wgolding.lordoftheflies-第18部分

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　〃So　lets　hear　from　that　littlun　who　talked　about　a　beast　and　perhaps　we　can　show　him　how　silly　he　is。〃
　The　littluns　began　to　jabber　among　themselves；　then　one　stood　forward。
　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃Phil。〃
　For　a　littlun　he　was　self…confident；　holding　out　his　hands；　cradling　the　conch　as　Ralph　did；　looking　round　at　them　to　collect　their　attention　before　he　spoke。
　〃Last　night　I　had　a　dream；　a　horrid　dream；　fighting　with　things。　I　was　outside　the　shelter　by　myself；　fighting　with　things；　those　twisty　things　in　the　trees。〃
　He　paused；　and　the　other　littluns　laughed　in　horrified　sympathy。
　〃Then　I　was　frightened　and　I　woke　up。　And　I　was　outside　the　shelter　by　myself　in　the　dark　and　the　twisty　things　had　gone　away。〃
　The　vivid　horror　of　this；　so　possible　and　so　nakedly　terrifying；　held　them　all　silent。　The　child's　voice　went　piping　on　from　behind　the　white　conch。
　〃And　I　was　frightened　and　started　to　call　out　for　Ralph　and　then　I　saw　something　moving　among　the　trees；　something　big　and　horrid。〃
　He　paused；　half…frightened　by　the　recollection　yet　proud　of　the　sensation　he　was　creating。
　〃That　was　a　nightmare；〃　said　Ralph。　〃He　was　walking　in　his　sleep。〃
　The　assembly　murmured　in　subdued　agreement。
　The　littlun　shook　his　head　stubbornly。
　〃I　was　asleep　when　the　twisty　things　were　fighting　and　when　they　went　away　I　was　awake；　and　I　saw　something　big　and　horrid　moving　in　the　trees。〃
　Ralph　held　out　his　hands　for　the　conch　and　the　littlun　sat　down。
　〃You　were　alseep。　There　wasn't　anyone　there。　How　could　anyone　be　wandering　about　in　the　forest　at　night？　Was　anyone？　Did　anyone　go　out？〃
　There　was　a　long　pause　while　the　assembly　grinned　at
　the　thought　of　anyone　going　out　in　the　darkness。　Then　Simon　stood　up　and　Ralph　looked　at　him　in　astonishment
　〃You！　What　were　you　mucking　about　in　the　dark　for？〃
　Simon　grabbed　the　conch　convulsively。
　〃I　wanted…to　go　to　a　place…a　place　I　know。〃
　〃What　place？〃
　〃Just　a　place　I　know。　A　place　in　the　jungle。〃
　He　hesitated。
　Jack　settled　the　question　for　them　with　that　contempt　in　his　voice　that　could　sound　so　funny　and　so　final。
　〃He　was　taken　short〃
　With　a　feeling　of　humiliation　on　Simon's　behalf；　Ralph　took　back　the　conch；　looking　Simon　sternly　in　the　face　as　he　did　so。
　〃Well；　don't　do　it　again。　Understand？　Not　at　night　There's　enough　silly　talk　about　beasts；　without　the　litthlus　seeing　you　gliding　about　like　a…〃
　The　derisive　laughter　that　rose　had　fear　in　it　and　condemnation。　Simon　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　but　Ralph　had　the　conch；　so　he　backed　to　his　seat
　When　the　assembly　was　silent　Ralph　turned　to　Piggy。
　〃Well；　Piggy？〃
　〃There　was　another　one。　Him。〃
　The　littlums　pushed　Percival　forward；　then　left　him　by　himself。　He　stood　knee…deep　in　the　central　grass；　looking　at　his　hidden　feet；　trying　to　pretend　he　was　in　a　tent　Ralph　remembered　another　small　boy　who　had　stood　like　this　and　he　flinched　away　from　the　memory。　He　had　pushed　the　thought　down　and　out　of　sight；　where　only　some　positive　reminder　like　this　could　bring　it　to　the　surface。　There　had　been　no　further　numberings　of　the　littluns；　partly　because　there　was　no　means　of　insuring　that　all　of　them　were　accounted　for　and　partly　because　Ralph　knew　the　answer　to　at　least　one　question　Piggy　had　asked　on　the　mountain…top。　There　were　little　boys；　fair；　dark；　freckled；　and　all　dirty；　but　their　faces　were　all　dreadfully　free　of　major　blemishes。　No　one　had　seen　the　mulberry…colored　birthmark　again。　But　that　time　Piggy　had　coaxed　and　bullied。　Tacitly　admitting　that　he　remembered　the　unmentionable；　Ralph　nodded　to　Piggy。　
　〃Go　on。　Ask　him。〃　
　Piggy　knelt；　holding　the　conch。
　〃Now　then。　What's　your　name？〃
　The　small　boy　twisted　away　into　his　tent　Piggy　turned　helplessly　to　Ralph；　who　spoke　sharply。
　〃What's　your　name？〃
　Tormented　by　the　silence　and　the　refusal　the　assembly　broke　into　a　chant。
　〃What's　your　name？　What's　your　name？〃
　〃Quiet！〃
　Ralph　peered　at　the　child　in　the　twilight
　〃Now　tell　us。　What's　your　name？〃
　〃Percival　Wemys　Madison；　The　Vicarage；　Harcourt　St。　Anthony；　Hants；　telephone；　telephone；　tele…〃
　As　if　this　information　was　rooted　far　down　in　the　springs　of　sorrow；　the　littlun　wept。　His　face　puckered；　the　tears　leapt　from　his　eves；　his　mouth　opened　till　they　could　see　a　square　black　hole。　At　first　he　was　a　silent　effigy　of　sorrow；　but　then　the　lamentation　rose　out　of　him；　loud　and　sustained　as　the　conch。
　〃Shut　up；　you！　Shut　up！〃
　Percival　Wemys　Madison　would　not　shut　up。　A　spring　had　been　tapped；　far　beyond　the　reach　of　authority　or　even　physical　intimidation。　The　crying　went　on；　breath　after　breath；　and　seemed　to　sustain　him　upright　as　if　he　were　nailed　to　it。
　〃Shut　up！　Shut　up！〃
　For　now　the　littluns　were　no　longer　silent。　They　were　reminded　of　their　personal　sorrows；　and　perhaps　felt　themselves　to　share　in　a　sorrow　that　was　universal。　They　began　to　cry　in　sympathy；　two　of　them　almost　as　loud　as　Percival。
　Maurice　saved　them。　He　cried　out。
　〃Look　at　me！〃
　He　pretended　to　fall　over。　He　rubbed　his　rump　and　sat　on　the　twister　so　that　he　fell　in　the　grass。　He　clowned　badly；　but　Percival　and　the　others　noticed　and　sniffed　and　laughed。　Presently　they　were　all　laughing　so　absurdly　that　the　biguns　joined　in。
　Jack　was　the　first　to　make　himself　heard。　He　had　not　got　the　conch　and　thus　spoke　against　the　rules；　but　nobody　minded。
　〃And　what　about　the　beast？〃
　Something　strange　was　happening　to　Percival。　He　yawned　and　staggered；　so　that　Jack　seized　and　shook　him。
　〃Where　does　the　beast　live？〃
　Percival　sagged　in　Jack's　grip。
　〃That's　a　clever　beast；〃　said　Piggy；　jeering；　〃if　it　can　hide　on　this　island。〃
　〃Jack's　been　everywhere…〃
　〃Where　could　a　beast　live？〃
　〃Beast　my　foot！〃
　Percival　muttered　something　and　the　assembly　laughed　again。　Ralph　leaned　forward。
　〃What　does　he　say？〃
　Jack　listened　to　Percival's　answer　and　then　let　go　of　him。　Percival；　released；　surrounded　by　the　fortable　presence　of　humans；　fell　in　the　long　grass　and　went　to　sleep。
　Jack　cleared　his　throat　then　reported　casually。　
　〃He　says　the　beast　es　out　of　the　sea。〃
　The　last　laugh　died　away。　Ralph　turned　involuntarily；　a　black；　humped　figure　against　the　lagoon。　The　assembly　looked　with　him；　considered　the　vast　stretches　of　water；　the　high　sea　beyond；　unknown　indigo　of　infinite　possibility；　heard　silently　the　sough　and　whisper　from　the　reef。
　Maurice　spoke；　so　loudly　that　they　jumped。
　〃Daddy　said　they　haven't　found　all　the　animals　in　the　sea　yet〃
　Argument　started　again。　Ralph　held　out　the　glimmering　conch　and　Maurice　took　it　obediently。　The　meeting　subsided。
　〃I　mean　when　Jack　says　you　can　be　frightened　because　people　are　frightened　anyway　that's　all　right。　But　when　he　says　there's　only　pigs　on　this　island　I　expect　he's　right　but　he　doesn't　know；　not　really；　not　certainly　I　mean…'　Maurice　took　a　breath。　〃My　daddy　says　there's　things；　what　d‘you　call'em　that　make　ink…squids…that　are　hundreds　or　yards　long　and　eat　whales　whole。〃　He　paused　again　ana　laughed　gaily。　〃I　don't　believe　in　the　beast　of　course。　As　Piggy　says；　life's　scientific；　but　we　don't　know；　do　we？　Not　certainly；　I　mean…〃　
　Someone　shouted。
　〃A　squid　couldn't　e　up　out　of　the　water！〃　
　〃Could！〃　
　〃Couldn't！〃
　In　a　moment　the　platform　was　full　of　arguing；　gesticulating　shadows。　To　Ralph；　seated；　this　seemed　the　breaking　up　of　sanity。　Fear；　beasts；　no　general　agreement　that　the　fire　was　all…important：　and　when　one　tried　to　get　the　thing　straight　the　argument　sheered　off；　bringing　up　fresh；　unpleasant　matter。
　He　could　see　a　whiteness　in　the　gloom　near　him　so　he　grabbed　it　from　Maurice　and　blew　as　loudly　as　he　could。　The　assembly　was　shocked　into　silence。　Simon　was　close　to　him；　laying　hands　on　the　conch。　Simon　felt　a　perilous　necessity　to　speak；　but　to　speak　in　assembly　was　a　terrible　thing　to　him。
　〃Maybe；〃　he　said　hesitantly；　〃maybe　there　is　a　beast。〃
　The　assembly　cried　out　savagely　and　Ralph　stood　up　in　amazement。
　〃You；　Simon？　You　believe　in　this？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Simon。　His　heartbeats　were　choking　him。　〃But　。。。〃
　The　storm　broke。
　〃Sit　down！〃
　〃Shut　up！〃
　〃Take　the　conch！〃
　〃Sod　you！〃
　〃Shut　up！〃
　Ralph　shouted。
　〃Hear　him！　He's　got　the　conch！〃
　〃What　I　mean　is　。　。　。　maybe　it's　only　us。〃
　〃Nuts！〃
　That　was　from　Piggy；　shocked　out　of　decorum。　Simon　want　on。
　〃We　could　be　sort　of。　。　。　。〃
　Simon　became　inarticulate　in　his　effort　to　express　mankind's　essential　illness。　Inspiration　came　to　him。
　〃What's　the　dirtiest　thing　there　is？〃
　As　an　answer　Jack　dropped　into　the　unprehending　silence　that　followed　it　the　one　crude　expressive　syllable。　Release　was　immense。　Those　littluns　who　had　climbed　back　on　the　twister　fell　off　again　and　did　not　mind。　The　hunters　were　screaming　with　delight
　Simon's　effort　fell　about　him　in　ruins；　the　laughter　beat　him　cruelly　and　he　shrank　away　defenseless　to　his　seat。
　At　last　the　assembly　was　silent　again。　Someone　spoke　out　of　turn。
　〃Maybe　he　means　it's　some　sort　of　ghost〃
　Ralph　Lifted　the　conch　and　peered　into　the　gloom。　The　lightest　thing　was　the　pale　beach。　Surely　the　littluns　were　nearer？　Yes…there　was　no　doubt　about　it；　they　were　huddled　into　a　tight　knot　of　bodies　in　the　central　grass。　A　flurry　of　wind　made　the　palms　talk　and　the　noise　seemed　very　loud　now　that　darkness　and　silence　made　it　so　noticeable。　Two　grey　trunks　rubbed　each　other　with　an　evil　squeaking　that　no　one　had　noticed　by　day。
　Piggy　took　the　conch　out　of　his　hands。　His　voice　was　indignant。
　〃I　don't　believe　in　no　ghosts…ever！〃
　Jack　was　up　too；　unaccountably　angry。
　〃Who　cares　what　you　believeFatty！〃
　〃I　got　the　conch！〃
　There　was　the　sound　of　a　brief　tussle　and　the　conch　moved　to　and　fro。
　〃You　gimme　the　conch　back！〃
　Ralph　pushed　between　them　and　got　a　thump　on　the　chest。　He　wrested　the　conch　from　someone　and　sat　down　breathlessly。
　〃There's　too　much　talk　about　ghosts。　We　ought　to　have　left　all　this　for　daylight。〃
　A　hushed　and　anonymous　voice　broke　in。
　〃Perhaps　that's　what　the　beast　is…a　ghost。〃
　The　assembly　was　shaken　as　by　a　wind。
　〃There's　too　much　talking　out　of　turn；〃　Ralph　said；　〃because　we　can't　have　proper　assemblies　if　you　don't　stick　to　the　rules。〃
　He　stopped　again。　The　careful　plan　of　this　a