Повелитель мух
Shadows and Tall Trees
RalphheardthemockeryandhatedJack.Thestingofashesinhiseyes,tiredness,fear,enragedhim.
"Goonthen!We’llwaithere."
Therewassilence.
"Whydon’tyougo?Areyoufrightened?"Astaininthedarkness,astainthatwasJack,detacheditselfandbegantodrawaway.
"Allright.Solong."
Thestainvanished.Anothertookitsplace.
Ralphfelthiskneeagainstsomethinghardandrockedacharredtrunkthatwasedgytothetouch.HefeltthesharpcindersthathadbeenbarkpushagainstthebackofhiskneeandknewthatRogerhadsatdown.HefeltwithhishandsandloweredhimselfbesideRoger,whilethetrunkrockedamonginvisibleashes.Roger,uncommunicativebynature,saidnothing.HeofferednoopiniononthebeastnortoldRalphwhyhehadchosentocomeonthismadexpedition.Hesimplysatandrockedthetrunkgently.RalphnoticedarapidandinfuriatingtappingnoiseandrealizedthatRogerwasbanginghissillywoodenstickagainstsomething.
Sotheysat,therocking,tapping,imperviousRogerandRalph,fuming;roundthemthecloseskywasloadedwithstars,savewherethemountainpunchedupaholeofblackness.
Therewasaslitheringnoisehighabovethem,thesoundofsomeonetakinggiantanddangerousstridesonrockorash.ThenJackfoundthem,andwasshiveringandcroakinginavoicetheycouldjustrecognizeashis.
