Повелитель мух
Huts on the Beach
Thesilenceoftheforestwasmoreoppressivethantheheat,andatthishourofthedaytherewasnoteventhewhineofinsects.OnlywhenJackhimselfrousedagaudybirdfromaprimitivenestofstickswasthesilenceshatteredandechoessetringingbyaharshcrythatseemedtocomeoutoftheabyssofages.Jackhimselfshrankatthiscrywithahissofindrawnbreath,andforaminutebecamelessahunterthanafurtivething,ape-likeamongthetangleoftrees.Thenthetrail,thefrustration,claimedhimagainandhesearchedthegroundavidly.Bythetrunkofavasttreethatgrewpaleflowersonitsgreybarkhechecked,closedhiseyes,andoncemoredrewinthewarmair;andthistimehisbreathcameshort,therewasevenapassingpallorinhisface,andthenthesurgeofbloodagain.Hepassedlikeashadowunderthedarknessofthetreeandcrouched,lookingdownatthetroddengroundathisfeet.
Thedroppingswerewarm.Theylaypiledamongturnedearth.Theywereolivegreen,smooth,andtheysteamedalittle.Jackliftedhisheadandstaredattheinscrutablemassesofcreeperthatlayacrossthetrail.Thenheraisedhisspearandsneakedforward.Beyondthecreeper,thetrailjoinedapig-runthatwaswideenoughandtroddenenoughtobeapath.ThegroundwashardenedbyanaccustomedtreadandasJackrosetohisfullheightheheardsomethingmovingonit.Heswungbackhisrightarmandhurledthespearwithallhisstrength.Fromthepig-runcamethequick,hardpatterofhoofs,acastanetsound,seductive,maddening—thepromiseofmeat.Herushedoutoftheundergrowthandsnatcheduphisspear.Thepatteringofpig’strottersdiedawayinthedistance.
Jackstoodthere,streamingwithsweat,streakedwithbrownearth,stainedbyallthevicissitudesofaday’shunting.
