white fang(白牙)-第15章
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of the battle found him again clinging to a hind…leg and furiously growling
between his teeth。
The lynx was dead。 But the she…wolf was very weak and sick。 At first
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she caressed the cub and licked his wounded shoulder； but the blood she
had lost had taken with it her strength； and for all of a day and a night she
lay by her dead foe's side； without movement； scarcely breathing。 For a
week she never left the cave； except for water； and then her movements
were slow and painful。 At the end of that time the lynx was devoured；
while the she…wolf's wounds had healed sufficiently to permit her to take
the meat…trail again。
The cub's shoulder was stiff and sore； and for some time he limped
from the terrible slash he had received。 But the world now seemed
changed。 He went about in it with greater confidence； with a feeling of
prowess that had not been his in the days before the battle with the lynx。
He had looked upon life in a more ferocious aspect； he had fought； he had
buried his teeth in the flesh of a foe； and he had survived。 And because of
all this； he carried himself more boldly； with a touch of defiance that was
new in him。 He was no longer afraid of minor things； and much of his
timidity had vanished； though the unknown never ceased to press upon
him with its mysteries and terrors； intangible and ever…menacing。
He began to accompany his mother on the meat…trail； and he saw much
of the killing of meat and began to play his part in it。 And in his own dim
way he learned the law of meat。 There were two kinds of life … his own
kind and the other kind。 His own kind included his mother and himself。
The other kind included all live things that moved。 But the other kind was
divided。 One portion was what his own kind killed and ate。 This portion
was composed of the non… killers and the small killers。 The other portion
killed and ate his own kind； or was killed and eaten by his own kind。 And
out of this classification arose the law。 The aim of life was meat。 Life itself
was meat。 Life lived on life。 There were the eaters and the eaten。 The law
was： EAT OR BE EATEN。 He did not formulate the law in clear； set terms
and moralise about it。 He did not even think the law； he merely lived the
law without thinking about it at all。
He saw the law operating around him on every side。 He had eaten the
ptarmigan chicks。 The hawk had eaten the ptarmigan…mother。 The hawk
would also have eaten him。 Later； when he had grown more formidable； he
wanted to eat the hawk。 He had eaten the lynx kitten。 The lynx…mother
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would have eaten him had she not herself been killed and eaten。 And so it
went。 The law was being lived about him by all live things； and he himself
was part and parcel of the law。 He was a killer。 His only food was meat；
live meat； that ran away swiftly before him； or flew into the air； or climbed
trees； or hid in the ground； or faced him and fought with him； or turned the
tables and ran after him。
Had the cub thought in man…fashion； he might have epitomised life as
a voracious appetite and the world as a place wherein ranged a multitude
of appetites； pursuing and being pursued； hunting and being hunted； eating
and being eaten； all in blindness and confusion； with violence and disorder；
a chaos of gluttony and slaughter； ruled over by chance； merciless；
planless； endless。
But the cub did not think in man…fashion。 He did not look at things
with wide vision。 He was single…purposed； and entertained but one thought
or desire at a time。 Besides the law of meat； there were a myriad other and
lesser laws for him to learn and obey。 The world was filled with surprise。
The stir of the life that was in him； the play of his muscles； was an
unending happiness。 To run down meat was to experience thrills and
elations。 His rages and battles were pleasures。 Terror itself； and the
mystery of the unknown； led to his living。
And there were easements and satisfactions。 To have a full stomach； to
doze lazily in the sunshine … such things were remuneration in full for his
ardours and toils； while his ardours and tolls were in themselves self…
remunerative。 They were expressions of life； and life is always happy
when it is expressing itself。 So the cub had no quarrel with his hostile
environment。 He was very much alive； very happy； and very proud of
himself。
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PART III
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CHAPTER I … THE MAKERS OF FIRE
The cub came upon it suddenly。 It was his own fault。 He had been
careless。 He had left the cave and run down to the stream to drink。 It might
have been that he took no notice because he was heavy with sleep。 （He
had been out all night on the meat…trail； and had but just then awakened。）
And his carelessness might have been due to the familiarity of the trail to
the pool。 He had travelled it often； and nothing had ever happened on it。
He went down past the blasted pine； crossed the open space； and
trotted in amongst the trees。 Then； at the same instant； he saw and smelt。
Before him； sitting silently on their haunches； were five live things； the
like of which he had never seen before。 It was his first glimpse of mankind。
But at the sight of him the five men did not spring to their feet； nor show
their teeth； nor snarl。 They did not move； but sat there； silent and ominous。
Nor did the cub move。 Every instinct of his nature would have
impelled him to dash wildly away； had there not suddenly and for the first
time arisen in him another and counter instinct。 A great awe descended
upon him。 He was beaten down to movelessness by an overwhelming
sense of his own weakness and littleness。 Here was mastery and power；
something far and away beyond him。
The cub had never seen man； yet the instinct concerning man was his。
In dim ways he recognised in man the animal that had fought itself to
primacy over the other animals of the Wild。 Not alone out of his own eyes；
but out of the eyes of all his ancestors was the cub now looking upon man
… out of eyes that had circled in the darkness around countless winter
camp…fires； that had peered from safe distances and from the hearts of
thickets at the strange； two… legged animal that was lord over living things。
The spell of the cub's heritage was upon him； the fear and the respect born
of the centuries of struggle and the accumulated experience of the
generations。 The heritage was too compelling for a wolf that was only a
cub。 Had he been full…grown； he would have run away。 As it was； he
cowered down in a paralysis of fear； already half proffering the submission
that his kind had proffered from the first time a wolf came in to sit by
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man's fire and be made warm。
One of the Indians arose and walked over to him and stooped above
him。 The cub cowered closer to the ground。 It was the unknown；
objectified at last； in concrete flesh and blood； bending over him and
reaching down to seize hold of him。 His hair bristled involuntarily； his lips
writhed back and his little fangs were bared。 The hand； poised like doom
above him； hesitated； and the man spoke laughing； 〃WABAM WABISCA
IP PIT TAH。〃 （〃Look！ The white fangs！〃）
The other Indians laughed loudly； and urged the man on to pick up the
cub。 As the hand descended closer and closer； there raged within the cub a
battle of the instincts。 He experienced two great impulsions … to yield and
to fight。 The resulting action was a compromise。 He did both。 He yielded
till the hand almost touched him。 Then he fought； his teeth flashing in a
snap that sank them into the hand。 The next moment he received a clout
alongside the head that knocked him over on his side。 Then all fight fled
out of him。 His puppyhood and the instinct of submission took charge of
him。 He sat up on his haunches and ki…yi'd。 But the man whose hand he
had bitten was angry。 The cub received a clout on the other side of his
head。 Whereupon he sat up and ki…yi'd louder than ever。
The four Indians laughed more loudly； while even the man who had
been bitten began to laugh。 They surrounded the cub and laughed at him；
while he wailed out his terror and his hurt。 In the midst of it； he heard
something。 The Indians heard it too。 But the cub knew what it was； and
with a last； long wail that had in it more of triumph than grief； he ceased
his noise and waited for the coming of his mother； of his ferocious and
indomitable mother who fought and killed all things and was never afraid。
She was snarling as she ran。 She had heard the cry of her cub and was
dashing to save him。
She bounded in amongst them； her anxious and militant motherhood
making her anything but a pretty sight。 But to the cub the spectacle of her
protective rage was pleasing。 He uttered a glad little cry and bounded to
meet her； while the man…animals went back hastily several steps。 The she…
wolf stood over against her cub； facing the men； with bristling hair； a snarl
rumbling deep in her throat。 Her face was distorted and malignant with
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menace； even the bridge of the nose wrinkling from tip to eyes so
prodigious was her snarl。
Then it was that a cry went up from one of
