the faith of men(人们的信任)-第26节
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buy heem； now； Ah buy heem queek。〃
And because he hated him with an exceeding bitter hate； Leclere
bought Batard and gave him his shameful name。 And for five years the
twain adventured across the Northland； from St。 Michael's and the Yukon
delta to the head…reaches of the Pelly and even so far as the Peace River；
Athabasca； and the Great Slave。 And they acquired a reputation for
uncompromising wickedness； the like of which never before attached itself
to man and dog。
Batard did not know his fatherhence his namebut； as John Hamlin
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knew； his father was a great grey timber wolf。 But the mother of Batard；
as he dimly remembered her； was snarling； bickering； obscene； husky； full…
fronted and heavy…chested； with a malign eye； a cat…like grip on life； and a
genius for trickery and evil。 There was neither faith nor trust in her。
Her treachery alone could be relied upon； and her wild…wood amours
attested her general depravity。 Much of evil and much of strength were
there in these； Batard's progenitors； and； bone and flesh of their bone and
flesh； he had inherited it all。 And then came Black Leclere； to lay his
heavy hand on the bit of pulsating puppy life； to press and prod and mould
till it became a big bristling beast； acute in knavery； overspilling with hate；
sinister； malignant； diabolical。 With a proper master Batard might have
made an ordinary； fairly efficient sled…dog。 He never got the chance：
Leclere but confirmed him in his congenital iniquity。
The history of Batard and Leclere is a history of warof five cruel；
relentless years； of which their first meeting is fit summary。 To begin
with； it was Leclere's fault； for he hated with understanding and
intelligence； while the long…legged； ungainly puppy hated only blindly；
instinctively； without reason or method。 At first there were no refinements
of cruelty （these were to come later）； but simple beatings and crude
brutalities。 In one of these Batard had an ear injured。 He never
regained control of the riven muscles； and ever after the ear drooped
limply down to keep keen the memory of his tormentor。 And he never
forgot。
His puppyhood was a period of foolish rebellion。 He was always
worsted； but he fought back because it was his nature to fight back。 And
he was unconquerable。 Yelping shrilly from the pain of lash and club； he
none the less contrived always to throw in the defiant snarl； the bitter
vindictive menace of his soul which fetched without fail more blows and
beatings。 But his was his mother's tenacious grip on life。 Nothing
could kill him。 He flourished under misfortune； grew fat with famine；
and out of his terrible struggle for life developed a preternatural
intelligence。 His were the stealth and cunning of the husky； his mother；
and the fierceness and valour of the wolf； his father。
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Possibly it was because of his father that he never wailed。 His puppy
yelps passed with his lanky legs； so that he became grim and taciturn；
quick to strike； slow to warn。 He answered curse with snarl； and blow
with snap； grinning the while his implacable hatred； but never again； under
the extremest agony； did Leclere bring from him the cry of fear nor of pain。
This unconquerableness but fanned Leclere's wrath and stirred him to
greater deviltries。
Did Leclere give Batard half a fish and to his mates whole ones；
Batard went forth to rob other dogs of their fish。 Also he robbed caches
and expressed himself in a thousand rogueries； till he became a terror to all
dogs and masters of dogs。 Did Leclere beat Batard and fondle Babette
Babette who was not half the worker he waswhy； Batard threw her down
in the snow and broke her hind leg in his heavy jaws； so that Leclere was
forced to shoot her。 Likewise； in bloody battles； Batard mastered all his
team…mates； set them the law of trail and forage； and made them live to the
law he set。
In five years he heard but one kind word； received but one soft stroke
of a hand； and then he did not know what manner of things they were。
He leaped like the untamed thing he was； and his jaws were together in a
flash。 It was the missionary at Sunrise； a newcomer in the country； who
spoke the kind word and gave the soft stroke of the hand。 And for six
months after； he wrote no letters home to the States； and the surgeon at
McQuestion travelled two hundred miles on the ice to save him from
blood…poisoning。
Men and dogs looked askance at Batard when he drifted into their
camps and posts。 The men greeted him with feet threateningly lifted for
the kick； the dogs with bristling manes and bared fangs。 Once a man did
kick Batard； and Batard； with quick wolf snap； closed his jaws like a steel
trap on the man's calf and crunched down to the bone。 Whereat the man
was determined to have his life； only Black Leclere； with ominous eyes
and naked hunting…knife； stepped in between。 The killing of Batardah；
SACREDAM； THAT was a pleasure Leclere reserved for himself。 Some
day it would happen； or elsebah！ who was to know？ Anyway； the
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problem would be solved。
For they had become problems to each other。 The very breath each
drew was a challenge and a menace to the other。 Their hate bound them
together as love could never bind。 Leclere was bent on the coming of the
day when Batard should wilt in spirit and cringe and whimper at his feet。
And BatardLeclere knew what was in Batard's mind； and more than once
had read it in Batard's eyes。 And so clearly had he read； that when Batard
was at his back； he made it a point to glance often over his shoulder。
Men marvelled when Leclere refused large money for the dog。
〃Some day you'll kill him and be out his price；〃 said John Hamlin once；
when Batard lay panting in the snow where Leclere had kicked him； and
no one knew whether his ribs were broken； and no one dared look to see。
〃Dat；〃 said Leclere； dryly； 〃dat is my biz'ness； M'sieu'。〃
And the men marvelled that Batard did not run away。 They did not
understand。 But Leclere understood。 He was a man who lived much in
the open； beyond the sound of human tongue； and he had learned the
voices of wind and storm； the sigh of night； the whisper of dawn； the clash
of day。 In a dim way he could hear the green things growing； the running
of the sap； the bursting of the bud。 And he knew the subtle speech of the
things that moved； of the rabbit in the snare； the moody raven beating the
air with hollow wing； the baldface shuffling under the moon； the wolf like
a grey shadow gliding betwixt the twilight and the dark。 And to him
Batard spoke clear and direct。 Full well he understood why Batard did
not run away； and he looked more often over his shoulder。
When in anger； Batard was not nice to look upon； and more than once
had he leapt for Leclere's throat； to be stretched quivering and senseless in
the snow； by the butt of the ever ready dogwhip。 And so Batard learned
to bide his time。 When he reached his full strength and prime of youth；
he thought the time had come。 He was broad…chested； powerfully
muscled； of far more than ordinary size； and his neck from head to
shoulders was a mass of bristling hair to all appearances a full…blooded
wolf。 Leclere was lying asleep in his furs when Batard deemed the time
to be ripe。 He crept upon him stealthily； head low to earth
