white fang(白牙)-第39章
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and here he's been rolled twice in thirty seconds。〃
The carriage had driven away； and other strange gods had appeared
from out the house。 Some of these stood respectfully at a distance； but two
of them； women； perpetrated the hostile act of clutching the master around
the neck。 White Fang； however； was beginning to tolerate this act。 No
harm seemed to come of it； while the noises the gods made were certainly
not threatening。 These gods also made overtures to White Fang； but he
warned them off with a snarl； and the master did likewise with word of
mouth。 At such times White Fang leaned in close against the master's legs
and received reassuring pats on the head。
The hound； under the command； 〃Dick！ Lie down； sir！〃 had gone up
the steps and lain down to one side of the porch； still growling and
keeping a sullen watch on the intruder。 Collie had been taken in charge by
one of the woman…gods； who held arms around her neck and petted and
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caressed her； but Collie was very much perplexed and worried； whining
and restless； outraged by the permitted presence of this wolf and confident
that the gods were making a mistake。
All the gods started up the steps to enter the house。 White Fang
followed closely at the master's heels。 Dick； on the porch； growled； and
White Fang； on the steps； bristled and growled back。
〃Take Collie inside and leave the two of them to fight it out；〃
suggested Scott's father。 〃After that they'll be friends。〃
〃Then White Fang； to show his friendship； will have to be chief
mourner at the funeral；〃 laughed the master。
The elder Scott looked incredulously； first at White Fang； then at Dick；
and finally at his son。
〃You mean 。 。 。？〃
Weedon nodded his head。 〃I mean just that。 You'd have a dead Dick
inside one minute … two minutes at the farthest。〃
He turned to White Fang。 〃Come on； you wolf。 It's you that'll have to
come inside。〃
White Fang walked stiff…legged up the steps and across the porch； with
tail rigidly erect； keeping his eyes on Dick to guard against a flank attack；
and at the same time prepared for whatever fierce manifestation of the
unknown that might pounce out upon him from the interior of the house。
But no thing of fear pounced out； and when he had gained the inside he
scouted carefully around； looking at it and finding it not。 Then he lay
down with a contented grunt at the master's feet； observing all that went
on； ever ready to spring to his feet and fight for life with the terrors he felt
must lurk under the trap…roof of the dwelling。
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CHAPTER III … THE GOD'S DOMAIN
Not only was White Fang adaptable by nature； but he had travelled
much； and knew the meaning and necessity of adjustment。 Here； in Sierra
Vista； which was the name of Judge Scott's place； White Fang quickly
began to make himself at home。 He had no further serious trouble with the
dogs。 They knew more about the ways of the Southland gods than did he；
and in their eyes he had qualified when he accompanied the gods inside
the house。 Wolf that he was； and unprecedented as it was； the gods had
sanctioned his presence； and they； the dogs of the gods； could only
recognise this sanction。
Dick； perforce； had to go through a few stiff formalities at first； after
which he calmly accepted White Fang as an addition to the premises。 Had
Dick had his way； they would have been good friends。 All but White Fang
was averse to friendship。 All he asked of other dogs was to be let alone。
His whole life he had kept aloof from his kind； and he still desired to keep
aloof。 Dick's overtures bothered him； so he snarled Dick away。 In the north
he had learned the lesson that he must let the master's dogs alone； and he
did not forget that lesson now。 But he insisted on his own privacy and self…
seclusion； and so thoroughly ignored Dick that that good… natured creature
finally gave him up and scarcely took as much interest in him as in the
hitching…post near the stable。
Not so with Collie。 While she accepted him because it was the
mandate of the gods； that was no reason that she should leave him in peace。
Woven into her being was the memory of countless crimes he and his had
perpetrated against her ancestry。 Not in a day nor a generation were the
ravaged sheepfolds to be forgotten。 All this was a spur to her； pricking her
to retaliation。 She could not fly in the face of the gods who permitted him；
but that did not prevent her from making life miserable for him in petty
ways。 A feud； ages old； was between them； and she； for one； would see to
it that he was reminded。
So Collie took advantage of her sex to pick upon White Fang and
maltreat him。 His instinct would not permit him to attack her； while her
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persistence would not permit him to ignore her。 When she rushed at him
he turned his fur…protected shoulder to her sharp teeth and walked away
stiff…legged and stately。 When she forced him too hard； he was compelled
to go about in a circle； his shoulder presented to her； his head turned from
her； and on his face and in his eyes a patient and bored expression。
Sometimes； however； a nip on his hind…quarters hastened his retreat and
made it anything but stately。 But as a rule he managed to maintain a
dignity that was almost solemnity。 He ignored her existence whenever it
was possible； and made it a point to keep out of her way。 When he saw or
heard her coming； he got up and walked off。
There was much in other matters for White Fang to learn。 Life in the
Northland was simplicity itself when compared with the complicated
affairs of Sierra Vista。 First of all； he had to learn the family of the master。
In a way he was prepared to do this。 As Mit…sah and Kloo…kooch had
belonged to Grey Beaver； sharing his food； his fire； and his blankets； so
now； at Sierra Vista； belonged to the love…master all the denizens of the
house。
But in this matter there was a difference； and many differences。 Sierra
Vista was a far vaster affair than the tepee of Grey Beaver。 There were
many persons to be considered。 There was Judge Scott； and there was his
wife。 There were the master's two sisters； Beth and Mary。 There was his
wife； Alice； and then there were his children； Weedon and Maud； toddlers
of four and six。 There was no way for anybody to tell him about all these
people； and of blood… ties and relationship he knew nothing whatever and
never would be capable of knowing。 Yet he quickly worked it out that all
of them belonged to the master。 Then； by observation； whenever
opportunity offered； by study of action； speech； and the very intonations of
the voice； he slowly learned the intimacy and the degree of favour they
enjoyed with the master。 And by this ascertained standard； White Fang
treated them accordingly。 What was of value to the master he valued； what
was dear to the master was to be cherished by White Fang and guarded
carefully。
Thus it was with the two children。 All his life he had disliked children。
He hated and feared their hands。 The lessons were not tender that he had
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learned of their tyranny and cruelty in the days of the Indian villages。
When Weedon and Maud had first approached him； he growled warningly
and looked malignant。 A cuff from the master and a sharp word had then
compelled him to permit their caresses； though he growled and growled
under their tiny hands； and in the growl there was no crooning note。 Later；
he observed that the boy and girl were of great value in the master's eyes。
Then it was that no cuff nor sharp word was necessary before they could
pat him。
Yet White Fang was never effusively affectionate。 He yielded to the
master's children with an ill but honest grace； and endured their fooling as
one would endure a painful operation。 When he could no longer endure； he
would get up and stalk determinedly away from them。 But after a time； he
grew even to like the children。 Still he was not demonstrative。 He would
not go up to them。 On the other hand； instead of walking away at sight of
them； he waited for them to come to him。 And still later； it was noticed
that a pleased light came into his eyes when he saw them approaching； and
that he looked after them with an appearance of curious regret when they
left him for other amusements。
All this was a matter of development； and took time。 Next in his regard；
after the children； was Judge Scott。 There were two reasons； possibly； for
this。 First； he was evidently a valuable possession of the master's； and next；
he was undemonstrative。 White Fang liked to lie at his feet on the wide
porch when he read the newspaper； from time to time favouring White
Fang with a look or a word … untroublesome tokens that he recognised
White Fang's presence and existence。 But this was only when the master
was not around。 When the master appeared； all other beings ceased to exist
so far as White Fang was concerned。
White Fang allowed all the members of the family to pet him and
make much of him； but he never gave to them what he gave to the master。
No caress of theirs could put the love…croon into his throat； and； try as they
would； they could never persuade him into snuggling against them。 This
expression of abandon and surrender； of absolute trust； he reserved for the
master alone。 In fact； he never regarded the members of the family in any
other light than possessions of the love…master。
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Al
