wgolding.lordoftheflies-第7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！


led　himself　up；　carrying　most　of　his　clothes　under　his　arms。　Then　he　sat　carefully　on　a　fallen　trunk　near　the　little　cliff　that　fronted　the　lagoon；　and　the　tangled　reflections　quivered　over　him。
　Presently　he　spoke。
　〃We　got　to　find　the　others。　We　got　to　do　something。〃
　Ralph　said　nothing。　Here　was　a　coral　island。　Protected　from　the　sun；　ignoring　Piggy's　ill…omened　talk；　he　dreamed　pleasantly。
　Piggy　insisted。
　〃How　many　of　us　are　there？〃
　Ralph　came　forward　and　stood　by　Piggy。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　Here　and　there；　little　breezes　crept　over　the　polished　waters　beneath　the　haze　of　heat。　When　these　breezes　reached　the　platform　the　palm　fronds　would　whisper；　so　that　spots　of　blurred　sunlight　slid　over　their　bodies　or　moved　like　bright；　winged　things　in　the　shade。
　Piggy　looked　up　at　Ralph。　All　the　shadows　on　Ralph's　face　were　reversed；　green　above；　bright　below　from　the　lagoon。　A　blur　of　sunlight　was　crawling　across　his　hair。
　〃We　got　to　do　something。〃
　Ralph　looked　through　him。　Here　at　last　was　the　imagined　out　never　fully　realized　place　leaping　into　real　life。　Ralph's　lips　parted　in　a　delighted　smile　and　Piggy；　taking　this　smile　to　himself　as　a　mark　of　recognition；　laughed　with　pleasure。
　〃If　ft　really　is　an　island…〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　Ralph　had　stopped　smiling　and　was　pointing　into　the　lagoon。　Something　creamy　lay　among　the　ferny　weeds。
　〃A　stone。〃
　〃No。　A　shell〃
　Suddenly　Piggy　was　a…bubble　with　decorous　excitement
　〃S'right。　It's　a　shell！　I　seen　one　like　that　before。　On　someone's　back　wall　A　conch　he　called　it。　He　used　to　blow　it　and　then　his　mum　would　e。　It's　ever　so　valuable…〃
　Near　to　Ralph's　elbow　a　palm　sapling　leaned　out　over　the　lagoon。　Indeed；　the　weight　was　already　pulling　a　lump　from　the　poor　soil　and　soon　it　would　fall。　He　tore　out　the　stem　and　began　to　poke　about　in　the　water；　while　the　brilliant　fish　flicked　away　on　this　side　and　that。　Piggy　leaned　dangerously。
　〃Careful！　You'll　break　it…〃
　〃Shut　up。〃
　Ralph　spoke　absently。　The　shell　was　interesting　and　pretty　and　a　worthy　plaything；　but　the　vivid　phantoms　of　his　day…dream　still　interposed　between　him　and　Piggy；　who　in　this　context　was　an　irrelevance。　The　palm　sapling；　bending；　pushed　the　shell　across　the　weeds。　Ralph　used　one　hand　as　a　fulcrum　and　pressed　down　with　the　other　till　the　shell　rose；　dripping；　and　Piggy　could　make　a　grab。
　Now　the　shell　was　no　longer　a　thing　seen　but　not　to　be　touched；　Ralph　too　became　excited。　Piggy　babbled：　
　〃…a　conch；　ever　so　expensive。　I　bet　if　you　wanted　to　buy　one；　you'd　have　to　pay　pounds　and　pounds　and　pounds　…he　had　it　on　his　garden　wall；　and　my　auntie…〃
　Ralph　took　the　shell　from　Piggy　and　a　little　water　ran　down　his　arm。　In　color　the　shell　was　deep　cream；　touched　here　and　there　with　fading　pink。　Between　the　point；　worn　away　into　a　little　hole；　and　the　pink　lips　of　the　mouth；　lay　eighteen　inches　of　shell　with　a　slight　spiral　twist　and　covered　with　a　delicate；　embossed　pattern。　Ralph　shook　sand　out　of　the　deep　tube。
　〃…mooed　like　a　cow；〃　he　said。　〃He　had　some　white　stones　too；　an'　a　bird　cage　with　a　green　parrot。　He　didn't　blow　the　white　stones；　of　course；　an‘　he　said…〃
　Piggy　paused　for　breath　and　stroked　the　glistening　thing　that　lay　in　Ralph's　hands。　
　〃Ralph！〃　
　Ralph　looked　up。
　〃We　can　use　this　to　call　the　others。　Have　a　meeting。　They'll　e　when　they　hear　us…〃
　He　beamed　at　Ralph。
　〃That　was　what　you　meant；　didn't　you？　That's　why　you　got　the　conch　out　of　the　water？''
　Ralph　pushed　back　his　fair　hair。
　〃How　did　your　friend　blow　the　conch？〃
　〃He　kind　of　spat；〃　said　Piggy。　〃My　auntie　wouldn't　let　me　blow　on　account　of　my　asthma。　He　said　you　blew　from　down　here。〃　Piggy　laid　a　hand　on　his　jutting　abdomen。　〃You　try；　Ralph。　You'll　call　the　others。〃
　Doubtfully；　Ralph　laid　the　small　end　of　the　shell　against　his　mouth　and　blew。　There　came　a　rushing　sound　from　its　mouth　but　nothing　more。　Ralph　wiped　the　salt　water　off　his　lips　and　tried　again；　but　the　shell　remained　silent。
　〃He　kind　of　spat。〃
　Ralph　pursed　his　lips　and　squirted　air　into　the　shell；　which　emitted　a　low；　farting　noise。　This　amused　both　boys　so　much　that　Ralph　went　on　squirting　for　some　minutes；　between　bouts　of　laughter。
　〃He　blew　from　down　here。〃
　Ralph　grasped　the　idea　and　hit　the　shell　with　air　from　his　diaphragm。　Immediately　the　thing　sounded。　A　deep；　harsh　note　boomed　under　the　palms；　spread　through　the　intricacies　of　the　forest　and　echoed　back　from　the　pink　granite　of　the　mountain。　Clouds　of　birds　rose　from　the　tree…tops；　and　something　squealed　and　ran　in　the　undergrowth。
　Ralph　took　the　shell　away　from　his　lips。
　〃Gosh！〃
　His　ordinary　voice　sounded　like　a　whisper　after　the　harsh　note　of　the　conch。　He　laid　the　conch　against　his　lips；　took　a　deep　breath　and　blew　once　more。　The　note　Doomed　again：　and　then　at　his　firmer　pressure；　the　note；　fluking　up　an　octave；　became　a　strident　blare　more　penetrating　than　before。　Piggy　was　shouting　something；　his　face　pleased；　his　glasses　flashing。　The　birds　cried；　small　animals　scuttered。　Ralph's　breath　failed；　the　note　dropped　the　octave；　became　a　low　wubber；　was　a　rush　of　air。
　The　conch　was　silent；　a　gleaming　tusk；　Ralph's　face　was　dark　with　breathlessness　and　the　air　over　the　island　was　full　of　bird…clamor　and　echoes　ringing。
　〃I　bet　you　can　hear　that　for　miles。〃
　Ralph　found　his　breath　and　blew　a　series　of　short　blasts。　
　Piggy　exclaimed：　〃There's　one！〃
　A　child　had　appeared　among　the　palms；　about　a　hundred　yards　along　the　beach。　He　was　a　boy　of　perhaps　six　years；　sturdy　and　fair；　his　clothes　torn；　his　face　covered　with　a　sticky　mess　of　fruit。　His　trousers　had　been　lowered　for　an　obvious　purpose　and　had　only　been　pulled　back　half…way。　He　jumped　off　the　palm　terrace　into　the　sand　and　his　trousers　fell　about　his　ankles；　he　stepped　out。　of　them　and　trotted　to　the　platform。　Piggy　helped　him　up。　Meanwhile　Ralph　continued　to　blow　till　voices　shouted　in　the　forest　The　small　boy　squatted　in　front　of　Ralph；　looking　up　brightly　and　vertically。　As　he　received　the　reassurance　of　something　purposeful　being　done　he　began　to　look　satisfied；　and　his　only　clean　digit；　a　pink　thumb；　slid　into　his　mouth。
　Piggy　leaned　down　to　him。　
　〃What's　yer　name？〃　
　〃Johnny。〃
　Piggy　muttered　the　name　to　himself　and　then　shouted　it　to　Ralph；　who　was　not　interested　because　he　was　still　blowing。　His　face　was　dark　with　the　violent　pleasure　of　making　this　stupendous　noise；　and　his　heart　was　making　the　stretched　shirt　shake。　The　shouting　in　the　forest　was　nearer。　
　Signs　of　life　were　visible　now　on　the　beach。　The　sand；　trembling　beneath　the　heat　haze；　concealed　many　figures　in　its　miles　of　length；　boys　were　making　their　way　toward　the　platform　through　the　hot；　dumb　sand。　Three　small　children；　no　older　than　Johnny；　appeared　from　startlingly　dose　at　hand　where　they　had　been　gorging　fruit　in　the　forest　A　dark　little　boy；　not　much　younger　than　Piggy；　parted　a　tangle　of　undergrowth；　walked　on　to　the　platform；　and　smiled　cheerfully　at　everybody。　More　and　more　of　them　came。　Taking　their　cue　from　the　innocent　Johnny；　they　sat　down　on　the　fallen　palm　trunks　and　waited。　Ralph　continued　to　blow　short；　penetrating　blasts。　Piggy　moved　among　the　crowd；　asking　names　and　frowning　to　remember　them。　The　children　gave　him　the　same　simple　obedience　that　they　had　given　to　the　men　with　megaphones。　Some　were　naked　and　carrying　their　clothes；　others　half…naked；　or　more　or　less　dressed；　in　school　uniforms；　grey；　blue；　fawn；　jacketed　or　jerseyed。　There　were　badges；　mottoes　even；　stripes　of　color　in　stockings　and　pullovers。　Their　heads　clustered　above　the　trunks　in　the　green　shade；　heads　brown；　fair；　black；　chestnut；　sandy；　mouse…colored；　heads　muttering；　whispering；　heads　full　of　eyes　that　watched　Ralph　and　speculated。　Something　was　being　done。
　The　children　who　came　along　the　beach；　singly　or　in　twos；　leapt　into　visibility　when　they　crossed　the　line　from　heat　haze　to　nearer　sand。　Here；　the　eye　was　first　attracted　to　a　black；　bat…like　creature　that　danced　on　the　sand；　and　only　later　perceived　the　body　above　it。　The　bat　was　the　child's　shadow；　shrunk　by　the　vertical　sun　to　a　patch　between　the　hurrying　feet。　Even　while　he　blew；　Ralph　noticed　the　last　pair　of　bodies　that　reached　the　platform　a