Then came a gale15 sweeping16 down upon them from the west to make matters worse. The wind blew clouds of fine snow-dust into their faces, lodging17 and accumulating there until the Mammoth and Rhinoceros were disguised in great white masks. This did not bother them in the least. Having no vanity as to their personal appearance and being warmly clad, they felt quite cozy18 and comfortable.
Pic’s case was different. The storm multiplied his worry and discomfort19. The wind numbed20 his body. He was almost smothered21 and blinded by the fine sleet22 which drove into his mouth and eyes. Once more he slid down from the Mammoth’s neck and labored23 forward on foot. Finally he stopped. “I can go no farther,” he said. “Without warmth and rest, I will die. I fear that you must leave me.”
Both animals halted. The situation had grown acute. “Die? Leave you?” said the Mammoth. “We will wait while you warm and rest yourself.”
“But the mountains,” Hairi suggested. “There must be a hole in them somewhere.”
Up to this time, the party had seen no caves. Pic would have spent every night in one, were there[178] caves to be had. So far he had not noticed one; and many miles had by this time been traveled along the southern flank of the Cantabrian range. Hairi was right. Lucky for Pic, his good-fortune had not entirely25 deserted26 him, for as he looked toward the mountain through the blinding snow-dust, he saw a dark spot high upon its side. One glimpse was enough; the dark spot was a cave and he joyfully27 made known the news to his companions.
All smiled once more. It was agreed that their onward28 march would be halted temporarily, giving Pic a chance to take refuge in the cave and rest until the storm was over. Meanwhile, the two animals would wait in the lee of a rock-shelter which could be seen a half mile or so beyond the cave. When the weather cleared, Pic would rejoin his friends and they would continue as before. With this understanding, they separated. Pic made for the mountain side, while Hairi and Wulli moved off toward the rock-shelter.
Pic climbed up to the cave, but before intruding29 he made a careful preliminary inspection30. Possession was nine points of law in such cases; the tenth point was getting possession. “Cave-jumping” was an offense31 meriting capital punishment. There could be no mercy shown one who attempted to deprive another of his home. This applied32 to men’s dealings with beasts as well as with each other. Men and beasts both fancied the same sort of dwelling33, and in the winter time particularly there was constant rivalry34 between them for the possession of[179] desirable caves. Some were more desirable than others, being furnished with more than one entrance or having advantages of plumbing35 and ventilation; such as cool drinking water trickling36 through the ceiling, or openings in the roof to permit the escape of smoke and foul37 air. Most of them had thresholds or sun-rooms, where the tenant38 might loll outside and enjoy natural light and warmth. Neither man nor flesh-eating beasts knew how to build houses, and so they made use of the best that Nature gave them.
Pic knew he had no business in that cave if some one were already there, but his needs were great and he intended to occupy it no matter who disputed him. He stepped boldly within.
Although vacant, the place did not lack an owner. It bore a pungent39 animal odor and that odor was fairly fresh. The occupant had been there recently and gone away. “Probably I will have gone away, too, by the time he returns,” thought Pic. The storm was already abating40 and it would not be long before he could resume his journey. Before selecting a comfortable spot to lie down and rest, he set about to learn what variety of animal he might have to deal with, should it return. His nose informed him that the odor was not that of a lion or any other cat-like animal. That was good, for they were his most formidable enemies. Wolf or hyena41? No; then it must be a bear. Yes, it was a bear! Now his anxiety was relieved. Such animals varied[180] greatly in size and fierceness, but most of them were comparatively harmless if let alone.
Pic lay down in the cave-entrance where wind and sleet could not reach him and laughed at the storm outside. He could see the broad snow-covered expanse of country below him. The Mammoth and Rhinoceros had disappeared. A large boulder43 hung at the verge44 of the cave-threshold and obstructed45 his view in that direction. It also prevented his seeing what might be coming toward him up the mountain side. Not until he heard the crunch46, crunch of something breaking through the snow-crust, did he realize that he was about to have a visitor. He sprang to his feet, glided47 to the boulder and peered over, then dropped behind it again for fear of being observed.
A burly animal was ascending49 to the cave. It was heavily furred and round like a big ball. A bear; Pic had interpreted the odor rightly, but he had not bargained for one as large as this. It was neither the black nor brown species, but a huge brute50 that no man, however strong and brave, would care to meddle51 with—the giant Cave Bear.
The beast came lumbering52 up the steep mountain side, occasionally stopping to gaze westward53. At such times it growled54. Probably it had seen the Mammoth and Rhinoceros pass by and decided55 that its den56 needed watching.
[181]
“The Cave Bear Looked Up and Growled”
[182]
Pic gripped his ax tightly, for he knew this was an occasion to try any bear’s temper. The one coming toward him appeared big enough to do anything. He would put up a good fight without question, in the defense57 of his home. The man looked at his ax-blade and shook his head. Even its keen edge would find difficulty in reaching a vital spot through that heavy fur. One blow, possibly two, were all he could expect to deliver before the huge beast would close in. Once those mighty58 paws were around his body it would go hard with him.
The beast halted directly beneath the boulder behind which the man lay hidden. Should anything disturb that boulder and cause it to fall, so much the worse for Mr. Bear. Pic braced59 his feet against the projections60 of the ledge61 surface behind him and set his shoulders against the stone. One mighty heave loosened it from its setting. The Cave Bear looked up and growled. The motion of the stone and the slight noise above aroused his suspicions. Pic put forth62 every ounce of his great strength in a second effort. The boulder swayed, then toppled over. The beast saw it coming and made a frantic63 attempt to save himself. Too late! The huge stone descended64 upon him with a crash and the two went rolling and tumbling together down the mountain side, with Pic bounding after them, ax in hand, to deal the finishing blow.
But there was no need to complete the damage that the stone had begun. When Pic arrived at the foot of the declivity65 he found a perfectly dead bear. The crushing weight of the boulder and the long[183] battering66 journey down the steep incline had made an end of the beast for all time.
It was a magnificent animal, bulging67 with winter fat and the finest of heavy fur. Pic looked down upon it and sighed. Bears in general interested him and appealed to his gentler nature; bluff68 and ungainly and so different from skulking69 flesh-eaters. The beast had died without a chance to defend himself. Pic’s triumph was tinged70 with profound regret; but one or the other of them had to die, he consoled himself, and he preferred the bear to be that one. He marvelled71 at the beast’s vast proportions; its thick hams and mighty paws; then his attention was drawn72 to the fur. “A wonderful coat,” he said, as he kneeled and ran his fingers through it. “Would that I had one like it to keep out the cold.”
“It is yours; take it,” something within him answered and the idea once born, soon became a reality. In a trice, his ax-blade was unbound from its wooden handle and became a knife. With this, Pic began to skin the beast, a tremendous task for a lone42 man with nothing but a flint tool to aid him. But the flint was sharp and the man’s strength and determination carried him through. He slit73 the neck, chest and belly74 downward, then the forepaws, and after much cutting and tugging75 pulled the complete hide from the carcass. The hind48 legs were uncovered without slitting76, leaving those parts of the skin solid like a pair of boots. When the hide was completely detached inside out, Pic[184] turned it back the right way again and the job was done.
He remounted his ax-head, rested and refreshed himself with some flesh-strips from the carcass, then proceeded to have a try-on of his new one-piece suit. The hind legs made comfortable trousers, and the rest of it, although somewhat loose and badly hung, might have been much worse. No better garment could have been devised to keep out the cold, and that was the main idea. It had but one drawback. Pic found it a most unwieldy thing to navigate77 in. When he tried to walk, he did nothing but trip and stumble over his own feet. This was no more than amusing, for he was feeling warm and comfortable and ready to smile at anything. “Hairi and Wulli will be surprised when they see me in this,” he laughed. “Agh! What a relief! My coat is every bit as warm as theirs. Snow, ice, cold wind; what of them? Now our way may lead to the country of the Mammoth and Rhinoceros, for all I care.”
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1
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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5
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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6
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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8
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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9
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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10
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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12
moody
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| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
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irritable
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| adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的 | |
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14
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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15
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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16
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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17
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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18
cozy
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| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
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19
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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20
numbed
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| v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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22
sleet
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| n.雨雪；v.下雨雪，下冰雹 | |
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23
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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24
wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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25
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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26
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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27
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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28
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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29
intruding
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| v.侵入，侵扰，打扰( intrude的现在分词)；把…强加于 | |
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30
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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31
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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32
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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33
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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34
rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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35
plumbing
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| n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究 | |
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36
trickling
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| n.油画底色含油太多而成泡沫状突起v.滴( trickle的现在分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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37
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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38
tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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39
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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40
abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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41
hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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42
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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43
boulder
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| n.巨砾；卵石，圆石 | |
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44
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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45
obstructed
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| 阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止 | |
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46
crunch
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| n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声 | |
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47
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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48
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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49
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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50
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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51
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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52
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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53
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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54
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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55
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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57
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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58
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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59
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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60
projections
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| 预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物 | |
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61
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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62
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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63
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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64
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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65
declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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66
battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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67
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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68
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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69
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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70
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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73
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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74
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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75
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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76
slitting
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| n.纵裂（缝）v.切开，撕开( slit的现在分词 )；在…上开狭长口子 | |
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77
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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