wgolding.lordoftheflies-第26节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃We　mustn't　let　anything　happen　to　Piggy；　must　we？〃
　Ralph　tapped　his　teeth　with　the　dirty　point　of　Eric's　spear。
　〃If　we　go　across…〃
　He　glanced　round　him。
　〃Someone's　got　to　go　across　the　island　and　tell　Piggy　we'll　be　back　after　dark。〃
　Bill　spoke；　unbelieving。
　〃Through　the　forest　by　himself？　Now？〃
　〃We　can't　spare　more　than　one。〃
　Simon　pushed　his　way　to　Ralph's　elbow。
　〃I'll　go　if　you　like。　I　don't　mind；　honestly。〃
　Before　Ralph　had　time　to　reply；　he　smiled　quickly；　turned　and　climbed　into　the　forest
　Ralph　looked　back　at　Jack；　seeing　him；　infuriatingly；　for　the　first　time。
　〃Jack…that　time　you　went　the　whole　way　to　the　castle　rock。〃
　Jack　glowered。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃You　came　alone　part　of　this　shore…below　the　mountain；　beyond　there。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃I　found　a　pig…run。　It　went　for　miles。〃
　〃So　the　pig…run　must　be　somewhere　in　there。〃
　Ralph　nodded。　He　pointed　at　the　forest
　Everybody　agreed；　sagely。
　〃All　right　then。　We'll　smash　a　way　through　till　we　find　the　pig…run。〃
　He　took　a　step　and　halted。
　〃Wait　a　minute　though！　Where　does　the　pig…run　go　to？〃
　〃The　mountain；〃　said　Jack；　〃I　told　you。　He　sneered。　〃Don't　you　want　to　go　to　the　mountain？〃
　Ralph　sighed；　sensing　the　rising　antagonism；　understanding　that　this　was　how　Jack　felt　as　soon　as　he　ceased　to　lead。
　〃I　was　thinking　of　the　light。　We'll　be　stumbling　about。〃
　〃We　were　going　to　look　for　the　beast。〃
　〃There　won't　be　enough　light。〃
　〃I　don't　mind　going；　said　Jack　hotly。　〃Ill　go　when　we　get　there。　Won't　you？　Would　you　rather　go　back　to　the　shelters　and　tell　Piggy？〃
　Now　it　was　Ralph's　turn　to　flush　but　he　spoke　despairingly；　out　of　the　new　understanding　that　Piggy　had　given　him。
　〃Why　do　you　hate　me？〃
　The　boys　stirred　uneasily；　as　though　something　indecent　had　been　said。　The　silence　lengthened。
　Ralph；　still　hot　and　hurt；　turned　away　first。
　〃e　on。〃
　He　led　the　way　and　set　himself　as　by　right　to　hack　at　the　tangles。　Jack　brought　up　the　rear；　displaced　and　brooding。
　The　pig…track　was　a　dark　tunnel；　for　the　sun　was　sliding　quickly　toward　the　edge　of　the　world　and　in　the　forest　shadows　were　never…far　to　seek。　The　track　was　broad　and　beaten　and　they　ran　along　at　a　swift　trot；　Then　the　roof　of　leaves　broke　up　and　they　halted；　breathing　quickly；　looking　at　the　few　stars　that　pricked　round　the　head　of　the　mountain。
　〃There　you　are。〃
　The　boys　peered　at　each　other　doubtfully。　Ralph　made　a　decision。
　〃We'll　go　straight　across　to　the　platform　and　climb　tomorrow。〃
　They　murmured　agreement；　but　Jack　was　standing　by　his　shoulder。
　〃If　you're　frightened　of　course…〃
　Ralph　turned　on　him。
　〃Who　went　first　on　the　castle　rock？〃
　〃I　went　too。　And　that　was　daylight。〃
　〃All　right。　Who　wants　to　climb　the　mountain　now？〃
　Silence　was　the　only　answer。
　〃Samneric？　What　about　you？〃
　〃We　ought　to　go　an'　tell　Piggy…〃
　〃…yes；　tell　Piggy　that…〃
　〃But　Simon　went！〃
　〃We　ought　to　tell　Piggy…in　case…〃
　〃Robert？　Bill？〃
　They　were　going　straight　back　to　the　platform　now。　Not；　of　course；　that　they　were　afraid…but　tired。
　Ralph　turned　back　to　Jack。
　〃You　see？〃
　〃I'm　going　up　the　mountain。〃　The　words　came　from　Jack　viciously；　as　though　they　were　a　curse。　He　looked　at　Ralph；　his　thin　body　tensed；　his　spear　held　as　if　he　threatened　him。
　〃I'm　going　up　the　mountain　to　look　for　the　beast…now。〃　Then　the　supreme　sting；　the　casual；　bitter；　word。　〃ing？〃
　At　that　word　the　other　boys　forgot　their　urge　to　be　gone　and　turned　back　to　sample　this　fresh　rub　of　two　spirits　in　the　dark。　The　word　was　too　good；　too　bitter；　too　successfully　daunting　to　be　repeated。　It　took　Ralph　at　low　water　when　his　nerve　was　relaxed　for　the　return　to　the　shelter　and　the　still；　friendly　waters　of　the　lagoon。
　〃I　don't　mind。〃
　Astonished；　he　heard　his　voice　e　out；　cool　and　casual；　so　that　the　bitterness　of　Jack's　taunt　fell　powerless。
　〃If　you　don't　mind；　of　course。〃
　〃Oh；　not　at　all。〃
　Jack　took　a　step。
　〃Well　then…〃
　Side　by　side；　watched　by　silent　boys；　the　two　started　up　the　mountain。
　Ralph　stopped。
　〃We're　silly。　Why　should　only　two　go？　If　we　find　anything；　two　won't　be　enough。〃
　There　came　the　sound　of　boys　scuttling　away。　Astonishingly；　a　dark　figure　moved　against　the　tide。
　〃Roger？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃That's　three；　then。〃
　Once　more　they　set　out　to　climb　the　slope　of　the　mountain。　The　darkness　seemed　to　flow　round　them　like　a　tide。　Jack；　who　had　said　nothing；　began　to　choke　and　cough；　and　a　gust　of　wind　set　all　three　spluttering。　Ralph's　eyes　were　blinded　with　tears。
　〃Ashes。　We're　on　the　edge　of　the　burnt　patch。〃
　Their　footsteps　and　the　occasional　breeze　were　stirring　up　small　devils　of　dust。　Now　that　they　stopped　again；　Ralph　had　time　while　he　coughed　to　remember　how　silly　they　were。　If　there　was　no　beast…and　almost　certainly　there　was　no　beast…in　tiiat　case；　well　and　good；　but　if　there　was　something　waiting　on　top　of　the　mountain…what　was　the　use　of　three　of　them；　handicapped　by　the　darkness　and　carrying　only　sticks？
　〃We're　being　fools。〃
　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　t