rolf in the woods-第26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！





Their　horns；　growing　steadily　since　spring；　are　now　of　full　size；

sharp；　heavy；　and　cleaned　of　the　velvet；　in　perfection。　　For

what？　　Has　Nature　made　them　to　pierce；　wound；　and　destroy？

Strange　as　it　may　seem；　these　weapons　of　offence　are　used　for

little　but　defence；　less　as　spears　than　as　bucklers　they　serve

the　deer　in　　battles　with　its　kind。　　And　the　long；　hard　combats

are　little　more　than　wrestling　and　pushing　bouts；　almost　never　do

they　end　fatally。　　When　a　mortal　thrust　is　given；　it　is　rarely　a

gaping　wound；　but　a　sudden　springing　and　locking　of　the　antlers；

whereby　the　two　deer　are　bound　together；　inextricably；

hopelessly；　and　so　suffer　death　by　starvation。　　The　records　of

deer　killed　by　their　rivals　and　left　on　the　duel…ground　are　few；

very　few　and　far　between。　　The　records　of　those　killed　by

interlocking　are　numbered　by　the　scores。



There　were　hundreds　of　deer　in　this　country　that　Rolf　and　Quonab

claimed。　　Half　of　them　were　bucks；　and　at　least　half　of　these

engaged　in　combat　some　times　or　many　times　a　day；　all　through

November；　that　is　to　say；　probably　　a　thousand　duels　were　fought

that　month　within　ten　miles　of　the　cabin。　　It　was　not　surprising

that　Rolf　should　witness　some　of　them；　and　hear　many　more　in　the

distance。



They　were　living　in　the　cabin　now；　and　during　the　still；　frosty

nights；　when　he　took　a　last　look　at　the　stars；　before　turning　in；

Rolf　formed　the　habit　of　listening　　intently　for　the　voices　of

the　gloom。　　Sometimes　it　was　the　〃hoo…hoo〃　of　the　horned…owl；

once　or　twice　it　was　the　long；　smooth　howl　of　the　wolf；　but　many

times　it　was　the　rattle　of　antlers　that　told　of　two　bucks　far　up

in　the　hardwoods；　trying　out　the　all…important　question；　〃Which

is　the　better　buck？〃



One　morning　he　heard　still　an　occasional　rattle　at　the　same　place

as　the　night　before。　　He　set　out　alone；　after　breakfast；　and

coming　cautiously　near；　peered　into　a　little；　open　space　to　see

two　bucks　with　heads　joined；　slowly；　feebly　pushing　this　way　and

that。　　Their　tongues　were　out；　they　seemed　almost　exhausted；　and

the　trampled　snow　for　an　acre　about　plainly　showed　that　they　had

been　fighting　for　hours；　that　indeed　these　were　the　ones　he　had

heard　in　the　night。　　Still　they　were　evenly　matched；　and　the

green　light　in　their　eyes　told　of　the　ferocious　spirit　in　each　of

these　gentle…looking　deer。



Rolf　had　no　difficulty　in　walking　quite　near。　　If　they　saw　him；

they　gave　slight　heed　to　the　testimony　of　their　eyes；　for　the

unenergetic　struggle　went　on　until；　again　pausing　for　breath；

they　separated；　raised　their　heads　a　little；　sniffed；　then

trotted　away　from　the　dreaded　enemy　so　near。　　Fifty　yards　off；

they　turned；　shook　their　horns；　seemed　in　doubt　whether　to　run

away；　join　battle　again；　or　attack　the　man。　　Fortunately　the

first　was　their　choice；　and　Rolf　returned　to　the　cabin。



Quonab　listened　to　his　account；　then　said：　〃You　might　have　been

killed。　　Every　buck　is　crazy　now。　　Often　they　attack　man。　　My

father's　brother　was　killed　by　a　Mad　Moon　buck。　　They　found　only

his　body；　torn　to　rags。　　He　had　got　a　little　way　up　a　tree；　but

the　buck　had　pinned　him。　　There　were　the　marks；　and　in　the　snow

they　could　see　how　he　held　on　to　the　deer's　horns　and　was　dragged

about　till　his　strength　gave　out。　　He　had　no　gun。　　The　buck　went

off。　　That　was　all　they　knew。　　I　would　rather　trust　a　bear　than　a

deer。〃



The　Indian's　words　were　few；　but　they　drew　a　picture　all　too

realistic。　　The　next　time　Rolf　heard　the　far　sound　of　a　deer

fight；　it　brought　back　the　horror　of　that　hopeless　fight　in　the

snow；　and　gave　him　a　new　and　different　feel…　ing　for　the

antler…bearer　of　the　changing　mood。



It　was　two　weeks　after　this；　when　he　was　coming　in　from　a　trip

alone　on　part　of　the　line；　when　his　ear　caught　some　strange

sounds　in　the　woods　ahead；　deep；　sonorous；　semi…human　they　were。

Strange　and　weird　wood…notes　in　winter　are　nearly　sure　to　be

those　of　a　raven　or　a　jay；　if　deep；　they　are　likely　to　come　from

a　raven。



〃Quok；　quok；　ha；　ha；　ha…hreww；　hrrr；　hooop；　hooop；〃　the　diabolic

noises　came；　and　Rolf；　coming　gently　forward；　caught　a　glimpse　of

sable　pinions　　swooping　through　the　lower　pines。



〃Ho；　ho；　ho　yah　…　hew　…　w　…　w　…　w〃　came　the　demon　laughter　of　the

death　birds；　and　Rolf　soon　glimpsed　a　dozen　of　them　in　the

branches；　hopping　or　sometimes　flying　to　the　ground。　　One

alighted　on　a　brown　bump。　　Then　the　bump　began　to　move　a　little。

The　raven　was　pecking　away；　but　again　the　brown　bump　heaved　and

the　raven　leaped　to　a　near　perch。　　〃Wah　　wah　　wah　…　wo　…　hoo

　yow　…　wow　　rrrrrr…rrrr…rrrr〃　　and　the　other　ravens　joined

in。



Rolf　had　no　weapons　but　his　bow；　his　pocket　knife；　and　a　hatchet。

He　took　the　latter　in　his　hand　and　walked　gently　forward；　the

hollow…voiced　ravens　〃haw　…　hawed；〃　then　flew　to　safe　perches

where　they　chuckled　like　ghouls　over　some　extra…ghoulish　joke。



The　lad；　coming　closer；　witnessed　a　scene　that　stirred　him　with

mingled　horror　and　pity。　　A　great；　strong　buck　　once　strong；　at

least　　was　standing；　staggering；　kneeling　there；　sometimes　on

his　hind　legs；　spasmodically　heaving　and　tugging　at　a　long　gray

form　on　the　ground；　the　body　of　another　buck；　his　rival；　dead

now；　with　a　broken　neck；　as　it　proved；　but　bearing　big；　strong

antlers　with　which　the　antlers　of　the　living　buck　were

interlocked　as　though　riveted　with　iron；　bolted　with　clamps　of

steel。　　With　all　his　strength；　the　living　buck　could　barely　move

his　head；　dragging　his　adversary's　body　with　him。　　The　snow　marks

showed　that　at　first　he　had　been　able　to　haul　the　carcass　many

yards；　had　nibbled　a　little　at　shoots　and　twigs；　but　that　was

when　he　was　stronger；　was　long　before。　　How　long？　　For　days；　at

least；　perhaps　a　week；　that　wretched　buck　was　dying　hopelessly　a

death　that　would　not　come。　His　gaunt　sides；　his　parched　and

lolling　tongue；　less　than　a　foot　from　the　snow　and　yet　beyond

reach；　the　filmy　eye；　whose　opaque　veil　of　death　was　illumined

again　with　a　faint　fire　of　fighting　green　as　the　new　foe　came。

The　ravens　had　picked　the　eyes　out　of　the　dead　buck　and　eaten　a

hole　in　its　back。　　They　had　even　begun　on　the　living　buck；　but　he

had　been　able　to　use　one　front　foot　to　defend　his　eyes；　still　his

plight　could　scarce　have　been　more　dreadful。　　It　made　the　most

pitiful　spectacle　Rolf　had　ever　seen　in　wild　life；　yes；　in　all

his　life。　　He　was　full　of　compassion　for　the　poor　brute。　　He

forgot　it　as　a　thing　to　be　hunted　for　food；　thought　of　it　only　as

a　harmless；　beautiful　creature　in　dire　and　horrible　straits；　a

fellow…being　in　distress；　and　he　at　once　set　about　being　its

helper。　　With　hatchet　in　hand　he　came　gently　in　front；　and

selecting　an　exposed　part　at　the　base　of　the　dead　buck's　antler

he　gave　a　sharp　blow　with　the　hatchet。　　The　effect　on　the　living

buck　was　surprising。　　He　was　roused　to　vigorous　action　that

showed　him　far　from　death　as　yet。　　He　plunged；　then　pulled

backward；　carrying　with　him　the　carcass　and　the　would…be　rescuer。

Then　Rolf　remembered　the　Indian's　words：　〃You　can　make　strong

medicine　with　your　mouth。〃　He　spoke　to　the　deer；　gently；　softly。

Then　came　nearer；　and　tapped　o'n　the　horn　he　wished　to　cut；

softly　speaking　and　tapping　he　increased　his　force；　until　at　last

he　was　permitted　to　chop　seriously　at　that　prison　bar。　　It　took

many　blows；　for　the　antler　stuff　is　very　thick　and　strong　at　this

time；　but　the　horn　was　loose　at　last。　　Rolf　gave　it　a　twist　and

the　strong　buck　was　free。　　Free　for　what？



Oh；　tell　it　not　among　the　folk　who　have　been　the　wild　deer's

friend！　　Hide　it　from　all　who　blindly　believe　that　gratitude　must

always　follow　good…will！　　With　unexpected　energy；　with　pent…up

fury；　with　hellish　purpose；　the　ingrate　sprang　on　his　deliverer；

aiming　a　blow　as　deadly　as　was　in　his　power。



Wholly　taken　by　surprise；　Rolf　barely　had　time　to　seize　the

murderer's　horns　and　ward　them　off　his　vitals。　The　buck　made　a

furious　lunge。　　Oh！　what　foul　fiend　was　it　gave　him