wgolding.lordoftheflies-第24节

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　He　made　a　sweeping　movement　with　his　hand。　Ralph　looked　toward　the　mountain。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　Ralph　turned。
　〃Why？〃
　〃You　were　looking…I　don't　know　why。〃
　〃There's　no　signal　now。　Nothing　to　show。〃
　〃You're　nuts　on　the　signal。〃
　The　taut　blue　horizon　encircled　them；　broken　only　by　the　mountain…top。
　〃That's　all　we've　got〃
　He　leaned　his　spear　against　the　rocking　stone　and　pushed　back　two　handfuls　of　hair。
　〃We'll　have　to　go　back　and　climb　the　mountain。　That's　where　they　saw　the　beast。〃
　〃The　beast　won't　be　there。〃
　〃What　else　can　we　do？〃
　The　others；　waiting　in　the　grass；　saw　Jack　and　Ralph　unharmed　and　broke　cover　into　the　sunlight。　They　forgot　the　beast　in　the　excitement　of　exploration。　They　swarmed　across　the　bridge　and　soon　were　climbing　and　shouting。　Ralph　stood　now；　one　hand　against　an　enormous　red　block；　a　block　large　as　a　mill　wheel　that　had　been　split　off　and　hung；　tottering。　Somberly　he　watched　the　mountain。　He　clenched　his　fist　and　beat　hammer…wise　on　the　red　wall　at　his　right　His　lips　were　tightly　pressed　and　his　eyes　yearned　beneath　the　fringe　of　hair。
　〃Smoke。〃
　He　sucked　his　bruised　fist。
　〃Jack！　e　on。〃
　But　Jack　was　not　there。　A　knot　of　boys；　making　a　great　noise　that　he　had　not　noticed；　were　heaving　and　pushing　at　a　rock。　As　he　turned；　the　base　cracked　and　the　whole　mass　toppled　into　the　sea　so　that；　a　thunderous　plume　of　spray　leapt　half…way　up　the　cliff。
　〃Stop　it！　Stop　it！〃
　His　voice　struck　a　silence　among　them。
　〃Smoke。〃
　A　strange　thing　happened　in　his　head。　Something　flittered　there　in　front　of　his　mind　like　a　bat's　wing；　obscuring　his　idea。
　〃Smoke。〃
　At　once　the　ideas　were　back；　and　the　anger。
　〃We　want　smoke。　And　you　go　wasting　your　time。　You　roll　rocks。〃
　Roger　shouted。
　〃We've　got　plenty　of　time！〃
　Ralph　shook　his　head。
　〃We'll　go　to…the　mountain。〃
　The　clamor　broke　out。　Some　of　the　boys　wanted　to　go　back　to　the　beach。　Some　wanted　to　roll　more　rocks。　The　sun　was　bright　and　danger　had　faded　with　the　darkness。
　〃Jack。　The　beast　might　be　on　the　other　side。　You　can　lead　again。　You've　been。〃
　〃We　could　go　by　the　shore。　There's　fruit。〃
　Bill　came　up　to　Ralph。
　〃Why　can't　we　stay　here　for　a　bit？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Let's　have　a　fort。〃
　〃There's　no　food　here；〃　said　Ralph；　〃and　no　shelter。　Not　much　fresh　water。〃
　〃This　would　make　a　wizard　fort〃
　〃We　can　roll　rocks…〃
　〃Right　onto　the　bridge…〃
　〃I　say　we'll　go　on！〃　shouted　Ralph　furiously。　〃We've　got　to　make　certain。　We'll　go　now。〃
　〃Let's　stay　here…〃
　〃Back　to　the　shelter…〃
　〃I'm　tired…〃
　〃No！〃
　Ralph　struck　the　skin　off　his　knuckles。　They　did　not　seem　to　hurt。
　〃I'm　chief。　We've　got　to　make　certain。　Can't　you　see　the　mountain？　There's　no　signal　showing。　There　may　be　a　ship　out　there。　Are　you　all　off　your　rockers？〃
　Mutinously；　the　boys　fell　silent　or　muttering。
　Jack　led　the　way　down　the　rock　and　across　the　bridge。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　Shadows　and　Tall　Trees
　
　The　pig…run　kept　close　to　the　jumble　of　rocks　that　lay　down　by　the　water　on　the　other　side　and　Ralph　was　content　to　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。