第 29 节
作者:漂亮格子      更新:2021-04-30 16:08      字数:9321
  little; he set out for home on the Pony; leading the Wolf and
  hurling a final threat and anathema at the German nobleman: 〃Fur
  two cents I'd sic him on you; gol darn ye。〃
  IV
  Early that winter Jimmie was taken down with a fever。 The Wolf
  howled miserably in the yard when he missed his little friend;
  and finally on the boy's demand was admitted to the sick…room;
  and there this great wild Dogfor that is all a Wolf
  iscontinued faithfully watching by his friend's bedside。
  The fever had seemed slight at first; so that every one was
  shocked when there came suddenly a turn for the worse; and three
  days before Christmas Jimmie died。 He had no more sincere mourner
  than his 〃Wolfie。〃 The great gray creature howled in miserable
  answer to the church…bell tolling when he followed the body on
  Christmas Eve to the graveyard at St。 Boniface。 He soon came back
  to the premises behind the saloon; but when an attempt was made
  to chain him again; he leaped a board fence and was finally lost
  sight of。
  Later that same winter old Renaud; the trapper; with his pretty
  half…breed daughter; Ninette; came to live in a little log…cabin
  on the river bank。 He knew nothing about Jimmie Hogan; and he was
  not a little puzzled to find Wolf tracks and signs along the
  river on both sides between St。 Boniface and Fort Garry。 He
  listened with interest and doubt to tales that the Hudson Bay
  Company's men told of a great Gray…wolf that had come to live in
  the region about; and even to enter the town at night; and that
  was in particular attached to the woods about St。 Boniface
  Church。
  On Christmas Eve of that year when the bell tolled again as it
  had done for Jimmie; a lone and melancholy howling from the woods
  almost convinced Renaud that the stories were true。 He knew the
  wolf…criesthe howl for help; the love song; the lonely wail;
  and the sharp defiance of the Wolves。 This was the lonely wail。
  The trapper went to the riverside and gave an answering howl。 A
  shadowy form left the far woods and crossed on the ice to where
  the man sat; log…still; on a log。 It came up near him; circled
  past and sniffed; then its eye glowed; it growled like a Dog that
  is a little angry; and glided back into the night。
  Thus Renaud knew; and before long many townfolk began to learn;
  that a huge Gray…wolf was living in their streets; 〃a Wolf three
  times as big as the one that used to be chained at Hogan's
  gin…mill。〃 He was the terror of Dogs; killing them on all
  possible occasions; and some said; though it was never proven;
  that he had devoured more than one half…breed who was out on a
  spree。
  And this was the Winnipeg Wolf that I had seen that day in the
  wintry woods。 I had longed to go to his help; thinking the odds
  so hopelessly against him; but later knowledge changed the
  thought。 I do not know how that fight ended; but I do know that
  he was seen many times afterward and some of the Dogs were not。
  Thus his was the strangest life that ever his kind had known。
  Free of all the woods and plains; he elected rather to lead a
  life of daily hazard in the towneach week at least some close
  escape; and every day a day of daring deeds; finding momentary
  shelter at times under the very boardwalk crossings。 Hating the
  men and despising the Dogs; he fought his daily way and held the
  hordes of Curs at bay or slew them when he found them few or
  single; harried the drunkard; evaded men with guns; learned
  trapslearned poison; toojust how; we cannot tell; but learn
  it he did; for he passed it again and again; or served it only
  with a Wolf's contempt。
  Not a street in Winnipeg that he did not know; not a policeman in
  Winnipeg that had not seen his swift and shadowy form in the gray
  dawn as he passed where he would; not a Dog in Winnipeg that did
  not cower and bristle when the telltale wind brought proof that
  old Garou was crouching near。 His only path was the warpath; and
  all the world his foes。 But throughout this lurid; semi…mythic
  record there was one recurring pleasant thoughtGarou never was
  known to harm a child。
  V
  Ninette was a desert…born beauty like her Indian mother; but
  gray…eyed like her Normandy father; a sweet girl of sixteen; the
  belle of her set。 She might have married any one of the richest
  and steadiest young men of the country; but of course; in
  feminine perversity her heart was set on that ne'er…do…well; Paul
  des Roches。 A handsome fellow; a good dancer and a fair
  violinist; Fiddler Paul was in demand at all festivities; but he
  was a shiftless drunkard and it was even whispered that he had a
  wife already in Lower Canada。 Renaud very properly dismissed him
  when he came to urge his suit; but dismissed him in vain。
  Ninette; obedient in all else; would not give up her lover。 The
  very day after her father had ordered him away she promised to
  meet him in the woods just across the river。 It was easy to
  arrange this; for she was a good Catholic; and across the ice to
  the church was shorter than going around by the bridge。 As she
  went through the snowy wood to the tryst she noticed that a large
  gray Dog was following。 It seemed quite friendly; and the child
  (for she was still that) had no fear; but when she came to the
  place where Paul was waiting; the gray Dog went forward rumbling
  in its chest。 Paul gave one look; knew it for a huge Wolf; then
  fled like the coward he was。 He afterward said he ran for his
  gun。 He must have forgotten where it was; as he climbed the
  nearest tree to find it。 Meanwhile Ninette ran home across the
  ice to tell Paul's friends of his danger。 Not finding any
  firearms up the tree; the valiant lover made a spear by fastening
  his knife to a branch and succeeded in giving Garou a painful
  wound on the head。 The savage; creature growled horribly but
  thenceforth kept at a safe distance; though plainly showing his
  intention to wait till the man came down。 But the approach of a
  band of rescuers changed his mind; and he went away。
  Fiddler Paul found it easier to explain matters to Ninette than
  he would to any one else。 He still stood first in her affections;
  but so hopelessly ill with her father that they decided on an
  elopement; as soon as he should return from Fort Alexander;
  whither he was to go for the Company; as dog…driver。 The Factor
  was very proud of his train Dogsthree great Huskies with curly;
  bushy tails; big and strong as Calves; but fierce and lawless as
  pirates。 With these the Fiddler Paul was to drive to Fort
  Alexander from Fort Garrythe bearer of several important
  packets。 He was an expert Dog…driver; which usually means
  relentlessly cruel。 He set off blithely down the river in the
  morning; after the several necessary drinks of whiskey。 He
  expected to be gone a week; and would then come back with twenty
  dollars in his pocket; and having thus provided the sinews of
  war; would carry out the plan of elopement。 Away they went down
  the river on the ice。 The big Dogs pulled swiftly but sulkily as
  he cracked the long whip and shouted; 〃Allez; allez; marchez。〃
  They passed at speed by Renaud's shanty on the bank; and Paul;
  cracking his whip and running behind the train; waved his hand to
  Ninette as she stood by the door。 Speedily the cariole with the
  sulky Dogs and drunken driver disappeared around the bendand
  that was the last ever seen of Fiddler Paul。
  That evening the Huskies came back singly to Fort Garry。 They
  were spattered with frozen blood; and were gashed in several
  places。 But strange to tell they were quite 〃unhungry。〃
  Runners went on the back trail and recovered the packages。 They
  were lying on the ice unharmed。 Fragments of the sled were strewn
  for a mile or more up the river; not far from the packages were
  shreds of clothing that had belonged to the Fiddler。
  It was quite clear; the Dogs had murdered and eaten their driver。
  The Factor was terribly wrought up over the matter。 It might cost
  him his Dogs。 He refused to believe the report and set off to
  sift the evidence for himself。 Renaud was chosen to go with him;
  and before they were within three miles of the fatal place Renaud
  pointed to a very large track crossing from the east to the west
  bank of the river; just after the Dog sled。 He ran it backward
  for a mile or more on the eastern bank; noted how it had walked
  when the Dogs walked and run when they ran; before he turned to
  the Factor and said: 〃A beeg Voolfhe come after ze cariole all
  ze time。〃
  Now they followed the track where it had crossed to the west
  shore。 Two miles above Kildonan woods the Wolf had stopped his
  gallop to walk over to the sled trail; had followed it a few
  yards; then had returned to the woods。
  〃Paul he drop somesin' here; ze packet maybe; ze Voolf he come
  for smell。 He follow sonow he know zat eez ze drunken Paul vot
  slash heem on ze head。〃
  A mile farther the Wolf track came galloping on the ice behind
  the cariole。 The man track disappeared now; for the driver had
  leaped on the sled and lashed the Dogs。 Here is where he cut
  adrift the bundles。 That is why things were scattered over the
  ice。 See how the Dogs were bounding under the lash。 Here was the
  Fiddler's knife in the snow。 He must have dropped it in trying to
  use it on the Wolf。 And here…what! the Wolf