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第8章

white fang(白牙)-第8章

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Mechanically; at short range; without letting go of it; he thrust a brand full 

into her open and snarling mouth。 She sprang away; yelling with pain; and 

while he took delight in the smell of burning flesh and hair; he watched 

her shaking her head and growling wrathfully a score of feet away。 

     But this time; before he dozed again; he tied a burning pine…knot to his 

right   hand。   His   eyes   were   closed   but   few   minutes   when   the   burn   of   the 

flame   on   his   flesh   awakened   him。   For   several   hours   he   adhered   to   this 

programme。 Every time he was thus awakened he drove back the wolves 

with flying brands; replenished the fire; and rearranged the pine…knot on 

his   hand。 All   worked   well;   but   there   came   a   time   when   he   fastened   the 

pine…knot insecurely。 As his eyes closed it fell away from his hand。 

     He   dreamed。   It   seemed   to   him   that   he   was   in   Fort   McGurry。   It   was 

warm and comfortable; and he was playing cribbage with the Factor。 Also; 

it seemed to him that the fort was besieged by wolves。 They were howling 

at the very gates; and sometimes he and the Factor paused from the game 

to listen and laugh at the futile efforts of the wolves to get in。 And then; so 

strange   was the   dream;   there   was   a   crash。 The   door   was burst  open。   He 

could see the wolves flooding into the big living…room of the fort。 They 

were leaping straight for him and the Factor。 With the bursting open of the 

door; the noise of their howling had increased tremendously。 This howling 

now bothered him。 His dream was merging into something else … he knew 

not what; but through it all; following him; persisted the howling。 

     And then he awoke to find the howling real。 There was a great snarling 

and yelping。 The wolves were rushing him。 They were all about him and 

upon   him。   The   teeth   of   one   had   closed   upon   his   arm。   Instinctively   he 

leaped into the fire; and as he leaped; he felt the sharp slash of teeth that 

tore through the flesh of his leg。 Then began a fire fight。 His stout mittens 

temporarily protected his hands; and he scooped live coals into the air in 

all directions; until the campfire took on the semblance of a volcano。 



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     But   it   could   not   last   long。   His   face   was   blistering   in   the   heat;   his 

eyebrows       and    lashes    were    singed     off;  and    the   heat   was    becoming 

unbearable to his feet。 With a flaming brand in each hand; he sprang to the 

edge     of  the   fire。  The    wolves     had   been    driven    back。   On    every    side; 

wherever the live coals had fallen; the snow was sizzling; and every little 

while a retiring wolf; with wild leap and snort and snarl; announced that 

one such live coal had been stepped upon。 

     Flinging his brands   at   the  nearest   of   his   enemies;  the  man   thrust   his 

smouldering mittens into the snow and stamped about to cool his feet。 His 

two dogs were missing; and he well knew that they had served as a course 

in   the   protracted   meal   which   had   begun   days   before   with   Fatty;   the   last 

course of which would likely be himself in the days to follow。 

     〃You ain't got me yet!〃 he cried; savagely shaking his fist at the hungry 

beasts; and at the sound of his voice the whole circle was agitated; there 

was a general snarl; and the she…wolf slid up close to him across the snow 

and watched him with hungry wistfulness。 

     He   set   to   work   to   carry   out   a   new   idea   that   had   come   to   him。   He 

extended   the   fire   into   a   large   circle。   Inside   this   circle   he   crouched;   his 

sleeping outfit under him as a protection against the melting snow。 When 

he had thus disappeared within his shelter of flame; the whole pack came 

curiously to the rim of the fire to see what had become of him。 Hitherto 

they had been denied access to the fire; and they now settled down in a 

close…drawn        circle;   like   so   many     dogs;    blinking     and    yawning      and 

stretching   their   lean   bodies   in   the   unaccustomed   warmth。   Then   the   she… 

wolf sat down; pointed her nose at a star; and began to howl。 One by one 

the wolves joined her; till the whole pack; on haunches; with noses pointed 

skyward; was howling its hunger cry。 

     Dawn came; and daylight。 The fire was burning low。 The fuel had run 

out; and there was need to get more。 The man attempted to step out of his 

circle of flame; but the wolves surged to meet him。 Burning brands made 

them  spring   aside;   but   they   no   longer   sprang   back。   In   vain   he   strove   to 

drive   them   back。 As   he   gave   up   and   stumbled   inside   his   circle;   a   wolf 

leaped for him; missed; and landed with all four feet in the coals。 It cried 

out with terror; at the same time snarling; and scrambled back to cool its 



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paws in the snow。 

     The man sat down on his blankets in a crouching position。 His body 

leaned forward from the hips。 His shoulders; relaxed and drooping; and his 

head on his knees advertised that he had given up the struggle。 Now and 

again he raised his head to note the dying down of the fire。 The circle of 

flame   and   coals   was   breaking   into   segments   with   openings   in   between。 

These openings grew in size; the segments diminished。 

     〃I guess you can come an' get me any time;〃 he mumbled。 〃Anyway; 

I'm goin' to sleep。〃 

     Once he awakened; and in an opening in the circle; directly in front of 

him; he saw the she…wolf gazing at him。 

     Again   he   awakened;   a   little   later;   though   it   seemed   hours   to   him。 A 

mysterious change had taken place … so mysterious a change that he was 

shocked wider awake。 Something had happened。 He could not understand 

at first。 Then he discovered it。 The wolves were gone。 Remained only the 

trampled   snow   to   show   how   closely   they   had   pressed   him。   Sleep   was 

welling up and gripping him again; his head was sinking down upon his 

knees; when he roused with a sudden start。 

     There were cries of men; and churn of sleds; the creaking of harnesses; 

and the eager whimpering of straining dogs。 Four sleds pulled in from the 

river bed to the camp among the trees。 Half a dozen men were about the 

man who crouched in the centre of the dying fire。 They were shaking and 

prodding him into consciousness。 He looked at them like a drunken man 

and maundered in strange; sleepy speech。 

     〃Red she…wolf。 。 。 。 Come in with the dogs at feedin' time。 。 。 。 First she 

ate   the   dog…food。   。   。   。   Then   she   ate   the   dogs。   。   。   。 An'   after   that   she   ate 

Bill。 。 。 。 〃 

     〃Where's Lord Alfred?〃 one of the   men bellowed in   his ear;  shaking 

him roughly。 

     He shook his head slowly。 〃No; she didn't eat him。 。 。 。 He's roostin' in 

a tree at the last camp。〃 

     〃Dead?〃 the man shouted。 

     〃An'   in   a   box;〃   Henry   answered。   He   jerked   his   shoulder   petulantly 

away from the grip of his questioner。 〃Say; you lemme alone。 。 。 。 I'm jes' 



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plump tuckered out。 。 。 。 Goo' night; everybody。〃 

    His eyes   fluttered   and   went shut。  His   chin   fell   forward on his   chest。 

And even as they eased him down upon the blankets his snores were rising 

on the frosty air。 

    But   there    was   another   sound。   Far   and   faint  it  was;  in  the  remote 

distance; the cry of the hungry wolf…pack as it took the trail of other meat 

than the

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