Повелитель мух
Castle Rock
ThenRalphwasrunningbeneathtrees,withthegrumbleoftheforestexplained.Theyhadsmokedhimoutandsettheislandonfire.
Hidewasbetterthanatreebecauseyouhadachanceofbreakingthelineifyouwerediscovered.
Hide,then.
Hewonderedifapigwouldagree,andgrimacedatnothing.Findthedeepestthicket,thedarkestholeontheisland,andcreepin.Now,asheran,hepeeredabouthim.Barsandsplashesofsunlightflittedoverhimandsweatmadeglisteningstreaksonhisdirtybody.Thecrieswerefarnow,andfaint.
Atlasthefoundwhatseemedtohimtherightplace,thoughthedecisionwasdesperate.Here,bushesandawildtangleofcreepermadeamatthatkeptoutallthelightofthesun.Beneathitwasaspace,perhapsafoothigh,thoughitwaspiercedeverywherebyparallelandrisingstems.Ifyouwormedintothemiddleofthatyouwouldbefiveyardsfromtheedge,andhidden,unlessthesavagechosetoliedownandlookforyou;andeventhen,youwouldbeindarkness—andiftheworsthappenedandhesawyou,thenyouhadachancetoburstoutathim,flingthewholelineoutofstepanddoubleback.
Cautiously,hissticktrailingbehindhim,Ralphwormedbetweentherisingstems.Whenhereachedthemiddleofthemathelayandlistened.
Thefirewasabigoneandthedrum-rollthathehadthoughtwasleftsofarbehindwasnearer.Couldn’tafireoutrunagallopinghorse?
