Повелитель мух
Shadows and Tall Trees
Once,followinghisfatherfromChathamtoDevonport,theyhadlivedinacottageontheedgeofthemoors.InthesuccessionofhousesthatRalphhadknown,thisonestoodoutwithparticularclaritybecauseafterthathousehehadbeensentawaytoschool.MummyhadstillbeenwiththemandDaddyhadcomehomeeveryday.Wildponiescametothestonewallatthebottomofthegarden,andithadsnowed.Justbehindthecottagetherewasasortofshedandyoucouldlieupthere,watchingtheflakesswirlpast.Youcouldseethedampspotwhereeachflakedied,thenyoucouldmarkthefirstflakethatlaydownwithoutmeltingandwatch,thewholegroundturnwhite.Youcouldgoindoorswhenyouwerecoldandlookoutofthewindow,pastthebrightcopperkettleandtheplatewiththelittlebluemen.
Whenyouwenttobedtherewasabowlofcornflakeswithsugarandcream.Andthebooks—theystoodontheshelfbythebed,leaningtogetherwithalwaystwoorthreelaidflatontopbecausehehadnotbotheredtoputthembackproperly.Theyweredog-earedandscratched.Therewasthebright,shiningoneaboutTopsyandMopsythatheneverreadbecauseitwasabouttwogirls;therewastheoneaboutthemagicianwhichyoureadwithakindoftied-downterror,skippingpagetwenty-sevenwiththeawfulpictureofthespider;therewasabookaboutpeoplewhohaddugthingsup,Egyptianthings;therewas_TheBoy’sBookofTrains_,_TheBoy’sBookofShips_.Vividlytheycamebeforehim;hecouldhavereachedupandtouchedthem,couldfeeltheweightandslowslidewithwhich_TheMammothBookforBoys_wouldcomeoutandslitherdown....Everythingwasallright;everythingwasgood-humoredandfriendly.
Thebushescrashedaheadofthem.Boysflungthemselveswildlyfromthepigtrackandscrabbledinthecreepers,screaming.RalphsawJacknudgedasideandfall.
