wgolding.lordoftheflies-第21部分

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　And　the　thing　might　live　there。〃
　All　the　assembly　talked　at　once。
　〃Quite！　All　right　That's　where　well　look。　If　the　beast　isn't　there　we'll　go　up　the　mountain　and　look；　and　light　the　fire。〃
　〃Let's　go。〃
　〃We'll　eat　first。　Then　go。〃　Ralph　paused。　〃We'd　better　take　spears。〃
　After　they　had　eaten；　Ralph　and　the　biguns　set　out　along　the　beach。　They　left　Piggy　propped　up　on　the　platform。　This　day　promised；　like　the　others；　to　be　a　sunbath　under　a　blue　dome。　The　beach　stretched　away　before　them　in　a　gentle　curve　till　perspective　drew　it　into　one　with　the　forest；　for　the　day　was　not　advanced　enough　to　be　obscured　by　the　shifting　veils　of　mirage。　Under　Ralph's　direction；　they　picked　a　careful　way　along　the　palm　terrace；　rather　than　dare　the　hot　sand　down　by　the　water。　He　let　Jack　lead　the　way；　and　Jack　trod　with　theatrical　caution　though　they　could　have　seen　an　enemy　twenty　yards　away。　Ralph　walked　in　the　rear；　thankful　to　have　escaped　responsibility　for　a　time。
　Simon；　walking　in　front　of　Ralph；　felt　a　flicker　of　incredulity…a　beast　with　claws　that　scratched；　that　sat　on　a　mountain…top；　that　left　no　tracks　and　yet　was　not　fast　enough　to　catch　Samneric。　However　Simon　thought　of　the　beast；　there　rose　before　his　inward　sight　the　picture　of　a　human　at　once　heroic　and　sick。
　He　sighed。　Other　people　could　stand　up　and　speak　to　an　assembly；　apparently；　without　that　dreadful　feeling　of　the　pressure　of　personality；　could　say　what　they　would　as　though　they　were　speaking　to　only　one　person。　He　stepped　aside　and　looked　back。　Ralph　was　ing　along；　holding　his　spear　over　his　shoulder。　Diffidently；　Simon　allowed　his　pace　to　slacken　until　he　was　walking　side　by　side　with　Ralph　and　looking　up　at　him　through　the　coarse　black　hair　that　now　fell　to　his　eyes。　Ralph　glanced　sideways；　smiled　constrainedly　as　though　he　had　forgotten　that　Simon　had　made　a　fool　of　himself；　then　looked　away　again　at　nothing。　For　a　moment　or　two　Simon　was　happy　to　be　accepted　and　then　he　ceased　to　think　about　himself。　When　he　bashed　into　a　tree　Ralph　looked　sideways　impatiently　and　Robert　sniggered。　Simon　reeled　and　a　white　spot　on　his　forehead　turned　red　and　trickled。　Ralph　dismissed　Simon　and　returned　to　his　personal　hell　They　would　reach　the　castle　some　time；　and　the　chief　would　have　to　go　forward。
　Jack　came　trotting　back。　
　〃We're　in　sight　now。〃
　〃All　right。　We'll　get　as　close　as　we　can。〃
　He　followed　Jack　toward　the　castle　where　the　ground　rose　slightly。　On　their　left　was　at。　impenetrable　tangle　of　creepers　and　trees。
　〃Why　couldn't　there　be　something　in　that？〃
　〃Because　you　can　see。　Nothing　goes　in　or　out。〃
　〃What　about　the　castle　then？〃
　〃Look。〃
　Ralph　parted　the　screen　of　grass　and　looked　out。　There　were　only　a　few　more　yards　of　stony　ground　and　then　the　two　sides　of　the　island　came　almost　together　so　that　one　expected　a　peak　of　headland。　But　instead　of　this　a　narrow　ledge　of　rock；　a　few　yards　wide　and　perhaps　fifteen　long；　continued　the　island　out　into　the　sea。　There　lay　another　of　those　pieces　of　pink　squareness　that　underlay　the　structure　of　the　island。　This　side　of　the　castle；　perhaps　a　hundred　feet　high；　was　the　pink　bastion　they　had　seen　from　the　mountain…top。　The　rock　of　the　cliff　was　split　and　the　top　littered　with　great　lumps　that　seemed　to　totter。
　Behind　Ralph　the　tall　grass　had　filled　with　silent　hunters。　Ralph　looked　at　Jack。
　〃You're　a　hunter。〃
　Jack　went　red。
　〃I　know。　All　right。　Something　deep　in　Ralph　spoke　for　him。〃
　〃I'm　chief。　I'll　go。　Don　t　argue。〃
　He　turned　to　the　others。
　〃You。　Hide　here。　Wait　for　me。〃
　He　found　his　voice　tended　either　to　disappear　or　to　e　out　too　loud。　He　looked　at　Jack。
　〃Do　you…think？〃
　Jack　muttered。　I've　been　all　over。　It　must　be　here。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Simon　mumbled　confusedly：　〃I　don't　believe　in　the　beast。〃
　Ralph　answered　him　politely；　as　if　agreeing　about　the　weather。
　〃No。　1　suppose　not。〃
　His　mouth　was　tight　and　pale。　He　put　back　his　hair　very　slowly。
　〃Well。　So　long。〃
　He　forced　his　feet　to　move　until　they　had　carried　him　out　on　to　the　neck　of　land。
　He　was　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　chasms　of　empty　air。　There　was　nowhere　to　hide；　even　if　one　did　not　nave　to　go　on。　He　paused　on　the　narrow　neck　and　looked　down。　Soon；　in　a　matter　of　centuries；　the　sea　would　make　an　island　of　the　castle。　On　the　right　hand　was　the　lagoon；　troubled　by　the　open　sea；　and　on　the　left…
　　Ralph　shuddered。　The　lagoon　had　protected　them　from　the　Pacific：　and　for　some　reason　only　Jack　had　gone　right　down　to　the　water　on　the　other　side。　Now　he　saw　the　landsman's　view　of　the　swell　and　it　seemed　like　the　breathing　of　some　stupendous　creature。　Slowly　the　waters　sank　among　the　rocks；　revealing　pink　tables　of　granite；　strange　growths　of　coral；　polyp；　and　weed。　Down；　down；　the　waters　went；　whispering　like　the　wind　among　the　heads　of　the　forest。　There　was　one　flat　rock　there；　spread　like　a　table；　and　the　waters　sucking　down　on　the　four　weedy　sides　made　them　seem　like　cliffs。　Then　the　sleeping　leviathan　breathed　out；　the　waters　rose；　the　weed　streamed；　and　the　water　boiled　over　the　table　rock　with　a　roar。　There　was　no　sense　of　the　passage　of　waves；　only　this　minute…long　fall　and　rise　and　fall。
　Ralph　turned　away　to　the　red　cliff。　They　were　waiting　behind　him　in　the　long　grass；　waiting　to　see　what　he　would　do。　He　noticed　that　the　sweat　in　his　palm　was　cool　now；　realized　with　surprise　that　he　did　not　really　expect　to　meet　any　beast　and　didn't　know　what　he　would　do　about　it　if　he　did。
　He　saw　that　he　could　climb　the　cliff　but　this　was　not　necessary。　The　squareness　of　the　rock　allowed　a　sort　of　plinth　round　it；　so　mat　to　the　right；　over　the　lagoon；　one　could　inch　along　a　ledge　and　turn　the　corner　out　of　sight。　It　was　easy　going；　and　soon　he　was　peering　round　the　rock。
　Nothing　but　what　you　might　expect：　pink；　tumbled　boulders　with　guano　layered　on　them　like　icing；　and　a　steep　slope　up　to　the　shattered　rocks　that　crowned　the　bastion。
　A　sound　behind　him　made　him　turn。　Jack　was　edging　along　the　ledge。
　Couldn't　let　you　do　it　on　your　own。〃
　Ralph　said　nothing。　He　led　the　way　over　the　rocks；　inspected　a　sort　of　half…cave　that　held　nothing　more　terrible　than　a　clutch　of　rotten　eggs；　and　at　last　sat　down；　looking　round　him　and　tapping　the　rock　with　the　butt　of　his　spear。
　Jack　was　excited。
　〃What　a　place　for　a　fort！〃
　A　column　of　spray　wetted　them。
　〃No　fresh　water。〃
　〃What's　that　then？〃
　There　was　indeed　a　long　green　smudge　half…way　up　the　rock。　They　climbed　up　and　tasted　the　trickle　of　water。
　〃You　could　keep　a　coconut　shell　there；　filling　all　the　time。〃
　〃Not　me。　This　is　a　rotten　place。〃
　Side　by　side　they　scaled　the　last　height　to　where　the　diminishing　pile　was　crowned　by　the　last　broken　rock。　Jack　struck　the　near　one　with　his　fist　and　it　grated　slightly。
　〃Do　you　remember…？〃
　Consciousness　of　the　bad　times　in　between　came　to　them　both。　Jack　talked　quickly。
　〃Shove　a　palm　trunk　under　that　and　if　an　enemy　came　…look！〃
　A　hundred　feet　below　them　was　the　narrow　causeway；　then　the　stony　ground；　then　the　grass　dotted　with　heads；　and　behind　that　the　forest。
　〃One　heave；〃　cried　Jack；　exulting；　〃and…wheee…！〃
　He　made　a　sweeping　movement　with　his　hand。　Ralph　looked　toward　the　mountain。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　Ralph　turned。
　〃Why？〃
　〃You　were　looking…I　don't　know　why。〃
　〃There's　no　signal　now。　Nothing　to　show。〃
　〃You're　nuts　on　the　signal。〃
　The　taut　blue　horizon　encircled　them；　broken　only　by　the　mountain…top。
　〃That's　all　we've　got〃
　He　leaned　his　spear　against　the　rocking　stone　and　pushed　back　two　handfuls　of　hair。
　〃We'll　have　to　go　back　and　climb　the　mountain。　That's　where　they　saw　the　beast。〃
　〃The　beast　won't　be　there。〃
　〃What　else　can　we　do？〃
　The　others；　waiting　in　the　grass；　saw　Jack　and　Ralph　unharmed　and　broke　cover　into　the　sunlight。　They　forgot　the　beast　in　the　excitement　of　exploration。　They　swarmed　across　the　bridge　and　soon　were　climbing　and　shouting。　Ralph　stood　now；　one　hand　against　an　enormous　red　block；　a　block　large　as　a　mill　wheel　that　had　been　split　off　and　hung；　tottering。　Somberly　he　watched　the　mountain。　He　clenched　his　fist　and　beat　hammer…wise　on　the　red　wall　at　his　right　His　lips　were　tightly　pressed　and　his　eyes　yearned　beneath　the　fringe　of　hair。
　〃Smoke。〃
　He　sucked　his　bruised　fist。
　〃Jack！　e　on。〃
　But　Jack　was　not　there。　A　knot　of　boys；　making　a　great　noise　that　he　had　not　noticed；　were　heaving　and　pushing　at　a　rock。　As　he　turned；　the　base　cracked　and　the　whole　mass　toppled　into　the　sea　so　that；　a　thunderous　plume　of　spray　leapt　half…way　up　the　cliff。
　〃Stop　it！　Stop　it！〃
　His　voice　struck　a　silence　among　them。
　〃Smoke。〃
　A　strange　thing　happened　in　his　head。　Something　flittered　there　in　front　of　his　mind　like　a　bat's　wing；　obscuring　his　idea。
　〃Smoke。〃
　At　once　the　ideas　were　back；　and　the　anger。
　〃We　want　smoke。　And　you　go　wasting　your　time。　You　roll　rocks。〃
　Roger　shouted。
　〃We've　got　plenty　of　time！〃
　Ralph　shook　his　head。
　〃We'll　go　to…the　mountain。〃
　The　clamor　broke　out。　Some　of　the　boys　wanted　to　go　back　to　the　beach。　Some　wanted　to　roll　more　rocks。　The　sun　was　bright　and　danger　had　faded　with　the　darkness。
　〃Jack。　The　beast　might　be　on　the　other　side。　You　can　lead　again。　You've　been。〃
　〃We　could　go　by　the　shore。　There's　fruit。〃
　Bill　came　up　to　Ralph。
　〃Why　can't　we　stay　here　for　a　bit？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Let's　have　a　fort。〃
　〃There's　no　food　here；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　no　shelter。　Not　much　fresh　water。〃
　〃This　would　make　a　wizard　fort〃
　〃We　can　roll　rocks…〃
　〃Right　onto　the　bridge…〃
　〃I　say　we'll　go　on！〃　shouted　Ralph　furiously。　〃We've　got　to　make　certain。　We'll　go　now。〃
　〃Let's　stay　here…〃
　〃Back　to　the　shelter…〃
　〃I'm　tired…〃
　〃No！〃
　Ralph　struck　the　skin　off　his　knuckles。　They　did　not　seem　to　hurt。
　〃I'm　chief。　We've　got　to　make　certain。　Can't　you　see　the　mountain？　There's　no　signal　showing。　There　may　be　a　ship　out　there。　Are　you　all　off　your　rockers？〃
　Mutinously；　the　boys　fell　silent　or　muttering。
　Jack　led　the　way　down　the　rock　and　across　the　bridge。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　Shadows　and　Tall　Trees
　
　The　pig…run　kept　close　to　the　jumble　of　rocks　that　lay　down　by　the　water　on　the　other　side　and　Ralph　was　content　to　follow