Повелитель мух
A View to a Death
Theairwascool,moist,andclear;andpresentlyeventhesoundofthewaterwasstill.Thebeastlayhuddledonthepalebeachandthestainsspread,inchbyinch.
Theedgeofthelagoonbecameastreakofphosphorescencewhichadvancedminutely,asthegreatwaveofthetideflowed.Theclearwatermirroredtheclearskyandtheangularbrightconstellations.Thelineofphosphorescencebulgedaboutthesandgrainsandlittlepebbles;itheldthemeachinadimpleoftension,thensuddenlyacceptedthemwithaninaudiblesyllableandmovedon.
Alongtheshorewardedgeoftheshallowstheadvancingclearnesswasfullofstrange,moonbeam-bodiedcreatureswithfieryeyes.Hereandtherealargerpebbleclungtoitsownairandwascoveredwithacoatofpearls.Thetideswelledinovertherain-pittedsandandsmoothedeverythingwithalayerofsilver.Nowittouchedthefirstofthestainsthatseepedfromthebrokenbodyandthecreaturesmadeamovingpatchoflightastheygatheredattheedge.ThewaterrosefartheranddressedSimon’scoarsehairwithbrightness.Thelineofhischeeksilveredandtheturnofhisshoulderbecamesculpturedmarble.Thestrangeattendantcreatures,withtheirfieryeyesandtrailingvapors,busiedthemselvesroundhishead.Thebodyliftedafractionofaninchfromthesandandabubbleofairescapedfromthemouthwithawetplop.Thenitturnedgentlyinthewater.
Somewhereoverthedarkenedcurveoftheworldthesunandmoonwerepulling,andthefilmofwaterontheearthplanetwasheld,bulgingslightlyononesidewhilethesolidcoreturned.
