white fang(白牙)-第15节
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again； but it had taken upon itself a remarkable remoteness。 Also； its
appearance had changed。 It was now a variegated wall； composed of the
trees that fringed the stream； the opposing mountain that towered above
the trees； and the sky that out…towered the mountain。
A great fear came upon him。 This was more of the terrible unknown。
He crouched down on the lip of the cave and gazed out on the world。 He
was very much afraid。 Because it was unknown； it was hostile to him。
Therefore the hair stood up on end along his back and his lips wrinkled
weakly in an attempt at a ferocious and intimidating snarl。 Out of his
puniness and fright he challenged and menaced the whole wide world。
Nothing happened。 He continued to gaze； and in his interest he forgot
to snarl。 Also； he forgot to be afraid。 For the time； fear had been routed by
growth； while growth had assumed the guise of curiosity。 He began to
notice near objects … an open portion of the stream that flashed in the sun；
the blasted pine…tree that stood at the base of the slope； and the slope itself；
that ran right up to him and ceased two feet beneath the lip of the cave on
which he crouched。
Now the grey cub had lived all his days on a level floor。 He had never
experienced the hurt of a fall。 He did not know what a fall was。 So he
stepped boldly out upon the air。 His hind…legs still rested on the cave…lip；
so he fell forward head downward。 The earth struck him a harsh blow on
the nose that made him yelp。 Then he began rolling down the slope； over
and over。 He was in a panic of terror。 The unknown had caught him at last。
It had gripped savagely hold of him and was about to wreak upon him
some terrific hurt。 Growth was now routed by fear； and he ki…yi'd like any
frightened puppy。
The unknown bore him on he knew not to what frightful hurt； and he
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yelped and ki…yi'd unceasingly。 This was a different proposition from
crouching in frozen fear while the unknown lurked just alongside。 Now
the unknown had caught tight hold of him。 Silence would do no good。
Besides； it was not fear； but terror； that convulsed him。
But the slope grew more gradual； and its base was grass…covered。 Here
the cub lost momentum。 When at last he came to a stop； he gave one last
agonised yell and then a long； whimpering wail。 Also； and quite as a
matter of course； as though in his life he had already made a thousand
toilets； he proceeded to lick away the dry clay that soiled him。
After that he sat up and gazed about him； as might the first man of the
earth who landed upon Mars。 The cub had broken through the wall of the
world； the unknown had let go its hold of him； and here he was without
hurt。 But the first man on Mars would have experienced less unfamiliarity
than did he。 Without any antecedent knowledge； without any warning
whatever that such existed； he found himself an explorer in a totally new
world。
Now that the terrible unknown had let go of him； he forgot that the
unknown had any terrors。 He was aware only of curiosity in all the things
about him。 He inspected the grass beneath him； the moss… berry plant just
beyond； and the dead trunk of the blasted pine that stood on the edge of an
open space among the trees。 A squirrel； running around the base of the
trunk； came full upon him； and gave him a great fright。 He cowered down
and snarled。 But the squirrel was as badly scared。 It ran up the tree； and
from a point of safety chattered back savagely。
This helped the cub's courage； and though the woodpecker he next
encountered gave him a start； he proceeded confidently on his way。 Such
was his confidence； that when a moose…bird impudently hopped up to him；
he reached out at it with a playful paw。 The result was a sharp peck on the
end of his nose that made him cower down and ki…yi。 The noise he made
was too much for the moose…bird； who sought safety in flight。
But the cub was learning。 His misty little mind had already made an
unconscious classification。 There were live things and things not alive。
Also； he must watch out for the live things。 The things not alive remained
always in one place； but the live things moved about； and there was no
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telling what they might do。 The thing to expect of them was the
unexpected； and for this he must be prepared。
He travelled very clumsily。 He ran into sticks and things。 A twig that
he thought a long way off； would the next instant hit him on the nose or
rake along his ribs。 There were inequalities of surface。 Sometimes he
overstepped and stubbed his nose。 Quite as often he understepped and
stubbed his feet。 Then there were the pebbles and stones that turned under
him when he trod upon them； and from them he came to know that the
things not alive were not all in the same state of stable equilibrium as was
his cave … also； that small things not alive were more liable than large
things to fall down or turn over。 But with every mishap he was learning。
The longer he walked； the better he walked。 He was adjusting himself。 He
was learning to calculate his own muscular movements； to know his
physical limitations； to measure distances between objects； and between
objects and himself。
His was the luck of the beginner。 Born to be a hunter of meat （though
he did not know it）； he blundered upon meat just outside his own cave…
door on his first foray into the world。 It was by sheer blundering that he
chanced upon the shrewdly hidden ptarmigan nest。 He fell into it。 He had
essayed to walk along the trunk of a fallen pine。 The rotten bark gave way
under his feet； and with a despairing yelp he pitched down the rounded
crescent； smashed through the leafage and stalks of a small bush； and in
the heart of the bush； on the ground； fetched up in the midst of seven
ptarmigan chicks。
They made noises； and at first he was frightened at them。 Then he
perceived that they were very little； and he became bolder。 They moved。
He placed his paw on one； and its movements were accelerated。 This was
a source of enjoyment to him。 He smelled it。 He picked it up in his mouth。
It struggled and tickled his tongue。 At the same time he was made aware
of a sensation of hunger。 His jaws closed together。 There was a crunching
of fragile bones； and warm blood ran in his mouth。 The taste of it was
good。 This was meat； the same as his mother gave him； only it was alive
between his teeth and therefore better。 So he ate the ptarmigan。 Nor did he
stop till he had devoured the whole brood。 Then he licked his chops in
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quite the same way his mother did； and began to crawl out of the bush。
He encountered a feathered whirlwind。 He was confused and blinded
by the rush of it and the beat of angry wings。 He hid his head between his
paws and yelped。 The blows increased。 The mother ptarmigan was in a
fury。 Then he became angry。 He rose up； snarling； striking out with his
paws。 He sank his tiny teeth into one of the wings and pulled and tugged
sturdily。 The ptarmigan struggled against him； showering blows upon him
with her free wing。 It was his first battle。 He was elated。 He forgot all
about the unknown。 He no longer was afraid of anything。 He was fighting；
tearing at a live thing that was striking at him。 Also； this live thing was
meat。 The lust to kill was on him。 He had just destroyed little live things。
He would now destroy a big live thing。 He was too busy and happy to
know that he was happy。 He was thrilling and exulting in ways new to him
and greater to him than any he had known before。
He held on to the wing and growled between his tight…clenched teeth。
The ptarmigan dragged him out of the bush。 When she turned and tried to
drag him back into the bu
