wgolding.lordoftheflies-第7部分

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　Merridew　turned　to　Ralph。
　〃Aren't　there　any　grownups？〃
　〃No。〃
　Merridew　sat　down　on　a　trunk　and　looked　round　the　circle。
　〃Then　well　have　to　look　after　ourselves。〃
　Secure　on　the　other　side　of　Ralph；　Piggy　spoke　timidly。
　〃That's　why　Ralph　made　a　meeting。　So　as　we　can　decide　what　to　do。　We've　heard　names。　That's　Johnny。　Those　two　…they're　twins；　Sam　'n　Eric。　Which　is　Eric…？　You？　No　…you're　Sam…〃
　〃I'm　Sam…〃
　〃'n　I'm　Eric。〃
　〃We'd　better　all　have　names；〃　said　Ralph；　〃so　I'm　Ralph。〃
　〃We　got　most　names；〃　said　Piggy。　〃Got　'em　just　now。〃
　〃Kids'　names；〃　said　Merridew。　Why　should　I　be　Jack？　I'm　Merridew。〃
　Ralph　turned　to　him　quickly。　This　was　the　voice　of　one　who　knew　his　own　mind。
　〃Then；〃　went　on　Piggy；　〃that　boy…I　forget…〃
　〃You're　talking　too　much；〃　said　Jack　Merridew。　〃Shut　up；　Fatty。〃
　Laughter　arose。
　〃He　s　not　Fatty；〃　cried　Ralph；　〃his　real　name's　Piggy！〃
　〃Piggy！〃　〃Piggy！〃
　〃Oh；　Piggy！〃
　A　storm　of　laughter　arose　and　even　the　tiniest　child　joined　in。　For　the　moment　the　boys　were　a　closed　circuit　of　sympathy　with　Piggy　outside：　he　went　very　pink；　bowed　his　head　and　cleaned　his　glasses　again。
　Finally　the　laughter　died　away　and　the　naming　continued。　There　was　Maurice；　next　in　size　among　the　choir　boys　to　Jack；　but　broad　and　grinning　all　the　time。　There　was　a　slight；　furtive　boy　whom　no　one　knew；　who　kept　to　himself　with　an　inner　intensity　of　avoidance　and　secrecy。　He　muttered　that　his　name　was　Roger　and　was　silent　again。　Bill；　Robert；　Harold；　Henry；　the　choir　boy　who　had　fainted　sat　up　against　a　palm　trunk；　smiled　pallidly　at　Ralph　and　said　that　his　name　was　Simon。
　Jack　spoke。
　〃We've　got　to　decide　about　being　rescued。〃　
　There　was　a　buzz。　One　of　the　small　boys；　Henry；　said　that　he　wanted　to　go　home。
　〃Shut　up；〃　said　Ralph　absently。　　He　lifted　the　conch。　〃Seems　to　me　we　ought　to　have　a　chief　to　decide　things。〃　
　〃A　chief！　A　chief！〃
　〃I　ought　to　be　chief；〃　said　Jack　with　simple　arrogance；　〃because　I'm　chapter　chorister　and　head　boy。　I　can　sing　C　sharp。〃　
　Another　buzz。
　〃Well　then；〃　said　Jack；　〃I…〃
　He　hesitated。　The　dark　boy；　Roger；　stirred　at　last　and　spoke　up。
　〃Let's　have　a　vote。〃　
　〃Yes！〃
　〃Vote　for　chief！〃　
　〃Let's　vote…〃
　This　toy　of　voting　was　almost　as　pleasing　as　the　conch。　Jack　started　to　protest　but　the　clamor　changed　from　the　general　wish　for　a　chief　to　an　election　by　acclaim　of　Ralph　himself。　None　of　the　boys　could　have　found　good　reason　for　this；　what　intelligence　had　been　shown　was　traceable　to　Piggy　while　the　most　obvious　leader　was　Jack。　But　there　was　a　stillness　about　Ralph　as　he　sat　that　marked　him　out：　there　was　his　size；　and　attractive　appearance；　and　most　obscurely；　yet　most　powerfully；　there　was　the　conch。　The　being　that　had　blown　that；　had　sat　waiting　for　them　on　the　platform　with　the　delicate　thing　balanced　on　his　knees；　was　set　apart。
　〃Him　with　the　shell。〃　〃Ralph！　Ralph！〃
　〃Let　him　be　chief　with　the　trumpet…thing。〃　
　Ralph　raised　a　hand　for　silence。　
　〃All　right。　Who　wants　Jack　for　chief？〃　
　With　dreary　obedience　the　choir　raised　their　hands。　
　〃Who　wants　me？〃
　Every　hand　outside　the　choir　except　Piggy's　was　raised　immediately。　Then　Piggy；　too；　raised　his　hand　grudgingly　into　the　air。　Ralph　counted。　〃I'm　chief　then。〃　The　circle　of　boys　broke　into　applause。　Even　the　choir　applauded；　and　the　freckles　on　Jack's　face　disappeared　under　a　blush　of　mortification。　He　started　up；　then　changed　his　mind　and　sat　down　again　while　the　air　rang。　Ralph　looked　at　him；　eager　to　offer　something。
　〃The　choir　belongs　to　you；　of　course。〃
　〃They　could　be　the　army…〃
　〃Or　hunters…〃
　〃They　could　be…〃
　The　suffusion　drained　away　from　Jack's　face。　Ralph　waved　again　for　silence。
　〃Jack's　in　charge　of　the　choir。　They　can　be…what　do　you　want　them　to　be？〃
　〃Hunters。〃
　Jack　and　Ralph　smiled　at　each　other　with　shy　liking。　The　rest　began　to　talk　eagerly。
　Jack　stood　up。
　〃A11　right；　choir。　Take　off　your　togs。〃
　As　if　released　from　class；　the　choir　boys　stood　up；　chattered；　piled　their　black　cloaks　on　the　grass。　Jack　laid　his　on　the　trunk　by　Ralph。　His　grey　shorts　were　sticking　to　him　with　sweat。　Ralph　glanced　at　them　admiringly；　and　when　Jack　saw　his　glance　he　explained。
　〃I　tried　to　get　over　that　hill　to　see　if　there　was　water　all　round。　But　your　shell　called　us。〃
　Ralph　smiled　and　held　up　the　conch　for　silence。
　〃Listen；　everybody。　I've　got　to　have　time　to　think　things　out　I　can't　decide　what　to　do　straight　off。　If　this　isn't　an　island　we　might　be　rescued　straight　away。　So　we've　got　to　decide　if　this　is　an　island。　Everybody　must　stay　round　here　and　wait　and　not　go　away。　Three　of　us…if　we　take　more　we'd　get　all　mixed；　and　lose　each　other…three　of　us　will　go　on　an　expedition　and　find　out。　I‘ll　go；　and　Jack；　and；　and。。。。〃
　He　looked　round　the　circle　of　eager　faces。　There　was　no　lack　of　boys　to　choose　from。
　〃And　Simon。〃
　The　boys　round　Simon　giggled；　and　he　stood　up；　laughing　a　little。　Now　that　the　pallor　of　his　faint　was　over；　he　was　a　skinny；　vivid　little　boy；　with　a　glance　ing　up　from　under　a　hut　of　straight　hair　that　hung　down；　black　and　coarse。
　He　nodded　at　Ralph。
　〃I'll　e。〃
　〃And　I…〃
　Jack　snatched　from　behind　him　a　sizable　sheath…knife　and　clouted　it　into　a　trunk。　The　buzz　rose　and　died　away。　
　Piggy　stirred。　〃I'll　e。〃　
　Ralph　turned　to　him。　〃You're　no　good　on　a　job　like　this。〃　
　〃All　the　same…〃
　〃We　don't　want　you；〃　said　Jack；　flatly。　
　〃Three's　enough。〃　
　Piggy's　glasses　flashed。
　〃I　was　with　him　when　he　found　the　conch。　I　was　with　him　before　anyone　else　was。〃
　Jack　and　the　others　paid　no　attention。　There　was　a　general　dispersal。　Ralph；　Jack　and　Simon　jumped　off　the　platform　and　walked　along　the　sand　past　the　bathing　pool。　Piggy　hung　bumbling　behind　them。
　〃If　Simon　walks　in　the　middle　of　us；〃　said　Ralph；　〃then　we　could　talk　over　his　head。〃
　The　three　of　them　fell　into　step。　This　meant　that　every　now　and　then　Simon　had　to　do　a　double　shuffle　to　eaten　up　with　the　others。　Presently　Ralph　stopped　and　turned　back　to　Piggy。　
　〃Look。〃
　Jack　and　Simon　pretended　to　notice　nothing。　They　walked　on。
　〃You　can't　e。〃
　Piggy's　glasses　were　misted　again…this　time　with　humiliation。
　〃You　told　'em。　After　what　I　said。〃　
　His　face　flushed；　his　mouth　trembled。　〃After　I　said　I　didn't　want…〃　
　〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　
　〃About　being　called　Piggy。　I　said　I　didn't　care　as　long　as　they　didn't　call　me　Piggy；　an'　I　said　not　to　tell　and　then　you　went　an'　said　straight　out…〃
　Stillness　descended　on　them。　Ralph；　looking　with　more　understanding　at　Piggy；　saw　that　he　was　hurt　and　crushed。　He　hovered　between　the　two　courses　of　apology　or　further　insult。
　〃Better　Piggy　than　Fatty；〃　he　said　at　last；　with　the　directness　of　genuine　leadership；　〃and　anyway；　I'm　sorry　if　you　feel　like　that。　Now　go　back；　Piggy；　and　take　names。　That's　your　job。　So　long。〃
　He　turned　and　raced　after　the　other　two。　Piggy　stood　and　the　rose　of　indignation　faded　slowly　from　his　cheeks。　He　went　back　to　the　platform。
　The　three　boys　walked　briskly　on　the　sand。　The　tide　was　low　and　there　was　a　strip　of　weed…strewn　beach　that　was　almost　as　firm　as　a　road。　A　land　of　glamour　was　spread　over　them　and　the　scene　and　they　were　conscious　of　the　glamour　and　made　happy　by　it。　They　turned　to　each　other；　laughing　excitedly；　talking；　not　listening。　The　air　was　bright　Ralph；　faced　by　the　task　of　translating　all　this　into　an　explanation；　stood　on　his　head　and　fell　over。　When　they　had　done　laughing；　Simon　stroked　Ralph's　arm　shyly；　and　they　had　to　laugh　again。
　〃e　on；〃　said　Jack　presently；　〃we're　explorers。〃
　〃We'll　go　to　the　end　of　the　island；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　look　round　the　corner。〃
　〃If　it　is　an　island…〃
　Now；　toward　the　end　of　the　afternoon；　the　mirages　were　settling　a　little。　They　found　the　end　of　the　island；　quite　distinct；　and　not　magicked　out　of　shape　or　sense。　There　was　a　jumble　of　the　usual　squareness；　with　one　great　block　sitting　out　in　the　lagoon。　Sea　birds　were　nesting　there。
　〃Like　icing；〃　said　Ralph；　〃on　a　pink　cake。'
　〃We　shan't　see　round　this　corner；〃　said　Jack；　〃because　there　isn't　one。　Only　a　slow　curve…and　you　can　see；　the　rocks　get　worse…〃
　Ralph　shaded　his　eyes　and　followed　the　jagged　outline　of　the　crags　up　toward　the　mountain。　This　part　of　the　beach　was　nearer　the　mountain　than　any　other　that　they　had　seen。
　〃We'll　try　climbing　the　mountain　from　here；〃　he　said。　〃I　should　think　this　is　the　easiest　way。　There's　less　of　that　jungly　stuff；　and　more　pink　rock。　e　on。〃
　The　three　boys　began　to　scramble　up。　Some　unknown　force　had　wrenched　and　shattered　these　cubes　so　that　they　lay　askew；　often　piled　diminishingly　on　each　other。　The　most　usual　feature　of　the　rock　was　a　pink　cliff　surmounted　by　a　skewed　block；　and　that　again　surmounted；　and　that　again；　till　the　pinkness　became　a　stack　of　balanced　rock　projecting　through　the　looped　fantasy　of　the　forest　creepers。　Where　the　pink　cliffs　rose　out　of　the　ground　there　were　often　narrow　tracks　winding　upwards。　They　could　edge　along　them；　deep　in　the　plant　world；　their　faces　to　the　rock。
　〃What　made　this　track？〃
　Jack　paused；　wiping　the　sweat　from　his　face。　Ralph　stood　by　him；　breathless。
　〃Men？〃
　Jack　shook　his　head。
　　〃Animals。〃
　Ralph　peered　into　the　darkness　under　the　trees。　The　forest　minutely　vibrated。
　〃e　on。〃
　The　difficulty　was　not　the　steep　ascent　round　the　shoulders　of　rock；　but　the　occasional　plunges　through　the　undergrowth　to　get　to　the　next　path。　Here　the　roots　and　stems　of　creepers　were　in　such　tangles　that　the　boys　had　to　thread　through　them　like　pliant　needles。　Their　only　guide；　apart　from　the　brown　ground　and　occasional　flashes　of　fight　through　the　foliage；　was　the　tendency　of　slope：　whether　this　hole；　laced　as　it　was　with　the　cables　of　creeper；　stood　higher　than　that。
　Somehow；　they　moved　up。
　Immured　in　these　tangles；　at　perhaps　their　most　difficult　moment；　Ralph　turned　with　shining　eyes　to　the　others。
　〃Wacco。〃
　〃Wizard。〃
　〃Smashing。〃
　The　cause　of　their　pleasure　was　not　obvious。　All　three　were　hot；　dirty　and　exhausted。　Ralph　was　badly　scratched。　The　creepers　were　as　thick　as　their　thighs　and　left　little　but　tunnels　for　further　penetration。　Ralph　shouted　experimentally　and　they　listened　to　the　muted　echoes。
　〃T