It was in the air. White Fang1 sensed the coming calamity2, even beforethere was tangible3 evidence of it. In vague ways it was borne in upon himthat a change was impending4. He knew not how nor why, yet he got hisfeel of the oncoming event from the gods themselves. In ways subtler thanthey knew, they betrayed their intentions to the wolf-dog that haunted thecabin-stoop, and that, though he never came inside the cabin, knew whatwent on inside their brains.
"Listen to that, will you!" the dug-musher exclaimed at supper one night.
Weedon Scott listened. Through the door came a low, anxious whine5,like a sobbing6 under the breath that had just grown audible. Then came thelong sniff7, as White Fang reassured8 himself that his god was still insideand had not yet taken himself off in mysterious and solitary9 flight.
"I do believe that wolf's on to you," the dog-musher said.
Weedon Scott looked across at his companion with eyes that almostpleaded, though this was given the lie by his words.
"What the devil can I do with a wolf in California?" he demanded.
"That's what I say," Matt answered. "What the devil can you do with awolf in California?"But this did not satisfy Weedon Scott. The other seemed to be judginghim in a non-committal sort of way.
"White man's dogs would have no show against him," Scott went on.
"He'd kill them on sight. If he didn't bankrupt me with damaged suits, theauthorities would take him away from me and electrocute him.""He's a downright murderer, I know," was the dog-musher's comment.
Weedon Scott looked at him suspiciously.
"It would never do," he said decisively.
"It would never do!" Matt concurred10. "Why you'd have to hire a man'specially to take care of 'm."The other suspicion was allayed11. He nodded cheerfully. In the silencethat followed, the low, half-sobbing whine was heard at the door and thenthe long, questing sniff.
"There's no denyin' he thinks a hell of a lot of you," Matt said.
The other glared at him in sudden wrath12. "Damn it all, man! I knowmy own mind and what's best!""I'm agreein' with you, only . . . ""Only what?" Scott snapped out.
"Only . . . " the dog-musher began softly, then changed his mind andbetrayed a rising anger of his own. "Well, you needn't get so all-fired hetup about it. Judgin' by your actions one'd think you didn't know your own mind."Weedon Scott debated with himself for a while, and then said moregently: "You are right, Matt. I don't know my own mind, and that's what'sthe trouble.""Why, it would be rank ridiculousness for me to take that dog along,"he broke out after another pause.
"I'm agreein' with you," was Matt's answer, and again his employerwas not quite satisfied with him.
"But how in the name of the great Sardanapolis he knows you're goin'
is what gets me," the dog-musher continued innocently.
"It's beyond me, Matt," Scott answered, with a mournful shake of the head.
Then came the day when, through the open cabin door, White Fangsaw the fatal grip on the floor and the love-master packing things into it.
Also, there were comings and goings, and the erstwhile placid13 atmosphereof the cabin was vexed14 with strange perturbations and unrest. Here wasindubitable evidence. White Fang had already scented15 it. He now reasonedit. His god was preparing for another flight. And since he had not takenhim with him before, so, now, he could look to be left behind.
That night he lifted the long wolf-howl. As he had howled, in hispuppy days, when he fled back from the Wild to the village to find itvanished and naught16 but a rubbish-heap to mark the site of Grey Beaver'stepee, so now he pointed17 his muzzle18 to the cold stars and told to them his woe19.
Inside the cabin the two men had just gone to bed.
"He's gone off his food again," Matt remarked from his bunk20.
There was a grunt21 from Weedon Scott's bunk, and a stir of blankets.
"From the way he cut up the other time you went away, I wouldn'twonder this time but what he died."The blankets in the other bunk stirred irritably22.
"Oh, shut up!" Scott cried out through the darkness. "You nag23 worse than a woman.""I'm agreein' with you," the dog-musher answered, and Weedon Scottwas not quite sure whether or not the other had snickered.
The next day White Fang's anxiety and restlessness were even morepronounced. He dogged his master's heels whenever he left the cabin, andhaunted the front stoop when he remained inside. Through the open doorhe could catch glimpses of the luggage on the floor. The grip had beenjoined by two large canvas bags and a box. Matt was rolling the master'sblankets and fur robe inside a small tarpaulin24. White Fang whined25 as hewatched the operation.
Later on two Indians arrived. He watched them closely as theyshouldered the luggage and were led off down the hill by Matt, whocarried the bedding and the grip. But White Fang did not follow them. Themaster was still in the cabin. After a time, Matt returned. The master cameto the door and called White Fang inside.
"You poor devil," he said gently, rubbing White Fang's ears andtapping his spine26. "I'm hitting the long trail, old man, where you cannotfollow. Now give me a growl27 - the last, good, good-bye growl."But White Fang refused to growl. Instead, and after a wistful,searching look, he snuggled in, burrowing28 his head out of sight betweenthe master's arm and body.
"There she blows!" Matt cried. From the Yukon arose the hoarsebellowing of a river steamboat. "You've got to cut it short. Be sure andlock the front door. I'll go out the back. Get a move on!"The two doors slammed at the same moment, and Weedon Scottwaited for Matt to come around to the front. From inside the door came alow whining29 and sobbing. Then there were long, deep-drawn sniffs30.
"You must take good care of him, Matt," Scott said, as they starteddown the hill. "Write and let me know how he gets along.""Sure," the dog-musher answered. "But listen to that, will you!"Both men stopped. White Fang was howling as dogs howl when theirmasters lie dead. He was voicing an utter woe, his cry bursting upward ingreat heart-breaking rushes, dying down into quavering misery31, andbursting upward again with a rush upon rush of grief.
The AURORA32 was the first steamboat of the year for the Outside, andher decks were jammed with prosperous adventurers and broken goldseekers, all equally as mad to get to the Outside as they had beenoriginally to get to the Inside. Near the gang-plank, Scott was shakinghands with Matt, who was preparing to go ashore33. But Matt's hand wentlimp in the other's grasp as his gaze shot past and remained fixed34 onsomething behind him. Scott turned to see. Sitting on the deck several feetaway and watching wistfully was White Fang,The dog-musher swore softly, in awe-stricken accents. Scott couldonly look in wonder.
"Did you lock the front door?" Matt demanded. The other nodded, andasked, "How about the back?""You just bet I did," was the fervent35 reply.
White Fang flattened36 his ears ingratiatingly, but remained where hewas, making no attempt to approach.
"I'll have to take 'm ashore with me."Matt made a couple of steps toward White Fang, but the latter slidaway from him. The dog-musher made a rush of it, and White Fangdodged between the legs of a group of men. Ducking, turning, doubling,he slid about the deck, eluding37 the other's efforts to capture him.
But when the love-master spoke38, White Fang came to him with promptobedience.
"Won't come to the hand that's fed 'm all these months," the dog-musher muttered resentfully. "And you - you ain't never fed 'm after themfirst days of gettin' acquainted. I'm blamed if I can see how he works it outthat you're the boss."Scott, who had been patting White Fang, suddenly bent39 closer andpointed out fresh-made cuts on his muzzle, and a gash40 between the eyes.
Matt bent over and passed his hand along White Fang's belly41.
"We plump forgot the window. He's all cut an' gouged42 underneath43.
Must 'a' butted44 clean through it, b'gosh!"But Weedon Scott was not listening. He was thinking rapidly. TheAURORA'S whistle hooted45 a final announcement of departure. Men werescurrying down the gang-plank to the shore. Matt loosened the bandanafrom his own neck and started to put it around White Fang's. Scott graspedthe dog-musher's hand.
"Good-bye, Matt, old man. About the wolf-you needn't write. You see,I've . . . !""What!" the dog-musher exploded. "You don't mean to say . . .?""The very thing I mean. Here's your bandana. I'll write to you abouthim."Matt paused halfway46 down the gang-plank.
"He'll never stand the climate!" he shouted back. "Unless you clip 'min warm weather!"The gang-plank was hauled in, and the AURORA swang out from thebank. Weedon Scott waved a last good-bye. Then he turned and bent overWhite Fang, standing47 by his side.
"Now growl, damn you, growl," he said, as he patted the responsivehead and rubbed the flattening48 ears.
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fang
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| n.尖牙，犬牙 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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allayed
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| v.减轻，缓和( allay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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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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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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irritably
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| ad.易生气地 | |
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nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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tarpaulin
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| n.涂油防水布，防水衣，防水帽 | |
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whined
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| v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨 | |
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spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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burrowing
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| v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的现在分词 )；翻寻 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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sniffs
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的第三人称单数 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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eluding
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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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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gouged
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| v.凿( gouge的过去式和过去分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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butted
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| 对接的 | |
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hooted
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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