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"The fire's the most important thing. Without the fire we can't be rescued. I'd like
to put on war-paint and be a savage. But we must keep the fire burning. The fire's
the most important thing on the island, because, because--"
He paused again and the silence became full of doubt and wonder.
Piggy whispered urgently. "Rescue."
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"Oh yes. Without the fire we can't be rescued. So we must stay by the fire and make
smoke."
When he stopped no one said anything. After the many brilliant speeches that had
been made on this very spot Ralph's remarks seemed lame, even to the littluns.
At last Bill held out his hands for the conch.
"Now we can't have the fire up there--because we can't have the fire up there--we
need more people to keep it going. Let's go to this feast and tell them the fire's
hard on the rest of us. And the hunting and all that, being savages I mean--it must
be jolly good fun."
Samneric took the conch.
"That must be fun like Bill says--and as he's invited us--"
"--to a feast--"
"--meat--"
"--crackling--"
"--I could do with some meat--"
Ralph held up his hand.
"Why shouldn't we get our own meat?"
The twins looked at each other. Bill answered.
"We don't want to go in the jungle."
Ralph grimaced.
"He--you know--goes."
"He's a hunter. They're all hunters. That's different."
No one spoke for a moment, then Piggy muttered to the sand.
"Meat--"
The littluns sat, solemnly thinking of meat, and dribbling. Overhead the cannon
boomed again and the dry palm fronds clattered in a sudden gust of hot wind.
"You are a silly little boy," said the Lord of the Flies, "just an ignorant, silly
little boy."
Simon moved his swollen tongue but said nothing.
"Don't you agree?" said the Lord of the Flies. "Aren't you just a silly little boy?"
Simon answered him in the same silent voice.
"Well then," said the Lord of the Flies, "you'd better run off and play with the
others. They think you're batty. You don't want Ralph to think you're batty, do you?
You like Ralph a lot, don't you? And Piggy, and Jack?"
Simon's head was tilted slightly up. His eyes could not break away and the Lord of
the Flies hung in space before him.
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"What are you doing out here all alone? Aren't you afraid of me?"
Simon shook.
"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me. And I'm the Beast."
Simon's mouth labored, brought forth audible words.
"Pig's head on a stick."
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head. For
a moment or two the forest and all the other dimly appreciated places echoed with
the parody of laughter. "You knew, didn't you? I'm part of you? Close, close, close!
I'm the reason why it's no go? Why things are what they are?"
The laughter shivered again.
"Come now," said the Lord of the Flies. "Get back to the others and we'll forget the
whole thing."
Simon's head wobbled. His eyes were half closed as though he were imitating the
obscene thing on the stick. He knew that one of his times was coming on. The Lord of
the Flies was expanding like a balloon.
"This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well you'll only meet me down there--so
don't try to escape!"
Simon's body was arched and stiff. The Lord of the Flies spoke in the voice of a
schoolmaster.
"This has gone quite far enough. My poor, misguided child, do you think you know
better than I do?"
There was a pause.
"I'm warning you. I'm going to get angry. D'you see? You're not wanted. Understand?
We are going to have fun on this island. Understand? We are going to have fun on
this island! So don't try it on, my poor misguided boy, or else--"
Simon found he was looking into a vast mouth. There was blackness within, a
blackness that spread.
"--Or else," said the Lord of the Flies, "we shall do you? See? Jack and Roger and
Maurice and Robert and Bill and Piggy and Ralph. Do you. See?"
Simon was inside the mouth. He fell down and lost consciousness.
CHAPTER NINE
A View to a Death
Over the island the build-up of clouds continued. A steady current of heated air
rose all day from the mountain and was thrust to ten thousand feet; revolving masses
of gas piled up the static until the air was ready to explode. By early evening the
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sun had gone and a brassy glare had taken the place of clear daylight. Even the air [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]