent…ness　of　his　gaze；　the　bitterness　of　his　voice；　pointed　for　him。
　〃There　they　are。〃
　A　procession　had　appeared；　far　down　among　the　pink　stones　that　lay　near　the　water's　edge。　Some　of　the　boys　wore　black　caps　but　otherwise　they　were　almost　naked。　They　lifted　sticks　in　the　air　together　whenever　they　came　to　an　easy　patch。　They　were　chanting；　something　to　do　with　the　bundle　that　the　errant　twins　carried　so　carefully。　Ralph　picked　out　Jack　easily；　even　at　that　distance；　tall；　red…haired；　and　inevitably　leading　the　procession。
　Simon　looked　now；　from　Ralph　to　Jack；　as　he　had　looked　from　Ralph　to　the　horizon；　and　what　he　saw　seemed　to　make　him　afraid。　Ralph　said　nothing　more；　but　waited　while　the　procession　came　nearer。　The　chant　was　audible　but　at　that　distance　still　wordless。　Behind　Jack　walked　the　twins；　carrying　a　great　stake　on　their　shoulders。　The　gutted　carcass　of　a　pig　swung　from　the　stake；　swinging　heavily　as　the　twins　toiled　over　the　uneven　ground。　The　pigs　head　hung　down　with　gaping　neck　and　seemed　to　search　for　something　on　the　ground。　At　last　the　words　of　the　chant　floated　up　to　them；　across　the　bowl　of　blackened　wood　and　ashes。
　〃Kill　the　pig。　Cut　her　throat。　Spill　her　blood。〃
　Yet　as　the　words　became　audible；　the　procession　reached　the　steepest　part　of　the　mountain；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　the　chant　had　died　away。　Piggy　sniveled　and　Simon　shushed　him　quickly　as　though　he　had　spoken　too　loudly　in　church。
　Jack；　his　face　smeared　with　clays；　reached　the　top　first　and　hailed　Ralph　excitedly；　with　lifted　spear。
　〃Look！　We've　killed　a　pig…we　stole　up　on　them…we　got　in　a　circle…〃
　Voices　broke　in　from　the　hunters。
　〃We　got　in　a　circle…〃
　〃We　crept　up…〃
　The　pig　squealed…〃
　The　twins　stood　with　the　pig　swinging　between　them；　dropping　black　gouts　on　the　rock。　They　seemed　to　share　one　wide；　ecstatic　grin。　Jack　had　too　many　things　to　tell　Ralph　at　once。　Instead；　he　danced　a　step　or　two；　then　remembered　his　dignity　and　stood　still；　grinning。　He　noticed　blood　on　his　hands　and　grimaced　distastefully；　looked　for　something　on　which　to　clean　them；　then　wiped　them　on　his　shorts　and　laughed。
　Ralph　spoke。
　〃You　let　the　fire　go　out。〃
　Jack　checked；　vaguely　irritated　by　this　irrelevance　but　too　happy　to　let　it　worry　him。
　〃We　can　light　the　fire　again。　You　should　have　been　with　us；　Ralph。　We　had　a　smashing　time。　The　twins　got　knocked　over…〃
　〃We　hit　the　pig…〃
　〃…I　fell　on　top…〃
　〃I　cut　the　pig's　throat；〃　said　Jack；　proudly；　and　yet　twitched　as　he　said　it。　〃Can　I　borrow　yours；　Ralph；　to　make　a　nick　in　the　hilt？〃
　The　boys　chattered　and　danced。　The　twins　continued　to　grin。
　There　was　lashings　of　blood；〃　said　Jack；　laughing　and　shuddering；　〃you　should　have　seen　it！〃
　〃We'll　go　hunting　every　day…〃
　Ralph　spoke　again；　hoarsely。　He　had　not　moved。
　〃You　let　the　fire　go　out。〃
　This　repetition　made　Jack　uneasy。　He　looked　at　the　twins　and　then　back　at　Ralph。
　〃We　had　to　have　them　in　the　hunt；〃　he　said；　〃or　there　wouldn't　have　been　enough　for　a　ring。〃
　He　flushed；　conscious　of　a　fault。
　〃The　fire's　only　been　out　an　hour　or　two。　We　can　light　up　again…〃
　He　noticed　Ralph's　scarred　nakedness；　and　the　sombre　silence　of　all　four　of　them。　He　sought；　charitable　in　his　happiness；　to　include　them　in　the　thing　that　had　happened。　His　mind　was　crowded　with　memories；　memories　of　the　knowledge　that　had　e　to　them　when　they　closed　in　on　the　struggling　pig；　knowledge　that　they　had　outwitted　a　living　thing；　imposed　their　will　upon　it；　taken　away　its　life　like　a　long　satisfying　drink。
　He　spread　his　arms　wide。
　〃You　should　have　seen　the　blood！〃
　The　hunters　were　more　silent　now；　but　at　this　they　buzzed　again。　Ralph　flung　back　his　hair。　One　arm　pointed　at　the　empty　horizon。　His　voice　was　loud　and　savage；　and　struck　them　into　silence。
　〃There　was　a　ship。〃
　Jack；　faced　at　once　with　too　many　awful　implications；　ducked　away　from　them。　He　laid　a　hand　on　the　pig　and　drew　his　knife。　Ralph　brought　his　arm　down；　fist　clenched；　and　his　voice　shook。
　〃There　was　a　ship。　Out　there。　You　said　you'd　keep　the　fire　going　and　you　let　it　out！〃　He　took　a　step　toward　Jack；　who　turned　and　faced　him。
　〃They　might　have　seen　us。　We　might　have　gone　home…〃
　This　was　too　bitter　for　Piggy；　who　forgot　his　timidity　in　the　agony　of　his　loss。　He　began　to　cry　out；　shrilly：
　〃You　and　your　blood；　Jack　Merridew！　You　and　your　hunting！　We　might　have　gone　home…〃
　Ralph　pushed　Piggy　to　one　side。
　〃I　was　chief；　and　you　were　going　to　do　what　I　said。　You　talk。　But　you　can't　even　build　huts…then　you　go　off　hunting　and　let　out　the　fire…〃
　He　turned　away；　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　his　voice　came　again　on　a　peak　of　feeling。
　〃There　was　a　ship…〃
　One　of　the　smaller　hunters　began　to　wail。　The　dismal　truth　was　filtering　through　to　everybody。　Jack　went　very　red　as　he　hacked　and　pulled　at　the　pig。
　〃The　job　was　too　much。　We　needed　everyone。〃
　Ralph　turned。
　〃You　could　have　had　everyone　when　the　shelters　were　finished。　But　you　had　to　hunt…〃
　〃We　needed　meat。〃
　Jack　stood　up　as　he　said　this；　the　bloodied　knife　in　his　hand。　The　two　boys　faced　each　other。　There　was　the　brilliant　world　of　hunting；　tactics；　fierce　exhilaration；　skill；　and　there　was　the　world　of　longing　and　baffled　mon…sense。　Jack　transferred　the　knife　to　his　left　hand　and　smudged　blood　over　his　forehead　as　he　pushed　down　the　plastered　hair。
　Piggy　began　again。
　〃You　didn't　ought　to　have　let　that　fire　out。　You　said　you'd　keep　the　smoke　going…〃
　This　from　Piggy；　and　the　wails　of　agreement　from　some　of　the　hunters；　drove　Jack　to　violence。　The　bolting　look　came　into　his　blue　eyes。　He　took　a　step；　and　able　at　last　to　hit　someone；　stuck　his　fist　into　Piggy's　stomach。　Piggy　sat　down　with　a　grunt。　Jack　stood　over　him。　His　voice　was　vicious　with　humiliation。
　〃You　would；　would　you？　Fatty！〃
　Ralph　made　a　step　forward　and　Jack　smacked　Piggy's　head。　Piggy's　glasses　flew　off　and　tinkled　on　the　rocks。　Piggy　cried　out　in　terror：
　〃My　specs！〃
　He　went　crouching　and　feeling　over　the　rocks　but　Simon；　who　got　there　first；　found　them　for　him。　Passions　beat　about　Simon　on　the　mountain…top　with　awful　wings。
　〃One　side's　broken。〃
　Piggy　grabbed　and　put　on　the　glasses。　He　looked　malevolently　at　Jack。
　〃I　got　to　have　them　specs。　Now　I　only　got　one　eye。　Jus‘　you　wait…〃
　Jack　made　a　move　toward　Piggy　who　scrambled　away　till　a　great　rock　lay　between　them。　He　thrust　his　head　over　the　top　and　glared　at　Jack　through　his　one　flashing　glass。
　〃Now　I　only　got　one　eye。　Just　you　wait…〃
　Jack　mimicked　the　whine　and　scramble。　
　〃Jus'　you　wait…yah！〃
　Piggy　and　the　parody　were　so　funny　that　the　hunters　began　to　laugh。　Jack　felt　encouraged。　He　went　on　scrambling　and　the　laughter　rose　to　a　gale　of　hysteria。　Unwillingly　Ralph　felt　his　lips　twitch；　he　was　angry　with　himself　for　giving　way。
　He　muttered。
　〃That　was　a　dirty　trick。〃
　Jack　broke　out　of　his　gyration　and　stood　facing　Ralph。　His　words　came　in　a　shout。
　〃All　right；　all　right！〃
　He　looked　at　Piggy；　at　the　hunters；　at　Ralph。
　〃I'm　sorry。　About　the　fire；　I　mean。　There。　I…〃
　He　drew　himself　up。
　〃…I　apologize。〃
　The　buzz　from　the　hunters　was　one　of　admiration　at　this　handsome　behavior。　Clearly　they　were　of　the　opinion　that　Jack　had　done　the　decent　thing；　had　put　himself　in　the　right　by　his　generous　apology　and　Ralph；　obscurely；　in　the　wrong。　They　waited　for　an　appropriately　decent　answer。
　Yet　Ralph's　throat　refused　to　pass　one。　He　resented；　as　an　addition　to　Jack's　misbehavior；　this　verbal　trick。　The　fire　was　dead；　the　ship　was　gone。　Could　they　not　see？　Anger　instead　of　decency　passed　his　throat。
　〃That　was　a　dirty　trick。〃
　They　were　silent　on　the　mountain…top　while　the　opaque　look　appeared　in　Jack's　eyes　and　passed　away。
　Ralph's　final　word　was　an　ungracious　mutter。
　〃All　right。　Light　the　fire。〃
　With　some　positive　action　before　them；　a　little　of　die　tension　died。　Ralph　said　no　more；　did　nothing；　stood　looking　down　at　the　ashes　round　his　feet。　Jack　was　loud　and　active。　He　gave　orders；　sang；　whistled；　threw　remarks　at　the　silent　Ralph…remarks　that　did　not　need　an　answer；　and　therefore　could　not　invite　a　snub；　and　still　Ralph　was　silent。　No　one；　not　even　Jack；　would　ask　him　to　move　and　in　the　end　they　had　to　build　the　fire　three　yards　away　and　in　a　place　not　really　as　convenient。　So　Ralph　asserted　his　chieftainship　and　could　not　have　chosen　a　better　way　if　he　had　thought　for　days。　Against　this　weapon；　so　indefinable　and　so　effective；　Jack　was　powerless