第 23 节
作者:摄氏0度      更新:2022-11-23 12:12      字数:9322
  launched   a   canoe   in   pursuit。 When   he overtook White   Fang; he   reached
  down and by the nape of the neck lifted him clear of the water。 He did not
  deposit him at once in the bottom of   the canoe。 Holding him  suspended
  with one hand; with the other hand he proceeded to give him a   beating。
  And it WAS   a   beating。  His   hand   was heavy。   Every  blow  was   shrewd   to
  hurt; and he delivered a multitude of blows。
  Impelled by the blows that rained upon him; now from this side; now
  from   that;   White   Fang   swung   back   and   forth   like   an   erratic   and   jerky
  pendulum。 Varying were the emotions that surged through him。 At first; he
  had known surprise。 Then came a momentary fear; when he yelped several
  times to the impact of the hand。 But this was quickly followed by anger。
  His    free   nature   asserted    itself;  and  he   showed     his  teeth   and   snarled
  fearlessly in the face of the wrathful god。 This but served to make the god
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  more wrathful。 The blows came faster; heavier; more shrewd to hurt。
  Grey Beaver continued to beat; White Fang continued to snarl。 But this
  could not last for ever。 One or the other must give over; and that one was
  White   Fang。   Fear   surged   through   him   again。   For   the   first   time   he   was
  being   really   man…handled。 The   occasional   blows   of   sticks   and   stones   he
  had previously experienced were as caresses compared with this。 He broke
  down and began to cry and yelp。 For a time each blow brought a yelp from
  him;   but   fear   passed   into   terror;   until   finally   his   yelps   were   voiced   in
  unbroken succession; unconnected with the rhythm of the punishment。
  At last Grey Beaver withheld his hand。 White Fang; hanging   limply;
  continued to cry。 This seemed to satisfy his master; who flung him down
  roughly in the bottom of the canoe。 In the meantime the canoe had drifted
  down the stream。 Grey Beaver picked up the paddle。 White Fang was in
  his   way。   He   spurned   him   savagely   with   his   foot。   In   that   moment   White
  Fang's   free   nature   flashed     forth   again;   and   he  sank   his   teeth   into  the
  moccasined foot。
  The beating   that   had   gone before was   as   nothing   compared   with the
  beating he now received。 Grey Beaver's wrath was terrible; likewise was
  White Fang's fright。 Not only the hand; but the hard wooden paddle was
  used upon him; and he was bruised and sore in all his small body when he
  was again flung down in the canoe。 Again; and this time with purpose; did
  Grey Beaver kick him。 White Fang did not repeat his attack on the foot。
  He had learned another lesson of his bondage。 Never; no matter what the
  circumstance; must he dare to bite the god who was lord and master over
  him; the body of the lord and master was sacred; not to be defiled by the
  teeth   of   such   as   he。   That   was   evidently   the   crime   of   crimes;   the   one
  offence there was no condoning nor overlooking。
  When   the   canoe touched   the   shore; White   Fang lay  whimpering   and
  motionless; waiting the will of Grey Beaver。 It was Grey Beaver's will that
  he should go ashore; for ashore he was flung; striking heavily on his side
  and   hurting   his   bruises   afresh。   He   crawled   tremblingly   to   his   feet   and
  stood whimpering。 Lip…lip; who had watched the whole proceeding from
  the bank; now rushed upon him; knocking him over and sinking his teeth
  into   him。   White   Fang   was   too   helpless   to   defend   himself;   and   it   would
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  have gone hard with him had not Grey Beaver's foot shot out; lifting Lip…
  lip into the air with its violence so that he smashed down to earth a dozen
  feet away。 This was the man…animal's justice; and even then; in his own
  pitiable   plight;   White   Fang   experienced   a   little   grateful   thrill。   At   Grey
  Beaver's heels he limped obediently through the village to the tepee。 And
  so it came that White Fang learned that the right to punish was something
  the gods reserved for themselves and denied to the lesser creatures under
  them。
  That night; when all was still; White Fang remembered his mother and
  sorrowed for her。 He sorrowed too loudly and woke up Grey Beaver; who
  beat him。 After that he mourned gently when the gods were around。 But
  sometimes; straying off to the edge of the woods by himself; he gave vent
  to his grief; and cried it out with loud whimperings and wailings。
  It was during this period that he might have harkened to the memories
  of the lair and the stream and run back to the Wild。 But the memory of his
  mother held him。 As the hunting man…animals went out and came back; so
  she   would   come   back   to   the   village   some   time。   So   he   remained   in   his
  bondage waiting for her。
  But   it   was   not   altogether   an   unhappy   bondage。   There   was   much   to
  interest him。 Something was always happening。 There was no end to the
  strange things these gods did; and he was always curious to see。 Besides;
  he   was   learning   how   to   get   along   with   Grey   Beaver。   Obedience;   rigid;
  undeviating   obedience;   was   what   was   exacted   of   him;   and   in   return   he
  escaped beatings and his existence was tolerated。
  Nay; Grey Beaver himself sometimes tossed him a piece of meat; and
  defended him against the other dogs in the eating of it。 And such a piece of
  meat was of value。 It was worth more; in some strange way; then a dozen
  pieces of meat from the hand of a squaw。 Grey Beaver never petted nor
  caressed。     Perhaps    it  was  the   weight    of  his  hand;   perhaps    his  justice;
  perhaps the sheer power of him; and perhaps it was all these things that
  influenced      White    Fang;   for   a  certain   tie  of  attachment     was   forming
  between him and his surly lord。
  Insidiously; and by remote ways; as well as by the power of stick and
  stone and clout of hand; were the shackles of White Fang's bondage being
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  riveted upon him。 The qualities in his kind that in the beginning made it
  possible for them to come in to the fires of men; were qualities capable of
  development。   They   were   developing   in   him;   and   the   camp…life;   replete
  with misery as it was; was secretly endearing itself to him all the time。 But
  White Fang was unaware of it。 He knew only grief for the loss of Kiche;
  hope for her return; and a hungry yearning for the free life that had been
  his。
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  CHAPTER III … THE OUTCAST
  Lip…lip    continued     so   to  darken    his  days    that  White    Fang    became
  wickeder       and   more     ferocious    than    it  was    his   natural   right   to   be。
  Savageness was a part of his make…up; but the savageness thus developed
  exceeded his make…up。 He acquired a reputation for wickedness amongst
  the   man…animals   themselves。   Wherever   there   was   trouble   and   uproar   in
  camp; fighting and squabbling or the outcry of a squaw over a bit of stolen
  meat; they were sure to find White Fang mixed up in it and usually at the
  bottom of it。 They did not bother to look after the causes of his conduct。
  They saw only the effects; and the effects were bad。 He was a sneak and a
  thief; a mischief…maker; a fomenter of trouble; and irate squaws told him
  to his face; the while he eyed   them alert and ready to dodge any  quick…
  flung missile; that he was a wolf and worthless and bound to come to an
  evil end。
  He found himself an outcast in the midst of the populous camp。 All the
  young dogs followed Lip…lip's lead。 There was a difference between White
  Fang      and    them。    Perhaps      they    sensed     his   wild…wood       breed;    and
  instinctively   felt   for   him   the   enmity   that   the   domestic   dog   feels   for   the
  wolf。   But   be   that   as   it   may;   they  joined   with   Lip…lip   in   the   persecution。
  And;     once   declared     against   him;   they   found    good    reason    to  continue
  declared against him。 One and all; from time to time; they felt his teeth;
  and to his credit; he gave more than he received。 Many of them he could
  whip   in   single   fight;   but   single   fight   was   denied   him。 The   beginning   of
  such a fight was a signal for all the young dogs in camp to come running
  and pitch upon him。
  Out of this pa