Повелитель мух
The Sound of the Shell
Piggymovedamongthecrowd,askingnamesandfrowningtorememberthem.Thechildrengavehimthesamesimpleobediencethattheyhadgiventothemenwithmegaphones.Somewerenakedandcarryingtheirclothes;othershalf-naked,ormoreorlessdressed,inschooluniforms,grey,blue,fawn,jacketed,orjerseyed.Therewerebadges,mottoeseven,stripesofcolorinstockingsandpullovers.Theirheadsclusteredabovethetrunksinthegreenshade;headsbrown,fair,black,chestnut,sandy,mouse-colored;headsmuttering,whispering,headsfullofeyesthatwatchedRalphandspeculated.Somethingwasbeingdone.
Thechildrenwhocamealongthebeach,singlyorintwos,leaptintovisibilitywhentheycrossedthelinefromheathazetonearersand.Here,theeyewasfirstattractedtoablack,bat-likecreaturethatdancedonthesand,andonlylaterperceivedthebodyaboveit.Thebatwasthechild’sshadow,shrunkbytheverticalsuntoapatchbetweenthehurryingfeet.Evenwhileheblew,Ralphnoticedthelastpairofbodiesthatreachedtheplatformaboveaflutteringpatchofblack.Thetwoboys,bullet-headedandwithhairliketow,flungthemselvesdownandlaygrinningandpantingatRalphlikedogs.Theyweretwins,andtheeyewasshockedandincredulousatsuchcheeryduplication.Theybreathedtogether,theygrinnedtogether,theywerechunkyandvital.TheyraisedwetlipsatRalph,fortheyseemedprovidedwithnotquiteenoughskin,sothattheirprofileswereblurredandtheirmouthspulledopen.Piggybenthisflashingglassestothemandcouldbeheardbetweentheblasts,repeatingtheirnames.
"Sam,Eric,Sam,Eric."
Thenhegotmuddled;thetwinsshooktheirheadsandpointedateachotherandthecrowdlaughed.
