white fang(白牙)-第17节
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not rush him； now that her young one was safe。 She approached more
cautiously； and the cub had full opportunity to observe her lean； snakelike
body； and her head； erect； eager； and snake…like itself。 Her sharp； menacing
cry sent the hair bristling along his back； and he snarled warningly at her。
She came closer and closer。 There was a leap； swifter than his unpractised
sight； and the lean； yellow body disappeared for a moment out of the field
of his vision。 The next moment she was at his throat； her teeth buried in
his hair and flesh。
At first he snarled and tried to fight； but he was very young； and this
was only his first day in the world； and his snarl became a whimper； his
fight a struggle to escape。 The weasel never relaxed her hold。 She hung on；
striving to press down with her teeth to the great vein were his life…blood
bubbled。 The weasel was a drinker of blood； and it was ever her preference
to drink from the throat of life itself。
The grey cub would have died； and there would have been no story to
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write about him； had not the she…wolf come bounding through the bushes。
The weasel let go the cub and flashed at the she…wolf's throat； missing； but
getting a hold on the jaw instead。 The she… wolf flirted her head like the
snap of a whip； breaking the weasel's hold and flinging it high in the air。
And； still in the air； the she…wolf's jaws closed on the lean； yellow body；
and the weasel knew death between the crunching teeth。
The cub experienced another access of affection on the part of his
mother。 Her joy at finding him seemed even greater than his joy at being
found。 She nozzled him and caressed him and licked the cuts made in him
by the weasel's teeth。 Then； between them； mother and cub； they ate the
blood…drinker； and after that went back to the cave and slept。
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CHAPTER V … THE LAW OF MEAT
The cub's development was rapid。 He rested for two days； and then
ventured forth from the cave again。 It was on this adventure that he found
the young weasel whose mother he had helped eat； and he saw to it that
the young weasel went the way of its mother。 But on this trip he did not
get lost。 When he grew tired； he found his way back to the cave and slept。
And every day thereafter found him out and ranging a wider area。
He began to get accurate measurement of his strength and his
weakness； and to know when to be bold and when to be cautious。 He
found it expedient to be cautious all the time； except for the rare moments；
when； assured of his own intrepidity； he abandoned himself to petty rages
and lusts。
He was always a little demon of fury when he chanced upon a stray
ptarmigan。 Never did he fail to respond savagely to the chatter of the
squirrel he had first met on the blasted pine。 While the sight of a moose…
bird almost invariably put him into the wildest of rages； for he never
forgot the peck on the nose he had received from the first of that ilk he
encountered。
But there were times when even a moose…bird failed to affect him； and
those were times when he felt himself to be in danger from some other
prowling meat hunter。 He never forgot the hawk； and its moving shadow
always sent him crouching into the nearest thicket。 He no longer sprawled
and straddled； and already he was developing the gait of his mother；
slinking and furtive； apparently without exertion； yet sliding along with a
swiftness that was as deceptive as it was imperceptible。
In the matter of meat； his luck had been all in the beginning。 The seven
ptarmigan chicks and the baby weasel represented the sum of his killings。
His desire to kill strengthened with the days； and he cherished hungry
ambitions for the squirrel that chattered so volubly and always informed
all wild creatures that the wolf…cub was approaching。 But as birds flew in
the air； squirrels could climb trees； and the cub could only try to crawl
unobserved upon the squirrel when it was on the ground。
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The cub entertained a great respect for his mother。 She could get meat；
and she never failed to bring him his share。 Further； she was unafraid of
things。 It did not occur to him that this fearlessness was founded upon
experience and knowledge。 Its effect on him was that of an impression of
power。 His mother represented power； and as he grew older he felt this
power in the sharper admonishment of her paw； while the reproving nudge
of her nose gave place to the slash of her fangs。 For this； likewise； he
respected his mother。 She compelled obedience from him； and the older he
grew the shorter grew her temper。
Famine came again； and the cub with clearer consciousness knew once
more the bite of hunger。 The she…wolf ran herself thin in the quest for meat。
She rarely slept any more in the cave； spending most of her time on the
meat…trail； and spending it vainly。 This famine was not a long one； but it
was severe while it lasted。 The cub found no more milk in his mother's
breast； nor did he get one mouthful of meat for himself。
Before； he had hunted in play； for the sheer joyousness of it； now he
hunted in deadly earnestness； and found nothing。 Yet the failure of it
accelerated his development。 He studied the habits of the squirrel with
greater carefulness； and strove with greater craft to steal upon it and
surprise it。 He studied the wood…mice and tried to dig them out of their
burrows； and he learned much about the ways of moose…birds and
woodpeckers。 And there came a day when the hawk's shadow did not drive
him crouching into the bushes。 He had grown stronger and wiser； and
more confident。 Also； he was desperate。 So he sat on his haunches；
conspicuously in an open space； and challenged the hawk down out of the
sky。 For he knew that there； floating in the blue above him； was meat； the
meat his stomach yearned after so insistently。 But the hawk refused to
come down and give battle； and the cub crawled away into a thicket and
whimpered his disappointment and hunger。
The famine broke。 The she…wolf brought home meat。 It was strange
meat； different from any she had ever brought before。 It was a lynx kitten；
partly grown； like the cub； but not so large。 And it was all for him。 His
mother had satisfied her hunger elsewhere； though he did not know that it
was the rest of the lynx litter that had gone to satisfy her。 Nor did he know
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the desperateness of her deed。 He knew only that the velvet…furred kitten
was meat； and he ate and waxed happier with every mouthful。
A full stomach conduces to inaction； and the cub lay in the cave；
sleeping against his mother's side。 He was aroused by her snarling。 Never
had he heard her snarl so terribly。 Possibly in her whole life it was the
most terrible snarl she ever gave。 There was reason for it； and none knew
it better than she。 A lynx's lair is not despoiled with impunity。 In the full
glare of the afternoon light； crouching in the entrance of the cave； the cub
saw the lynx… mother。 The hair rippled up along his back at the sight。 Here
was fear； and it did not require his instinct to tell him of it。 And if sight
alone were not sufficient； the cry of rage the intruder gave； beginning with
a snarl and rushing abruptly upward into a hoarse screech； was convincing
enough in itself。
The cub felt the prod of the life that was in him； and stood up and
snarled valiantly by his mother's side。 But she thrust him ignominiously
away and behind her。 Because of the low…roofed entrance the lynx could
not leap in； and when she made a crawling rush of it the she…wolf sprang
upon her and pinned her down。 The cub saw little of the battle。 There was
a tremendous snarling and spitting and screeching。
