white fang(白牙)-第18节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
a tremendous snarling and spitting and screeching。 The two animals
threshed about； the lynx ripping and tearing with her claws and using her
teeth as well； while the she…wolf used her teeth alone。
Once； the cub sprang in and sank his teeth into the hind leg of the lynx。
He clung on； growling savagely。 Though he did not know it； by the weight
of his body he clogged the action of the leg and thereby saved his mother
much damage。 A change in the battle crushed him under both their bodies
and wrenched loose his hold。 The next moment the two mothers separated；
and； before they rushed together again； the lynx lashed out at the cub with
a huge fore…paw that ripped his shoulder open to the bone and sent him
hurtling sidewise against the wall。 Then was added to the uproar the cub's
shrill yelp of pain and fright。 But the fight lasted so long that he had time
to cry himself out and to experience a second burst of courage； and the end
of the battle found him again clinging to a hind…leg and furiously growling
between his teeth。
The lynx was dead。 But the she…wolf was very weak and sick。 At first
65
… Page 66…
White Fang
she caressed the cub and licked his wounded shoulder； but the blood she
had lost had taken with it her strength； and for all of a day and a night she
lay by her dead foe's side； without movement； scarcely breathing。 For a
week she never left the cave； except for water； and then her movements
were slow and painful。 At the end of that time the lynx was devoured；
while the she…wolf's wounds had healed sufficiently to permit her to take
the meat…trail again。
The cub's shoulder was stiff and sore； and for some time he limped
from the terrible slash he had received。 But the world now seemed
changed。 He went about in it with greater confidence； with a feeling of
prowess that had not been his in the days before the battle with the lynx。
He had looked upon life in a more ferocious aspect； he had fought； he had
buried his teeth in the flesh of a foe； and he had survived。 And because of
all this； he carried himself more boldly； with a touch of defiance that was
new in him。 He was no longer afraid of minor things； and much of his
timidity had vanished； though the unknown never ceased to press upon
him with its mysteries and terrors； intangible and ever…menacing。
He began to accompany his mother on the meat…trail； and he saw much
of the killing of meat and began to play his part in it。 And in his own dim
way he learned the law of meat。 There were two kinds of life … his own
kind and the other kind。 His own kind included his mother and himself。
The other kind included all live things that moved。 But the other kind was
divided。 One portion was what his own kind killed and ate。 This portion
was composed of the non… killers and the small killers。 The other portion
killed and ate his own kind； or was killed and eaten by his own kind。 And
out of this classification arose the law。 The aim of life was meat。 Life itself
was meat。 Life lived on life。 There were the eaters and the eaten。 The law
was： EAT OR BE EATEN。 He did not formulate the law in clear； set terms
and moralise about it。 He did not even think the law； he merely lived the
law without thinking about it at all。
He saw the law operating around him on every side。 He had eaten the
ptarmigan chicks。 The hawk had eaten the ptarmigan…mother。 The hawk
would also have eaten him。 Later； when he had grown more formidable； he
wanted to eat the hawk。 He had eaten the lynx kitten。 The lynx…mother
66
… Page 67…
White Fang
would have eaten him had she not herself been killed and eaten。 And so it
went。 The law was being lived about him by all live things； and he himself
was part and parcel of the law。 He was a killer。 His only food was meat；
live meat； that ran away swiftly before him； or flew into the air； or climbed
trees； or hid in the ground； or faced him and fought with him； or turned the
tables and ran after him。
Had the cub thought in man…fashion； he might have epitomised life as
a voracious appetite and the world as a place wherein ranged a multitude
of appetites； pursuing and being pursued； hunting and being hunted； eating
and being eaten； all in blindness and confusion； with violence and disorder；
a chaos of gluttony and slaughter； ruled over by chance； merciless；
planless； endless。
But the cub did not think in man…fashion。 He did not look at things
with wide vision。 He was single…purposed； and entertained but one thought
or desire at a time。 Besides the law of meat； there were a myriad other and
lesser laws for him to learn and obey。 The world was filled with surprise。
The stir of the life that was in him； the play of his muscles； was an
unending happiness。 To run down meat was to experience thrills and
elations。 His rages and battles were pleasures。 Terror itself； and the
mystery of the unknown； led to his living。
And there were easements and satisfactions。 To have a full stomach； to
doze lazily in the sunshine … such things were remuneration in full for his
ardours and toils； while his ardours and tolls were in themselves self…
remunerative。 They were expressions of life； and life is always happy
when it is expressing itself。 So the cub had no quarrel with his hostile
environment。 He was very much alive； very happy； and very proud of
himself。
67
… Page 68…
White Fang
PART III
68
… Page 69…
White Fang
CHAPTER I … THE MAKERS OF FIRE
The cub came upon it suddenly。 It was his own fault。 He had been
careless。 He had left the cave and run down to the stream to drink。 It might
have been that he took no notice because he was heavy with sleep。 （He
had been out all night on the meat…trail； and had but just then awakened。）
And his carelessness might have been due to the familiarity of the trail to
the pool。 He had travelled it often； and nothing had ever happened on it。
He went down past the blasted pine； crossed the open space； and
trotted in amongst the trees。 Then； at the same instant； he saw and smelt。
Before him； sitting silently on their haunches； were five live things； the
like of which he had never seen before。 It was his first glimpse of mankind。
But at the sight of him the five men did not spring to their feet； nor show
their teeth； nor snarl。 They did not move； but sat there； silent and ominous。
Nor did the cub move。 Every instinct of his nature would have
impelled him to dash wildly away； had there not suddenly and for the first
time arisen in him another and counter instinct。 A great awe descended
upon him。 He was beaten down to movelessness by an overwhelming
sense of his own weakness and littleness。 Here was mastery and power；
something far and away beyond him。
The cub had never seen man； yet the instinct concerning man was his。
In dim ways he recognised in man the animal that had fought itself to
primacy over the other animals of the Wild。 Not alone out of his own eyes；
but out of the eyes of all his ancestors was the cub now looking upon man
… out of eyes that had circled in the darkness around countless winter
camp…fires； that had peered from safe distances and from the hearts of
thickets at the strange； two… legged animal that was lord over living things。
The spell of the cub's heritage was upon him； the fear and the respect born
of the centuries of struggle and the accumulated experience of the
generations。 The heritage was too compelling for a wolf that was only a
cub。 Had he been full…grown； he would have run away。 As it was； he
cowered down in a paralysis of fear； already half proffering the submission
that his kind had proffered from the first time a wolf came in to sit by
