wgolding.lordoftheflies-第19部分

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　He　stopped　again。　The　careful　plan　of　this　assembly　had　broken　down。
　〃What　d'you　want　me　to　say　then？　I　was　wrong　to　call　this　assembly　so　late。　Well　have　a　vote　on　them；　on　ghosts　I　mean；　and　then　go　to　the　shelters　because　we're　all　tired。　No…Jack　is　it？…wait　a　minute。　I'll　say　here　and　now　that　I　don　t　believe　in　ghosts。　Or　I　don't　think　I　do。　But　I　don't　like　the　thought　of　them。　Not　now　that　is；　in　the　dark。　But　we　were　going　to　decide　what's　what。〃
　He　raised　the　conch　for　a　moment　
　〃Very　well　then。　I　suppose　what's　what　is　whether　there　are　ghosts　or　not…〃
　He　thought　for　a　moment；　formulating　the　question。　
　〃Who　thinks　there　may　be　ghosts？〃　
　For　a　long　time　there　was　silence　and　no　apparent　movement。　Then　Ralph　peered　into　the　gloom　and　made　out　the　hands。　He　spoke　flatly。　
　〃I　see。〃
　The　world；　that　understandable　and　lawful　world；　was　slipping　away。　Once　there　was　this　and　that；　and　now…and　the　ship　had　gone。
　The　conch　was　snatched　from　his　hands　and　Piggy's　voice　shrilled。
　〃I　didn't　vote　for　no　ghosts！〃
　He　whirled　round　on　the　assembly。
　〃Remember　that；　all　of　you！〃
　They　heard　him　stamp。
　〃What　are　we？　Humans？　Or　animals？　Or　savages？　What's　grownups　going　to　think？　Going　off…hunting　pigs…letting　fires　out…and　now！〃
　A　shadow　fronted　him　tempestuously。
　〃You　shut　up；　you　fat　slug！'
　There　was　a　moment's　struggle　and　the　glimmering　conch　jigged　up　and　down。　Ralph　leapt　to　his　feet。
　〃Jack！　Jack！　You　haven't　got　the　conch！　Let　him　speak。〃
　Jack's　face　swam　near　him。
　〃And　you　shut　up！　Who　are　you；　anyway？　Sitting　there　telling　people　what　to　do。　　You　cant　hunt；　you　can't　sing…〃
　〃I'm　chief。　I　was　chosen。〃
　〃Why　should　choosing　make　any　difference？　Just　giving　orders　that　don't　make　any　sense…〃
　〃Piggy's　got　the　conch。〃
　That's　right…favor　Piggy　as　you　always　do…〃
　〃Jack！〃
　〃Jack's　voice　sounded　in　bitter　mimicry。
　〃Jack！　Jack！〃
　〃The　rules！〃　shouted　Ralph。　〃You're　breaking　the　rules！〃
　〃Who　cares？〃
　Ralph　summoned　his　wits。
　〃Because　the　rules　are　the　only　thing　we've　got！〃
　But　Jack　was　shouting　against　him。
　〃Bollocks　to　the　rules！　We're　strong…we　hunt！　If　there's　a　beast；　we'll　hunt　it　down！　Well　close　in　and　beat　and　beat　and　beat…！〃
　He　gave　a　wild　whoop　and　leapt　down　to　the　pale　sand。　At　once　the　platform　was　full　of　noise　and　excitement；　scramblings；　screams　and　laughter。　The　assembly　shredded　away　and　became　a　discursive　and　random　scatter　from　the　palms　to　the　water　and　away　along　the　beach；　beyond　night…sight。　Ralph　found　his　cheek　touching　the　conch　and　took　it　from　Piggy。
　〃What's　grownups　going　to　say？〃　cried　Piggy　again。　〃Look　at　'em！〃
　The　sound　of　mock　hunting；　hysterical　laughter　and　real　terror　came　from　the　beach。　
　〃Blow　the　conch；　Ralph。〃
　Piggy　was　so　close　that　Ralph　could　see　the　glint　of　his　one　glass。
　〃There's　the　fire。　Can't　they　see？〃
　〃You　got　to　be　tough　now。　Make　'em　do　what　you　want。〃　
　Ralph　answered　in　the　cautious　voice　of　one　who　rehearses　a　theorem。
　〃If　I　blow　the　conch　and　they　don't　e　back；　then　we've　had　it。　We　shan't　keep　the　fire　going。　We'll　be　like　animals。　We'll　never　be　rescued。〃
　〃If　you　don't　blow；　we'll　soon　be　animals　anyway。　I　can't　see　what　they're　doing　but　I　can　hear。〃
　The　dispersed　figures　had　e　together　on　the　sand　and　were　a　dense　black　mass　that　revolved。　They　were　chanting　something　and　littluns　that　had　had　enough　were　staggering　away；　howling。　Ralph　raised　the　conch　to　his　lips　and　then　lowered　it。
　〃The　trouble　is：　Are　there　ghosts；　Piggy？　Or　beasts？〃　
　〃Course　there　aren't。〃　
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃'Cos　things　wouldn't　make　sense。　Houses　an‘　streets；　an'…TV…they　wouldn't　work。〃
　The　　dancing；　　chanting　　boys　　had　　worked　　themselves　away　till　their　sound　was　nothing　but　a　wordless　rhythm。　
　〃But　s'pose　they　don't　make　sense？　Not　here；　on　this　island？　Supposing　things　are　watching　us　and　waiting？〃
　Ralph　shuddered　violently　and　moved　closer　to　Piggy；　so　that　they　bumped　frighteningly。
　〃You　stop　talking　like　that！　We　got　enough　trouble；　Ralph；　an'　I've　had　as　much　as　I　can　stand。　If　there　is　ghosts…〃
　〃I　ought　to　give　up　being　chief。　Hear　'em。〃　
　〃Oh　lord！　Oh　no！〃　
　Piggy　gripped　Ralph's　arm。
　〃If　Jack　was　chief　he'd　have　all　hunting　and　no　fire。　We'd　be　here　till　we　died。〃
　His　voice　ran　up　to　a　squeak。
　〃Who's　that　sitting　there？〃
　〃Me。　Simon。〃
　〃Fat　lot　of　good　we　are；〃　said　Ralph。　〃Three　blind　mice；　I‘ll　give　up。〃
　〃If　you　give　up；〃　said　Piggy；　in　an　appalled　whisper；　〃what　‘ud　happen　to　me？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃He　hates　me。　I　dunno　why。　If　he　could　do　what　he　wanted…you're　all　right；　he　respects　you。　Besides…　you'd　hit　him。〃
　〃You　were　having　a　nice　fight　with　him　just　now。〃
　〃I　had　the　conch；〃　said　Piggy　simply。　〃I　had　a　right　to　speak。〃
　Simon　stirred　in　the　dark。
　〃Go　on　being　chief。〃
　〃You　shut　up；　young　Simon！　Why　couldn't　you　say　there　wasn't　a　beast？〃
　〃I'm　scared　of　him；〃　said　Piggy；　〃and　that's　why　I　know　him。　If　you're　scared　of　someone　you　hate　him　but　you　can't　stop　thinking　about　him。　You　Kid　yourself　he's　all　right　really；　an'　then　when　you　see　him　again；　it's　like　asthma　an‘　you　can't　breathe。　I　tell　you　what。　He　hates　you　too；　Ralph…〃
　〃Me？　Why　me？〃
　〃I　dunno。　You　got　him　over　the　fire；　an‘　you're　chief　an‘　he　isn't。〃
　〃But　he's；　he's；　Jack　Merridew！〃
　〃I　been　in　bed　so　much　I　done　some　thinking。　I　know　about　people。　I　know　about　me。　And　him。　He　can't　hurt　you：　but　if　you　stand　out　of　the　way　he'd　hurt　the　next　thing。　And　that's　me。〃
　〃Piggy's　right；　Ralph。　There's　you　and　Jack。　Go　on　being　chief。〃
　〃We're　all　drifting　and　things　are　going　rotten。　At　home　there　was　always　a　grownup。　Please；　sir；　please；　miss；　and　then　you　got　an　answer。　How　I　wish！〃
　〃I　wish　my　auntie　was　here。〃
　〃I　wish　my　father　。　。　。　Oh；　what's　the　use？〃
　〃Keep　the　fire　going。〃
　The　dance　was　over　and　the　hunters　were　going　back　to　the　shelters。
　〃Grownups　know　things；〃　said　Piggy。　〃They　ain't　afraid　of　the　dark。　They'd　meet　and　have　tea　and　discuss。　Then　things　'ud　be　all　right…〃
　〃They　wouldn't　set　fire　to　the　island。　Or　lose…〃
　〃They'd　build　a　ship…〃
　The　three　boys　stood　in　the　darkness；　striving　unsuccessfully　to　convey　the　majesty　of　adult　life。
　〃They　wouldn't　quarrel…〃
　〃Or　break　my　specs…〃
　〃Or　talk　about　a　beast…〃
　〃If　only　they　could　get　a　message　to　us；〃　cried　Ralph　desperately。　〃If　only　they　could　send　us　something　grown…up　。　。　。　a　sign　or　something。〃
　A　thin　wail　out　of　the　darkness　chilled　them　and　set　them　grabbing　for　each　other。　Then　the　wail　rose；　remote　and　unearthly；　and　turned　to　an　inarticulate　gibbering。　Percival　Wemys　Madison；　of　the　Vicarage；　Harcourt　St。　Anthony；　lying　in　the　long　grass；　was　living　through　circumstances　in　which　the　incantation　of　his　address　was　powerless　to　help　him。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　SIX
　Beast　from　Air
　
　There　was　no　light　left　save　that　of　the　stars。　When　they　had　understood　what　made　this　ghostly　noise　and　Percival　was　quiet　again；　Ralph　and　Simon　picked　him　up　unhandily　and　carried　him　to　a　shelter。　Piggy　hung　about　near　for　all　his　brave　words；　and　the　three　bigger　boys　went　together　to　the　next　shelter。　They　lay　restlessly　and　noisily　among　the　dry　leaves；　watching　the　patch　of　stars　that　was　the　opening　toward　the　lagoon。　Sometimes　a　littlun　cried　out　from　the　other　shelters　and　once　a　bigun　spoke　in　the　dark。　Then　they　too　fell　asleep。　
　A　sliver　of　moon　rose　over　the　horizon；　hardly　large　enough　to　make　a　path　of　light　even　when　it　sat　right　down　on　the　water；　but　there　were　other　lights　in　the　sky；　that　moved　fast；　winked；　or　went　out；　though　not　even　a　faint　popping　came　down　from　the　battle　fought　at　ten　miles'　neight。　But　a　sign　came　down　from　the　world　of　grownups；　though　at　the　time　there　was　no　child　awake　to　read　it。　There　was　a　sudden　bright　explosion　and　a　corkscrew　trail　across　the　sky；　then　darkness　again　and　stars。　There　was　a　speck　above　the　island；　a　figure　dropping　swiftly　beneath　a　parachute；　a　figure　that　hung　with　dangling　limbs。　The　changing　winds　of　various　altitudes　took　the　figure　where　they　would。　Then；　three　miles　up；　the　wind　steadied　and　bore　it　in　a　descending　curve　round　the　sky　and　swept　it　in　a　great　slant　across　the　reef　and　the　lagoon　toward　the　mountain。　The　figure　fell　and　crumpled　among　the　blue　flowers　of　the　mountain…side；　but　now　there　was　a　gentle　breeze　at　this　height　too　and　the　parachute　flopped　and　banged　and　pulled。　So　the　figure；　with　feet　that　dragged　behind　it；　slid　up　the　mountain。　Yard　by　yard；　puff　by　puff；　the　breeze　hauled　the　figure　through　the　blue　flowers；　over　the　boulders　and　red　stones；　till　it　lay　huddled　among　the　shattered　rocks　of　the　mountain…top。　Here　the　breeze　was　fitful　and　allowed　the　strings　of　the　parachute　to　tangle　and　festoon；　and　the　figure　sat；　its　helmeted　head　between　its　knees；　held　by　a　plication　of　lines。　When　the　breeze　blew；　the　lines　would　strain　taut　and　some　accident　of　this　pull　kited　the　bead　and　chest　upright　so　that　the　figure　seemed　to　peer　across　the　brow　of　the　mountain。　Then；　each　time　me　wind　dropped；　the　lines　would　slacken　and　the　figure　bow　forward　again；　sinking　its　head　between　its　knees。　So　as　the　stars　moved　across　the　sky；　the　figure　sat　on　the　mountain…top　and　bowed　and　sank　and　bowed　again。
　In　the　darkness　of　early　morning　there　were　noises　by　a　rock　a　little　way　down　the　side　of　the　mountain。　Two　boys　rolled　out　of　a　pile　of　brushwood　and　dead　leaves；　two　dim　shadows　talking　sleepily　to　each　other。　They　were　the　twins；　on　duty　at　the　fire。　In　theory　one　should　have　been　asleep　and　one　on　watch。　But　they　could　never　manage　to　do　things　sensibly　if　that　meant　acting　independently；　and　since　staying　awake　all　night　was　impossible；　they　had　both　gone　to　sleep。　Now　they　approached　the　darker　smudge　that　had　been　the　signal　fire；　yawning；　rubbing　their　eyes；　treading　with　practiced　feet　When　they　readied　it　they　stopped　yawning；　and　one　ran　quickly　back　for　brushwood　and　leaves。
　The　other　knelt　down。
　〃I　believe　it's　out。〃
　He　fiddled　with　the　sticks　that　were　pushed　into　his　hands。
　〃No。〃
　He　lay　down　and　put　his　lips　close　to　the　smudge　and　blew　softly。　His　face　appeared；　lit　redly。　He'stopped　blowing　for　a　moment。
　〃Sa