Повелитель мух
The Shell and the Glasses
"Theywill.They’lltrytospoilthingswedo.Sothewatchersatthegatemustbecareful.Andthen—"
Thechiefpaused.Theysawatriangleofstartlingpinkdartout,passalonghislipsandvanishagain.
"—andthen,thebeastmighttrytocomein.Yourememberhowhecrawled—"
Thesemicircleshudderedandmutteredinagreement.
"Hecame—disguised.Hemaycomeagaineventhoughwegavehimtheheadofourkilltoeat.Sowatch;andbecareful."
Stanleyliftedhisforearmofftherockandheldupaninterrogativefinger.
"Well?"
"Butdidn’twe,didn’twe—?"
Hesquirmedandlookeddown.
"No!"
Inthesilencethatfollowed,eachsavageflinchedawayfromhisindividualmemory.
"No!Howcouldwe—kill—it?"
Half-relieved,half-dauntedbytheimplicationoffurtherterrors,thesavagesmurmuredagain.
