wgolding.lordoftheflies-第39部分

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　The　　success　　of　　his　　　tiny　　joke　　overcame　　　Ralph。　　　His　sniggers　became　　uncontrollable；　　his　　body　jumped　and
　Piggy　rebuked　him　with　dignity。
　〃I　haven't　said　anything　all　that　funny。〃
　Ralph　continued　to　snigger　though　his　chest　hurt。　His　twitchings　exhausted　him　till　he　lay；　breathless　and　woebegone；　waiting　for　the　next　spasm。　During　one　of　these　pauses　he　was　ambushed　by　sleep。
　〃Ralph！　You　been　making　a　noise　again。　Do　be　quiet；　Ralph…because。〃
　Ralph　heaved　over　among　the　leaves。　He　had　reason　to　be　thankful　that　his　dream　was　broken；　for　the　bus　had　been　nearer　and　more　distinct
　〃Why…because？〃
　〃Be　quiet…and　listen。〃
　Ralph　lay　down　carefully；　to　the　acpaniment　of　a　long　sigh　from　the　leaves。　Eric　moaned　something　and　then　lay　still。　The　darkness；　save　for　the　useless　oblong　of　stars；　was　blanket…thick。
　〃I　can't　hear　anything；〃
　〃There's　something　moving　outside。〃
　Ralph's　head　prickled。　The　sound　of　his　blood　drowned　all　else　and　then　subsided。
　〃I　still　can't　hear　anything。〃
　〃Listen。　Listen　for　a　long　time。〃
　Quite　clearly　and　emphatically；　and　only　a　yard　or　so　away　from　the　back　of　the　shelter；　a　stick　cracked。　The　blood　roared　again　in　Ralph's　ears；　confused　images　chased　each　other　through　his　mind。　A　posite　of　these　things　was　prowling　round　the　shelters。　He　could　feel　Piggy's　head　against　his　shoulder　and　the　convulsive　grip　of　a　hand。
　〃Ralph！　Ralph！〃
　〃Shut　up　and　listen。〃
　Desperately；　Ralph　prayed　that　the　beast　would　prefer　littluns。
　A　voice　whispered　horribly　outside。
　〃Piggy…Piggy…〃
　〃It's　e！　　　gasped　Piggy。　It's　real！〃
　He　clung　to　Ralph　and　reached　to　get　his　breath。
　〃Piggy；　e　outside。　I　want　you；　Piggy。〃
　Ralph's　mouth　was　against　Piggy's　ear。
　〃Don't　say　anything。〃
　〃Piggy…where　are　you；　Piggy？〃
　Something　brushed　against　the　back　of　the　shelter。　Piggy　kept　still　for　a　moment；　then　he　had　his　asthma。　He　arched　his　back　and　crashed　among　the　leaves　with　his　legs。　Ralph　rolled　away　from　him。
　Then　there　was　a　vicious　snarling　in　the　mouth　of　the　shelter　and　the　plunge　and　thump　of　living　things。　Someone　tripped　over　Ralph　and　Piggy's　corner　became　a　plication　of　snarls　and　crashes　and　flying　limbs。　Ralph　hit　out；　then　he　and　what　seemed　like　a　dozen　others　were　rolling　over　and　over；　hitting；　biting；　scratching。　He　was　torn　and　jolted；　found　fingers　in　his　mouth　ana　bit　them。　A　fist　withdrew　and　came　back　like　a　piston；　so　that　the　whole　shelter　exploded　into　light　Ralph　twisted　sideways　on　top　of　a　writhing　body　and　felt　hot　breath　on　his　cheek　He　began　to　pound　the　mouth　below　him；　using　his　clenched　fist　as　a　hammer；　he　hit　with　more　and　more　passionate　hysteria　as　the　face　became　slippery。　A　knee　jerked　up　between　his　legs　and　he　fell　sideways；　busying　himself　with　his　pain；　and　the　fight　rolled　over　him。　Then　the　shelter　collapsed　with　smothering　finality；　and　the　anonymous　shapes　fought　their　way　out　and　through。　Dark　figures　drew　themselves　out　of　the　wreckage　and　flitted　away；　till　the　screams　of　the　littluns　and　Piggy's　gasps　were　once　more　audible。
　Ralph　called　out　in　a　quavering　voice。
　〃All　you　littluns；　go　to　sleep。　We've　bad　a　fight　with　the　others。　Now　go　to　sleep。〃
　Samneric　came　close　and　peered　at　Ralph。
　〃Are　you　two　all　right？〃
　〃I　think　so…〃
　〃…I　got　busted。〃
　〃So　did　I。　How's　Piggy？〃
　They　hauled　Piggy　clear　of　the　wreckage　and　leaned　him　against　a　tree。　The　night　was　cool　and　purged　of　immediate　terror。　Piggy's　breathing　was　a　little　easier。
　〃Did　you　get　hurt；　Piggy？〃
　〃Not　much。〃
　〃That　was　Jack　and　his　hunters；〃　said　Ralph　bitterly。　〃Why　can't　they　leave　us　alone？〃
　〃We　gave　them　something　to　think　about；〃　said　Sam。　Honestly　pelled　him　to　go　on。　〃At　least　you　did。　I　got　mixed　up　with　myself　in　a　corner。〃
　〃I　gave　one　of　'em　what　for；〃　said　Ralph；　1　smashed　him　up　all　right。　He　won't　want　to　e　and　fight　us　again　in　a　hurry。〃
　〃So　did　I；〃　said　Eric。　〃When　I　woke　up　one　was　kicking　me　in　the　face。。。　I　got　an　awful　bloody　face；　I　think；　Ralph。　But　I　did　him　in　the　end。〃
　〃What　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　got　my　knee　up；〃　said　Eric　with　simple　pride；　〃and　I　hit　him　with　it　in　the　pills。　You　should　have　heard　him　holler！　He　won't　e　back　in　a　hurry　either。　So　we　didn't　do　too　badly。〃
　Ralph　moved　suddenly　in　the　dark；　but　then　he　heard　Eric　working　at　his　mouth。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Jus'　a　tooth　loose。〃
　Piggy　drew　up　his　legs。
　〃You　all　right；　Piggy？〃
　〃I　thought　they　wanted　the　conch。〃
　Ralph　trotted　down　the　pale　beach　and　jumped　on　to　the　platform。　The　conch　still　glimmered　by　the　chiefs　seat　He　gazed　for　a　moment　or　two；　then　went　back　to　Piggy。
　〃They　didn't　take　the　conch。〃
　〃I　know。　They　didn't　e　for　the　conch。　They　came　for　something　else。　Ralph…what　am　I　going　to　do？〃
　Far　off　along　the　bowstave　of　beach；　three　figures　trotted　toward　the　Castle　Rock。　They　kept　away　from　the　forest　and　down　by　the　water。　Occasionally　they　sang　softly；　occasionally　they　turned　cartwheels　down　by　the　moving　streak　of　phosphorescence。　The　chief　led　them；　trotting　steadily；　exulting　in　his　achievement　He　was　a　chief　now　in　truth；　and　he　made　stabbing　motions　with　his　spear。　From　his　left　hand　dangled　Piggy's　broken　glasses。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　Castle　Rock
　
　In　the　short　chill　of　dawn　the　four　boys　gathered　round　the　black　smudge　where　the　fire　had　been；　while　Ralph　knelt　and　blew。　Grey；　feathery　ashes　scurried　hither　and　thither　at　his　breath　but　no　spark　shone　among　them　The　twins　watched　anxiously　and　Piggy　sat　expressionless　behind　the　luminous　wall　of　his　myopia。　Ralph　continued　to　blow　till　his　ears　were　singing　with　the　effort；　but　then　the　first　breeze　of　dawn　took　the　job　off　his　hands　and　blinded　him　with　ashes。　He　squatted　back；　swore；　and　rubbed　water　out　of　his　eyes。
　〃No　use。〃
　Eric　looked　down　at　him　through　a　mask　of　dried　blood。　Piggy　peered　in　the　general　direction　of　Ralph。
　〃　'Course　it's　no　use；　Ralph。　Now　we　got　no　fire。〃
　Ralph　　brought　his　　face　　within　a　couple　of　feet　of　Piggy‘s。
　〃Can　you　see　me？〃
　〃A　bit。〃
　Ralph　allowed　the　swollen　flap　of　his　cheek　to　close　his　eye　again。
　〃They've　got　our　fire。〃
　Rage　shrilled　his　voice。
　〃They　stole　it！〃
　〃That's　them；〃　said　Piggy。　They　blinded　me。　See？　That's　Jack　Merridew。　You　call　an　assembly；　Ralph；　we　got　to　decide　what　to　do。〃
　〃An　assembly　for　only　us？〃
　〃It's　all　we　got。　Sam…let　me　hold　on　to　you。〃
　They　went　toward　the　platform。
　〃Blow　the　conch；〃　said　Piggy。　〃Blow　as　loud　as　you　can。〃　
　The　forest　re…echoed；　and　birds　lifted；　crying　out　of　the　treetops；　as　on　that　first　morning　ages　ago。　Both　ways　the　beach　was　deserted。　Some　littluns　came　from　the　shelters。　Ralph　sat　down　on　the　polished　trunk　and　the　three　others　stood　before　him。　He　nodded；　and　Samneric　sat　down　on　the　right。　Ralph　pushed　the　conch　into　Piggy's　hands。　He　held　the　shining　tiling　carefully　and　blinked　at　Ralph。
　〃Go　on；　then。〃
　〃I　just　take　the　conch　to　say　this。　I　can't　see　no　more　and　I　got　to　get　my　glasses　back。　Awful　things　has　been　done　on　this　island。　I　voted　for　you　for　chief。　He's　the　only　one　who　ever　got　anything　done。　So　now　you　speak；　Ralph；　and　tell　us　what。　Or　else…〃
　Piggy　broke　off；　sniveling。　Ralph　took　back　the　conch　as　he　sat　down。
　〃Just　an　ordinary　fire。　You'd　think　we　could　do　that；　wouldn't　you？　Just　a　smoke　signal　so　we　can　be　rescued。　Are　we　savages　or　what？　Only　now　there's　no　signal　going　up。　Ships　may　be　passing。　Do　you　remember　how　he　went　hunting　and　the　fire　went　out　and　a　ship　passed　by？　And　they　all　think　he's　best　as　chief。　Then　there　was；　there　was　。　。　。　that's　his　fault；　too。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　him　it　would　never　have　happened。　Now　Piggy　can't　see；　and　they　came；　stealing…〃　Ralph's　voice　ran　up　〃…at　night；　in　darkness；　and　stole　our　fire。　They　stole　it。　We'd　have　given　them　fire　if　they'd　asked。　But　they　stole　it　and　the　signal's　out　and　we　can't　ever　be　rescued。　Don't　you　see　what　I　mean？　We'd　have　given　them　fire　for　themselves　only　they　stole　it。　I…〃
　He　paused　lamely　as　the　curtain　flickered　in　his　brain。　Piggy　held　out　his　hands　for　the　conch。
　〃What　you　goin'　to　do；　Ralph？　This　is　jus'　talk　without　deciding。　I　want　my　glasses。〃
　〃I'm　try