Повелитель мух
Huts on the Beach
Thewholespacewaswalledwithdarkaromaticbushes,andwasabowlofheatandlight.Agreattree,fallenacrossonecorner,leanedagainstthetreesthatstillstoodandarapidclimberflauntedredandyellowspraysrighttothetop.
Simonpaused.HelookedoverhisshoulderasJackhaddoneattheclosewaysbehindhimandglancedswiftlyroundtoconfirmthathewasutterlyalone.Foramomenthismovementswerealmostfurtive.Thenhebentdownandwormedhiswayintothecenterofthemat.Thecreepersandthebushesweresoclosethathelefthissweatonthemandtheypulledtogetherbehindhim.Whenhewassecureinthemiddlehewasinalittlecabinscreenedofffromtheopenspacebyafewleaves.Hesquatteddown,partedtheleavesandlookedoutintotheclearing.Nothingmovedbutapairofgaudybutterfliesthatdancedroundeachotherinthehotair.Holdinghisbreathhecockedacriticalearatthesoundsoftheisland.Eveningwasadvancingtowardtheisland;thesoundsofthebrightfantasticbirds,thebee-sounds,eventhecryingofthegullsthatwerereturningtotheirroostsamongthesquarerocks,werefainter.Thedeepseabreakingmilesawayonthereefmadeanundertonelessperceptiblethanthesusurrationoftheblood.
Simondroppedthescreenofleavesbackintoplace.Theslopeofthebarsofhoney-coloredsunlightdecreased;theyslidupthebushes,passedoverthegreencandle-likebuds,moveduptowardthecanopy,anddarknessthickenedunderthetrees.Withthefadingofthelighttheriotouscolorsdiedandtheheatandurgencycooledaway.Thecandlebudsstirred.Theirgreensepalsdrewbackalittleandthewhitetipsoftheflowersrosedelicatelytomeettheopenair.
