wgolding.lordoftheflies-第40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！


　〃Heave！　Heave！　Heave！〃
　Ralph　put　down　his　spear；　then　picked　it　up　again。　He　pushed　his　hair　back　irritably；　took　two　hasty　steps　across　the　little　space　and　then　came　back。　He　stood　looking　at　the　broken　ends　of　branches。
　Still　silence。
　He　caught　sight　of　the　rise　and　fall　of　his　diaphragm　and　was　surprised　to　see　how　quickly　he　was　breathing。　Just　left　of　center　his　heart…beats　were　visible。　He　put　the　spear　down　again。
　〃Heave！　Heave！　Heave！〃
　A　shrill；　prolonged　cheer。
　Something　boomed　up　on　the　red　rock；　then　the　earth　jumped　and　began　to　shake　steadily；　while　the　noise　as　steadily　increased。　Ralph　was　shot　into　the　air；　thrown　down；　dashed　against　branches。　At　his　right　hand；　and　only　a　few　feet　away；　the　whole　thicket　bent　and　the　roots　screamed　as　they　came　out　of　the　earth　together。　He　saw　something　red　that　turned　over　slowly　as　a　mill　wheel。　Then　the　red　thing　was　past　and　the　elephantine　progress　diminished　toward　the　sea。
　Ralph　knelt　on　the　plowed…up　soil；　and　waited　for　the　earth　to　e　back。　Presently　the　white；　broken　stumps；　the　split　sticks　and　the　tangle　of　the　thicket　refocused。　There　was　a　kind　of　heavy　feeling　in　his　body　where　he　had　watched　his　own　pulse。
　Silence　again。
　Yet　not　entirely　so。　They　were　whispering　out　there；　and　suddenly　the　branches　were　shaken　furiously　at　two　places　on　his　right。　The　pointed　end　of　a　stick　appeared。　In　panic；　Ralph　thrust　his　own　stick　through　the　crack　and　struck　with　all　his　might。
　〃Aaa…ah！〃
　His　spear　twisted　a　little　in　his　hands　and　then　he　withdrew　it　again。
　〃Ooh…ooh…〃
　Someone　was　moaning　outside　and　a　babble　of　voices　rose。　A　fierce　argument　was　going　on　and　the　wounded　savage　kept　groaning。　Then　when　there　was　silence；　a　single　voice　spoke　and　Ralph　decided　that　it　was　not　Jack's。
　〃See？　I　told　you…he's　dangerous。〃
　The　wounded　savage　moaned　again。
　What　else？　What　next？
　Ralph　fastened　his　hands　round　the　chewed　spear　and　his　hair　fell。　Someone　was　muttering；　only　a　few　yards　away　toward　the　Castle　Rock。　He　heard　a　savage　say　〃No！〃　in　a　shocked　voice；　and　then　there　was　suppressed　laughter。　He　squatted　back　on　his　heels　and　showed　his　teeth　at　the　wall　of　branches。　He　raised　his　spear；　snarled　a　little；　and　waited。
　Once　more　the　invisible　group　sniggered。　He　heard　a　curious　trickling　sound　and　then　a　louder　crepitation　as　if　someone　were　unwrapping　great　sheets　of　cellophane。　A　stick　snapped　and　he　stifled　a　cough。　Smoke　was　seeping　through　the　branches　in　white　and　yellow　wisps；　the　patch　of　blue　sky　overhead　turned　to　the　color　of　a　storm　cloud；　and　then　the　smoke　billowed　round　him。
　Someone　laughed　excitedly；　and　a　voice　shouted。
　〃Smoke！〃
　He　wormed　his　way　through　the　thicket　toward　the　forest；　keeping　as　far　as　possible　beneath　the　smoke。　Presently　he　saw　open　space；　and　the　green　leaves　of　the　edge　of　the　thicket。　A　smallish　savage　was　standing　between　him　and　the　rest　of　the　forest；　a　savage　striped　red　and　white；　and　carrying　a　spear。　He　was　coughing　and　smearing　the　paint　about　his　eyes　with　the　back　of　his　hand　as　he　tried　to　see　through　the　increasing　smoke。　Ralph　launched　himself　like　a　cat；　stabbed；　snarling；　with　the　spear；　and　the　savage　doubled　up。　There　was　a　shout　from　beyond　the　thicket　and　then　Ralph　was　running　with　the　swiftness　of　fear　through　the　undergrowth。　He　came　to　a　pig…run；　followed　it　for　perhaps　a　hundred　yards；　and　then　swerved　off。　Behind　him　the　ululation　swept　across　the　island　once　more　and　a　single　voice　shouted　three　times。　He　guessed　that　was　the　signal　to　advance　and　sped　away　again；　till　his　chest　was　like　fire。　Then　he　flung　himself　down　under　a　bush　and　waited　for　a　moment　till　his　breathing　steadied。　He　passed　his　tongue　tentatively　over　his　teeth　and　lips　and　heard　far　off　the　ululation　of　the　pursuers。
　There　were　many　things　he　could　do。　He　could　climb　a　tree；　but　that　was　putting　all　his　eggs　in　one　basket。　If　he　were　detected；　they　had　nothing　more　difficult　to　do　than　wait。
　If　only　one　had　time　to　think！
　Another　double　cry　at　the　same　distance　gave　him　a　clue　to　their　plan。　Any　savage　balked　in　the　forest　would　utter　the　double　shout　and　hold　up　the　line　till　he　was　free　again。　That　way　they　might　hope　to　keep　the　cordon　unbroken　right　across　the　island。　Ralph　thought　of　the　boar　that　had　broken　through　them　with　such　ease。　If　necessary；　when　the　chase　came　too　close；　he　could　charge　the　cordon　while　it　was　still　thin；　burst　through；　and　run　back。　But　run　back　where？　The　cordon　would　turn　and　sweep　again。　Sooner　or　later　he　would　have　to　sleep　or　eat…and　then　he　would　awaken　with　hands　clawing　at　him；　and　the　hunt　would　bee　a　running　down。
　What　was　to　be　done；　then？　The　tree？　Burst　the　line　like　a　boar？　Either　way　the　choice　was　terrible。
　A　single　cry　quickened　his　heart…beat　and；　leaping　up；　be　dashed　away　toward　the　ocean　side　and　the　thick　jungle　till　he　was　hung　up　among　creepers；　he　stayed　there　for　a　moment　with　his　calves　quivering。　If　only　one　could　have　quiet；　a　long　pause；　a　time　to　think！
　And　there　again；　shrill　and　inevitable；　was　the　ululation　sweeping　across　the　island。　At　that　sound　he　shied　like　a　horse　among　the　creepers　and　ran　once　more　till　he　was　panting。　He　flung　himself　down　by　some　ferns。　The　tree；　or　the　charge？　He　mastered　his　breathing　for　a　moment；　wiped　his　mouth；　and　told　himself　to　be　calm。　Samneric　were　somewhere　in　that　line；　and　hating　it。　Or　were　they？　And　supposing；　instead　of　them；　he　met　the　chief；　or　Roger　who　carried　death　in　his　hands？
　Ralph　pushed　back　his　tangled　hair　and　wiped　the　sweat　out　of　his　best　eye。　He　spoke　aloud。　
　〃Think。〃
　What　was　the　sensible　thing　to　do？
　There　was　no　Piggy　to　talk　sense。　There　was　no　solemn　assembly　for　debate　nor　dignity　of　the　conch。　
　〃Think。〃
　Most；　he　was　beginning　to　dread　the　curtain　that　might　waver　in　his　brain；　blacking　out　the　sense　of　danger；　making　a　simpleton　of　him。
　A　third　idea　would　be　to　hide　so　well　that　the　advancing　line　would　pass　without　discovering　him。
　He　jerked　his　head　off　the　ground　and　listened。　There　was　another　noise　to　attend　to　now；　a　deep　grumbling　noise；　as　though　the　forest　itself　were　angry　with　him；　a　somber　noise　across　which　the　ululations　were　scribbled　excruciatingly　as　on　slate。　He　knew　he　had　heard　it　before　somewhere；　but　had　no　time　to　remember。　
　Break　the　line。　
　A　tree。　
　Hide；　and　let　them　pass。
　A　nearer　cry　stood　him　on　his　feet　and　immediately　he　was　away　again；　running　fast　among　thorns　and　brambles。　Suddenly　he　blundered　into　the　open；　found　himself　again　in　that　open　space…and　there　was　the　fathom…wide　grin　of　the　skull；　no　longer　ridiculing　a　deep　blue　patch　of　sky　but　jeering　up　into　a　blanket　of　smoke。　Then　Ralph　was　running　beneath　trees；　with　the　grumble　of　the　forest　explained。　They　had　smoked　him　out　and　set　the　island　on　fire。
　Hide　was　better　than　a　tree　because　you　had　a　chance　of　breaking　the　line　if　you　were　discovered。
　Hide；　then。
　He　wondered　it　a　pig　would　agree；　and　grimaced　at　nothing。　Find　the　deepest　thicket；　the　darkest　hole　on　the　island；　and　creep　in。　Now；　as　he　ran；　he　peered　about　him。　Bars　and　splashes　of　sunlight　flitted　over　him　and　sweat　made　glistening　streaks　on　his　dirty　body。　The　cries　were　far　now；　and　faint。
　At　last　he　found　what　seemed　to　him　the　right　place；　though　the　decision　was　desperate。　Here；　bushes　and　a　wild　tangle　of　creeper　made　a　mat　that　kept　out　all　the　light　of　the　sun。　Beneath　it　was　a　space；　perhaps　a　foot　high；　though　it　was　pierced　everywhere　by　parallel　and　rising　stems。　If　you　wormed　into　the　middle　of　that　you　would　be　five　yards　from　the　edge；　and　hidden；　unless　the　savage　chose　to　lie　down　and　look　for　you；　and　even　then；　you　would　be　in　darkness…and　if　the　worst　happened　and　he　saw　you；　then　you　had　a　chance　to　burst　out　at　him；　fling　the　whole　line　out　of　step　and　double　back。
　Cautiously；　his　stick　trailing　behind　him；　Ralph　wormed　between　the　rising　stems。　When　he　reached　the　middle　of　the　mat　he　lay　and　listened。
　The　fire　was　a　big　one　and　the　drum…roll　that　he　had　thought　was　left　so　far　behind　was　nearer。　Couldn't　a　fire　outrun　a　galloping　horse？　He　could　see　the　sun…splashed　ground　over　an　area　of　perhaps　fifty　yards　from　where　he　lay；　and　as　he　watched；　the　sunlight　in　every　patch　blinked　at　him。　This　was　so　like　the　curtain　that　flapped　in　his　brain　that　for　a　moment　he　thought　the　blinking　was　inside　him。　But　then　the　patches　blinked　more　rapidly；　dulled　and　went　out；　so　that　he　saw　that　a　great　heaviness　of　smoke　lay　between　the　island　and　the　sun。
　If　　anyone　peered　　under　　the　　bushes　　and　　chanced　　to　glimpse　human　flesh　it　might　be　Samneric　who　would　pretend　not　to　see　and　say　nothing。　He　laid　his　cheek　against　the　chocolate…colored　earth；　licked　his　dry　lips　and　closed　his　eyes。　Under　the　thicket；　the　earth　was　vibrating　very　slightly；　or　perhaps　there　was　a　sound　beneath　the　obvious　thunder　of　the　fire　and　scribbled　ululations　that　was　too　low　to　hear。
　Someone　cried　out。　Ralph　jerked　his　cheek　off　the　earth　and　looked　into　the　dulled　light。　They　must　be　near　now；　he　thought；　and　his　chest　began　to　thump。　Hide；　break　the　line；　climb　a　tree…which　was　the　best　after　all？　The　trouble　was　you　only　had　on