Повелитель мух
Painted Faces and Long Hair
"Afatlotofgoodthatwouldbe."
"Yousaidyouwantedthingsdone.Soaswecouldberescued."
"Oh,shutup."
Heleapttohisfeetandtrottedbacktothepool,justasMauricedidaratherpoordive.Ralphwasgladofachancetochangethesubject.HeshoutedasMauricecametothesurface.
"Bellyflop!Bellyflop!"
MauriceflashedasmileatRalphwhoslideasilyintothewater.Ofalltheboys,hewasthemostathomethere;buttoday,irkedbythementionofrescue,theuseless,footlingmentionofrescue,eventhegreendepthsofwaterandtheshattered,goldensunheldnobalm.Insteadofremainingandplaying,heswamwithsteadystrokesunderSimonandcrawledoutoftheothersideofthepooltoliethere,sleekandstreaminglikeaseal.Piggy,alwaysclumsy,stoodupandcametostandbyhim,sothatRalphrolledonhisstomachandpretendednottosee.Themirageshaddiedawayandgloomilyheranhiseyealongthetautbluelineofthehorizon.
Thenextmomenthewasonhisfeetandshouting.
"Smoke!Smoke!"
Simontriedtositupinthewaterandgotamouthful.Maurice,whohadbeenstandingreadytodive,swayedbackonhisheels,madeaboltfortheplatform,thenswervedbacktothegrassunderthepalms.Therehestartedtopullonhistatteredshorts,tobereadyforanything.
