Повелитель мух
Beast from Air
Therewasoneflatrockthere,spreadlikeatable,andthewaterssuckingdownonthefourweedysidesmadethemseemlikecliffs.Thenthesleepingleviathanbreathedout,thewatersrose,theweedstreamed,andthewaterboiledoverthetablerockwitharoar.Therewasnosenseofthepassageofwaves;onlythisminute-longfallandriseandfall.
Ralphturnedawaytotheredcliff.Theywerewaitingbehindhiminthelonggrass,waitingtoseewhathewoulddo.Henoticedthatthesweatinhispalmwascoolnow;realizedwithsurprisethathedidnotreallyexpecttomeetanybeastanddidn’tknowwhathewoulddoaboutitifhedid.
Hesawthathecouldclimbthecliffbutthiswasnotnecessary.Thesquarenessoftherockallowedasortofplinthroundit,sothattotheright,overthelagoon,onecouldinchalongaledgeandturnthecorneroutofsight.Itwaseasygoing,andsoonhewaspeeringroundtherock.
Nothingbutwhatyoumightexpect:pink,tumbledboulderswithguanolayeredonthemlikeicing;andasteepslopeuptotheshatteredrocksthatcrownedthebastion.
Asoundbehindhimmadehimturn.Jackwasedgingalongtheledge.
"Couldn’tletyoudoitonyourown."
Ralphsaidnothing.Heledthewayovertherocks,inspectedasortofhalf-cavethatheldnothingmoreterriblethanaclutchofrotteneggs,andatlastsatdown,lookingroundhimandtappingtherockwiththebuttofhisspear.
Jackwasexcited.
