wgolding.lordoftheflies-第34节

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　〃But　tomorrow　we'll　hunt　and　when　we've　got　meat　we'll　have　a　feast…〃
　Bill　put　up　his　hand。
　〃Yes？〃'
　〃What'll　we　use　for　lighting　the　fire？〃
　The　chiefs　blush　was　hidden　by　the　white　and　red　clay　Into　his　uncertain　silence　the　tribe　spilled　their　murmur　once　more。　Then　the　chief　held　up　his　hand。
　〃We　shall　take　fire　from　the　others。　Listen。　Tomorrow　well　hunt　and　get　meat。　Tonight　Ill　go　along　with　two　hunters…who'll　e？〃
　Maurice　and　Roger　put　up　their　hands。
　〃Maurice…〃
　〃Yes；　Chief？〃
　〃Where　was　their　fire？〃
　〃Back　at　the　old　place　by　the　fire　rock。〃
　The　chief　nodded。
　〃The　rest　of　you　can　go　to　sleep　as　soon　as　the　sun　sets。　But　us　three；　Maurice；　Roger　and　me；　we've　got　work　to　do。　We'll　leave　just　before　sunset…〃
　Maurice　put　up　his　hand。
　〃But　what　happens　if　we　meet…〃
　The　chief　waved　his　objection　aside。
　〃We'll　keep　along　by　the　sands。　Then　if　he　es　well　do　our；　our　dance　again。〃
　〃Only　the　three　of　us？〃
　Again　the　murmur　swelled　and　died　away。
　
　Piggy　handed　Ralph　his　glasses　and　waited　to　receive　back　his　sight。　The　wood　was　damp；　and　this　was　the　third　time　they　had　lighted　it　Ralph　stood　back；　speaking　to　himself。
　〃We　don't　want　another　night　without　fire。〃
　He　looked　round　guiltily　at　the　three　boys　standing　by。　This　was　the　first　time　he　had　admitted　the　double　function　of　the　fire。　Certainly　one　was　to　send　up　a　beckoning　column　of　smoke；　but　the　other　was　to　be　a　hearth　now　and　a　fort　until　they　slept。　Eric　breathed　on　the　wood　till　it　glowed　and　sent　out　a　little　flame。　A　billow　of　white　and　yellow　smoke　reeked　up。　Piggy　took　back　his　glasses　and　looked　at　the　smoke　with　pleasure。
　〃If　only　we　could　make　a　radio！〃
　〃Or　a　plane…〃
　〃…or　a　boat。〃
　Ralph　dredged　in　his　fading　knowledge　of　the　world。
　〃We　might　get　taken　prisoner　by　the　Reds。〃
　Eric　pushed　back　his　hair。
　〃They'd　be　better　than…〃
　He　would　not　name　people　and　Sam　finished　the　sentence　for　him　by　nodding　along　the　beach。
　Ralph　remembered　the　ungainly　figure　on　a　parachute。
　〃He　said　something　about　a　dead　man。〃　He　flushed　painfully　at　this　admission　that　he　had　been　present　at　the　dance。　He　made　urging　motions　at　the　smoke　with　his　body。　〃Don't　stop…go　on　up！〃
　〃Smoke's　getting　thinner。〃
　〃We　need　more　wood　already；　even　when　it's　wet。〃
　〃My　asthma…〃
　The　response　was　mechanical。
　〃Sucks　to　your　ass…mar。〃
　〃If　　I　pull　logs　about；　I　get　my　asthma　bad。　I　wish　I　didn't；　Ralph；　but　there　it　is。〃
　The　three　boys　went　into　the　forest　and　fetched　armfuls　of　rotten　wood。　Once　more　the　smoke　rose；　yellow　and　thick。
　〃Let's　get　something　to　eat。〃
　Together　they　went　to　the　fruit　trees；　carrying　their　spears；　saying　little；　cramming　in　haste。　When　they　came　out　of　the　forest　again　the　sun　was　setting　and　only　embers　glowed　in　the　fire；　and　there　was　no　smoke。
　〃I　can't　carry　any　more　wood；〃　said　Eric。　〃I'm　tired。〃
　Ralph　cleared　his　throat。
　〃We　kept　the　fire　going　up　there。〃
　〃Up　there　it　was　small。　But　this　has　got　to　be　a　big　one。〃
　Ralph　carried　a　fragment　to　the　fire　and　watched　the　smoke　that　drifted　into　the　dusk。
　''We've　got　to　keep　it　going。〃
　Eric　flung　himself　down。
　〃I'm　too　tired。　And　what's　the　good？〃
　〃Eric！〃　cried　Ralph　in　a　shocked　voice。　〃Don't　talk　like　that！〃
　Sam　knelt　by　Eric。
　〃Well…what　is　the　good？〃
　Ralph　tried　indignantly　to　remember。　There　was　something　good　about　a　fire。　Something　overwhelmingly　good。
　〃Ralph's　told　you　often　enough；〃　said　Piggy　moodily。　〃How　else　are　we　going　to　be　rescued？〃
　〃Of　course！　If　we　don't　make　smoke…〃
　He　squatted　before　them　in　the　crowding　dusk。
　〃Don't　you　understand？　What's　the　good　of　wishing　for　radios　and　boats？〃
　He　held　out　his　hand　and　twisted　the　fingers　into　a　fist
　〃There's　only　one　thing　we　can　do　to　get　out　of　this　mess。　Anyone　can　play　at　hunting；　anyone　can　get　us　meat…〃
　He　looked　from　face　to　face。　Then；　at　the　moment　of　greatest　passion　and　conviction；　that　curtain　flapped　in　his　head　and　he　forgot　what　he　had　been　driving　at。　He　knelt　there；　his　fist　clenched；　gazing　solemnly　from　one　to　the　other。　Then　the　curtain　whisked　back。
　〃Oh；　yes。　So　we've　got　to　make　smoke；　and　more　smoke…〃
　〃But　we　can't　keep　it　going！　Look　at　that！〃
　The　fire　was　dying　on　them。
　〃Two　to　mind　the　fire；〃　said　Ralph；　half　to　himself；　〃that's　twelve　hours　a　day。〃
　〃We　can't　get　any　more　wood；　Ralph…〃
　〃…not　in　the　dark…〃
　〃…not　at　night…〃
　〃We　can　light　it　every　morning；〃　said　Piggy。　〃Nobody　ain't　going　to　see　smoke　in　the　dark。'
　Sam　nodded　vigorously。
　〃It　was　different　when　the　fire　was…〃
　〃…up　there。〃
　Ralph　stood　up；　feeling　curiously　defenseless　with　the　darkness　pressing　in。
　〃Let　the　fire　go　then；　for　tonight。〃
　He　led　the　way　to　the　first　shelter；　which　still　stood；　though　battered。　The　bed　leaves　lay　within；　dry　and　noisy　to　the　touch。　In　the　next　shelter　a　littlun　was　talking　in　his　sleep。　The　four　biguns　crept　into　the　shelter　and　burrowed　under　the　leaves。　The　twins　lay　together　and　Ralph　and　Piggy　at　the　other　end。　For　a　while　there　was　the　continual　creak　and　rustle　of　leaves　as　they　tried　for　fort。
　〃Piggy。〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃All　right？〃
　〃S'pose　so。〃
　At　length；　save　for　an　occasional　rustle；　the　shelter　was　silent。　An　oblong　of　blackness　relieved　with　brilliant　spangles　hung　before　them　and　there　was　the　hollow　sound　of　surf　on　the　reef。　Ralph　settled　himself　for　his　nightly　game　of　supposing。　。　。　。
　Supposing　they　could　be　transported　home　by　jet；　then　before　morning　they　would　land　at　that　big　airfield　in　Wiltshire。　They　would　go　by　car；　no；　for　things　to　be　perfect　they　would　go　by　train；　all　the　way　down　to　Devon　and　take　that　cottage　again。　Then　at　the　foot　of　the　garden　the　wild　ponies　would　e　and　look　over　the　wall。　。　。　。
　Ralph　turned　restlessly　in　the　leaves。　Dartmoor　was　wild　and　so　were　the　ponies。　But　the　attraction　of　wildness　had　gone。
　His　mind　skated　to　a　consideration　of　a　tamed　town　where　savagery　could　not　set　foot。　What　could　be　safer　than　the　bus　center　with　its　lamps　and　wheels？
　All　at　once；　Ralph　was　dancing　round　a　lamp　standard。　There　was　a　bus　crawling　out　of　the　bus　station；　a　strange　bus。　。　。　。
　〃Ralph！　Ralph！〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Don't　make　a　noise　like　that…〃
　〃Sorry。〃
　From　the　darkness　of　the　further　end　of　the　shelter　came　a　dreadful　moaning　and　they　shattered　the　leaves　in　their　fear。　Sam　and　Eric；　locked　in　an　embrace；　were　fighting　each　other。
　〃Sam！　Sam！〃
　〃Hey…Eric！〃
　Presently　all　was　quiet　again。
　Piggy　spoke　softly　to　Ralph。
　〃We　got　to　get　out　of　this。〃
　〃What　d‘you　mean？〃
　〃Get　rescued。〃
　For　the　first　time　that　day；　and　despite　the　crowding　blackness；　Ralph　sniggered。
　〃I　mean　it；'　whispered　Piggy。　〃If　we　don't　get　home　soon　we'll　be　barmy。〃
　〃Round　the　bend。〃
　〃Bomb　happy。〃
　〃Crackers。〃
　Ralph　pushed　the　damp　tendrils　of　hair　out　of　his　eyes。
　〃You　write　a　letter　to　your　auntie。〃
　Piggy　considered　this　solemnly。
　〃I　don't　know　where　she　is　now。　And　I　haven't　got　an　envelope　and　a　stamp。　An'　there　isn't　a　mailbox。　Or　a　postman。〃
　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　corn