wgolding.lordoftheflies-第15节

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　Henry　was　a　bit　of　a　leader　this　afternoon；　because　the　other　two　were　Percival　and　Johnny；　the　smallest　boys　on　the　island。　Percival　was　mouse…colored　and　had　not　been　very　attractive　even　to　his　mother；　Johnny　was　well　built；　with　fair　hair　and　a　natural　belligerence。　Just　now　he　was　being　obedient　because　he　was　interested；　and　the　three　children；　kneeling　in　the　sand；　were　at　peace。
　Roger　and　Maurice　came　out　of　the　forest。　They　were　relieved　from　duty　at　the　fire　and　had　e　down　for　a　swim。　Roger　led　the　way　straight　through　the　castles；　kicking　them　over；　burying　the　flowers；　scattering　the　chosen　stones。　Maurice　followed；　laughing；　and　added　to　the　destruction。　The　three　littluns　paused　in　their　game　and　looked　up。　As　it　happened；　the　particular　marks　in　which　they　were　interested　had　not　been　touched；　so　they　made　no　protest。　Only　Percival　began　to　whimper　with　an　eyeful　of　sand　and　Maurice　hurried　away。　In　his　other　life　Maurice　had　received　chastisement　for　filling　a　younger　eye　with　sand。　Now；　though　there　was　no　parent　to　let　fall　a　heavy　hand；　Maurice　still　felt　the　unease　of　wrongdoing。　At　the　back　of　his　mind　formed　the　uncertain　outlines　of　an　excuse。　He　muttered　something　about　a　swim　and　broke　into　a　trot。
　Roger　remained；　watching　the　littluns。　He　was　not　noticeably　darker　than　when　he　had　dropped　in；　but　the　shock　of　black　hair；　down　his　nape　and　low　on　his　forehead；　seemed　to　suit　his　gloomy　face　and　made　what　had　seemed　at　first　an　unsociable　remoteness　into　something　forbidding。　Percival　finished　his　whimper　and　went　on　playing；　for　the　tears　had　washed　the　sand　away。　Johnny　watched　him　with　china…blue　eyes；　then　began　to　fling　up　sand　in　a　shower；　and　presently　Percival　was　crying　again。
　When　Henry　tired　of　his　play　and　wandered　off　along　the　beach；　Roger　followed　him；　keeping　beneath　the　palms　and　drifting　casually　in　the　same　direction。　Henry　walked　at　a　distance　from　the　palms　and　the　shade　because　he　was　too　young　to　keep　himself　out　of　the　sun。　He　went　down　the　beach　and。　busied　himself　at　the　water's　edge。　The　great　Pacific　tide　was　ing　in　and　every　few　seconds　the　relatively　still　water　of　the　lagoon　heaved　forwards　an　inch；　There　were　creatures　that　lived　in　this　last　fling　of　the　sea；　tiny　transparencies　that　came　questing　in　with　the　water　over　the　hot；　dry　sand。　With　impalpable　organs　of　sense　they　examined　this　new　field。　Perhaps　food　had　appeared　where　at　the　last　incursion　there　had　been　none；　bird　droppings；　insects　perhaps；　any　of　the　strewn　detritus　of　landward　life。　Lake　a　myriad　of　tiny　teeth　in　a　saw；　the　transparencies　came　scavenging　over　the　beach。
　This　was　fascinating　to　Henry。　He　poked　about　with　a　bit　of　stick；　that　itself　was　wave…worn　and　whitened　and　a　vagrant；　and　tried　to　control　the　motions　of　the　scavengers。　He　made　little　runnels　that　the　tide　filled　and　tried　to　crowd　them　with　creatures。　He　became　absorbed　beyond　mere　happiness　as　he　felt　himself　exercising　control　over　living　things。　He　talked　to　them；　urging　them；　ordering　them。　Driven　back　by　the　tide；　his　footprints　became　bays　in　which　they　were　trapped　and　gave　him　the　illusion　of　mastery。　He　squatted　on　his　hams　at　the　water's　edge；　bowed；　with　a　shock　of　hair　falling　over　his　forehead　and　past　his　eyes；　and　the　afternoon　sun　emptied　down　invisible　arrows。
　Roger　waited　too。　At　first　he　had　hidden　behind　a　great　palm；　but　Henry's　absorption　with　the　transparencies　was　so　obvious　that　at　last　he　stood　out　in　full　view。　He　looked　along　the　beach。　Percival　had　gone　off；　crying；　and　Johnny　was　left　in　triumphant　possession　of　the　castles。　He　sat　there；　crooning　to　himself　and　throwing　sand　at　an　imaginary　Percival。　Beyond　him；　Roger　could　see　the　platform　and　the　glints　of　spray　where　Ralph　and　Simon　and　Piggy　and　Maurice　were　diving　in　the　pool。　He　listened　carefully　but　could　only　just　hear　them。
　A　sudden　breeze　shook　the　fringe　of　palm　trees；　so　that　the　fronds　tossed　and　fluttered。　Sixty　feet　above　Roger；　several　nuts；　fibrous　lumps　as　big　as　rugby　balls；　were　loosed　from　their　stems。　They　fell　about　him　with　a　series　of　hard　thumps　and　he　was　not　touched。　Roger　did　not　consider　his　escape；　but　looked　from　the　nuts　to　Henry　and　back　again。
　The　subsoil　beneath　the　palm　trees　was　a　raised　beach；　and　generations　of　palms　had　worked　loose　in　this　the　stones　that　had　lain　on　the　sands　of　another　shore。　Roger　stooped；　picked　up　a　stone；　aimed；　and　threw　it　at　Henry　…　threw　it　to　miss。　The　stone；　that　token　of　preposterous　time；　bounced　five　yards　to　Henry's　right　and　fell　in　the　water。　Roger　gathered　a　handful　of　stones　and　began　to　throw　them。　Yet　there　was　a　space　round　Henry；　perhaps　six　yards　in　diameter；　into　which；　he　dare　not　throw。　Here；　invisible　yet　strong；　was　the　taboo　of　the　old　life。　Round　the　squatting　child　was　the　protection　of　parents　and　school　and　policemen　and　the　law。　Roger's　arm　was　conditioned　by　a　civilization　that　knew　nothing　of　him　and　was　in　ruins。
　Henry　was　surprised　by　the　plopping　sounds　in　the　water。　He　abandoned　the　noiseless　transparencies　and　pointed　at　the　center　of　the　spreading　rings　like　a　setter。　This　side　and　that　the　stones　fell；　and　Henry　turned　obediently　but　always　too　late　to　see　the　stones　in　the　air。　At　last　he　saw　one　and　laughed；　looking　for　the　friend　who　was　teasing　him。　But　Roger　had　whipped　behind　the　palm　again；　was　leaning　against　it　breathing　quickly；　his　eyelids　fluttering。　Then　Henry　lost　interest　in　stones　and　wandered　off。。
　〃Roger。〃
　Jack　was　standing　under　a　tree　about　ten　yards　away。　When　Roger　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　him；　a　darker　shadow　crept　beneath　the　swarthiness　of　his　skin；　but　Jack　noticed　nothing。　He　was　eager；　impatient；　beckoning；　so　that　Roger　went　to　him。
　There　was　a　small　pool　at　the　end　of　the　river；　dammed　back　by　sand　and　full　of　white　water…lilies　and　needle…like　reeds。　Here　Sam　and　Eric　were　waiting；　and　Bill　Jack；　concealed　from　the　sun；　knelt　by　the　pool　and　opened　the　two　large　leaves　that　he　carried。　One　of　them　contained　white　clay；　and　the　other　red。　By　them　lay　a　stick　of　charcoal　brought　down　from　the　fire。
　Jack　explained　to　Roger　as　he　worked。
　〃They　don't　smell　me。　They　see　me；　I　think。　Something　pink；　under　the　trees。〃
　He　smeared　on　the　clay。
　〃If　only　I'd　some　green！〃
　He　turned　a　halt…concealed　face　up　to　Roger　and　answered　the　inprehension　of　his　gaze。
　〃For　hunting。　Like　in　the　war。　You　know…dazzle　paint　Like　things　trying　to　look　like　something　else…〃　He　twisted　in　the　urgency　of　telling。　〃…lake　moths　on　a　tree　trunk。〃
　Roger　understood　and　nodded　gravely。　The　twins　moved　toward　Jack　and　began　to　protest　timidly　about　something。　Jack　waved　them　away。
　〃Shut　up。〃
　He　rubbed　the　charcoal　stick　between　the　patches　of　red　and　white　on　his　face。
　〃No。　You　two　e　with　me。〃
　He　peered　at　his　reflection　and　disliked　it。　He　bent　down；　took　up　a　double　handful　of　lukewarm　water　and　rubbed　the　mess　from　his　face。　Freckles　and　sandy　eyebrows　appeared。
　Roger　smiled；　unwillingly。
　〃You　don't　half　look　a　mess。〃
　Jack　planned　his　new　face。　He　made　one　cheek　and　one　eye…socket　white；　then　he　rubbed　red　over　the　other　half　of　his　face　and　slashed　a　black　bar　of　charcoal　across　from　right　ear　to　left　jaw。　He　looked　in　the　pool　for　his　reflection；　but　his　breathing　troubled　the　mirror。
　〃Samneric。　Get　me　a　coconut。　An　empty　one。〃
　He　knelt；　holding　the　shell　of　water。　A　rounded　patch　of　sunlight　fell　on　his　face　and　a　brightness　appeared　in　the　depths　of　the　water。　He　looked　in　astonishment；　no　longer　at　himself　but　at　an　awesome　stranger。　He　spilt　the　water　and　leapt　to　his　feet；　laughing　excitedly。　Beside　the　pool　his　sinewy　body　held　up　a　mask　that　drew　their　eyes　and　appalled　them。　He　began　to　dance　and　his　laughter　became　a　bloodthirsty　snarling。　He　capered　toward　Bill；　and　the　mask　was　a　thing　on　its　own；　behind　which　Jack　hid；　liberated　from　shame　and　self…consciousness。　The　face　of　red　and　white　and　black　swung　through　the　air　and　jigged　toward　Bill。　Bill　started　up　laughing；　then　suddenly　he　fell　silent　and　blundered　away　through　the　bushes。
　Jack　rushed　toward　the　twins。　
　〃The　rest　are　making　a　line。　e　on！〃
　〃But…〃
　〃…we…〃
　〃e　on！　I'll　creep　up　and　stab…〃
　The　mask　pelled　them。
　
　Ralph　climbed　out　of　the　bathing　pool　and　trotted　up　the　beach　and　sat　in　the　shade　beneath　the　palms。　His　fair　hair　was　plastered　over　his　eyebrows　and　he　pushed　it　back。　Simon　was　floating　in　the　water　and　kicking　with　his　feet；　and　Maurice　was　practicing　diving。　Piggy　was　mooning　about；　aimlessly　picking　up　things　and　discarding　them。　The　rock…pools　which　so　fascinated　him　were　covered　by　the　tide；　so　he　was　without　an　interest　until　the　tide　went　back。　Presently；　seeing　Ralph　under　the　palms；　he　came　and　sat　by　him。
　Piggy　wore　the　remainders　of　a　pair　of　shorts；　his　fat　body　was　golden　brown；　and　the　glasses　still　flashed　when　he　looked　at　anything。　He　was　the　only　boy　on　the　island　whose　hair　never　seemed　to　grow。　The　rest　were　shock…headed；　but　Piggy's　hair　still　lay　in　wisps　over　his　head　as　though　baldness　were　his　natural　state　and　this　imperfect　covering　would　soon　go；　like　the　velvet　on　a　young　stag's　antlers。
　〃I've　been　thinking；〃　he　said；　〃about　a　clock。　We　could　ma