Ralph seated this seemed the breaking up of sanity. Fear, beasts no general agreement that the fire was all important; and when one tried to get the thing straight the argument sheered off, bringing up fresh, unpleasant matter. He could see a whiteness in the gloom near him so he grabbed it from Maurice and blew as loudly as he could. The assembly was shocked into silence. Simon was close to him, laying hands on the conch. Simon felt a perilous necessity to speak; but to speak in assembly was a terrible thing to him. Maybe, he said hesitantly, maybe there is a beast. The assembly cried out savagely and Ralph stood up in amazement. That was from Piggy, shocked out of decorum and then Simon became inarticulate in his effort to express mankind's essential illness. Inspiration came to him.