Lord of the Flies - William Golding [47]
"I'll go if you like. I don't mind, honestly."
Before Ralph had time to reply, he smiled quickly, turned and climbed into the forest.
Ralph looked back at Jack, seeing him, infuriatingly, for the first time.
"Jack―that time you went the whole way to the castle rock."
Jack glowered.
"Yes?"
"You came along part of this shore―below the mountain, beyond there."
"Yes."
"And then?"
"I found a pig-run. It went for miles."
"So the pig-run must be somewhere in there."
Ralph nodded. He pointed at the forest.
Everybody agreed, sagely.
"All right then. We'll smash a way through till we find the pig-run."
He took a step and halted.
"Wait a minute though! Where does the pig-run go to?"
"The mountain," said Jack, "I told you." He sneered. "Don't you want to go to the mountain?"
Ralph sighed, sensing the rising antagonism, understanding that this was how Jack felt as soon as he ceased to lead.
"I was thinking of the light. We'll be stumbling about."
"We were going to look for the beast."
"There won't be enough light."
"I don't mind going," said Jack hotly. "I'll go when we get there. Won't you? Would you rather go back to the shelters and tell Piggy?"
Now it was Ralph's turn to flush but he spoke despairingly, out of the new understanding that Piggy had given him.
"Why do you hate me?"
The boys stirred uneasily, as though something indecent had been said. The silence lengthened.
Ralph, still hot and hurt, turned away first.
"Come on."
He led the way and set himself as by right to hack at the tangles. Jack brought up the rear, displaced and brooding.
The pig-track was a dark tunnel, for the sun was sliding quickly toward the edge of the world and in the forest shadows were never far to seek. The track was broad and beaten and they ran along at a swift trot. Then the roof of leaves broke up and they halted, breathing quickly, looking at the few stars that pricked round the head of the mountain.
"There you are."
The boys peered at each other doubtfully. Ralph made a decision.
"We'll go straight across to the platform and climb tomorrow."
They murmured agreement; but Jack was standing by his shoulder.
"If you're frightened of course―"
Ralph turned on him.
"Who went first on the castle rock?"
"I went too. And that was daylight."
"All right. Who wants to climb the mountain now?" Silence was the only answer.
"Samneric? What about you?"
"We ought to go an' tell Piggy―"
"―yes, tell Piggy that―"
"But Simon went!"
"We ought to tell Piggy―in case―"
"Robert? Bill?"
They were going straight back to the platform now. Not, of course, that they were afraid―but tired.
Ralph turned back to Jack.
"You see?"
"I'm going up the mountain." The words came from Jack viciously, as though they were a curse. He looked at Ralph, his thin body tensed, his spear held as if he threatened him.
"I'm going up the mountain to look for the beast―now." Then the supreme sting, the casual, bitter word. "Coming?"
At that word the other boys forgot their urge to be gone and turned back to sample this fresh rub of two spirits in the dark. The word was too good, too bitter, too successfully daunting to be repeated. It took Ralph at low water when his nerve was relaxed for the return to the shelter and the still, friendly waters of the lagoon.
"I don't mind."
Astonished, he heard his voice come out, cool and casual, so that the bitterness of Jack's taunt fell powerless.
"If you don't mind, of course."
"Oh, not at all."
Jack took a step.
"Well then―"
Side by side, watched by silent boys, the two started up the mountain.
Ralph stopped.
"We're silly. Why should only two go? If we find anything, two won't be enough."
There came the sound of boys scuttling away. Astonishingly, a dark figure moved against the tide.
"Roger?"
"Yes."
"That's three, then."
Once more they set out to climb the slope of the mountain. The darkness seemed to flow round them like a tide. Jack, who had said nothing, began to choke and cough, and a gust of wind set all three spluttering. Ralph's eyes were blinded with tears.
"Ashes.