Повелитель мух
Shadows and Tall Trees
Waveafterwave,Ralphfollowedtheriseandfalluntilsomethingoftheremotenessoftheseanumbedhisbrain.Thengraduallythealmostinfinitesizeofthiswaterforceditselfonhisattention.Thiswasthedivider,thebarrier.Ontheothersideoftheisland,swathedatmiddaywithmirage,defendedbytheshieldofthequietlagoon,onemightdreamofrescue;buthere,facedbythebruteobtusenessoftheocean,themilesofdivision,onewasclampeddown,onewashelpless,onewascondemned,onewas—
Simonwasspeakingalmostinhisear.Ralphfoundthathehadrockpainfullygrippedinbothhands,foundhisbodyarched,themusclesofhisneckstiff,hismouthstrainedopen.
"You’llgetbacktowhereyoucamefrom."
Simonnoddedashespoke.Hewaskneelingononeknee,lookingdownfromahigherrockwhichheheldwithbothhands;hisotherlegstretcheddowntoRalph’slevel.
RalphwaspuzzledandsearchedSimon’sfaceforaclue.
"It’ssobig,Imean—"
Simonnodded.
"Allthesame.You’llgetbackallright.Ithinkso,anyway."
SomeofthestrainhadgonefromRalph’sbody.HeglancedattheseaandthensmiledbitterlyatSimon.
"Gotashipinyourpocket?"
