第 30 节
作者:漂亮格子      更新:2021-04-30 16:08      字数:9322
  use it on the Wolf。 And here…what! the Wolf track disappears; but
  the sled track speeds along。 The Wolf has leaped on the sled。 The
  Dogs; in terror; added to their speed; but on the sleigh behind
  them there is a deed of vengeance done。 In a moment it is over;
  both roll off the sled; the Wolf track reappears on the east side
  to seek the woods。 The sled swerves to the west bank; where;
  after half a mile; it is caught and wrecked on a root。
  The snow also told Renaud how the Dogs; entangled in the harness;
  had fought with each other; had cut themselves loose; and
  trotting homeward by various ways up the river; had gathered at
  the body of their late tyrant and devoured him at a meal。
  Bad enough for the Dogs; still they were cleared of the murder。
  That certainly was done by the Wolf; and Renaud; after the shock
  of horror was past; gave a sigh of relief and added; 〃Eet is le
  Garou。 He hab save my leel girl from zat Paul。 He always was good
  to children。〃
  VI
  This was the cause of the great final hunt that they fixed for
  Christmas Day just two years after the scene at the grave of
  Little Jim。 It seemed as though all the Dogs in the country were
  brought together。 The three Huskies were   therethe Factor
  considered them essentialthere were Danes and trailers and a
  rabble of farm Dogs and nondescripts。 They spent the morning
  beating all the woods east of St。 Boniface and had no success。
  But a telephone message came that the trail they sought had been
  seen near the Assiniboine woods west of the city; and an hour
  later the hunt was yelling on the hot scent of the Winnipeg Wolf。
  Away they went; a rabble of Dogs; a motley rout of horsemen; a
  mob of men and boys on foot。 Garou had no fear of the Dogs; but
  men he knew had guns and were dangerous。 He led off for the dark
  timber line of the Assiniboine; but the horsemen had open country
  and they headed him back。 He coursed along the Colony Creek
  hollow and so eluded the bullets already flying。 He made for a
  barb…wire fence; and passing that he got rid of the horsemen for
  a time; but still must keep the hollow that baffled the bullets。
  The Dogs were now closing on him。 All he might have asked would
  probably have been to be left alone with themforty or fifty to
  one as they werehe would have taken the odds。 The Dogs were all
  around him now; but none dared to close in; A lanky Hound;
  trusting to his speed; ran alongside at length and got a side
  chop from Garou that laid him low。 The horsemen were forced to
  take a distant way around; but now the chase was toward the town;
  and more men and Dogs came running out to join the fray。
  The Wolf turned toward the slaughter…house; a familiar resort;
  and the shooting ceased on account of the houses; as well as the
  Dogs; being so near。 These were indeed now close enough to
  encircle him and hinder all further flight。 He looked for a place
  to guard his rear for a final stand; and seeing a wooden
  foot…bridge over a gutter he sprang in; there faced about and
  held the pack at bay。 The men got bars and demolished the bridge。
  He leaped out; knowing now that he had to die; but ready; wishing
  only to make a worthy fight; and then for the first time in broad
  day view of all his foes he stoodthe shadowy Dog…killer; the
  disembodied voice of St。 Boniface woods; the wonderful Winnipeg
  Wolf。
  VII
  At last after three long years of fight he stood before them
  alone; confronting twoscore Dogs; and men with guns to back
  thembut facing them just as resolutely as I saw him that day in
  the wintry woods。 The same old curl was on his lipsthe
  hard…knit flanks heaved just a little; but his green and yellow
  eye glowed steadily。 The Dogs closed in; led not by the huge
  Huskies from the woodsthey evidently knew too much for
  thatbut by a Bulldog from the town; there was scuffling of many
  feet; a low rumbling for a time replaced the yapping of the pack;
  a flashing of those red and grizzled jaws; a momentary hurl back
  of the onset; and again he stood alone and braced; the grim and
  grand old bandit that he was。 Three times they tried and
  suffered。 Their boldest were lying about him。 The first to go
  down was the Bulldog。 Learning wisdom now; the Dogs held back;
  less sure; but his square…built chest showed never a sign of
  weakness yet; and after waiting impatiently he advanced a few
  steps; and thus; alas! gave to the gunners their long…expected
  chance。 Three rifles rang; and in the snow Garou went down at
  last; his life of combat done。
  He had made his choice。 His days were short and crammed with
  quick events。 His tale of many peaceful years was spent in three
  of daily brunt。 He picked his trail; a new trail; high and short。
  He chose to drink his cup at a single gulp; and break the
  glass…but he left a deathless name。
  Who can look into the mind of the Wolf? Who can show us his
  wellspring of motive? Why should he still cling to a place of
  endless tribulation? It could not be because he knew no other
  country; for the region is limitless; food is everywhere; and he
  was known at least as far as Selkirk。 Nor could his motive be
  revenge。 No animal will give up its whole life to seeking
  revenge; that evil kind of mind is found in man alone。 The brute
  creation seeks for peace。
  There is then but one remaining bond to chain him; and that the
  strongest claim that anything can ownthe mightiest force on
  earth。
  The Wolf is gone。 The last relic of him was lost in the burning
  Grammar School; but to this day the sexton of St。 Boniface Church
  avers that the tolling bell on Christmas Eve never fails to
  provoke that weird and melancholy Wolf…cry from the wooded
  graveyard a hundred steps away; where they laid his Little Jim;
  the only being on earth that ever met him with the touch of love。
  THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE REINDEER
  Skoal! Skoal! For Norway Skoal!
  Sing ye the song of the Vand…dam troll。
  When I am hiding
  Norway's luck
  On a White Storbuk
  Comes riding; riding。
  Bleak; black; deep; and cold is Utrovand; a long pocket of
  glacial water; a crack in the globe; a wrinkle in the high
  Norwegian mountains; blocked with another mountain; and flooded
  with a frigid flood; three thousand feet above its
  Mother Sea; and yet no closer to its Father Sun。
  Around its cheerless shore is a belt of stunted trees; that sends
  a long tail up the high valley; till it dwindles away to sticks
  and moss; as it also does some half…way up the granite hills that
  rise a thousand feet; encompassing the lake。 This is the limit of
  trees; the end of the growth of wood。 The birch and willow are
  the last to drop out of the long fight with frost。 Their
  miniature thickets are noisy with the cries of Fieldfare; Pipit;
  and Ptarmigan; but these are left behind on nearing the upper
  plateau; where shade of rock and sough of wind are all that take
  their place。 The chilly Hoifjeld rolls away; a rugged; rocky
  plain; with great patches of snow in all the deeper hollows; and
  the distance blocked by snowy peaks that rise and roll and whiter
  gleam; till; dim and dazzling in the north; uplifts the
  Jotunheim; the home of spirits; of glaciers; and of the lasting
  snow。
  The treeless stretch is one vast attest to the force of heat。
  Each failure of the sun by one degree is marked by a lower realm
  of life。 The northern slope of each hollow is less boreal than
  its southern side。 The pine and spruce have given out long ago;
  the mountain…ash went next; the birch and willow climbed up half
  the slope。 Here; nothing grows but creeping plants and moss。 The
  plain itself is pale grayish green; one vast expanse of
  reindeer…moss; but warmed at spots into orange by great beds of
  polytrichum; and; in sunnier nooks; deepened to a herbal green。
  The rocks that are scattered everywhere are of a delicate lilac;
  but each is variegated with spreading frill…edged plasters of
  gray…green lichen or orange powder…streaks and beauty…spots of
  black。 These rocks have great power to hold the heat; so that
  each of them is surrounded by a little belt of heat…loving plants
  that could not otherwise live so high。 Dwarfed representatives of
  the birch and willow both are here; hugging the genial rock; as
  an old French habitant hugs his stove in winter…time; spreading
  their branches over it; instead of in the frigid air。 A foot away
  is seen a chillier belt of heath; and farther off; colder; where
  none else can grow; is the omnipresent gray…green reindeer…moss
  that gives its color to the upland。 The hollows are still filled
  with snow; though now it is June。 But each of these white
  expanses is shrinking; spending itself in ice…cold streams that
  somehow reach the lake。 These sn?flaks show no sign of life; not
  even the 'red…snow' tinge; and around each is a belt of barren
  earth; to testify that life and warmth can never be divorced。
  Birdless and lifeless; the gray…green snow…pied waste extends
  over all the stretch that is here between the timber…line and the
  snow…line; above which winter never quits its hold。 Farther north
  both come lower; till the timber…line is at the level of the sea;
  and all the land is in that treeless belt called Tundra in the
  Old World; and Barrens in the New; and that everywhere is the
  Home of the Reindeerthe Real