Chapter 8

　　All day Buck¹ brooded by the pool or roamed restlessly about thecamp. Death, as a cessation of movement, as a passing out and awayfrom the lives of the living, he knew, and he knew John Thornton wasdead. It left a great void in him, somewhat akin² to hunger, but a voidwhich ached and ached, and which food could not fill, At times, when hepaused to contemplate³ the carcasses of the Yeehats, he forgot the pain ofit; and at such times he was aware of a great pride in himself,--a pridegreater than any he had yet experienced. He had killed man, thenoblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club andfang. He sniffed⁴ the bodies curiously⁵. They had died so easily. Itwas harder to kill a husky dog than them. They were no match at all,were it not for their arrows and spears and clubs. Thenceforward hewould be unafraid of them except when they bore in their hands theirarrows, spears, and clubs.

　　Night came on, and a full moon rose high over the trees into the sky,lighting the land till it lay bathed in ghostly day. And with the coming ofthe night, brooding and mourning by the pool, Buck became alive to astirring of the new life in the forest other than that which the Yeehats hadmade, He stood up, listening and scenting⁶. From far away drifted afaint, sharp yelp⁷, followed by a chorus of similar sharp yelps⁸. As themoments passed the yelps grew closer and louder. Again Buck knewthem as things heard in that other world which persisted in his memory.

　　He walked to the centre of the open space and listened. It was the call,the many- noted⁹ call, sounding more luringly and compellingly than everbefore. And as never before, he was ready to obey. John Thorntonwas dead. The last tie was broken. Man and the claims of man no longer bound him.

　　Hunting their living meat, as the Yeehats were hunting it, on theflanks of the migrating moose, the wolf pack had at last crossed overfrom the land of streams and timber and invaded Buck's valley. Intothe clearing where the moonlight streamed, they poured in a silveryflood; and in the centre of the clearing stood Buck, motionless as astatue, waiting their coming. They were awed¹⁰, so still and large hestood, and a moment's pause fell, till the boldest one leaped straight forhim. Like a flash Buck struck, breaking the neck. Then he stood,without movement, as before, the stricken wolf rolling in agony behindhim. Three others tried it in sharp succession; and one after the otherthey drew back, streaming blood from slashed¹² throats or shoulders.

　　This was sufficient to fling the whole pack forward, pell-mell,crowded together, blocked and confused by its eagerness to pull downthe prey¹³. Buck's marvellous quickness and agility¹⁴ stood him in goodstead. Pivoting¹⁵ on his hind¹¹ legs, and snapping and gashing¹⁶, he waseverywhere at once, presenting a front which was apparently¹⁷ unbrokenso swiftly did he whirl and guard from side to side. But to preventthem from getting behind him, he was forced back, down past the pooland into the creek¹⁸ bed, till he brought up against a high gravel¹⁹ bank.

　　He worked along to a right angle in the bank which the men had made inthe course of mining, and in this angle he came to bay, protected onthree sides and with nothing to do but face the front.

　　And so well did he face it, that at the end of half an hour the wolvesdrew back discomfited²⁰. The tongues of all were out and lolling, thewhite fangs²¹ showing cruelly white in the moonlight. Some were lyingdown with heads raised and ears pricked²² forward; others stood on theirfeet, watching him; and still others were lapping water from the pool.

　　One wolf, long and lean and gray, advanced cautiously, in a friendlymanner, and Buck recognized the wild brother with whom he had run fora night and a day. He was whining²³ softly, and, as Buck whined²⁴, theytouched noses.

　　Then an old wolf, gaunt and battle-scarred, came forward. Buckwrithed his lips into the preliminary of a snarl²⁵, but sniffed noses withhim, Whereupon the old wolf sat down, pointed²⁶ nose at the moon, andbroke out the long wolf howl. The others sat down and howled. Andnow the call came to Buck in unmistakable accents. He, too, sat downand howled. This over, he came out of his angle and the pack crowdedaround him, sniffing²⁷ in half- friendly, half-savage manner. The leaderslifted the yelp of the pack and sprang away into the woods. The wolvesswung in behind, yelping²⁸ in chorus. And Buck ran with them, side byside with the wild brother, yelping as he ran.

　　* * *And here may well end the story of Buck. The years were not manywhen the Yeehats noted a change in the breed of timber wolves; forsome were seen with splashes of brown on head and muzzle²⁹, and with arift of white centring down the chest. But more remarkable³⁰ than this,the Yeehats tell of a Ghost Dog that runs at the head of the pack. Theyare afraid of this Ghost Dog, for it has cunning greater than they, stealingfrom their camps in fierce winters, robbing their traps, slaying³¹ their dogs,and defying their bravest hunters.

　　Nay, the tale grows worse. Hunters there are who fail to return tothe camp, and hunters there have been whom their tribesmen found withthroats slashed cruelly open and with wolf prints about them in the snowgreater than the prints of any wolf. Each fall, when the Yeehats followthe movement of the moose, there is a certain valley which they neverenter. And women there are who become sad when the word goes overthe fire of how the Evil Spirit came to select that valley for an abiding- place.

　　In the summers there is one visitor, however, to that valley, of whichthe Yeehats do not know. It is a great, gloriously coated wolf, like, andyet unlike, all other wolves. He crosses alone from the smiling timberland and comes down into an open space among the trees. Here ayellow stream flows from rotted moose- hide sacks and sinks into theground, with long grasses growing through it and vegetable mouldoverrunning it and hiding its yellow from the sun; and here he muses³² fora time, howling once, long and mournfully, ere he departs.

　　But he is not always alone. When the long winter nights come onand the wolves follow their meat into the lower valleys, he may be seenrunning at the head of the pack through the pale moonlight orglimmering borealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows, his great throata-bellow as he sings a song of the younger world, which is the song of the pack.

The End

1 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

2 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

3 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

4 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；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

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

6 scenting   

vt.闻到（scent的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• Soames, scenting the approach of a jest, closed up. 索来斯觉察出有点调侃的味儿来了，赶快把话打断。 来自辞典例句
• The pale woodbines and the dog-roses were scenting the hedgerows. 金银花和野蔷薇把道旁的树也薰香了。 来自辞典例句

7 yelp   

vi.狗吠

参考例句：

• The dog gave a yelp of pain.狗疼得叫了一声。
• The puppy a yelp when John stepped on her tail.当约翰踩到小狗的尾巴，小狗发出尖叫。

8 yelps   

n.（因痛苦、气愤、兴奋等的）短而尖的叫声( yelp的名词复数 )v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The woman emitted queer regular little snores that sounded like yelps. 她那跟怪叫差不多的鼾声一股一股地从被里冒出来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• As the moments passed the yelps grew closer and louder. 一会儿，呼叫声越来越近、越来越响了。 来自互联网

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 awed   

adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The audience was awed into silence by her stunning performance. 观众席上鸦雀无声，人们对他出色的表演感到惊叹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I was awed by the huge gorilla. 那只大猩猩使我惊惧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

12 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

14 agility   

n.敏捷，活泼

参考例句：

• The boy came upstairs with agility.那男孩敏捷地走上楼来。
• His intellect and mental agility have never been in doubt.他的才智和机敏从未受到怀疑。

15 pivoting   

n.绕轴旋转，绕公共法线旋转v.（似）在枢轴上转动( pivot的现在分词 )；把…放在枢轴上；以…为核心，围绕（主旨）展开

参考例句：

• Here is a neat YouTube video showing the Gyro's pivoting mechanism. 这里是一个整洁的YouTube视频显示陀螺仪的旋转机制。 来自互联网
• Dart pivoting is widely used in the gannent pattern design. 省道转移的原理在服装纸样设计中应用十分广泛。 来自互联网

16 gashing   

v.划伤，割破( gash的现在分词 )

参考例句：

17 apparently   

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。

18 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

19 gravel   

n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石

参考例句：

• We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
• More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。

20 discomfited   

v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败

参考例句：

• He was discomfited by the unexpected questions. 意料不到的问题使得他十分尴尬。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He will be particularly discomfited by the minister's dismissal of his plan. 部长对他计划的不理会将使他特别尴尬。 来自辞典例句

21 fangs   

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》

22 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

23 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

24 whined   

v.哀号( whine的过去式和过去分词 )；哀诉，诉怨

参考例句：

• The dog whined at the door, asking to be let out. 狗在门前嚎叫着要出去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He whined and pouted when he did not get what he wanted. 他要是没得到想要的东西就会发牢骚、撅嘴。 来自辞典例句

25 snarl   

v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮

参考例句：

• At the seaside we could hear the snarl of the waves.在海边我们可以听见波涛的咆哮。
• The traffic was all in a snarl near the accident.事故发生处附近交通一片混乱。

26 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

27 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；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

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

28 yelping   

v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• In the middle of the table sat a little dog, shaking its paw and yelping. 在桌子中间有一只小狗坐在那儿，抖着它的爪子，汪汪地叫。 来自辞典例句
• He saved men from drowning and you shake at a cur's yelping. 他搭救了快要溺死的人们，你呢，听到一条野狗叫唤也瑟瑟发抖。 来自互联网

29 muzzle   

n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默

参考例句：

• He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
• The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。

30 remarkable   

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。

31 slaying   

杀戮。

参考例句：

• The man mimed the slaying of an enemy. 此人比手划脚地表演砍死一个敌人的情况。
• He is suspected of having been an accomplice in the slaying,butthey can't pin it on him. 他有嫌疑曾参与该杀人案，但他们找不到证据来指控他。

32 muses   

v.沉思，冥想( muse的第三人称单数 )；沉思自语说（某事）

参考例句：

• We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe. 欧洲那种御用的诗才，我们已经听够了。 来自辞典例句
• Shiki muses that this is, at least, probably the right atmosphere. 志贵觉得这至少是正确的气氛。 来自互联网