wgolding.lordoftheflies-第43部分

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w　it　was　a　pool　of　shadows　and　Ralph　nearly　flung　himself　behind　a　tree　when　he　saw　something　standing　in　the　center；　but　then　he　saw　that　the　white　face　was　bone　and　that　the　pig's　skull　grinned　at　him　from　the　top　of　a　stick。　He　walked　slowly　into　the　middle　of　the　clearing　and　looked　steadily　at　the　skull　that　gleamed　as　white　as　ever　the　conch　had　done　and　seemed　to　jeer　at　him　cynically。　An　inquisitive　ant　was　busy　in　one　of　the　eye　sockets　but　otherwise　the　thing　was　lifeless。
　Or　was　it？
　Little　prickles　of　sensation　ran　up　and　down　his　back。　He　stood；　the　skull　about　on　a　level　with　his　face；　and　held　up　his　hair　with　two　hands。　The　teeth　grinned；　the　empty　sockets　seemed　to　hold　his　gaze　masterfully　and　without　effort。
　What　was　it？
　The　skull　regarded　Ralph　like　one　who　knows　all　the　answers　and　won't　tell。　A　sick　fear　and　rage　swept　him。　Fiercely　he　hit　out　at　the　filthy　thing　in　front　of　him　that　bobbed　like　a　toy　and　came　back；　still　grinning　into　his　face；　so　that　he　lashed　and　cried　out　in　loathing。　Then　he　was　licking　his　bruised　knuckles　and　looking　at　the　bare　stick；　while　the　skull　lay　in　two　pieces；　its　grin　now　six　feet　across。　He　wrenched　the　quivering　stick　from　the　crack　and　held　it　as　a　spear　between　him　and　the　white　pieces。　Then　he　backed　away；　keeping　his　face　to　the　skull　that　lay　grinning　at　the　sky。
　When　the　green　glow　had　gone　from　the　horizon　and　night　was　fully　acplished；　Ralph　came　again　to　the　thicket　in　front　of　the　Castle　Rock。　Peeping　through；　he　could　see　that　the　height　was　still　occupied；　and　whoever　it　was　up　there　had　a　spear　at　the　ready。
　He　knelt　among　the　shadows　and　felt　his　isolation　bitterly。　They　were　savages　it　was　true；　but　they　were　human；　and　the　ambushing　fears　of　the　deep　night　were　ing　on。
　Ralph　moaned　faintly。　Tired　though　he　was；　he　could　not　relax　and　fall　into　a　well　of　sleep　for　fear　of　the　tribe。　Might　it　not　be　possible　to　walk　boldly　into　the　fort；　say…〃I've　got　pax；〃　laugh　lightly　and　sleep　among　the　others？　Pretend　they　were　still　boys；　schoolboys　who　had　said；　〃Sir；　yes；　Sir〃…and　worn　caps？　Daylight　might　have　answered　yes；　but　darkness　and　the　horrors　of　death　said　no。　Lying　there　in　the　darkness；　he　knew　he　was　an　outcast。
　〃　'Cos　I　had　some　sense。〃
　He　rubbed　his　cheek　along　his　forearm；　smelling　the　acrid　scent　of　salt　and　sweat　and　the　staleness　of　dirt。　Over　to　the　left；　the　waves　of　ocean　were　breathing；　sucking　down；　then　boiling　back　over　the　rock。
　There　were　sounds　ing　from　behind　the　Castle　Rock　Listening　carefully；　detaching　his　mind　from　the　swing　of　the　sea；　Ralph　could　make　out　a　familiar　rhythm。
　〃Kill　the　beast！　Cut　his　throat！　Spill　his　blood！〃
　The　tribe　was　dancing。　Somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　this　rocky　wall　there　would　be　a　dark　circle；　a　glowing　fire；　and　meat。　They　would　be　savoring　food　and　the　fort　of　safety。
　A　noise　nearer　at　hand　made　him　quiver。　Savages　were　clambering　up　the　Castle　Rock；　right　up　to　the　top；　and　he　could　hear　voices。　He　sneaked　forward　a　few　yards　and　saw　the　shape　at　the　top　of　the　rock　change　and　enlarge。　There　were　only　two　boys　on　the　island　who　moved　or　talked　like　that。
　Ralph　put　his　head　down　on　his　forearms　and　accepted　this　new　fact　like　a　wound。　Samneric　were　part　of　the　tribe　now。　They　were　guarding　the　Castle　Rock　against　him。　There　was　no　chance　of　rescuing　them　and　building　up　an　outlaw　tribe　at　the　other　end　of　the　island。　Samneric　were　savages　like　the　rest；　Piggy　was　dead；　and　the　conch　smashed　to　powder。
　At　length　the　guard　climbed　down。　The　two　that　remained　seemed　nothing　more　than　a　dark　extension　of　the　rock。　A　star　appeared　behind　them　and　was　momentarily　eclipsed　by　some　movement。
　Ralph　edged　forward；　feeling　his　way　over　the　uneven　surface　as　though　he　were　bund。　There　were　miles　of　vague　water　at　his　right　and　the　restless　ocean　lay　under　his　left　hand；　as　awful　as　the　shaft　of　a　pit。　Every　minute　the　water　breathed　round　the　death　rock　and　flowered　into　a　field　of　whiteness。　Ralph　crawled　until　he　found　the　ledge　of　the　entry　in　his　grasp。　The　lookouts　were　immediately　above　him　and　he　could　see　the　end　of　a　spear　projecting　over　the　rock。
　He　called　very　gently。
　〃Samneric…〃
　There　was　no　reply。　To　carry　he　must　speak　louder；　and　this　would　rouse　those　striped　and　inimical　creatures　from　their　feasting　by　the　fire。　He　set　his　teeth　and　started　to　climb；　finding　the　holds　by　touch。　The　stick　that　had　supported　a　skull　hampered　him　but　he　would　not　be　parted　from　his　only　weapon。　He　was　nearly　level　with　the　twins　before　he　spoke　again。
　〃Samneric…〃
　He　heard　a　cry　and　a　flurry　from　the　rock。　The　twins　had　grabbed　each　other　and　were　gibbering。
　〃It's　me。　Ralph。〃
　Terrified　that　they　would　run　and　give　the　alarm；　he　hauled　himself　up　until　his　head　and　shoulders　stuck　over　the　top。　Far　below　his　armpit　he　saw　the　luminous　flowering　round　the　rock。
　〃It's　only　me。　Ralph。〃
　At　length　they　bent　forward　and　peered　in　his　face。
　〃We　thought　it　was…〃
　〃…we　didn't　know　what　it　was…〃
　〃…we　thought…〃
　Memory　of　their　new　and　shameful　loyalty　came　to　them。　Eric　was　silent　but　Sam　tried　to　do　his　duty。
　〃You　got　to　go；　Ralph。　You　go　away　now…〃　
　He　wagged　his　spear　and　essayed　fierceness。　
　〃You　shove　off。　See？〃
　Eric　nodded　agreement　and　jabbed　his　spear　in　the　air。　Ralph　leaned　on　his　arms　and　did　not　go。
　〃I　came　to　see　you　two。〃
　His　voice　was　thick。　His　throat　was　hurting　him　now　though　it　had　received　no　wound。
　〃I　came　to　see　you　two…〃
　Words　could　not　express　the　dull　pain　of　these　things。　He　fell　silent；　while　the　vivid　stars　were　spilt　and　danced　all　ways。
　Sam　shifted　uneasily。
　〃Honest；　Ralph；　you'd　better　go。〃
　Ralph　looked　up　again。
　〃You　two　aren't　painted。　How　can　you…？　If　it　were　light…〃
　If　it　were　light　shame　would　burn　them　at　admitting　these　things。　But　the　night　was　dark。　Eric　took　up；　and　then　the　twins　started　their　antiphonal　speech。
　〃You　got　to　go　because　it's　not　safe…〃
　〃…they　made　us。　They　hurt　us…〃
　〃Who？　Jack？〃
　〃Oh　no…〃
　They　bent　to　him　and　lowered　their　voices。
　〃Push　off；　Ralph…'
　〃…it's　a　tribe…〃
　〃…they　made　us…〃
　〃…we　couldn't　help　it…〃
　When　Ralph　spoke　again　his　voice　was　low；　and　seemed　breathless。
　〃What　have　I　done？　I　liked　him…and　I　wanted　us　to　be　rescued…〃
　Again　the　stars　spilled　about　the　sky。　Eric　shook　his　head；　earnestly。
　〃Listen；　Ralph。　Never　mind　what's　sense。　That's　gone…〃
　〃Never　mind　about　the　chief…〃
　〃…you　got　to　go　for　your　own　good。〃
　〃The　chief　and　Roger…〃
　〃…yes；　Roger…〃
　〃They　hate　you；　Ralph。　They're　going　to　do　you。〃
　〃They're　going　to　hunt　you　tomorrow。〃
　〃But　why？〃
　〃I　dunno。　And　Ralph；　Jack；　the　chief；　says　it'll　be　dangerous…〃
　〃…and　we've　got　to　be　careful　and　throw　our　spears　like　at　a　pig。〃
　〃We're　going　to　spread　out　in　a　line　across　the　island…〃
　〃…we're　going　forward　from　this　end…〃
　〃…until　we　find　you。〃
　〃We've　got　to　give　signals　like　this。〃
　Eric　raised　his　head　and　achieved　a　faint　ululation　by　beating　on　his　open　mouth。　Then　he　glanced　behind　him　nervously。
　〃Like　that…〃
　〃…only　louder；　of　course。〃
　〃But　I've　done　nothing；〃　whispered　Ralph；　urgently。　I　only　wanted　to　keep　up　a　fire！〃
　He　paused　for　a　moment；　thinking　miserably　of　the　morrow。　A　matter　of　overwhelming　importance　occurred　to　him。
　〃What　are　you…？〃
　He　could　not　bring　himself　to　be　specific　at　first；　but　then　fear　and　loneliness　goaded　him。
　〃When　they　find　me；　what　are　they　going　to　do？〃　The　twins　were　silent。　Beneath　him；　the　death　rock　flowered　again。
　〃What　are　they…oh　God！　I'm　hungry…〃　
　The　towering　rock　seemed　to　sway　under　him。
　〃Well…what…？〃
　The　twins　answered　his　question　indirectly。
　〃You　got　to　go　now；　Ralph。〃
　〃For　your　own　good。〃
　〃Keep　away。　As　far　as　you　can。〃
　〃Won't　you　e　with　me？　Three　of　us…we'd　stand　a　chance。〃。
　After　a　moment's　silence；　Sam　spoke　in　a　strangled　voice。　
　〃You　don't　know　Roger。　He's　a　terror。〃　
　〃And　the　chief…they're　both…〃　
　〃…terrors…〃
　〃…only　Roger…〃
　Both　boys　froze。　Someone　was　climbing　toward　them　from　the　tribe。
　〃He's　ing　to　see　if　we're　keeping　watch。　Quick；　Ralph！〃
　As　he　prepared　to　let　himself　down　the　cliff；　Ralph　snat