white fang(白牙)-第16章
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prodigious was her snarl。
Then it was that a cry went up from one of the men。 〃Kiche！〃 was
what he uttered。 It was an exclamation of surprise。 The cub felt his mother
wilting at the sound。
〃Kiche！〃 the man cried again； this time with sharpness and authority。
And then the cub saw his mother； the she…wolf； the fearless one；
crouching down till her belly touched the ground； whimpering； wagging
her tail； making peace signs。 The cub could not understand。 He was
appalled。 The awe of man rushed over him again。 His instinct had been
true。 His mother verified it。 She； too； rendered submission to the man…
animals。
The man who had spoken came over to her。 He put his hand upon her
head； and she only crouched closer。 She did not snap； nor threaten to snap。
The other men came up； and surrounded her； and felt her； and pawed her；
which actions she made no attempt to resent。 They were greatly excited；
and made many noises with their mouths。 These noises were not indication
of danger； the cub decided； as he crouched near his mother still bristling
from time to time but doing his best to submit。
〃It is not strange；〃 an Indian was saying。 〃Her father was a wolf。 It is
true； her mother was a dog； but did not my brother tie her out in the woods
all of three nights in the mating season？ Therefore was the father of Kiche
a wolf。〃
〃It is a year； Grey Beaver； since she ran away；〃 spoke a second Indian。
〃It is not strange； Salmon Tongue；〃 Grey Beaver answered。 〃It was the
time of the famine； and there was no meat for the dogs。〃
〃She has lived with the wolves；〃 said a third Indian。
〃So it would seem； Three Eagles；〃 Grey Beaver answered； lying his
hand on the cub； 〃and this be the sign of it。〃
The cub snarled a little at the touch of the hand； and the hand flew
back to administer a clout。 Whereupon the cub covered its fangs； and sank
down submissively； while the hand； returning； rubbed behind his ears； and
up and down his back。
〃This be the sign of it；〃 Grey Beaver went on。 〃It is plain that his
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mother is Kiche。 But this father was a wolf。 Wherefore is there in him
little dog and much wolf。 His fangs be white； and White Fang shall be his
name。 I have spoken。 He is my dog。 For was not Kiche my brother's dog？
And is not my brother dead？〃
The cub； who had thus received a name in the world； lay and watched。
For a time the man…animals continued to make their mouth… noises。 Then
Grey Beaver took a knife from a sheath that hung around his neck； and
went into the thicket and cut a stick。 White Fang watched him。 He notched
the stick at each end and in the notches fastened strings of raw…hide。 One
string he tied around the throat of Kiche。 Then he led her to a small pine；
around which he tied the other string。
White Fang followed and lay down beside her。 Salmon Tongue's hand
reached out to him and rolled him over on his back。 Kiche looked on
anxiously。 White Fang felt fear mounting in him again。 He could not quite
suppress a snarl； but he made no offer to snap。 The hand； with fingers
crooked and spread apart； rubbed his stomach in a playful way and rolled
him from side to side。 It was ridiculous and ungainly； lying there on his
back with legs sprawling in the air。 Besides； it was a position of such utter
helplessness that White Fang's whole nature revolted against it。 He could
do nothing to defend himself。 If this man…animal intended harm； White
Fang knew that he could not escape it。 How could he spring away with his
four legs in the air above him？ Yet submission made him master his fear；
and he only growled softly。 This growl he could not suppress； nor did the
man…animal resent it by giving him a blow on the head。 And furthermore；
such was the strangeness of it； White Fang experienced an unaccountable
sensation of pleasure as the hand rubbed back and forth。 When he was
rolled on his side he ceased to growl； when the fingers pressed and
prodded at the base of his ears the pleasurable sensation increased； and
when； with a final rub and scratch； the man left him alone and went away；
all fear had died out of White Fang。 He was to know fear many times in
his dealing with man； yet it was a token of the fearless companionship
with man that was ultimately to be his。
After a time； White Fang heard strange noises approaching。 He was
quick in his classification； for he knew them at once for man… animal
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noises。 A few minutes later the remainder of the tribe； strung out as it was
on the march； trailed in。 There were more men and many women and
children； forty souls of them； and all heavily burdened with camp
equipage and outfit。 Also there were many dogs； and these； with the
exception of the part…grown puppies； were likewise burdened with camp
outfit。 On their backs； in bags that fastened tightly around underneath； the
dogs carried from twenty to thirty pounds of weight。
White Fang had never seen dogs before； but at sight of them he felt
that they were his own kind； only somehow different。 But they displayed
little difference from the wolf when they discovered the cub and his
mother。 There was a rush。 White Fang bristled and snarled and snapped in
the face of the open…mouthed oncoming wave of dogs； and went down and
under them； feeling the sharp slash of teeth in his body； himself biting and
tearing at the legs and bellies above him。 There was a great uproar。 He
could hear the snarl of Kiche as she fought for him； and he could hear the
cries of the man…animals； the sound of clubs striking upon bodies； and the
yelps of pain from the dogs so struck。
Only a few seconds elapsed before he was on his feet again。 He could
now see the man…animals driving back the dogs with clubs and stones；
defending him； saving him from the savage teeth of his kind that somehow
was not his kind。 And though there was no reason in his brain for a clear
conception of so abstract a thing as justice； nevertheless； in his own way；
he felt the justice of the man… animals； and he knew them for what they
were … makers of law and executors of law。 Also； he appreciated the power
with which they administered the law。 Unlike any animals he had ever
encountered； they did not bite nor claw。 They enforced their live strength
with the power of dead things。 Dead things did their bidding。 Thus； sticks
and stones； directed by these strange creatures； leaped through the air like
living things； inflicting grievous hurts upon the dogs。
To his mind this was power unusual； power inconceivable and beyond
the natural； power that was godlike。 White Fang； in the very nature of him；
could never know anything about gods； at the best he could know only
things that were beyond knowing … but the wonder and awe that he had of
these man…animals in ways resembled what would be the wonder and awe
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of man at sight of some celestial creature； on a mountain top； hurling
thunderbolts from either hand at an astonished world。
The last dog had been driven back。 The hubbub died down。 And White
Fang licked his hurts and meditated upon this； his first taste of pack…
cruelty and his introduction to the pack。 He had never dreamed that his
own kind consisted of more than One Eye； his mother； and himself。 They
had constituted a kind apart； and here； abruptly； he had discovered many
more creatures apparently of his own kind。 And there was a subconscious
resentment that these； his kind； at first sight had pitched upon him and
tried to destroy him。 In the same way he resented his mother being tied
with a stick； even though it was done by the superior man…animals。 It
savoured of the trap； of bondage。 Yet of the trap and of bondage he knew
nothing。 Freedom to roam and run and lie down at will； had been his
heritage； and here it was being infringed upon。 His mother's movements
were restricted to the length of a stick； and by the length of that same stick
was he restricted； for he had not yet got beyond the need of his mother's
side。
He did not like it。 Nor did he like it when the man…animals arose and
went on with their march； for a tiny man…animal took the other end of the
stick and led Kiche captive behind him； and behind Kiche followed White
Fang； greatly perturbed and worried by this new adventure he had entered
upon。
They went down the valley of the stream； far beyond White Fang's
widest ranging； until they came to the end of the valley； where the stream
ran into the Mackenzie River。 Here； where canoes were cached on poles
high in the air and where stood fish…racks for the drying of fish； camp was
made； and White Fang looked on with wondering eyes。 The superiority of
these man…animals increased with every moment。 There was their mastery
over all these sharp… fanged dogs。 It breathed of power。 But greater than
that； to the wolf…cub； was their mastery over things not alive； their
capacity to communicate motion to unmoving things； their capacity to
change the very face of the world。
It was this last that especially affected him。 The elevation of frames of
poles caught his eye； yet this in itself was not so remarkable； being done
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by the same creatures that flung sticks and stones to great distances。 But
when the frames of poles were made into tepees by being covered with
cloth and skins； White Fang was astounded。 It was the colossal bulk of
them that impressed him。 They arose around him； on every side； like some
