Повелитель мух
Beast from Water
Ralphturnedtothechief’sseat.Theyhadneverhadanassemblyaslatebefore.Thatwaswhytheplacelookedsodifferent.Normallytheundersideofthegreenroofwaslitbyatangleofgoldenreflections,andtheirfaceswerelitupsidedown—like,thoughtRalph,whenyouholdanelectrictorchinyourhands.Butnowthesunwasslantinginatoneside,sothattheshadowswerewheretheyoughttobe.
Againhefellintothatstrangemoodofspeculationthatwassoforeigntohim.Iffacesweredifferentwhenlitfromaboveorbelow—whatwasaface?Whatwasanything?
Ralphmovedimpatiently.Thetroublewas,ifyouwereachiefyouhadtothink,youhadtobewise.Andthentheoccasionslippedbysothatyouhadtograbatadecision.Thismadeyouthink;becausethoughtwasavaluablething,thatgotresults....
Only,decidedRalphashefacedthechief’sseat,Ican’tthink.NotlikePiggy.
OncemorethateveningRalphhadtoadjusthisvalues.Piggycouldthink.Hecouldgostepbystepinsidethatfatheadofhis,onlyPiggywasnochief.ButPiggy,forallhisludicrousbody,hadbrains.Ralphwasaspecialistinthoughtnow,andcouldrecognizethoughtinanother.
Thesuninhiseyesremindedhimhowtimewaspassing,sohetooktheconchdownfromthetreeandexaminedthesurface.Exposuretotheairhadbleachedtheyellowandpinktonear-white,andtransparency.Ralphfeltakindofaffectionatereverencefortheconch,eventhoughhehadfishedthethingoutofthelagoonhimself.Hefacedtheplaceofassemblyandputtheconchtohislips.
