wgolding.lordoftheflies-第22部分

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o　follow　Jack　along　it。　If　you　could　shut　your　ears　to　the　slow　suck　down　of　the　sea　and　boil　of　the　return；　if　you　could　forget　how　dun　and　unvisited　were　the　ferny　coverts　on　either　side；　then　there　was　a　chance　that　you　might　put　the　beast　out　of　mind　and　dream　for　a　while。　The　sun　had　swung　over　the　vertical　and　the　afternoon　heat　was　closing　in　on　the　island。　Ralph　passed　a　message　forward　to　Jack　and　when　they　next　came　to　fruit　the　whole　party　stopped　and　ate。
　Sitting；　Ralph　was　aware　of　the　heat　for　the　first　time　that　day。　He　pulled　distastefully　at　his　grey　shirt　and　wondered　whether　he　might　undertake　the　adventure　of　washing　it。　Sitting　under　what　seemed　an　unusual　heat；　even　for　this　island；　Ralph　planned　his　toilet。　He　would　like　to　have　a　pair　of　scissors　and　cut　this　hair…he　flung　the　mass　back…cut　this　filthy　hair　right　back　to　half　an　inch。　He　would　like　to　have　a　bath；　a　proper　wallow　with　soap。　He　passed　his　tongue　experimentally　over　his　teeth　and　decided　that　a　toothbrush　would　e　in　handy　too。　Then　there　were　his　nails…
　Ralph　turned　his　hand　over　and　examined　them。　They　were　bitten　down　to　the　quick　though　he　could　not　remember　when　he　had　restarted　this　habit　nor　any　time　when　he　indulged　it。
　〃Be　sucking　my　thumb　next…〃
　He　looked　round；　furtively。　Apparently　no　one　had　heard。　The　hunters　sat；　stuffing　themselves　with　this　easy　meal；　trying　to　convince　themselves　that　they　got　sufficient　kick　out　of　bananas　and　that　other　olive…grey；　jelly…like　fruit　With　the　memory　of　his　sometime　clean　self　as　a　standard；　Ralph　looked　them　over。　They　were　dirty；　not　with　the　spectacular　dirt　of　boys　who　have　fallen　into　mud　or　been　brought　down　hard　on　a　rainy　day。　Not　one　of　them　was　an　obvious　subject　for　a　shower；　and　yet…hair；　much　too　long；　tangled　here　and　there；　knotted　round　a　dead　leaf　or　a　twig；　faces　cleaned　fairly　well　by　the　process　of　eating　and　sweating　but　marked　in　the　less　accessible　angles　with　a　kind　of　shadow；　clothes；　worn　away；　stiff　like　his　own　with　sweat；　put　on；　not　for　decorum　or　fort　but　out　of　custom；　the　skin　of　the　body；　scurfy　with　brine…
　He　discovered　with　a　little　fall　of　the　heart　that　these　were　the　conditions　he　took　as　normal　now　and　that　he　did　not　mind。　He　sighed　and　pushed　away　the　stalk　from　which　he　had　stripped　the　fruit。　Already　the　hunters　were　stealing　away　to　do　their　business　in　the　woods　or　down　by　the　rocks。　He　turned　and　looked　out　to　sea。
　Here；　on　the　other　side　of　the　island；　the　view　was　utterly　different。　The　filmy　enchantments　of　mirage　could　not　endure　the　cold　ocean　water　and　the　horizon　was　hard；　clipped　blue。　Ralph　wandered　down　to　the　rocks。　Down　here；　almost　on　a　level　with　the　sea；　you　could　follow　with　your　eye　the　ceaseless；　bulging　passage　of　the　deep　sea　waves。　They　were　miles　wide；　apparently　not　breakers　or　the　banked　ridges　of　shallow　water。　They　traveled　the　length　of　the　island　with　an　air　of　disregarding　it　and　being　set　on　other　business；　they　were　less　a　progress　than　a　momentous　rise　and　fall　or　the　whole　ocean。　Now　the　sea　would　suck　down；　making　cascades　and　waterfalls　of　retreating　water；　would　sink　past　the　rocks　and　plaster　down　the　seaweed　like　shining　hair：　then；　pausing；　gather　and　rise　with　a　roar；　irresistibly　swelling　over　point　and　outcrop；　climbing　the　little　cliff；　sending　at　last　an　arm　of　surf　up　a　gully　to　end　a　yard　or　so　from　him　in　fingers　of　spray。
　Wave　after　wave；　Ralph　followed　the　rise　and　fall　until　something　of　the　remoteness　of　the　sea　numbed　his　brain。　Then　gradually　the　almost　infinite　size　of　this　water　forced　itself　on　his　attention。　This　was　the　divider；　the　barrier。　On　the　other　side　of　the　island；　swathed　at　midday　with　mirage；　defended　by　the　shield　of　the　quiet　lagoon；　one　might　dream　of　rescue；　but　here；　faced　by　the　brute　obtuseness　of　the　ocean；　the　miles　of　division；　one　was　clamped　down；　one　was　helpless；　one　was　condemned；　one　was…
　Simon　was　speaking　almost　in　his　ear。　Ralph　found　that　he　had　rock　painfully　gripped　in　both　hands；　found　his　body　arched；　the　muscles　of　his　neck　stiff；　his　mouth　strained　open。
　〃You'll　get　back　to　where　you　came　from。〃
　Simon　nodded　as　he　spoke。　He　was　kneeling　on　one　knee；　looking　down　from　a　higher　rock　which　he　held　with　both　hands；　his　other　leg　stretched　down　to　Ralph's　level。
　Ralph　was　puzzled　and　searched　Simon's　face　for　a　clue。
　〃It's　so　big；　I　mean…〃
　Simon　nodded。
　〃All　the　same。　You'll　get　back　all　right。　I　think　so；　anyway。〃
　Some　of　the　strain　had　gone　from　Ralph's　body。　He　glanced　at　the　sea　and　then　smiled　bitterly　at　Simon。
　〃Got　a　ship　in　your　pocket？〃
　Simon　grinned　and　shook　his　head。
　〃How　do　you　know；　then？〃
　When　Simon　was　still　silent　Ralph　said　curtly；　〃You're　batty。〃　
　Simon　shook　his　head　violently　till　the　coarse　black　hair　flew　backwards　and　forwards　across　his　face。
　〃No；　I'm　not。　I　just　think　you'll　get　back　all　right。〃
　For　a　moment　nothing　more　was　said。　And　then　they　suddenly　smiled　at　each　other。
　
　Roger　called　from　the　coverts。
　〃e　and　see！〃
　The　ground　was　turned　over　near　the　pig…run　and　there　were　droppings　that　steamed。　Jack　bent　down　to　them　as　though　he　loved　them。
　〃Ralph…we　need　meat　even　if　we　are　hunting　the　other　thing。〃
　〃If　you　mean　going　the　right　way；　well　hunt。〃　
　They　set　off　again；　the　hunters　bunched　a　little　by　fear　of　the　mentioned　beast；　while　Jack　quested　ahead。　They　went　more　slowly　than　Ralph　had　bargained　for；　yet　in　a　way　he　was　glad　to　loiter；　cradling　his　spear。　Jack　came　up　against　some　emergency　of　his　craft　and　soon　the　procession　stopped。　Ralph　leaned　against　a　tree　and　at　once　the　daydreams　came　swarming　up。　Jack　was　in　charge　of　the　mint　and　there　would　be　time　to　get　to　the　mountain…　
　Once；　following　his　father　from　Chatham　to　Devonport；　they　had　lived　in　a　cottage　on　the　edge　of　the　moors。　In　the　succession　of　houses　that　Ralph　had　known；　this　one　stood　out　with　particular　clarity　because　after　that　house　he　had　been　sent　away　to　school。　Mummy　had　still　been　with　them　and　Daddy　had　e　home　every　day。　Wild　ponies　came　to　the　stone　wall　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　and　it　had　snowed。　Just　behind　the　cottage　there　was　a　sort　of　shed　and　you　could　lie　up　there；　watching　the　flakes　swirl　past　You　could　see　the　damp　spot　where　each　flake　died；　then　you　could　mark　the　first　flake　that　lay　down　without　melting　and　watch　the　whole　ground　turn　white。　You　could　go　indoors　when　you　were　cold　and　look　out　of　the　window；　past　that　bright　copper　kettle　and　the　plate　with　the　little　blue　men。
　When　you　went　to　bed　there　was　a　bowl　of　cornflakes　with　sugar　and　cream。　And　the　books…they　stood　on　the　shelf　by　the　bed；　leaning　together　with　always　two　or　three　laid　flat　on　top　because　he　had　not　bothered　to　put　them　back　properly。　They　were　dog…eared　and　scratched。　There　was　the　bright；　shining　one　about　Topsy　and　Mopsy　that　he　never　read　because　it　was　about　two　girls；　there　was　the　one　about　the　magician　which　you　read　with　a　kind　of　tied…down　terror；　skipping　page　twenty…seven　with　the　awful　picture　of　the　spider；　there　was　a　book　about　people　who　had　dug　things　up；　Egyptian　things；　there　was　The　Boy's　Book　of　Trains；　The　Boy's　Book　of　Ships。　Vividly　they　came　before　him；　he　could　have　reached　up　and　touched　them；　could　feel　the　weight　and　slow　slide　with　which　The　Mammoth　Book　for　Boys　would　e　out　and　slither　down。　。　。　。　Everything　was　all　right；　everything　was　good…humored　and　friendly。
　The　bushes　crashed　ahead　of　them。　Boys　flung　themselves　wildly　from　the　pig　track　and　scrabbled　in　the　creepers；　screaming。　Ralph　saw　Jack　nudged　aside　and　fall。　Then　there　was　a　creature　bounding　along　the　pig　track　toward　him；　with　tusks　gleaming　and　an　intimidating　grunt。　Ralph　found　he　was　able　to　measure　the　distance　coldly　and　take　aim。　With　the　boar　only　five　yards　away；　he　flung　the　foolish　wooden　stick　that　he　carried；　saw　it　hit　the　great　snout　and　hang　there　for　a　moment。　The　boar's　note　changed　to　a　squeal　and　it　swerved　aside　into　the　covert。　The　pig…run　filled　with　shouting　boys　again；　Jack　came　running　back；　and　poked　about　in　the　undergrowth。
　Through　here…〃
　〃But　he'd　do　us！〃
　〃Through　here；　I　said…〃
　The　boar　was　floundering　away　from　them。　They　found　another　pig…run　parallel　to　the　first　and　Jack　raced　away。　Ralph　was　lull　of　night　and　apprehension　and　pride。
　〃I　hit　him！　The　spear　stuck　in…〃
　Now　they　came；　unexpectedly；　to　an　open　space　by　the　sea。　Jack　cast　about　on　the　bare　rock　and　looked　anxious。
　〃He's　gone。〃
　〃I　hit　him；〃　said　Ralph　again；　〃and　the　spear　stuck　in　a　bit。〃
　He　felt　the　need　of　witnesses。
　〃Didn't　you　see　me？〃
　Maurice　nodded。
　〃I　saw　you。　Right　bang　on　his　snout…　Wheee！〃
　Ralph　talked　on；　excitedly。
　〃I　hit　him　all　right　The　spear　stuck　in。　I　wounded　him！〃
　He　sunned　himself　in　their　new　respect　and　felt　that　hunting　was　good　after　all。
　〃I　walloped　him　properly。　That　was　the　beast；　I　think！〃　Jack　came　back。
　〃That　wasn't　the　beast　That　was　a　boar。〃
　〃I　bit　him。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　grab　him？　I　tried…〃
　Ralph's　voice　ran　up。
　〃But　a　boar！〃
　Jack　flushed　suddenly。
　〃You　said　he'd　do　us。　What　did　you　want　to　throw　for？　Why　didn't　you　wait？〃
　He　held　out　his　arm。
　〃Look。〃
　He　turned　his　left　forearm　for　them　all　to　see。　On　the　outside　was　a　rip；　not　much；　but　bloody。　。　　〃He　did　mat　with　his　tusks。　I　couldn't　get　my　spear　down　in　time。〃
　Attention　focused　on　Jack。
　〃That's　a　wound；〃　said　Simon；　〃and　you　ought　to　suck　it　Like　Berengaria。〃
　Jack　sucked。
　〃I　hit　him；〃　said　Ralph　indignantly。　〃I　bit　him　with　my　spear；　I　wounded　him。〃
　He　tried　for　their　attention。
　〃He　was　ing　along　the　path。　I　threw；　like　this…〃
　Robert　snarled　at　him。　Ralph　entered　into　the　play　and　everybody　laughed。　Presently　they　were　all　jabbing　at　Robert　who　made　mock　rushes。
　Jack　shouted。　
　〃Make　a　ring！〃
　The　circle　moved　in　and　round。　Robert　squealed　in　mock　terror；　then　in　real　pain。
　〃Ow！　Stop　it！　You're　hurting！〃
　The　butt　end　of　a　spear　fell　on　his　back　as　he　blundered　among　them。
　〃Hold　him！〃
　They　got　his　arms　and　legs。　Ralph；　carried　away　by　a　sudden　thick　excitement；　grabbed　Eric's　spear　and　jabbed　at　Robert　with　it。
　〃Kill　him！　Kill　him！〃
　All　at　once；　Robert　was　screaming　an