wgolding.lordoftheflies-第29部分

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　〃I　gave　you　food；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　my　hunters　will　protect　you　from　the　beast。　Who　will　join　my　tribe？〃
　〃I'm　chief；〃　said　Ralph；　〃because　you　chose　me。　And　we　were　going　to　keep　the　fire　going。　Now　you　run　after　food…〃
　〃You　ran　yourself　！〃　shouted　Jack。　〃Look　at　that　bone　in　your　hands！〃
　Ralph　went　crimson。
　〃I　said　you　were　hunters。　That　was　your　job。〃
　Jack　ignored　him　again。
　〃Who'll　join　my　tribe　and　have　fun？〃
　I'm　chief；〃　said　Ralph　tremulously。　〃And　what　about　the　fire？　And　I've　got　the　conch…〃
　〃You　haven't　got　it　with　you；〃　said　Jack；　sneering。　〃You　left　it　behind。　See；　clever？　And　the　conch　doesn't　count　at　this　end　of　the　island…〃
　All　at　once　the　thunder　struck。　Instead　of　the　dull　boom　there　was　a　point　of　impact　in　the　explosion。
　〃The　conch　counts　here　too；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　all　over　the　island。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it　then？〃
　Ralph　examined　the　ranks　of　boys。　There　was　no　help　in　them　and　he　looked　away；　confused　and　sweating。　Piggy　whispered。
　〃The　fire…rescue。〃
　〃Who'll　join　my　tribe？〃
　〃I　will。〃
　〃Me。〃
　〃I　will。〃
　〃I'll　blow　the　conch；〃　said　Ralph　breathlessly；　〃and　call　an　assembly。〃
　〃We　shan't　hear　it。〃
　〃e　away。　There's　going　to　be　trouble。　And　we've　had　our　meat。〃
　There　was　a　blink　of　bright　light　beyond　the　forest　and　the　thunder　exploded　again　so　that　a　littlun　started　to　whine。　Big　drops　of　rain　fell　among　them　making　individual　sounds　when　they　struck。
　〃Going　to　be　a　storm；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　you'll　have　rain　like　when　we　dropped　here。　Who's　clever　now？　Where　are　your　shelters？　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　that？〃
　The　hunters　were　looking　uneasily　at　the　sky；　flinching　from　the　stroke　of　the　drops。　A　wave　of　restlessness　set　the　boys　swaying　and　moving　aimlessly。　The　flickering　light　became　brighter　and　the　blows　of　the　thunder　were　only　just　bearable。　The　littluns　began　to　run　about；　screaming。
　Jack　leapt　on　to　the　sand。
　〃Do　our　dance！　e　on！　Dance！〃
　He　ran　stumbling　through　the　thick　sand　to　the　open　space　of　rock　beyond　the　fire。　Between　the　flashes　of　lightning　the　air　was　dark　and　terrible；　and　the　boys　followed　him；　clamorously。　Roger　became　the　pig；　grunting　and　charging　at　Jack；　who　side…stepped。　The　hunters　took　their　spears；　the　cooks　took　spits；　and　the　rest　clubs　of　firewood；　A　circling　movement　developed　and　a　chant　While　Roger　mimed　the　terror　of　the　pig；　the　littluns　ran　and　jumped　OB　the　outside　of　the　circle。　Piggy　and　Ralph；　under　the　threat　of　the　sky；　found　themselves　eager　to　take　a　place　in　this　demented　but　partly　secure　society。　They　were　glad　to　touch　the　brown　backs　of　the　fence　that　hemmed　in　the　terror　and　made　it　governable。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！〃
　The　movement　became　regular　while　the　chant　lost　its　first　superficial　excitement　and　began　to　beat　like　a　steady　pulse。　Roger　ceased　to　be　a　pig　and　became　a　hunter；　so　that　the　center　of　the　ring　yawned　emptily。　Some　of　the　littluns　started　a　ring　on　their　own；　and　the　plementary　circles　went　round　and　round　as　though　repetition　would　achieve　safety　of　itself。　There　was　tie　throb　and　stamp　of　a　single　organism。
　The　dark　sky　was　shattered　by　a　blue…white　scar。　An　instant　later　the　noise　was　on　them　like　the　blow　of　a　gigantic　whip。　The　chant　rose　a　tone　in　agony。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！
　Now　out　of　the　terror　rose　another　desire；　thick；　urgent；　blind。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！〃
　Again　the　blue…white　scar　Jagged　above　them　and　the　sulphurous　explosion　beat　down。　The　littluns　screamed　and　blundered　about；　fleeing　from　the　edge　of　the　forest；　and　one　of　them　broke　the　ring　of　biguns　in　his　terror。
　〃Him！　Him！〃
　The　circle　became　a　horseshoe。　A　thing　was　crawling　out　of　the　forest。　It　came　darkly；　uncertainly。　The　shrill　screaming　that　rose　before　the　beast　was　like　a　pain。　The　beast　stumbled　into　the　horseshoe。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！〃
　The　blue…white　scar　was　constant；　the　noise　unendurable。　Simon　was　crying　out　something　about　a　dead　man　on　a　hill。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！　Do　him　in！〃
　The　sticks　fell　and　the　mouth　of　the　new　circle　crunched　and　screamed。　The　beast　was　on　its　knees　in　the　center；　it's　arms　folded　over　its　face。　It　was　crying　out　against　the　abominable　noise　something　about　a　body　on　the　hill。　The　beast　struggled　forward；　broke　the　ring　and　fell　over　the　steep　edge　of　the　rock　to　the　sand　by　the　water。　At　once　the　crowd　surged　after　it；　poured　down　the　rock；　leapt　on　to　the　beast；　screamed；　struck；　bit；　tore。　There　were　no　words；　and　no　movements　but　the　tearing　of　teeth　and　claws。
　Then　the　clouds　opened　and　let　down　the　rain　like　a　waterfall。　The　water　bounded　from　the　mountain…top；　tore　leaves　and　branches　from　the　trees；　poured　like　a　cold　shower　over　the　straggling　heap　on　the　sand。　Presently　the　heap　broke　up　and　figures　staggered　away。　Only　the　beast　lay　still；　a　few　yards　from　the　sea。　Even　in　the　rain　they　could　see　how　small　a　beast　it　was；　and　already　its　blood　was　stain…log　the　sand。
　Now　a　great　wind　blew　the　rain　sideways；　cascading　the　water　from　the　forest　trees。　On　the　mountain…top　the　parachute　filled　and　moved；　the　figure　slid；　rose　to　its　feet；　spun；　swayed　down　through　a　vastness　of　wet　air　and　trod　with　ungainly　feet　the　tops　of　the　high　trees；　falling；　still　falling；　it　sank　toward　the　beach　and　the　boys　rushed　screaming　into　the　darkness。　The　parachute　took　the　figure　forward；　furrowing　the　lagoon；　and　bumped　it　over　the　reef　and　out　to　sea。
　Toward　midnight　the　rain　ceased　and　the　clouds　drifted　away；　so　that　the　sky　was　scattered　once　more　with　the　incredible　lamps　of　stars。　Then　the　breeze　died　too　and　there　was　no　noise　save　the　drip　and　trickle　of　water　that　ran　out　of　clefts　and　spilled　down；　leaf　by　leaf；　to　the　brown　earth　of　the　island。　The　air　was　cool；　moist；　and　clear；　and　presently　even　the　sound　of　the　water　was　still。　The　beast　lay　huddled　on　the　pale　beach　and　the　stains　spread；　inch　by　inch。
　The　edge　of　the　lagoon　became　a　streak　of　phosphorescence　which　advanced　minutely；　as　the　great　wave　of　the　tide　flowed。　The　clear　water　mirrored　the　clear　sky　and　the　angular　bright　constellations。　The　line　of　phosphorescence　bulged　about　the　sand　grains　and　little　pebbles；　it　held　them　each　in　a　dimple　of　tension；　then　suddenly　accepted　them　with　an　inaudible　syllable　and　moved　on。
　Along　the　shoreward　edge　of　the　shallows　the　advancing　clearness　was　full　of　strange；　moonbeam…bodied　creatures　with　fiery　eyes。　Here　and　there　a　larger　pebble　clung　to　its　own　air　and　was　covered　with　a　coat　of　pearls。　The　tide　swelled　in　over〃　the　rain…pitted　sand　and　smoothed　everything　with　a　layer　of　silver。　Now　it　touched　the　first　of　the　stains　that　seeped　from　the　broken　body　and　the　creatures　made　a　moving　patch　of　light　as　they　gathered　at　the　edge。　The　water　rose　farther　and　dressed　Simon's　coarse　hair　with　brightness。　The　line　of　his　cheek　silvered　and　the　turn　of　his　shoulder　became　sculptured　marble。　The　strange　attendant　creatures；　with　their　fiery　eyes　and　trailing　vapors；　busied　themselves　round　his　head。　The　body　lifted　a　fraction　of　an　inch　from　the　sand　and　a　bubble　of　air　escaped　from　the　mouth　with　a　wet　plop。　Then　it　turned　gently　in　the　water。
　Somewhere　over　the　darkened　curve　of　the　world　the　sun　and　moon　were　pulling；　and　the　film　of　water　on　the　earth　planet　was　held；　bulging　slightly　on　one　side　while　the　solid　core　turned。　The　great　wave　of　the　tide　moved　farther　along　the　island　and　the　water　lifted。　Softly；　surrounded　by　a　fringe　of　inquisitive　bright　creatures；　itself　a　silver　shape　beneath　the　steadfast　constellations；　Simon's　dead　body　moved　out　toward　the　open　sea。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TEN
　The　Shell　and　the　Glasses
　
　Piggy　eyed　the　advancing　figure　carefully。　Nowadays　he　sometimes　found　that　he　saw　more　clearly　if　he　removed　his　glasses　and　shifted　the　one　lens　to　the　other　eye；　but　even　through　the　good　eye；　after　what　had　happened；　Ralph　remained　unmistakably　Ralph。　He　came　now　out　of　the　coconut　trees；　limping；　dirty；　with　dead　leaves　hanging　from　his　shock　of　yellow　hair。　One　eye　was　a　slit　in　his　puffy　cheek　and　a　great　scab　had　formed　on　his　right　knee。　He　paused　for　a　moment　and　peered　at　the　figure　on　the　platform。
　〃Piggy？　Are　you　the　only　one　left？〃
　〃There's　some　littluns。〃
　〃They　don't　count。　No　biguns？〃
　〃Oh…Samneric。　They're　collecting　wood。〃
　〃Nobody　else？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
　Ralph　climbed　on　to　the　platform　carefully。　The　coarse　grass　was　still　worn　away　where　the　assembly　used　to　sit；　the　fragile　white　conch　still　gleamed　by　the　polished　seat　Ralph　sat　down　in　the　grass　facing　the　chiefs　seat　and　the　conch。　Piggy　knelt　at　his　left；　and　for　a　long　minute　there　was　silence。
　At　last　Ralph　cleared　his　throat　and　whispered　something。
　Piggy　whispered　back。
　〃What　you　say？〃
　Ralph　spoke　up。
　〃Simon。〃
　Piggy　said　nothing　but　nodded；　solemnly。　They　continued　to　sit；　gazing　with　impaired　sight　at　the　chief's　seat　and　the　glittering　lagoon。　The　green　light　and　the　glossy　patches　of　sunshine　played　over　their　befouled　bodies。
　At　length　Ralph　got　up　and　went　to　the　conch。　He　took　the　shell　caressingly　with　both　hands　and　knelt；　leaning　against　the　trunk。
　〃Piggy〃　
　〃Uh？〃
　〃What　we　going　to　do？〃
　Piggy　nodded　at　the　conch。
　〃You　could…〃
　〃Call　an　assembly？〃
　Ralph　laughed　sharply　as　he　said　the　word　and　Piggy　frowned。
　〃You're　still　chief。〃
　Ralph　laughed　again。
　〃You　are。　Over　us。〃
　〃I　got　the　conch。〃
　〃Ralph！　Stop　laughing　like　that。　Look；　there　ain't　no　need；　Ralph！　What's　the　others　going　to　think？〃
　At　last　Ralph　stopped。　He　was　shivering。
　〃Piggy…〃
　〃Uh？〃
　〃That　was　Simon。〃　〃You　said　that　before。〃
　〃Piggy…〃　
　〃Uh？〃
　〃That　was　murder。〃
　〃You　stop　it！〃　said　Piggy；　shrilly。　〃What　good're　you　doing　talking　like　that？〃
　He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　stood　over　Ralph。
　〃It　was　dark。　There　was　that…that　bloody　dance。　There　was　lightning　and　thunder　and　rain。　We　was　scared！〃
　〃I　wasn't　scared；〃　said　Ralph　slowly；　〃I　was…I　don't　know　what　I　was。〃
　〃We　was　scared！〃　said　Piggy　excitedly。　〃Anything　might　have　happened。　It　wasn't…what　you　said。〃