wgolding.lordoftheflies-第37节

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　The　tribe　of　painted　savages　giggled　and　Ralph's　mind　faltered。　He　pushed　his　hair　up　and　gazed　at　the　green　and　black　mask　before　him；　trying　to　remember　what　Jack　looked　like。
　Piggy　whispered。
　〃And　the　fire。〃
　〃Oh　yes。　Then　about　the　fire。　I　say　this　again。　I've　been　saying　it　ever　since　we　dropped　in。〃
　He　held　out　his　spear　and　pointed　at　the　savages。
　〃Your　only　hope　is　keeping　a　signal　fire　going　as　long　as　there's　light　to　see。　Then　maybe　a　ship‘ll　notice　the　smoke　and　e　and　rescue　us　and　take　us　home。　But　without　that　smoke　we've　got　to　wait　till　some　ship　es　by　accident。　We　might　wait　years；　till　we　were　old…〃
　The　shivering；　silvery；　unreal　laughter　of　the　savages　sprayed　out　and　echoed　away。　A　gust　of　rage　shook　Ralph　His　voice　cracked。
　〃Don't　you　understand；　you　painted　fools？　Sam；　Eric；　Piggy　and　me…we　aren't　enough。　We　tried　to　keep　the　fire　going；　but　we　couldn't。　And　then　you；　playing　at　hunting。　。　。　。〃
　He　pointed　past　them　to　where　the　trickle　of　smoke　dispersed　in　the　pearly　air。
　〃Look　at　that！　Call　that　a　signal　fire？　That's　a　cooking　fire　Now　you'll　eat　and　there'll　be　no　smoke。　Don't　you　understand？　There　may　be　a　ship　out　there…〃
　He　paused；　defeated　by　the　silence　and　the　painted　anonymity　of　the　group　guarding　the　entry。　Jack　opened　a　pink　mouth　and　addressed　Samneric；　who　were　between　him　and　his　tribe。
　〃You　two。　Get　back。〃
　No　one　answered　him。　The　twins；　puzzled；　looked　at　each　Other；　while　Piggy；　reassured　by　the　cessation　of　violence；　stood　up　carefully。　Jack　glanced　back　at　Ralph　and　then　at　the　twins。
　〃Grab　them！〃
　No　one　moved。　Jack　shouted　angrily。
　〃I　said　'grab　them'！〃
　The　painted　group　moved　round　Samneric　nervously　and　unhandily。　Once　more　the　silvery　laughter　scattered。
　Samneric　protested　out　of　the　heart　of　civilization。
　〃Oh；　I　say！〃
　〃…honestly！〃
　Their　spears　were　taken　from　them。
　〃Tie　them　up！〃
　Ralph　cried　out　hopelessly　against　the　black　and　green　mask。
　〃Jack！〃
　〃Go　on。　Tie　them。〃
　Now　the　painted　group　felt　the　otherness　of　Samneric；　felt　the　power　in　their　own　hands。　They　felled　the　twins　clumsily　and　excitedly。　Jack　was　inspired。　He　knew　that　Ralph　would　attempt　a　rescue。　He　struck　in　a　humming　circle　behind　him　and　Ralph　only　just　parried　the　blow。　Beyond　them　the　tribe　and　the　twins　were　a　loud　and　writhing　heap。　Piggy　crouched　again。　Then　the　twins　lay；　astonished；　and　the　tribe　stood　round　them。　Jack　turned　to　Ralph　and　spoke　between　his　teeth。
　〃See？　They　do　what　I　want。〃
　There　was　silence　again。　The　twins　lay；　inexpertly　tied　up；　and　the　tribe　watched　Ralph　to　see　what　he　would　do。　He　numbered　them　through　his　fringe；　glimpsed　the　ineffectual　smoke。
　His　temper　broke。　He　screamed　at　Jack。
　〃You're　a　beast　and　a　swine　and　a　bloody；　bloody　thief！〃
　He　charged。
　Jack；　knowing　this　was　the　crisis；　charged　too。　They　met　with　a　jolt　and　bounced　apart。　Jack　swung　with　his　fist　at　Ralph　and　aught　him　on　the　ear。　Ralph　hit　Jack　in　the　stomach　and　made　him　grunt。　Then　they　were　facing　each　other　again；　panting　and　furious；　but　unnerved　by　each　other's　ferocity。　They　became　aware　of　the　noise　that　was　the　background　to　this　fight；　the　steady　shrill　cheering　of　the　tribe　behind　them。
　Piggy's　voice　penetrated　to　Ralph。
　〃Let　me　speak。〃
　He　was　standing　in　the　dust　of　the　fight；　and　as　the　tribe　saw　his　intention　the　shrill　cheer　changed　to　a　steady　booing。
　Piggy　held　up　the　conch　and　the　booing　sagged　a　little；　then　came　up　again　to　strength。
　〃I　got　the　conch！〃
　He　shouted。
　〃I　tell　you；　I　got　the　conch！〃
　Surprisingly；　there　was　silence　now；　the　tribe　were　curious　to　hear　what　amusing　thing　he　might　have　to　say。
　Silence　and　pause；　but　in　the　silence　a　curious　air…noise；　close　by　Ralphs　head。　He　give　it　half　his　attention…and　there　it　was　again；　a　faint　〃Zup！〃　Someone　was　throwing　stones：　Roger　was　dropping　them；　his　one　hand　still　on　the　lever。　Below　him；　Ralph　was　a　shock　of　hair　and　Piggy　a　bag　of　fat。
　〃I　got　this　to　say。　You're　acting　like　a　crowd　of　lads。〃
　The　booing　rose　and　died　again　as　Piggy　lifted　the　white；　magic　shell。
　〃Which　is　better…to　be　a　pack　of　painted　Indians　like　you　are；　or　to　be　sensible　like　Ralph　is？〃
　A　great　clamor　rose　among　the　savages。　Piggy　shouted　again。
　〃Which　is　better…to　have　rules　and　agree；　or　to　hunt　and　kill？〃
　Again　the　clamor　and　again〃Zup！〃
　Ralph　shouted　against　the　noise。
　〃Which　is　better；　law　and　rescue；　or　hunting　and　breaking　things　up？〃
　Now　Jack　was　veiling　too　and　Ralph　could　no　longer　make　himself　heard。　Jack　had　backed　right　against　the　tribe　and　they　were　a　solid　mass　of　menace　that　bristled　with　spears。　The　intention　of　a　charge　was　forming　among　them；　they　were　working　up　to　it　and　the　neck　would　be　swept　clear。　Ralph　stood　facing　them；　a　little　to　one　side；　his　spear　ready。　By　him　stood　Piggy　still　holding　out　the　talisman；　the　fragile；　shining　beauty　of　the　shell。　The　storm　of　sound　beat　at　them；　an　incantation　of　hatred。　High　overhead；　Roger；　with　a　sense　of　delirious　abandonment；　leaned　all　his　weight　on　the　lever。
　Ralph　heard　the　great　rock　long　before　he　saw　it。　He　was　aware　of　a　jolt　in　the　earth　that　came　to　him　through　the　soles　of　his　feet；　and　the　breaking　sound　of　stones　at　the　top　of　the　cliff。　Then　the　monstrous　red　thing；　bounded　across　the　neck　and　he　flung　himself　fiat　while　the　tribe　shrieked。
　The　rock　struck　Piggy　a　glancing　blow　from　chin　to　knee；　the　conch　exploded　into　a　thousand　white　fragments　and　ceased　to　exist。　Piggy；　saying　nothing；　with　no　time　for　even　a　grunt；　traveled　through　the　air　sideways　from　the　rock；　turning　over　as　he　went。　The　rock　bounded　twice　and　was　lost　in　the　forest。　Piggy　fell　forty　feet　and　landed　on　his　back　across　that　square　red　rock　in　the　sea。　His　head　opened　and　stuff　came　out　and　turned　red。　Piggy's　arms　and　legs　twitched　a　bit；　like　a　pig's　after　it　has　been　killed。　Then　the　sea　breathed　again　in　a　long；　slow　sigh；　the　water　boiled　white　and　pink　over　the　rock；　and　when　it　went；　sucking　back　again；　the　body　of　Piggy　was　gone。
　This　time　the　silence　was　plete。　Ralph's　lips　formed　a　word　but　no　sound　came。
　Suddenly　Jack　bounded　out　from　the　tribe　and　began　screaming　wildly。
　〃See？　See？　That's　what　you'll　get！　I　meant　that！　There　isn't　a　tribe　for　you　any　morel　The　conch　is　gone…〃
　He　ran　forward；　stooping。
　〃I'm　chief！〃
　Viciously；　with　full　intention；　he　hurled　his　spear　at　Ralph。　The　point　tore　the　skin　and　flesh　over　Ralph's　ribs；　then　sheared　off　and　fell　in　the　water。　Ralph　stumbled；　feeling　not　pain　but　panic；　and　the　tribe；　screaming　now　like　the　chief；　began　to　advance。　Another　spear；　a　bent　one　that　would　not　fly　straight；　went　past　his　face　and　one　fell　from　on　high　where　Roger　was。　The　twins　lay　hidden　behind　the　tribe　and　the　anonymous　devils'　faces　swarmed　across　the　neck。　Ralph　turned　and　ran。　A　great　noise　as　of　sea　gulls　rose　behind　him。　He　obeyed　an　instinct　that　he　did　not　know　he　possessed　and　swerved　over　the　open　space　so　that　the　spears　went　wide。　He　saw　the　headless　body　of　the　sow　and　jumped　in　time。　Then　he　was　crashing　through　foliage　and　small　boughs　and　was　hidden　by　the　forest。
　The　chief　stopped　by　the　pig；　turned　and　held　up　his　hands。
　〃Back！　Back　to　the　fort！〃
　Presently　the　tribe　returned　noisily　to　the　neck　where　Roger　joined　them。
　The　chief　spoke　to　him　angrily。
　〃Why　aren't　you　on　watch？〃
　Roger　looked　at　him　gravely。
　〃I　just　came　down…〃
　The　hangman's　horror　clung　round　him。　The　chief　said　no　more　to　him　but　looked　down　at　Samneric。　
　〃You　got　to　join　the　tribe。〃　
　〃You　lemme　go…〃
　〃…and　me。〃
　The　chief　snatched　one　of　the　few　spears　that　were　left　and　poked　Sam　in　the　ribs。
　〃What　d'you　mean　by　it；　eh？〃　said　the　chief　fiercely；　〃What　d'you　mean　by　ing　with　spears？　What　d'you　mean　by　not　joining　my　tribe？〃
　The　prodding　became　rhythmic。　Sam　yelled。
　〃That's　not　the　way。〃
　Roger　edged　past　the　chief；　only　just　avoiding　pushing　him　with　his　shoulder。　The　yelling　ceased；　and　Samneric　lay　looking　up　in　quiet　terror。　Roger　advanced　upon　them　as　one　wielding　a　nameless　authority。
　
　
　
　
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　Cry　of　the　Hunters
　
　Ralph　lay　in　a　covert；　wondering　about　his　wounds。　The　bruised　flesh　was　inches　in　diameter　over　his　right　ribs；　with　a　swollen　and　bloody　scar　where　the　spear　had　hit　him。　His　hair　was　full　of　dirt　and　tapped　like　the　tendrils　of　a　creeper。　All　over　he　was　scratched　and　bruised　from　his　flight　through　the　forest。　By　the　time　his　breathing　was　normal　again；　he　had　worked　out　that　bathing　these　injuries　would　have　to　wait。　How　could　you　listen　for　naked　feet　if　you　were　splashing　in　water？　How　could　you　be　safe　by　the　little　stream　or　on　the　open　beach？　
　Ralph　listened。　He　was　not　really　far　from　the　Castle　Rock；　and　during　the　first　panic　he　had　thought　he　heard　sounds　of　pursuit　But　the　hunters　had　only　sneaked　into　the　fringes　of　the　greenery；　retrieving　spears　perhaps；　and　then　had　rushed　back　to　the　sunny　rock　as　if　terrified　of　the　darkness　under　the　leaves。　He　had　even　glimpsed　one　of　them；　striped　brown；　black；　and　red；　and　had　judged　that　it　was　Bill。　But　really；　thought　Ralph；　this　was　not　Bill。　This　was　a　savage　whose　image　refused