white fang(白牙)-第26节
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would have happened differently。 Grey Beaver would not have camped on
the near side of the Mackenzie； and White Fang would have passed by and
gone on； either to die or to find his way to his wild brothers and become
one of them … a wolf to the end of his days。
Night had fallen。 The snow was flying more thickly； and White Fang；
whimpering softly to himself as he stumbled and limped along； came upon
a fresh trail in the snow。 So fresh was it that he knew it immediately for
what it was。 Whining with eagerness； he followed back from the river
bank and in among the trees。 The camp…sounds came to his ears。 He saw
the blaze of the fire； Kloo… kooch cooking； and Grey Beaver squatting on
his hams and mumbling a chunk of raw tallow。 There was fresh meat in
camp！
White Fang expected a beating。 He crouched and bristled a little at the
thought of it。 Then he went forward again。 He feared and disliked the
beating he knew to be waiting for him。 But he knew； further； that the
comfort of the fire would be his； the protection of the gods； the
companionship of the dogs … the last； a companionship of enmity； but none
the less a companionship and satisfying to his gregarious needs。
He came cringing and crawling into the firelight。 Grey Beaver saw
him； and stopped munching the tallow。 White Fang crawled slowly；
cringing and grovelling in the abjectness of his abasement and submission。
He crawled straight toward Grey Beaver； every inch of his progress
becoming slower and more painful。 At last he lay at the master's feet； into
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whose possession he now surrendered himself； voluntarily； body and soul。
Of his own choice； he came in to sit by man's fire and to be ruled by him。
White Fang trembled； waiting for the punishment to fall upon him。 There
was a movement of the hand above him。 He cringed involuntarily under
the expected blow。 It did not fall。 He stole a glance upward。 Grey Beaver
was breaking the lump of tallow in half！ Grey Beaver was offering him
one piece of the tallow！ Very gently and somewhat suspiciously； he first
smelled the tallow and then proceeded to eat it。 Grey Beaver ordered meat
to be brought to him； and guarded him from the other dogs while he ate。
After that； grateful and content； White Fang lay at Grey Beaver's feet；
gazing at the fire that warmed him； blinking and dozing； secure in the
knowledge that the morrow would find him； not wandering forlorn
through bleak forest…stretches； but in the camp of the man…animals； with
the gods to whom he had given himself and upon whom he was now
dependent。
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CHAPTER V … THE COVENANT
When December was well along； Grey Beaver went on a journey up
the Mackenzie。 Mit…sah and Kloo…kooch went with him。 One sled he drove
himself； drawn by dogs he had traded for or borrowed。 A second and
smaller sled was driven by Mit…sah； and to this was harnessed a team of
puppies。 It was more of a toy affair than anything else； yet it was the
delight of Mit…sah； who felt that he was beginning to do a man's work in
the world。 Also； he was learning to drive dogs and to train dogs； while the
puppies themselves were being broken in to the harness。 Furthermore； the
sled was of some service； for it carried nearly two hundred pounds of
outfit and food。
White Fang had seen the camp…dogs toiling in the harness； so that he
did not resent overmuch the first placing of the harness upon himself。
About his neck was put a moss…stuffed collar； which was connected by
two pulling…traces to a strap that passed around his chest and over his back。
It was to this that was fastened the long rope by which he pulled at the
sled。
There were seven puppies in the team。 The others had been born
earlier in the year and were nine and ten months old； while White Fang
was only eight months old。 Each dog was fastened to the sled by a single
rope。 No two ropes were of the same length； while the difference in length
between any two ropes was at least that of a dog's body。 Every rope was
brought to a ring at the front end of the sled。 The sled itself was without
runners； being a birch…bark toboggan； with upturned forward end to keep it
from ploughing under the snow。 This construction enabled the weight of
the sled and load to be distributed over the largest snow…surface； for the
snow was crystal…powder and very soft。 Observing the same principle of
widest distribution of weight； the dogs at the ends of their ropes radiated
fan…fashion from the nose of the sled； so that no dog trod in another's
footsteps。
There was； furthermore； another virtue in the fan…formation。 The ropes
of varying length prevented the dogs attacking from the rear those that ran
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in front of them。 For a dog to attack another； it would have to turn upon
one at a shorter rope。 In which case it would find itself face to face with
the dog attacked； and also it would find itself facing the whip of the driver。
But the most peculiar virtue of all lay in the fact that the dog that strove to
attack one in front of him must pull the sled faster； and that the faster the
sled travelled； the faster could the dog attacked run away。 Thus； the dog
behind could never catch up with the one in front。 The faster he ran； the
faster ran the one he was after； and the faster ran all the dogs。 Incidentally；
the sled went faster； and thus； by cunning indirection； did man increase his
mastery over the beasts。
Mit…sah resembled his father； much of whose grey wisdom he
possessed。 In the past he had observed Lip…lip's persecution of White Fang；
but at that time Lip…lip was another man's dog； and Mit…sah had never
dared more than to shy an occasional stone at him。 But now Lip…lip was
his dog； and he proceeded to wreak his vengeance on him by putting him
at the end of the longest rope。 This made Lip…lip the leader； and was
apparently an honour！ but in reality it took away from him all honour； and
instead of being bully and master of the pack； he now found himself hated
and persecuted by the pack。
Because he ran at the end of the longest rope； the dogs had always the
view of him running away before them。 All that they saw of him was his
bushy tail and fleeing hind legs … a view far less ferocious and intimidating
than his bristling mane and gleaming fangs。 Also； dogs being so
constituted in their mental ways； the sight of him running away gave
desire to run after him and a feeling that he ran away from them。
The moment the sled started； the team took after Lip…lip in a chase that
extended throughout the day。 At first he had been prone to turn upon his
pursuers； jealous of his dignity and wrathful； but at such times Mit…sah
would throw the stinging lash of the thirty…foot cariboo…gut whip into his
face and compel him to turn tail and run on。 Lip…lip might face the pack；
but he could not face that whip； and all that was left him to do was to keep
his long rope taut and his flanks ahead of the teeth of his mates。
But a still greater cunning lurked in the recesses of the Indian mind。 To
give point to unending pursuit of the leader； Mit…sah favoured him over the
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other dogs。 These favours aroused in them jealousy and hatred。 In their
presence Mit…sah would give him meat and would give it to him only。 This
was maddening to them。 They would rage around just outside the
throwing…distance of the whip； while Lip…lip devoured the meat and Mit…
sah protected him。 And when there was no meat to give； Mit…sah would
keep the team at a distance and make believe to give meat to Lip…lip。
White Fang took kindly to the work。 He had travelled a greater
distance than the other dogs in the yielding of himself to the rule of the
gods； a
