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revolver； a row of gilt buttons down the front of a uniform。
A naval officer stood on the sand； looking down at Ralph in wary astonishment。 On the beach behind him was a cutter； her bows hauled up and held by two ratings。 In the stern…sheets another rating held a sub…machine gun。
The ululation faltered and died away。
The officer looked at Ralph doubtfully for a moment； then took his hand away from the butt of the revolver。
〃Hullo。〃
Squirming a little； conscious of his filthy appearance； Ralph answered shyly。
〃Hullo。〃
The officer nodded； as if a question had been answered。
〃Are there any adults…any grownups with you？〃
Dumbly； Ralph shook his head。 He turned a half…pace on the sand。 A semicircle of little boys； their bodies streaked with colored clay； sharp sticks in their hands； were standing on the beach making no noise at all。
〃Fun and games；〃 said the officer。
The fire reached the coconut palms by the beach and swallowed them noisily。 A flame； seemingly detached； swung like an acrobat and licked up the palm heads on the platfonn。 The sky was black。
The officer grinned cheerfully at Ralph。
〃We saw your smoke。 What have you been doing？ Having a war or something？〃
Ralph nodded。
The officer inspected the little scarecrow in front of him。 The kid needed a bath； a haircut； a nose…wipe and a good deal of ointment。
〃Nobody killed； I hope？ Any dead bodies？〃
〃Only two。 And they've gone。〃
The officer leaned down and looked closely at Ralph。
〃Two？ Killed？〃
Ralph nodded again。 Behind him； the whole island was shuddering with flame。 The officer knew； as a rule； when people were telling the truth。 He whistled softly。
Other boys were appearing now； tiny tots some of them； brown； with the distended bellies of small savages。 One of them came dose to the officer and looked up。
〃I'm； I'm…〃
But there was no more to e。 Percival Wemys Madison sought in his head for an incantation that had faded clean away。
The officer turned back to Ralph。
〃We'll take you off。 How many of you are there？〃
Ralph shook his head。 The officer looked past him to the group of painted boys。
〃Who's boss here？〃
〃I am；〃 said Ralph loudly。
A little boy who wore the remains of an extraordinary black cap on his red hair and who carried the remains of a pair of spectacles at his waist； started forward； then changed his mind and stood still。
〃We saw your smoke。 And you don't know how many of you there are？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃I should have thought；〃 said the officer as he visualized the search before him； 〃I should have thought that a pack of British boys…you're all British； aren't you？…would have been able to put up a better show than that…I mean…〃
〃It was like that at first；〃 said Ralph； 〃before things…〃
He stopped。
〃We were together then…〃
The officer nodded helpfully。
〃I know。 Jolly good show。 Like the Coral Island。〃
Ralph looked at him dumbly。 For a moment he had a fleeting picture of the strange glamour that had once invested the beaches。 But the island was scorched up like dead wood…Simon was dead…and Jack had。 。 。 。 The tears began to flow and sobs shook him。 He gave himself up to them now for the first time on the island； great； shuddering spasms of grief that seemed to wrench his whole body。 His voice rose under the black smoke before the burning wreckage of the island； and infected by that emotion； the other little boys began to shake and sob too。 And in the middle of them； with filthy body； matted hair； and unwiped nose； Ralph wept for the end of innocence； the darkness of man's heart； and the fall through the air of the true； wise friend called Piggy。
The officer； surrounded by these noises； was moved and a little embarrassed。 He turned away to give them time to pull themselves together； and waited； allowing his eyes to rest on the trim cruiser in the distance。
Interview with William Golding1
JAMES KEATING
Purdue University； May 10； 1962
Question： It has often been said that wars are caused by the dictatorial few。 Do you feel this to be so； or do you think anyone given the power is capable of such inhuman atrocity？
Answer： Well； I think wars are much more plicated than that。 Some of them have been caused by a few。 On the other hand if some of them are surely the bursting of some vicious growth； almost； in civilization； then who knows who applies the lancer to it？ There's all the difference in the world between the wars of 1917…the munist Revolution…on the one hand； and the wars of Genghis Khan on the other； isn't there？
Q。： Yes。 Obviously； in Lord of the Flies society plays little part in determining the corruption and violence in man。 You've said this is true in society； that it does play a minor role； but do you feel that there are societies that will enhance the possibility of man being good？ And are we working toward this in democracy？
A。： By instinct and training； and by birth and by position on the face of the globe； I'm pretty well bound to subscribe to a democratic doctrine； am I not？ This is so deeply woven into the way we live； or at least the way we live at home in England； that I don't suppose one really questions it much。 I think I would say democracy is moving in the right
1。This interview is printed here by permission of William Golding and James Keating。 （c） 1964 by James Keating and William Golding。
direction； or the democratic way is the way in which to move； equally； it seems to me that a democracy has inherent weaknesses in it…built…in weaknesses。 You can't give people freedom without weakening society as an implement of war； if you like； and so this is very much like a sheep among wolves。 It's not a question with me as to whether democracy is the right way so much； as to whether democracy can survive and remain what it is。 Every time democracy pulls itself together and says； 〃Well； now I'm being threatened by a totalitarian regime；〃 the first thing it has to do is give up some of its own principles。 In England during the Second World War we had to give up a tremendous number of principles in order to achieve the one pointed unity which could possibly withstand Hitler。 It's possible to look at the question in this way and say； 〃Is the remedy not as bad as the disease？〃 I don't know。
Q。： Well； the innocence in man； for example； that you bring out among the boys in this novel； would you say it was an inherent kind of thing which materializes； or is it a thing from without which is taken on during a transitional process from innocence to non…innocence？ Are the boys innocent of themselves or are they innocent of evil from without and evil of others？
A。： They're innocent of their own natures。 They don't understand their own natures and therefore； when they get to this island； they can look forward to a bright future； because they don't understand the things that threaten it。 This seems to me to be innocence； I suppose you could almost equate it with ignorance of men's basic attributes； and this is inevitable with anything which is born and begins to grow up。 Obviously； it doesn't understand its own nature。
Q。： Then it's more a bination of innocence