Повелитель мух
The Sound of the Shell
Thewaytothetopwaseasyafterthat.AstheyreachedthelaststretchRalphstopped.
"Golly!"
Theywereonthelipofacircularhollowinthesideofthemountain.Thiswasfilledwithablueflower,arockplantofsomesort,andtheoverflowhungdowntheventandspilledlavishlyamongthecanopyoftheforest.Theairwasthickwithbutterflies,lifting,fluttering,settling.
Beyondthehollowwasthesquaretopofthemountainandsoontheywerestandingonit.
Theyhadguessedbeforethatthiswasanisland:clamberingamongthepinkrocks,withtheseaoneitherside,andthecrystalheightsofair,theyhadknownbysomeinstinctthatthesealayoneveryside.Butthereseemedsomethingmorefittinginleavingthelastwordtilltheystoodonthetop,andcouldseeacircularhorizonofwater.
Ralphturnedtotheothers.
"Thisbelongstous."
Itwasroughlyboat-shaped:humpednearthisendwithbehindthemthejumbleddescenttotheshore.Oneithersiderocks,cliffs,treetopsandasteepslope:forwardthere,thelengthoftheboat,atamerdescent,tree-clad,withhintsofpink:andthenthejunglyflatoftheisland,densegreen,butdrawnattheendtoapinktail.There,wheretheislandpeteredoutinwater,wasanotherisland;arock,almostdetached,standinglikeafort,facingthemacrossthegreenwithonebold,pinkbastion.
