wgolding.lordoftheflies-第24部分

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　Out　of　the　darkness　came　the　answer。
　〃Windy？〃
　Irritably　Ralph　shook　himself。　This　was　all　Jack's　fault
　〃　'Course　I　am。　But　we're　still　being　fools。〃
　〃If　you　don't　want　to　go　on；〃　said　the　voice　sarcastically；
　Ralph　heard　the　mockery　and　hated　Jack。　The　sting　of　ashes　in　his　eyes；　tiredness；　fear；　enraged　him。　〃Go　on　then！　We'll　wait　here。〃　There　was　silence。
　〃Why　don't　you　go？　Are　you　frightened？〃　
　A　stain　in　the　darkness；　a　stain　that　was　Jack；　detached　itself　and　began　to　draw　away。　〃All　right。　So　long。〃
　The　stain　vanished。　Another　took　its　place。　
　Ralph　felt　his　knee　against　something　hard　and　rocked　a　charred　trunk　that　was　edgy　to　the　touch。　He　felt　the　sharp　cinders　that　had　been　bark　push　against　the　back　of　his　knee　and　knew　that　Roger　had　sat　down。　He　felt　with　his　hands　and　lowered　himself　beside　Roger；　while　the　trunk　rocked　among　invisible　ashes。　Roger；　unmunicative　by　nature；　said　nothing。　He　offered　no　opinion　on　the　beast　nor　told　Ralph　why　he　had　chosen　to　e　on　this　mad　expedition。　He　simply　sat　and　rocked　the　trunk　gently。　Ralph　noticed　a　rapid　and　infuriating　tapping　noise　and　realized　that　Roger　was　banging　his　silly　wooden　stick　against　something。
　So　they　sat；　the　rocking；　tapping；　impervious　Roger　and　Ralph；　fuming；　round　them　the　close　sky　was　loaded　with　stars；　save　where　the　mountain　punched　up　a　hole　of　blackness。
　There　was　a　slithering　noise　high　above　them；　the　sound　of　someone　taking　giant　and　dangerous　strides　on　rock　or　ash。　Then　Jack　found　them；　and　was　shivering　and　croaking　in　a　voice　they　could　just　recognize　as　his。　
　〃I　saw　a　thing　on　top。〃
　They　heard　him　blunder　against　the　trunk　which　rocked　violently。　He　lay　silent　for　a　moment；　then　muttered。　
　〃Keep　a　good　lookout。　It　may　be　following。〃　
　A　shower　of　ash　pattered　round　them。　Jack　sat　up。　
　〃I　saw　a　thing　bulge　on　the　mountain。〃　
　〃You　only　imagined　it；〃　said　Ralph　shakily；　〃because　nothing　would　bulge。　Not　any　sort　of　creature。〃　
　Roger　spoke；　they　jumped；　for　they　had　forgotten　him。　
　〃A　frog。〃　
　Jack　giggled　and　shuddered。
　〃Some　frog。　There　was　a　noise　too。　A　kind　of　'plop'　noise。　Then　the　thing　bulged。〃
　Ralph　surprised　himself；　not　so　much　by　the　quality　of　his　voice；　which　was　even；　but　by　the　bravado　of　its　intention。
　〃We'll　go　and　look。〃
　For　the　first　time　since　he　had　first　known　Jack；　Ralph　could　feel　him　hesitate。
　〃Now…？〃
　His　voice　spoke　for　him。
　〃Of　course。〃
　He　got　off　the　trunk　and　led　the　way　across　the　clinking　cinders　up　into　the　dark；　and　the　others　followed。
　Now　that　his　physical　voice　was　silent　the　inner　voice　of　reason；　and　other　voices　too；　made　themselves　heard。　Piggy　was　calling　him　a　kid。　Another　voice　told　him　not　to　be　a　fool；　and　the　darkness　and　desperate　enterprise　gave　the　night　a　kind　of　dentist's　chair　unreality。
　As　they　came　to　the　last　slope；　Jack　and　Roger　drew　near；　changed　from　the　ink…stains　to　distinguishable　figures。　By　mon　consent　they　stopped　and　crouched　together。　Behind　them；　on　the　horizon；　was　a　patch　of　lighter　sky　where　in　a　moment　the　moon　would　rise。　The　wind　roared　once　in　the　forest　and　pushed　their　rags　against　them。
　Ralph　stirred。
　〃e　on。〃
　They　crept　forward；　Roger　lagging　a　little。　Jack　and　Ralph　turned　the　shoulder　of　the　mountain　together。　The　glittering　lengths　of　the　lagoon　lay　below　them　and　beyond　that　a　long　white　smudge　that　was　the　reef。　Roger　joined　them。
　Jack　whispered。
　〃Let's　creep　forward　on　hands　and　knees。　Maybe　it's　asleep。〃
　Roger　and　Ralph　moved　on；　this　time　leaving　Jack　in　the　rear；　for　all　his　brave　words。　They　came　to　the　fiat　top　where　the　rock　was　hard　to　hands　and　knees。　A　creature　that　bulged。　
　Ralph　put　his　hand　in　the　cold；　soft　ashes　of　the　fire　and　smothered　a　cry。　His　hand　and　shoulder　were　twitching　from　the　unlooked…for　contact。　Green　lights　of　nausea　appeared　for　a　moment　and　ate　into　the　darkness。　Roger　lay　behind　him　and　Jack's　mouth　was　at　his　ear。
　〃Over　there；　where　there　used　to　be　a　gap　in　the　rock。　A　sort　of　hump…see？〃
　Ashes　blew　into　Ralph's　face　from　the　dead　fire。　He　could　not　see　the　gap　or　anything　else；　because　the　green　lights　were　opening　again　and　growing；　and　the　top　of　the　mountain　was　sliding　sideways。
　Once　more；　from　a　distance；　he　heard　Jack's　whisper。
　〃Scared？〃
　Not　scared　so　much　as　paralyzed；　hung　up　here　immovable　on　the　top　of　a　diminishing；　moving　mountain。　Jack　slid　away　from　him；　Roger　bumped；　fumbled　with　a　hiss　of　breath；　and　passed　onwards。　He　heard　them　whispering。
　〃Can　you　see　anything？〃
　〃There…〃
　In　front　of　them；　only　three　or　four　yards　away；　was　a　rock…like　hump　where　no　rock　should　be。　Ralph　could　hear　a　tiny　chattering　noise　ing　from　somewhere…perhaps　from　his　own　mouth。　He　bound　himself　together　with　his　will；　fused　his　fear　and　loathing　into　a　hatred；　and　stood　up。　He　took　two　leaden　steps　forward。
　Behind　them　the　sliver　of　moon　had　drawn　dear　of　the　horizon。　Before　them；　something　like　a　great　ape　was　sitting　asleep　with　its　head　between　its　knees。　Then　the　wind　roared　in　the　forest；　there　was　confusion　in　the　darkness　and　the　creature　lifted　its　head；　holding　toward　them　the　ruin　of　a　face。
　Ralph　found　himself　taking　giant　strides　among　the　ashes；　heard　other　creatures　crying　out　and　leaping　and　dared　the　impossible　on　the　dark　slope；　presently　the　mountain　was　deserted；　save　for　the　three　abandoned　sticks　and　the　thing　that　bowed。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　Gift　for　the　Darkness
　
　Piggy　looked　up　miserably　from　the　dawn…pale　beach　to　the　dark　mountain。　〃Are　you　sure？　Really　sure；　I　mean？〃
　〃I　told　you　a　dozen　times　now；〃　said　Ralph；　〃we　saw　it。〃
　〃D'you　think　we're　safe　down　here？〃
　〃How　the　hell　should　I　know？〃
　Ralph　jerked　away　from　him　and　walked　a　few　paces　along　the　beach。　Jack　was　kneeling　and　drawing　a　circular　pattern　in　the　sand　with　his　forefinger。　Piggy's　voice　came　to　them；　hushed。
　〃Are　you　sure？　Really？〃
　〃Go　up　and　see；〃　said　Jack　contemptuously；　〃and　good　riddance。〃
　〃No　fear。〃
　〃The　beast　had　teeth；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　big　black　eyes。〃
　He　shuddered　violently。　Piggy　took　off　his　one　round　of　glass　and　polished　the　surface。
　〃What　we　going　to　do？〃
　Ralph　turned　toward　the　platform。　The　conch　glimmered　among　the　trees；　a　white　blob　against　the　place　where　the　sun　would　rise。　He　pushed　back　his　mop。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　He　remembered　the　panic　flight　down　the　mountainside。
　〃I　don't　think　we'd　ever　fight　a　thing　that　size；　honestly；　you　know。　We'd　talk　but　we　wouldn't　fight　a　tiger。　We'd　hide。　Even　Jack　'ud　hide。〃
　Jack　still　looked　at　the　sand。
　〃What　about　my　hunters？〃
　Simon　came　stealing　out　of　the　shadows　by　the　shelters。　Ralph　ignored　Jack's　question。　He　pointed　to　the　touch　of　yellow　above　the　sea。
　〃As　long　as　there's　light　we're　brave　enough。　But　then？　And　now　that　thing　squats　by　the　fire　as　though　it　didn't　want　us　to　be　rescued…〃　
　He　was　twisting　his　hands　now；　unconsciously。　His　voice　rose。
　〃So　we　can't　have　a　signal　fire。　。　。　。　We're　beaten。〃
　A　point　of　gold　appeared　above　the　sea　and　at　once　all　the　sky　lightened。
　〃What　about　my　hunters？〃
　〃Boys　armed　with　sticks。〃
　Jack　got　to　his　feet。　His　face　was　red　as　he　marched　away。　Piggy　put　on　his　one　glass　and　looked　at　Ralph。
　〃Now　you　done　it。　You　been　rude　about　his　hunters。〃
　〃Oh　shut　up！〃
　The　sound　of　the　inexpertly　blown　conch　interrupted　them。　As　though　he　were　serenading　the　rising　sun；　Jack　went　on　blowing　till　the　shelters　were　astir　and　the　hunters　crept　to　the　platform　and　the　littluns　whimpered　as　now　they　so　frequently　did。　Ralph　rose　obediently；　and　Piggy；　and　they　went　to　the　platform。
　〃Talk；〃　said　Ralph　bitterly；　〃talk；　talk；　talk。〃
　He　took　the　conch　from　Jack。
　〃This　meeting…〃
　Jack　interrupted　him。
　〃I　called　it。〃
　〃If　you　hadn't　called　it　I　should　have。　You　just　blew　the　conch。〃
　〃Well；　isn't　that　calling　it？〃
　〃Oh；　take　it！　Go　on…talk！〃
　Ralph　thrust　the　conch　into　Jack's　arms　and　sat　down　on　the　trunk。　
　〃I've　called　an　assembly；〃　said　Jack；　〃because　of　a　lot　of　things。　First；　you　know　now；　we've　seen　the　beast。　We　crawled　up。　We　were　only　a　few　feet　away。　The　beast　sat　up　and　looked　at　us。　I　don't　know　what　it　does。　We　don't　even　know　what　it　is…〃
　〃The　beast　es　out　of　the　sea…〃
　〃Out　of　the　dark…〃
　〃Trees…〃
　〃Quiet！〃　shouted　Jack。　〃You；　listen。　The　beast　is　sitting　up　there；　whatever　it　is〃
　〃Perhaps　it's　waiting…〃
　〃Hunting…〃　
　〃Yes；　hunting。〃
　〃Hunting；〃　said　Jack。　He　remembered　his　age…old　tremors　in　the　forest。　〃Yes。　The　beast　is　a　hunter。　Only…　shut　up！　The　next　thing　is　that　we　couldn't　kill　it。　And　the　next　thing　is　that　Ralph　said　my　hunters　are　no　good。〃
　〃I　never　said　that！〃
　〃I've　got　the　conch。　Ralph　thinks　you're　cowards；　running　away　from　the　boar　and　the　beast。　And　that's　not　all。〃
　There　was　a　kind　of　sigh　on　the　platform　as　if　everyone　knew　what　was　ing。　Jack's　voice　went　on；　tremulous　yet　determined；　pushing　against　the　uncooperative　silence。
　〃He's　like　Piggy。　He　says　things　like　Piggy。　He　isn't　a　proper　chief。〃
　Jack　clutched　the　conch　to　him。
　〃He's　a　coward　himself。〃
　For　a　moment　he　paused　and　then　went　on。
　〃On　top；　when　Roger　and　me　went　on…he　stayed　back。〃
　〃I　went　too！〃
　〃After。〃
　The　two　boys　glared　at　each　other　through　screens　of　hair。
　〃I　went　on　too；〃　said　Ralph；　〃then　I　ran　away。　So　did　you。〃
　〃Call　me　a　coward　then。〃
　Jack　turned　to　the　hunters。
　He's　not　a　hunter。　He'd　never　have　got　us　meat　He　isn't　a　prefect　and　we　don't　know　anything　about　him。　He　just　gives　orders　and　expects　people　to　obey　for　nothing。　All　this　talk…〃
　〃All　this　talk！〃　shouted　Ralph。　〃Talk；　talk！　Who　wanted　it？　Who　called　the　meeting？〃
　Jack　turned；　red　in　the　face；　his　chin　sunk　back。　He　glowered　up　under　his　eyebrows。
　〃All　right　then；〃　he　said　in　tones　of　deep　meaning；　and　menace；　all　right。〃
　He　held　the　conch　against　his　chest　with　one　hand　and　stabbed　the　air　with　his　index　finger。
　〃Who　thinks　Ralph　oughtn't　to　be　chief？〃
　He　looked　expectantly　at　the　boys　ranged　round；　who　had　frozen。　Under　the　palms　there　was　deadly　silence。
　〃Hands　up；〃　said　Jack　strongly；　〃whoever　wants　Ralph　not　to　be　chief？〃
　The　silence　continued；　breathles