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Chapter 19 The Indomitable
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"It's hopeless," Weedon Scott confessed.

  He sat on the step of his cabin and stared at the dog-musher, whoresponded with a shrug1 that was equally hopeless.

  Together they looked at White Fang2 at the end of his stretched chain,bristling3, snarling4, ferocious5, straining to get at the sled-dogs. Havingreceived sundry6 lessons from Matt, said lessons being imparted by meansof a club, the sled-dogs had learned to leave White Fang alone; and eventhen they were lying down at a distance, apparently7 oblivious8 of his existence.

  "It's a wolf and there's no taming it," Weedon Scott announced.

  "Oh, I don't know about that," Matt objected. "Might be a lot of dog in'm, for all you can tell. But there's one thing I know sure, an' that there's nogettin' away from."The dog-musher paused and nodded his head confidentially9 atMoosehide Mountain.

  "Well, don't be a miser10 with what you know," Scott said sharply, afterwaiting a suitable length of time. "Spit it out. What is it?"The dog-musher indicated White Fang with a backward thrust of his thumb.

  "Wolf or dog, it's all the same - he's ben tamed 'ready.""No!""I tell you yes, an' broke to harness. Look close there. D'ye see themmarks across the chest?""You're right, Matt. He was a sled-dog before Beauty Smith got hold of him.""And there's not much reason against his bein' a sled-dog again.""What d'ye think?" Scott queried11 eagerly. Then the hope died down ashe added, shaking his head, "We've had him two weeks now, and ifanything he's wilder than ever at the present moment.""Give 'm a chance," Matt counselled. "Turn 'm loose for a spell."The other looked at him incredulously.

  "Yes," Matt went on, "I know you've tried to, but you didn't take a club.""You try it then."The dog-musher secured a club and went over to the chained animal.

  White Fang watched the club after the manner of a caged lion watchingthe whip of its trainer.

  "See 'm keep his eye on that club," Matt said. "That's a good sign. He'sno fool. Don't dast tackle me so long as I got that club handy. He's notclean crazy, sure."As the man's hand approached his neck, White Fang bristled12 andsnarled and crouched14 down. But while he eyed the approaching hand, he atthe same time contrived15 to keep track of the club in the other hand,suspended threateningly above him. Matt unsnapped the chain from thecollar and stepped back.

  White Fang could scarcely realise that he was free. Many months hadgone by since he passed into the possession of Beauty Smith, and in allthat period he had never known a moment of freedom except at the timeshe had been loosed to fight with other dogs. Immediately after such fightshe had always been imprisoned16 again.

  He did not know what to make of it. Perhaps some new devilry of thegods was about to be perpetrated on him. He walked slowly and cautiously,prepared to be assailed17 at any moment. He did not know what to do, it wasall so unprecedented18. He took the precaution to sheer off from the twowatching gods, and walked carefully to the corner of the cabin. Nothinghappened. He was plainly perplexed19, and he came back again, pausing adozen feet away and regarding the two men intently.

  "Won't he run away?" his new owner asked.

  Matt shrugged20 his shoulders. "Got to take a gamble. Only way to findout is to find out.""Poor devil," Scott murmured pityingly. "What he needs is some showof human kindness," he added, turning and going into the cabin.

  He came out with a piece of meat, which he tossed to White Fang. Hesprang away from it, and from a distance studied it suspiciously.

  "Hi-yu, Major!" Matt shouted warningly, but too late.

  Major had made a spring for the meat. At the instant his jaws21 closed onit, White Fang struck him. He was overthrown22. Matt rushed in, but quickerthan he was White Fang. Major staggered to his feet, but the bloodspouting from his throat reddened the snow in a widening path.

  "It's too bad, but it served him right," Scott said hastily.

  But Matt's foot had already started on its way to kick White Fang.

  There was a leap, a flash of teeth, a sharp exclamation23. White Fang,snarling fiercely, scrambled24 backward for several yards, while Mattstooped and investigated his leg.

  "He got me all right," he announced, pointing to the torn trousers andundercloths, and the growing stain of red.

  "I told you it was hopeless, Matt," Scott said in a discouraged voice.

  "I've thought about it off and on, while not wanting to think of it. Butwe've come to it now. It's the only thing to do."As he talked, with reluctant movements he drew his revolver, threwopen the cylinder25, and assured himself of its contents.

  "Look here, Mr. Scott," Matt objected; "that dog's ben through hell.

  You can't expect 'm to come out a white an' shinin' angel. Give 'm time.""Look at Major," the other rejoined.

  The dog-musher surveyed the stricken dog. He had sunk down on thesnow in the circle of his blood and was plainly in the last gasp26.

  "Served 'm right. You said so yourself, Mr. Scott. He tried to takeWhite Fang's meat, an' he's dead-O. That was to be expected. I wouldn'tgive two whoops27 in hell for a dog that wouldn't fight for his own meat.""But look at yourself, Matt. It's all right about the dogs, but we mustdraw the line somewhere.""Served me right," Matt argued stubbornly. "What'd I want to kick 'mfor? You said yourself that he'd done right. Then I had no right to kick 'm.""It would be a mercy to kill him," Scott insisted. "He's untamable.""Now look here, Mr. Scott, give the poor devil a fightin' chance. Heain't had no chance yet. He's just come through hell, an' this is the firsttime he's ben loose. Give 'm a fair chance, an' if he don't deliver the goods,I'll kill 'm myself. There!""God knows I don't want to kill him or have him killed," Scottanswered, putting away the revolver. "We'll let him run loose and see whatkindness can do for him. And here's a try at it."He walked over to White Fang and began talking to him gently and soothingly28.

  "Better have a club handy," Matt warned.

  Scott shook his head and went on trying to win White Fang's confidence.

  White Fang was suspicious. Something was impending29. He had killedthis god's dog, bitten his companion god, and what else was to be expectedthan some terrible punishment? But in the face of it he was indomitable.

  He bristled and showed his teeth, his eyes vigilant30, his whole body waryand prepared for anything. The god had no club, so he suffered him toapproach quite near. The god's hand had come out and was descendingupon his head. White Fang shrank together and grew tense as he crouchedunder it. Here was danger, some treachery or something. He knew thehands of the gods, their proved mastery, their cunning to hurt. Besides,there was his old antipathy31 to being touched. He snarled13 more menacingly,crouched still lower, and still the hand descended32. He did not want to bitethe hand, and he endured the peril33 of it until his instinct surged up in him,mastering him with its insatiable yearning34 for life.

  Weedon Scott had believed that he was quick enough to avoid anysnap or slash35. But he had yet to learn the remarkable36 quickness of WhiteFang, who struck with the certainty and swiftness of a coiled snake.

  Scott cried out sharply with surprise, catching37 his torn hand andholding it tightly in his other hand. Matt uttered a great oath and sprang tohis side. White Fang crouched down, and backed away, bristling, showinghis fangs38, his eyes malignant39 with menace. Now he could expect a beatingas fearful as any he had received from Beauty Smith.

  "Here! What are you doing?" Scott cried suddenly.

  Matt had dashed into the cabin and come out with a rifle.

  "Nothin'," he said slowly, with a careless calmness that was assumed,"only goin' to keep that promise I made. I reckon it's up to me to kill 'm as I said I'd do.""No you don't!""Yes I do. Watch me."As Matt had pleaded for White Fang when he had been bitten, it wasnow Weedon Scott's turn to plead.

  "You said to give him a chance. Well, give it to him. We've only juststarted, and we can't quit at the beginning. It served me right, this time.

  And - look at him!"White Fang, near the corner of the cabin and forty feet away, wassnarling with blood-curdling viciousness, not at Scott, but at the dog-musher.

  "Well, I'll be everlastingly40 gosh-swoggled!" was the dog-musher'sexpression of astonishment41.

  "Look at the intelligence of him," Scott went on hastily. "He knows themeaning of firearms as well as you do. He's got intelligence and we've gotto give that intelligence a chance. Put up the gun.""All right, I'm willin'," Matt agreed, leaning the rifle against thewoodpile"But will you look at that!" he exclaimed the next moment.

  White Fang had quieted down and ceased snarling. "This is worthinvestigatin'. Watch."Matt, reached for the rifle, and at the same moment White Fangsnarled. He stepped away from the rifle, and White Fang's lifted lipsdescended, covering his teeth.

  "Now, just for fun."Matt took the rifle and began slowly to raise it to his shoulder. WhiteFang's snarling began with the movement, and increased as the movementapproached its culmination42. But the moment before the rifle came to alevel on him, he leaped sidewise behind the corner of the cabin. Mattstood staring along the sights at the empty space of snow which had beenoccupied by White Fang.

  The dog-musher put the rifle down solemnly, then turned and lookedat his employer.

  "I agree with you, Mr. Scott. That dog's too intelligent to kill."


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 shrug Ry3w5     
v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等)
参考例句:
  • With a shrug,he went out of the room.他耸一下肩,走出了房间。
  • I admire the way she is able to shrug off unfair criticism.我很佩服她能对错误的批评意见不予理会。
2 fang WlGxD     
n.尖牙,犬牙
参考例句:
  • Look how the bone sticks out of the flesh like a dog's fang.瞧瞧,这根骨头从肉里露出来,象一只犬牙似的。
  • The green fairy's fang thrusting between his lips.绿妖精的尖牙从他的嘴唇里龇出来。
3 bristling tSqyl     
a.竖立的
参考例句:
  • "Don't you question Miz Wilkes' word,'said Archie, his beard bristling. "威尔克斯太太的话,你就不必怀疑了。 "阿尔奇说。他的胡子也翘了起来。
  • You were bristling just now. 你刚才在发毛。
4 snarling 1ea03906cb8fd0b67677727f3cfd3ca5     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的现在分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • "I didn't marry you," he said, in a snarling tone. “我没有娶你,"他咆哮着说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • So he got into the shoes snarling. 于是,汤姆一边大喊大叫,一边穿上了那双鞋。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
5 ferocious ZkNxc     
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的
参考例句:
  • The ferocious winds seemed about to tear the ship to pieces.狂风仿佛要把船撕成碎片似的。
  • The ferocious panther is chasing a rabbit.那只凶猛的豹子正追赶一只兔子。
6 sundry CswwL     
adj.各式各样的,种种的
参考例句:
  • This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。
  • We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。
7 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
8 oblivious Y0Byc     
adj.易忘的,遗忘的,忘却的,健忘的
参考例句:
  • Mother has become quite oblivious after the illness.这次病后,妈妈变得特别健忘。
  • He was quite oblivious of the danger.他完全没有察觉到危险。
9 confidentially 0vDzuc     
ad.秘密地,悄悄地
参考例句:
  • She was leaning confidentially across the table. 她神神秘秘地从桌子上靠过来。
  • Kao Sung-nien and Wang Ch'u-hou talked confidentially in low tones. 高松年汪处厚两人低声密谈。
10 miser p19yi     
n.守财奴,吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)
参考例句:
  • The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
  • The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
11 queried 5c2c5662d89da782d75e74125d6f6932     
v.质疑,对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 );询问
参考例句:
  • She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事?”琴向觉民问道,她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
12 bristled bristled     
adj. 直立的,多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • They bristled at his denigrating description of their activities. 听到他在污蔑他们的活动,他们都怒发冲冠。
  • All of us bristled at the lawyer's speech insulting our forefathers. 听到那个律师在讲演中污蔑我们的祖先,大家都气得怒发冲冠。
13 snarled ti3zMA     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
  • As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时,它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 crouched 62634c7e8c15b8a61068e36aaed563ab     
v.屈膝,蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He crouched down beside her. 他在她的旁边蹲了下来。
  • The lion crouched ready to pounce. 狮子蹲下身,准备猛扑。
15 contrived ivBzmO     
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
参考例句:
  • There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
  • The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。
16 imprisoned bc7d0bcdd0951055b819cfd008ef0d8d     
下狱,监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁,合并执行。
  • They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。
17 assailed cca18e858868e1e5479e8746bfb818d6     
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对
参考例句:
  • He was assailed with fierce blows to the head. 他的头遭到猛烈殴打。
  • He has been assailed by bad breaks all these years. 这些年来他接二连三地倒霉。 来自《用法词典》
18 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的,新奇的
参考例句:
  • The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
  • A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
19 perplexed A3Rz0     
adj.不知所措的
参考例句:
  • The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛,走了又回来,犹豫不决,总怕上当受骗。
  • The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。
20 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
21 jaws cq9zZq     
n.口部;嘴
参考例句:
  • The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
  • The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。
22 overthrown 1e19c245f384e53a42f4faa000742c18     
adj. 打翻的,推倒的,倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词
参考例句:
  • The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
  • He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。
23 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词
参考例句:
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号,以引起读者的注意。
24 scrambled 2e4a1c533c25a82f8e80e696225a73f2     
v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 );攀登;争夺;(军事飞机)紧急起飞
参考例句:
  • Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 cylinder rngza     
n.圆筒,柱(面),汽缸
参考例句:
  • What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少?
  • The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。
26 gasp UfxzL     
n.喘息,气喘;v.喘息;气吁吁他说
参考例句:
  • She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
  • The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。
27 whoops JITyt     
int.呼喊声
参考例句:
  • Whoops! Careful, you almost spilt coffee everywhere. 哎哟!小心点,你差点把咖啡洒得到处都是。
  • We were awakened by the whoops of the sick baby. 生病婴儿的喘息声把我们弄醒了。
28 soothingly soothingly     
adv.抚慰地,安慰地;镇痛地
参考例句:
  • The mother talked soothingly to her child. 母亲对自己的孩子安慰地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He continued to talk quietly and soothingly to the girl until her frightened grip on his arm was relaxed. 他继续柔声安慰那姑娘,她那因恐惧而紧抓住他的手终于放松了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
29 impending 3qHzdb     
a.imminent, about to come or happen
参考例句:
  • Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时,严重的战乱爆发了。
  • The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。
30 vigilant ULez2     
adj.警觉的,警戒的,警惕的
参考例句:
  • He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
  • The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。
31 antipathy vM6yb     
n.憎恶;反感,引起反感的人或事物
参考例句:
  • I feel an antipathy against their behaviour.我对他们的行为很反感。
  • Some people have an antipathy to cats.有的人讨厌猫。
32 descended guQzoy     
a.为...后裔的,出身于...的
参考例句:
  • A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
  • The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。
33 peril l3Dz6     
n.(严重的)危险;危险的事物
参考例句:
  • The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
  • The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。
34 yearning hezzPJ     
a.渴望的;向往的;怀念的
参考例句:
  • a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
  • He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。
35 slash Hrsyq     
vi.大幅度削减;vt.猛砍,尖锐抨击,大幅减少;n.猛砍,斜线,长切口,衣衩
参考例句:
  • The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
  • Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。
36 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
37 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
38 fangs d8ad5a608d5413636d95dfb00a6e7ac4     
n.(尤指狗和狼的)长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 );(蛇的)毒牙;罐座
参考例句:
  • The dog fleshed his fangs in the deer's leg. 狗用尖牙咬住了鹿腿。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Dogs came lunging forward with their fangs bared. 狗龇牙咧嘴地扑过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
39 malignant Z89zY     
adj.恶性的,致命的;恶意的,恶毒的
参考例句:
  • Alexander got a malignant slander.亚历山大受到恶意的诽谤。
  • He started to his feet with a malignant glance at Winston.他爬了起来,不高兴地看了温斯顿一眼。
40 everlastingly e11726de37cbaab344011cfed8ecef15     
永久地,持久地
参考例句:
  • Why didn't he hold the Yankees instead of everlastingly retreating? 他为什么不将北军挡住,反而节节败退呢?
  • "I'm tired of everlastingly being unnatural and never doing anything I want to do. "我再也忍受不了这样无休止地的勉强自己,永远不能赁自己高兴做事。
41 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇,惊异
参考例句:
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
42 culmination 9ycxq     
n.顶点;最高潮
参考例句:
  • The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
  • It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。


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