[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

The hangman's horror clung round him. The chief said no more to him but looked down
at Samneric.
"You got to join the tribe."
"You lemme go--"
"--and me."
The chief snatched one of the few spears that were left and poked Sam in the ribs.
"What d'you mean by it, eh?" said the chief fiercely. "What d'you mean by coming
with spears? What d'you mean by not joining my tribe?"
The prodding became rhythmic. Sam yelled.
"That's not the way."
Roger edged past the chief, only just avoiding pushing him with his shoulder. The
yelling ceased, and Samneric lay looking up in quiet terror. Roger advanced upon
them as one wielding a nameless authority.
Page 129
Lord of the Flies
CHAPTER TWELVE
Cry of the Hunters
Ralph lay in a covert, wondering about his wounds. The bruised flesh was inches in
diameter over his right ribs, with a swollen and bloody scar where the spear had hit
him. His hair was full of dirt and tapped like the tendrils of a creeper. All over
he was scratched and bruised from his flight through the forest. By the time his
breathing was normal again, he had worked out that bathing these injuries would have
to wait. How could you listen for naked feet if you were splashing in water? How
could you be safe by the little stream or on the open beach?
Ralph listened. He was not really far from the Castle Rock, and during the first
panic he had thought he heard sounds of pursuit. But the hunters had only sneaked
into the fringes of the greenery, retrieving spears perhaps, and then had rushed
back to the sunny rock as if terrified of the darkness under the leaves. He had even
glimpsed one of them, striped brown, black, and red, and had judged that it was
Bill. But really, thought Ralph, this was not Bill. This was a savage whose image
refused to blend with that ancient picture of a boy in shorts and shirt.
The afternoon died away; the circular spots of sunlight moved steadily over green
fronds and brown fiber but no sound came from behind the rock. At last Ralph wormed
out of the ferns and sneaked forward to the edge of that impenetrable thicket that
fronted the neck of land. He peered with elaborate caution between branches at the
edge and could see Robert sitting on guard at the top of the cliff. He held a spear
in his left hand and was tossing up a pebble and catching it again with the right.
Behind him a column of smoke rose thickly, so that Ralph's nostrils flared and his
mouth dribbled. He wiped his nose and mouth with the back of his hand and for the
first time since the morning felt hungry. The tribe must be sitting round the gutted
pig, watching the fat ooze and burn among the ashes. They would be intent.
Another figure, an unrecognizable one, appeared by Robert and gave him something,
then turned and went back behind the rock. Robert laid his spear on the rock beside
him and began to gnaw between his raised hands. So the feast was beginning and the
watchman had been given his portion.
Ralph saw that for the time being he was safe. He limped away through the fruit
trees, drawn by the thought of the poor food yet bitter when he remembered the
feast. Feast today, and then tomorrow. . . .
He argued unconvincingly that they would let him alone, perhaps even make an outlaw
of him. But then the fatal unreasoning knowledge came to him again. The breaking of
the conch and the deaths of Piggy and Simon lay over the island like a vapor. These
painted savages would go further and further. Then there was that indefinable
connection between himself and Jack; who therefore would never let him alone; never.
He paused, sun-flecked, holding up a bough, prepared to duck under it. A spasm of
terror set him shaking and he cried aloud.
"No. They're not as bad as that. It was an accident."
He ducked under the bough, ran clumsily, then stopped and listened.
He came to the smashed acres of fruit and ate greedily. He saw two littluns and, not
having any idea of his own appearance, wondered why they screamed and ran.
Page 130
Lord of the Flies
When he had eaten he went toward the beach. The sunlight was slanting now into the
palms by the wrecked shelter. There was the platform and the pool. The best thing to
do was to ignore this leaden feeling about the heart and rely on their common sense,
their daylight sanity. Now that the tribe had eaten, the thing to do was to try [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]