Повелитель мух
Shadows and Tall Trees
"I’mgoingupthemountaintolookforthebeast—now."Thenthesupremesting,thecasual,bitterword."Coming?"
Atthatwordtheotherboysforgottheirurgetobegoneandturnedbacktosamplethisfreshruboftwospiritsinthedark.Thewordwastoogood,toobitter,toosuccessfullydauntingtoberepeated.IttookRalphatlowwaterwhenhisnervewasrelaxedforthereturntotheshelterandthestill,friendlywatersofthelagoon.
"Idon’tmind."
Astonished,heheardhisvoicecomeout,coolandcasual,sothatthebitternessofJack’stauntfellpowerless.
"Ifyoudon’tmind,ofcourse."
"Oh,notatall."
Jacktookastep.
"Wellthen—"
Sidebyside,watchedbysilentboys,thetwostartedupthemountain.
Ralphstopped.
"We’resilly.Whyshouldonlytwogo?Ifwefindanything,twowon’tbeenough."
Therecamethesoundofboysscuttlingaway.Astonishingly,adarkfiguremovedagainstthetide.
