wgolding.lordoftheflies-第37部分

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！


shock　of　yellow　hair。　One　eye　was　a　slit　in　his　puffy　cheek　and　a　great　scab　had　formed　on　his　right　knee。　He　paused　for　a　moment　and　peered　at　the　figure　on　the　platform。
　〃Piggy？　Are　you　the　only　one　left？〃
　〃There's　some　littluns。〃
　〃They　don't　count。　No　biguns？〃
　〃Oh…Samneric。　They're　collecting　wood。〃
　〃Nobody　else？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。〃
　Ralph　climbed　on　to　the　platform　carefully。　The　coarse　grass　was　still　worn　away　where　the　assembly　used　to　sit；　the　fragile　white　conch　still　gleamed　by　the　polished　seat　Ralph　sat　down　in　the　grass　facing　the　chiefs　seat　and　the　conch。　Piggy　knelt　at　his　left；　and　for　a　long　minute　there　was　silence。
　At　last　Ralph　cleared　his　throat　and　whispered　something。
　Piggy　whispered　back。
　〃What　you　say？〃
　Ralph　spoke　up。
　〃Simon。〃
　Piggy　said　nothing　but　nodded；　solemnly。　They　continued　to　sit；　gazing　with　impaired　sight　at　the　chief's　seat　and　the　glittering　lagoon。　The　green　light　and　the　glossy　patches　of　sunshine　played　over　their　befouled　bodies。
　At　length　Ralph　got　up　and　went　to　the　conch。　He　took　the　shell　caressingly　with　both　hands　and　knelt；　leaning　against　the　trunk。
　〃Piggy〃　
　〃Uh？〃
　〃What　we　going　to　do？〃
　Piggy　nodded　at　the　conch。
　〃You　could…〃
　〃Call　an　assembly？〃
　Ralph　laughed　sharply　as　he　said　the　word　and　Piggy　frowned。
　〃You're　still　chief。〃
　Ralph　laughed　again。
　〃You　are。　Over　us。〃
　〃I　got　the　conch。〃
　〃Ralph！　Stop　laughing　like　that。　Look；　there　ain't　no　need；　Ralph！　What's　the　others　going　to　think？〃
　At　last　Ralph　stopped。　He　was　shivering。
　〃Piggy…〃
　〃Uh？〃
　〃That　was　Simon。〃　〃You　said　that　before。〃
　〃Piggy…〃　
　〃Uh？〃
　〃That　was　murder。〃
　〃You　stop　it！〃　said　Piggy；　shrilly。　〃What　good're　you　doing　talking　like　that？〃
　He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　stood　over　Ralph。
　〃It　was　dark。　There　was　that…that　bloody　dance。　There　was　lightning　and　thunder　and　rain。　We　was　scared！〃
　〃I　wasn't　scared；〃　said　Ralph　slowly；　〃I　was…I　don't　know　what　I　was。〃
　〃We　was　scared！〃　said　Piggy　excitedly。　〃Anything　might　have　happened。　It　wasn't…what　you　said。〃
　He　was　gesticulating；　searching　for　a　formula。
　〃Oh；　Piggy！〃
　Ralph's　voice；　low　and　stricken；　stopped　Piggy's　gestures。　He　bent　down　and　waited。　Ralph；　cradling　the　conch；　rocked　himself　to　and　fro。
　〃Don't　you　understand；　Piggy？　The　things　we　did…〃
　〃He　may　still　be…〃
　〃No。〃
　〃P'raps　he　was　only　pretending…〃
　Piggy's　voice　trailed　off　at　the　sight　of　Ralph's　face。
　〃You　were　outside。　Outside　the　circle。　You　never　really　came　in。　Didn't　you　see　what　we…what　they　did？〃
　There　was　loathing；　and　at　the　same　time　a　kind　of　feverish　excitement；　in　his　voice。
　〃Didn't　you　see；　Piggy？〃
　〃Not　all　that　well。　I　only　got　one　eye　now。　You　ought　to　know　that；　Ralph。〃
　Ralph　continued　to　rock　to　and　fro。
　〃It　was　an　accident；〃　said　Piggy　suddenly；　〃that's　what　it　was。　An　accident。〃　His　voice　shrilled　again。　〃ing　in　the　dark…he　hadn't　no　business　crawling　like　that　out　of　the　dark。　He　was　batty。　He　asked　for　it。　He　gesticulated　widely　again。　〃It　was　an　accident。〃
　〃You　didn't　see　what　they　did…〃
　〃Look；　Ralph。　We　got　to　forget　this。　We　can't　do　no　good　thinking　about　it；　see？〃
　〃I'm　frightened。　Of　us。　I　want　to　go　home。　Oh　God；　I　want　to　go　home。〃
　〃It　was　an　accident；〃　said　Piggy　stubbornly；　〃and　that's　that。〃
　He　touched　Ralph's　bare　shoulder　and　Ralph　shuddered　at　the　human　contact。
　〃And　look；　Ralph〃…Piggy　glanced　round　quickly；　then　leaned　close…〃don't　let　on　we　was　in　that　dance。　Not　to　Samneric。〃
　〃But　we　were！　All　of　us！〃
　Piggy　shook　his　head。
　〃Not　us　till　last。　They　never　noticed　in　the　dark。　Anyway　you　said　I　was　only　on　the　outside。〃
　〃So　was　I；〃　muttered　Ralph；　〃I　was　on　the　outside　too。〃
　Piggy　nodded　eagerly。
　〃That's　right。　We　was　on　the　outside。　We　never　done　nothing；　we　never　seen　nothing。〃
　Piggy　paused；　then　went　on。
　〃We'll　live　on　our　own；　the　four　of　us…〃
　〃Four　of　us。　We　aren't　enough　to　keep　the　fire　burning。〃　
　〃We'll　try。　See？　I　lit　it。〃
　Samneric　came　dragging　a　great　log　out　of　the　forest。　They　dumped　it　by　the　fire　and　turned　to　the　pool。　Ralph　jumped　to　his　feet。
　〃Hi！　You　two！〃
　The　twins　checked　a　moment；　then　walked　on。
　〃They're　going　to　bathe；　Ralph。〃
　〃Better　get　it　over。〃
　The　twins　were　very　surprised　to　see　Ralph。　They　flushed　and　looked　past　him　into　the　air。
　〃Hullo。　Fancy　meeting　you；　Ralph。〃
　〃We　just　been　in　the　forest〃
　〃…to　get　wood　for　the　fire…〃
　〃…we　got　lost　last　night。〃
　Ralph　examined　his　toes。
　〃You　got　lost　after　the　。　。　。〃
　Piggy　cleaned　his　lens。
　〃After　the　feast；〃　said　Sam　in　a　stifled　voice。　Eric　nodded。　〃Yes；　after　the　feast。〃
　〃We　left　early；〃　said　Piggy　quickly；　〃because　we　were　tired。〃
　〃So　did　we…〃
　〃…very　early…〃
　〃…we　were　very　tired。〃
　Sam　touched　a　scratch　on　his　forehead　and　then　hurriedly　took　his　hand　away。　Eric　fingered　his　split　lip。
　〃Yes。　We　were　very　tired；〃　repeated　Sam；　〃so　we　left　early。　Was　it　a　good…〃
　The　air　was　heavy　with　unspoken　knowledge。　Sam　twisted　and　the　obscene　word　shot　out　of　him。　〃…dance？〃
　Memory　of　the　dance　that　none　of　them　had　attended　shook　all　tour　boys　convulsively。
　〃We　left　early。〃
　
　When　Roger　came　to　the　neck　of　land　that　joined　the　Castle　Rock　to　the　mainland　he　was　not　surprised　to　be　challenged。　He　had　reckoned；　during　the　terrible　night；　on　finding　at　least　some　of　the　tribe　holding　out　against　the　horrors　of　the　island　in　the　safest　place。
　The　voice　rang　out　sharply　from　on　high；　where　the　diminishing　crags　were　balanced　one　on　another。
　〃Halt！　Who　goes　there？〃
　〃Roger。〃
　〃Advance；　friend。〃
　Roger　advanced。
　〃The　chief　said　we　got　to　challenge　everyone。〃
　Roger　peered　up。
　〃You　couldn't　stop　me　ing　if　I　wanted。〃
　〃Couldn't　I？　Climb　up　and　see。〃
　Roger　clambered　up　the　ladder…like　cliff。
　〃Look　at　this。〃
　A　log　had　been　jammed　under　the　topmost　rock　and　another　lever　under　that。　Robert　leaned　lightly　on　the　lever　and　the　rock　groaned。　A　full　effort　would　send　the　rock　thundering　down　to　the　neck　of　land。　Roger　admired。
　〃He's　a　proper　chief；　isn't　he？〃
　Robert　nodded。
　〃He's　going　to　take　us　hunting。〃
　He　jerked　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　distant　shelters　where　a　thread　of　white　smoke　climbed　up　the　sky。　Roger；　sitting　on　the　very　edge　of　the　cliff；　looked　somberly　back　at　the　island　as　he　worked　with　his　fingers　at　a　loose　tooth。　His　gaze　settled　on　the　top　of　the　distant　mountain　and　Robert　changed　the　unspoken　subject。
　〃He's　going　to　beat　Wilfred。〃
　〃What　for？〃
　Robert　shook　his　head　doubtfully。
　〃I　don't　know。　He　didn't　say。　He　got　angry　and　made　us　tie　Wilfred　up。　He's　been〃…he　giggled　excitedly…　〃he's　been　tied　for　hours；　waiting…〃
　〃But　didn't　the　chief　say　why？'
　〃I　never　heard　him。〃
　Sitting　on　the　tremendous　rocks　in　the　torrid　sun；　Roger　received　this　news　as　an　illumination。　He　ceased　to　work　at　his　tooth　and　sat　still；　assimilating　the　possibilities　of　irresponsible　authority。　Then；　without　another　word；　he　climbed　down　the　back　of　the　rocks　toward　the　cave　and　the　rest　of　the　tribe。
　The　chief　was　sitting　there；　naked　to　the　waist；　his　face　blocked　out　in　white　and　red。　The　tribe　lay　in　a　semicircle　before　him。　The　newly　beaten　and　untied　Wilfred　was　sniffing　noisily　in　the　background。　Roger　squatted　with　the　rest。
　〃Tomorrow；〃　went　on　the　chief；　〃we　shall　hunt　again。〃
　He　pointed　at　this　savage　and　that　with　his　spear。
　〃Some　of　you　will　stay　here　to　improve　the　cave　and　defend　the　gate。　I　shall　take　a　few　hunters　with　me　and　bring　back　meat。　The　defenders　of　the　gate　will　see　that　the　others　don't　sneak　in。〃
　A　savage　raised　his　hand　and　the　chief　turned　a　bleak；　painted　face　toward　him。
　〃Why　should　they　try　to　sneak　in；　Chief？〃
　The　chief　was　vague　but　earnest。
　〃They　will。　They'll　try　to　spoil　things　we　do。　So　the　watchers　at　the　gate　must　be　careful。　And　then…〃
　The　chief　paused。　They　saw　a　triangle　of　startling　pink　dart　out；　pass　along　his　lips　and　vanish　again。
　〃…and　then；　the　beast　might　try　to　e　in。　You　remember　how　he　crawled…〃
　The　semicircle　shuddered　and　muttered　in　agreement。
　〃He　came…disguised。　He　may　e　again　even　though　we　gave　him　the　head　of　our　kill