Повелитель мух
Beast from Water
JacklistenedtoPercival’sanswerandthenletgoofhim.Percival,released,surroundedbythecomfortablepresenceofhumans,fellinthelonggrassandwenttosleep.
Jackclearedhisthroat,thenreportedcasually.
"Hesaysthebeastcomesoutofthesea."
Thelastlaughdiedaway.Ralphturnedinvoluntarily,ablack,humpedfigureagainstthelagoon.Theassemblylookedwithhim,consideredthevaststretchesofwater,thehighseabeyond,unknownindigoofinfinitepossibility,heardsilentlythesoughandwhisperfromthereef.
Mauricespoke,soloudlythattheyjumped.
"Daddysaidtheyhaven’tfoundalltheanimalsintheseayet."
Argumentstartedagain.RalphheldouttheglimmeringconchandMauricetookitobediently.Themeetingsubsided.
"ImeanwhenJacksaysyoucanbefrightenedbecausepeoplearefrightenedanywaythat’sallright.Butwhenhesaysthere’sonlypigsonthisislandIexpecthe’srightbuthedoesn’tknow,notreally,notcertainlyImean—"Mauricetookabreath."Mydaddysaysthere’sthings,whatd’youcall’emthatmakeink—squids—thatarehundredsofyardslongandeatwhaleswhole."Hepausedagainandlaughedgaily."Idon’tbelieveinthebeastofcourse.AsPiggysays,life’sscientific,butwedon’tknow,dowe?Notcertainly,Imean—"
Someoneshouted.
