Повелитель мух
Beast from Water
Atthathebegantotrot.
Thebeachnearthebathingpoolwasdottedwithgroupsofboyswaitingfortheassembly.Theymadewayforhimsilently,consciousofhisgrimmoodandthefaultatthefire.
Theplaceofassemblyinwhichhestoodwasroughlyatriangle;butirregularandsketchy,likeeverythingtheymade.Firsttherewasthelogonwhichhehimselfsat;adeadtreethatmusthavebeenquiteexceptionallybigfortheplatform.PerhapsoneofthoselegendarystormsofthePacifichadshiftedithere.Thispalmtrunklayparalleltothebeach,sothatwhenRalphsathefacedtheislandbuttotheboyswasadarkishfigureagainsttheshimmerofthelagoon.Thetwosidesofthetriangleofwhichthelogwasbasewerelessevenlydefined.Ontherightwasalogpolishedbyrestlessseatsalongthetop,butnotsolargeasthechief’sandnotsocomfortable.Ontheleftwerefoursmalllogs,oneofthem—thefarthest—lamentablyspringy.Assemblyafterassemblyhadbrokenupinlaughterwhensomeonehadleanedtoofarbackandtheloghadwhippedandthrownhalfadozenboysbackwardsintothegrass.Yetnow,hesaw,noonehadhadthewit—nothimselfnorJack,norPiggy—tobringastoneandwedgethething.Sotheywouldcontinueenduringtheill-balancedtwister,because,because....Againhelosthimselfindeepwaters.
Grasswaswornawayinfrontofeachtrunkbutgrewtallanduntroddeninthecenterofthetriangle.Then,attheapex,thegrasswasthickagainbecausenoonesatthere.Allroundtheplaceofassemblythegreytrunksrose,straightorleaning,andsupportedthelowroofofleaves.Ontwosideswasthebeach;behind,thelagoon;infront,thedarknessoftheisland.
