wgolding.lordoftheflies-第21部分

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ne　had　to　sit；　attracting　all　eyes　to　the　conch；　and　drop　words　like　heavy　round　stones　among　the　little　groups　that　crouched　or　squatted。　He　was　searching　his　mind　for　simple　words　so　that　even　the　littluns　would　understand　what　the　assembly　was　about。　Later　perhaps；　practiced　debaters…Jack；　Maurice；　Piggy…would　use　their　whole　art　to　twist　the　meeting：　but　now　at　the　beginning　the　subject　of　the　debate　must　be　laid　out　clearly。
　〃We　need　an　assembly。　Not　for　fun。　Not　for　laughing　and　falling　off　the　log〃…the　group　of　littluns　on　the　twister　giggled　and　looked　at　each　other…〃not　for　making　jokes；　or　for〃…he　lifted　the　conch　in　an　effort　to　find　the　pelling　word…〃for　cleverness。　Not　for　these　things。　But　to　put　things　straight。''
　He　paused　for　a　moment。
　〃I've　been　alone。　By　myself　I　went；　thinking　what's　what　I　know　what　we　need。　An　assembly　to　put　things　straight　And　first　of　all；　I'm　speaking。〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment　and　automatically　pushed　back　his　hair。　Piggy　tiptoed　to　the　triangle；　his　ineffectual　protest　made；　and　joined　the　others。
　Ralph　went　on。
　〃We　have　lots　of　assemblies。　Everybody　enjoys　speaking　and　being　together。　We　decide　things。　But　they　don't　get　done。　We　were　going　to　have　water　brought　from　the　stream　and　left　in　those　coconut　shells　under　fresh　leaves。　So　it　was；　for　a　few　days。　Now　there's　no　water。　The　shells　are　dry。　People　drink　from　the　river。〃
　There　was　a　murmur　of　assent。
　〃Not　that　there's　anything　wrong　with　drinking　from　the　river。　I　mean　I'd　sooner　have　water　from　that　place…　you　know；　the　pool　where　the　waterfall　is…than　out　of　an　old　coconut　shell。　Only　we　said　we'd　have　the　water　brought　And　now　not　There　were　only　two　full　shells　there　this　afternoon。〃
　He　licked　his　lips。
　〃Then　there's　huts。　Shelters。〃
　The　murmur　swelled　again　and　died　away。
　〃You　mostly　sleep　in　shelters。　Tonight；　except　for　Sam…neric　up　by　the　fire；　you'll　all　sleep　there。　Who　built　the　shelters？〃
　Clamor　rose　at　once。　Everyone　had　built　the　shelters。　Ralph　had　to　wave　the　conch　once　more。
　〃Wait　a　minute！　I　mean；　who　built　all　three？　We　all　built　the　first　one；　four　of　us　the　second　one；　and　me　'n　Simon　built　the　last　one　over　there。　That's　why　it's　so　tottery。　No。　Don't　laugh。　That　shelter　might　fall　down　if　the　rain　es　back。　We'll　need　those　shelters　then。〃
　He　paused　and　cleared　his　throat。
　〃There's　another　thing。　We　chose　those　rocks　right　along　beyond　the　bathing　pool　as　a　lavatory。　That　was　sensible　too。　The　tide　cleans　the　place　up。　You　littluns　know　about　that。〃
　There　were　sniggers　here　and　there　and　swift　glances。
　〃Now　people　seem　to　use　anywhere。　Even　near　the　shelters　and　the　platform。　You　littluns；　when　you're　getting　fruit；　if　you're　taken　short…〃
　The　assembly　roared。
　〃I　said　if　you're　taken　short　you　keep　away　from　the　fruit。　That's　dirty。〃
　Laughter　rose　again。
　〃I　said　that's　dirty！〃
　He　plucked　at　his　stiff；　grey　shirt。
　〃That's　realty　dirty。　If　you're　taken　short　you　go　right　along　the　beach　to　the　rocks。　See？〃
　Piggy　held　out　his　hands　for　the　conch　but　Ralph　shook　his　head。　This　speech　was　planned；　point　by　point。
　〃We've　all　got　to　use　the　rocks　again。　This　place　is　getting　dirty。〃　He　paused。　The　assembly；　sensing　a　crisis；　was　tensely　expectant。　〃And　then：　about　the　fire。〃
　Ralph　let　out　his　spare　breath　with　a　little　gasp　that　was　echoed　by　his　audience。　Jack　started　to　chip　a　piece　of　wood　with　his　knife　and　whispered　something　to　Robert；　who　looked　away。
　〃The　fire　is　the　most　important　thing　on　the　island。　How　can　we　ever　be　rescued　except　by　luck；　if　we　don't　keep　a　fire　going？　Is　a　fire　too　much　for　us　to　make？〃
　He　flung　out　an　arm。
　〃Look　at　us！　How　many　are　we？　And　yet　we　can't　keep　a　fire　going　to　make　smoke。　Don't　you　understand？　Can't　you　see　we　ought　to…ought　to　die　before　we　let　the　fire　out？〃
　There　was　a　self…conscious　giggling　among　the　hunters。　Ralph　turned　on　them　passionately。
　〃You　hunters！　You　can　laugh！　But　I　tell　you　the　smoke　is　more　important　than　the　pig；　however　often　you　kill　one。　Do　all　of　you　see？〃　He　spread　his　arms　wide　and　turned　to　the　whole　triangle。
　〃We've　got　to　make　smoke　up　there…or　die。〃
　He　paused；　feeling　for　his　next　point
　〃And　another　thing。〃
　Someone　called　out。
　〃Too　many　things。〃
　There　came　mutters　of　agreement。　Ralph　overrode　them。
　〃And　another　thing。　We　nearly　set　the　whole　island　on　fire。　And　we　waste　time；　rolling　rocks；　and　making　little　cooking　fires。　Now　I　say　this　and　make　it　a　rule；　because　I'm　chief。　We　won't　have　a　fire　anywhere　but　on　the　mountain。　Ever。〃
　There　was　a　row　immediately。　Boys　stood　up　and　shouted　and　Ralph　shouted　back。
　〃Because　if　you　want　a　fire　to　cook　fish　or　crab；　you　can　jolly　well　go　up　the　mountain。　That　way　we'll　be　certain。〃
　Hands　were　reaching　for　the　conch　in　the　light　of　the　setting　sun。　He　held　on　and　leapt　on　the　trunk。
　〃All　this　I　meant　to　say。　Now　I've　said　it。　You　voted　me　for　chief。　Now　you　do　what　I　say。〃
　They　quieted；　slowly；　and　at　last　were　seated　again。　Ralph　dropped　down　and　spoke　in　his　ordinary　voice。
　〃So　remember。　The　rocks　for　a　lavatory。　Keep　the　fire　going　and　smoke　showing　as　a　signal。　Don't　take　fire　from　the　mountain。　Take　your　food　up　mere。〃
　Jack　stood　up；　scowling　in　the　gloom；　and　held　out　his　hands。
　〃I　haven't　finished　yet〃
　〃But　you've　talked　and　talked！〃
　〃I've　got　the　conch。〃
　Jack　sat　down；　grumbling。
　〃Then　the　last　mine。　This　is　what　people　can　talk　about。〃
　He　waited　till　the　platform　was　very　still。
　〃Things　are　breaking　up。　I　don't　understand　why。　We　began　well；　we　were　happy。　And　then…〃
　He　moved　the　conch　gently；　looking　beyond　them　at　nothing；　remembering　the　beastie；　the　snake；　the　fire；　the　talk　of　fear。
　〃Then　people　started　getting　frightened。〃
　A　murmur；　almost　a　moan；　rose　and　passed　away。　Jack　had　stopped　whittling。　Ralph　went　on；　abruptly。
　〃But　that's　littluns'　talk。　We'll　get　that　straight。　So　the　last　part；　the　bit　we　can　all　talk　about；　is　kind　of　deciding　on　the　fear。〃
　The　hair　was　creeping　into　his　eyes　again。
　〃We've　got　to　talk　about　this　fear　and　decide　there's　nothing　in　it。　I'm　frightened　myself；　sometimes；　only　that's　nonsense！　Like　bogies。　Then；　when　we've　decided；　we　can　start　again　and　be　careful　about　things　like　the　fire。〃　A　picture　of　three　boys　walking　along　the　bright　beach　flitted　through　his　mind。　〃And　be　happy。〃
　Ceremonially；　Ralph　laid　the　conch　on　the　trunk　beside　him　as　a　sign　that　the　speech　was　over。　What　sunlight　reached　them　was　level。
　Jack　stood　up　and　took　the　conch。　
　〃So　this　is　a　meeting　to　find　out　what's　what；　I‘ll　tell　you　what's　what。　You　littluns　started　all　this；　with　the　fear　talk。　Beasts！　Where　from？　Of　course　we're　frightened　sometimes　but　we　put　up　with　being　frightened。　Only　Ralph　says　you　scream　in　the　night。　What　does　that　mean　but　nightmares？　Anyway；　you　don't　hunt　or　build　or　help…you're　a　lot　of　cry…babies　and　sissies。　That's　what。　And　as　for　the　fear…　you'll　have　to　put　up　with　that　like　the　rest　of　us。〃
　Ralph　looked　at　Jack　open…mouthed；　but　Jack　took　no　notice。
　'The　thing　is…fear　can't　hurt　you　any　more　than　a　dream。　There　aren't　any　beasts　to　be　afraid　of　on　this　island。〃　He　looked　along　the　row　of　whispering　littluns。　〃Serve　you　right　if　something　did　get　you；　you　useless　lot　of　cry…babies！　But　there　is　no　animal…〃
　Ralph　interrupted　him　testily。
　〃What　is　all　this？　Who　said　anything　about　an　animal？〃
　〃You　did；　the　other　day。　You　said　they　dream　and　cry　out　Now　they　talk…not　only　the　littluns；　but　my　hunters　sometimes…talk　of　a　thing；　a　dark　thing；　a　beast；　some　sort　of　animal　I've　heard。　You　thought　not；　didn't　you？　Now　listen。　You　don't　get　big　animals　on　small　islands。　Only　pigs。　You　only　get　lions　and　tigers　in　big　countries　like　Africa　and　India…〃
　〃And　the　Zoo…〃
　〃I've　got　the　conch。　I'm　not　talking　about　the　fear。　I'm　talking　about　the　beast。　Be　frightened　if　you　like。　But　as　for　the　beast…〃
　Jack　paused；　cradling　the　conch；　and　turned　to　his　hunt〃　ers　with　their　dirty　black　caps。
　〃Am　I　a　hunter　or　am　I　not？〃
　They　nodded；　simply。　He　was　a　hunter　all　right。　No　one　doubted　that。
　〃Well　then…I've　been　all　over　this　island。　By　myself。　If　there