white fang(白牙)-第14章
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！
and quieted down for a long minute。 One Eye watched。 And even he could
not repress a start and an involuntary bristling of hair along his back when
she suddenly leaped； without warning； straight up in the air； at the same
time emitting a long and most terrible squall。 Then she sprang away； up
45
… Page 46…
White Fang
the trail； squalling with every leap she made。
It was not until her racket had faded away in the distance and died out
that One Eye ventured forth。 He walked as delicately as though all the
snow were carpeted with porcupine quills； erect and ready to pierce the
soft pads of his feet。 The porcupine met his approach with a furious
squealing and a clashing of its long teeth。 It had managed to roll up in a
ball again； but it was not quite the old compact ball； its muscles were too
much torn for that。 It had been ripped almost in half； and was still bleeding
profusely。
One Eye scooped out mouthfuls of the blood…soaked snow； and
chewed and tasted and swallowed。 This served as a relish； and his hunger
increased mightily； but he was too old in the world to forget his caution。
He waited。 He lay down and waited； while the porcupine grated its teeth
and uttered grunts and sobs and occasional sharp little squeals。 In a little
while； One Eye noticed that the quills were drooping and that a great
quivering had set up。 The quivering came to an end suddenly。 There was a
final defiant clash of the long teeth。 Then all the quills drooped quite down；
and the body relaxed and moved no more。
With a nervous； shrinking paw； One Eye stretched out the porcupine to
its full length and turned it over on its back。 Nothing had happened。 It was
surely dead。 He studied it intently for a moment； then took a careful grip
with his teeth and started off down the stream； partly carrying； partly
dragging the porcupine； with head turned to the side so as to avoid
stepping on the prickly mass。 He recollected something； dropped the
burden； and trotted back to where he had left the ptarmigan。 He did not
hesitate a moment。 He knew clearly what was to be done； and this he did
by promptly eating the ptarmigan。 Then he returned and took up his
burden。
When he dragged the result of his day's hunt into the cave； the she…
wolf inspected it； turned her muzzle to him； and lightly licked him on the
neck。 But the next instant she was warning him away from the cubs with a
snarl that was less harsh than usual and that was more apologetic than
menacing。 Her instinctive fear of the father of her progeny was toning
down。 He was behaving as a wolf… father should； and manifesting no
46
… Page 47…
White Fang
unholy desire to devour the young lives she had brought into the world。
47
… Page 48…
White Fang
CHAPTER III … THE GREY CUB
He was different from his brothers and sisters。 Their hair already
betrayed the reddish hue inherited from their mother； the she…wolf； while
he alone； in this particular； took after his father。 He was the one little grey
cub of the litter。 He had bred true to the straight wolf…stock … in fact； he
had bred true to old One Eye himself； physically； with but a single
exception； and that was he had two eyes to his father's one。
The grey cub's eyes had not been open long； yet already he could see
with steady clearness。 And while his eyes were still closed； he had felt；
tasted； and smelled。 He knew his two brothers and his two sisters very
well。 He had begun to romp with them in a feeble； awkward way； and even
to squabble； his little throat vibrating with a queer rasping noise （the
forerunner of the growl）； as he worked himself into a passion。 And long
before his eyes had opened he had learned by touch； taste； and smell to
know his mother … a fount of warmth and liquid food and tenderness。 She
possessed a gentle； caressing tongue that soothed him when it passed over
his soft little body； and that impelled him to snuggle close against her and
to doze off to sleep。
Most of the first month of his life had been passed thus in sleeping； but
now he could see quite well； and he stayed awake for longer periods of
time； and he was coming to learn his world quite well。 His world was
gloomy； but he did not know that； for he knew no other world。 It was dim…
lighted； but his eyes had never had to adjust themselves to any other light。
His world was very small。 Its limits were the walls of the lair； but as he
had no knowledge of the wide world outside； he was never oppressed by
the narrow confines of his existence。
But he had early discovered that one wall of his world was different
from the rest。 This was the mouth of the cave and the source of light。 He
had discovered that it was different from the other walls long before he
had any thoughts of his own； any conscious volitions。 It had been an
irresistible attraction before ever his eyes opened and looked upon it。 The
light from it had beat upon his sealed lids； and the eyes and the optic
48
… Page 49…
White Fang
nerves had pulsated to little； sparklike flashes； warm…coloured and
strangely pleasing。 The life of his body； and of every fibre of his body； the
life that was the very substance of his body and that was apart from his
own personal life； had yearned toward this light and urged his body
toward it in the same way that the cunning chemistry of a plant urges it
toward the sun。
Always； in the beginning； before his conscious life dawned； he had
crawled toward the mouth of the cave。 And in this his brothers and sisters
were one with him。 Never； in that period； did any of them crawl toward the
dark corners of the back…wall。 The light drew them as if they were plants；
the chemistry of the life that composed them demanded the light as a
necessity of being； and their little puppet…bodies crawled blindly and
chemically； like the tendrils of a vine。 Later on； when each developed
individuality and became personally conscious of impulsions and desires；
the attraction of the light increased。 They were always crawling and
sprawling toward it； and being driven back from it by their mother。
It was in this way that the grey cub learned other attributes of his
mother than the soft； soothing； tongue。 In his insistent crawling toward the
light； he discovered in her a nose that with a sharp nudge administered
rebuke； and later； a paw； that crushed him down and rolled him over and
over with swift； calculating stroke。 Thus he learned hurt； and on top of it
he learned to avoid hurt； first； by not incurring the risk of it； and second；
when he had incurred the risk； by dodging and by retreating。 These were
conscious actions； and were the results of his first generalisations upon the
world。 Before that he had r
