按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wolf。 Leclere was lying asleep in his furs when Batard deemed the time
to be ripe。 He crept upon him stealthily； head low to earth and lone ear
93
… Page 94…
The Faith of Men
laid back； with a feline softness of tread。 Batard breathed gently； very
gently； and not till he was close at hand did he raise his head。 He paused
for a moment and looked at the bronzed bull throat； naked and knotty； and
swelling to a deep steady pulse。 The slaver dripped down his fangs and
slid off his tongue at the sight； and in that moment he remembered his
drooping ear； his uncounted blows and prodigious wrongs； and without a
sound sprang on the sleeping man。
Leclere awoke to the pang of the fangs in his throat； and； perfect
animal that he was； he awoke clear…headed and with full comprehension。
He closed on Batard's windpipe with both his hands； and rolled out of his
furs to get his weight uppermost。 But the thousands of Batard's ancestors
had clung at the throats of unnumbered moose and caribou and dragged
them down； and the wisdom of those ancestors was his。 When Leclere's
weight came on top of him； he drove his hind legs upwards and in； and
clawed down chest and abdomen； ripping and tearing through skin and
muscle。 And when he felt the man's body wince above him and lift； he
worried and shook at the man's throat。 His team…mates closed around in
a snarling circle； and Batard； with failing breath and fading sense； knew
that their jaws were hungry for him。 But that did not matter… …it was the
man； the man above him； and he ripped and clawed； and shook and
worried； to the last ounce of his strength。 But Leclere choked him with
both his hands； till Batard's chest heaved and writhed for the air denied；
and his eyes glazed and set； and his jaws slowly loosened； and his tongue
protruded black and swollen。
〃Eh？ Bon； you devil！〃 Leclere gurgled mouth and throat clogged
with his own blood； as he shoved the dizzy dog from him。
And then Leclere cursed the other dogs off as they fell upon Batard。
They drew back into a wider circle； squatting alertly on their haunches and
licking their chops； the hair on every neck bristling and erect。
Batard recovered quickly； and at sound of Leclere's voice； tottered to
his feet and swayed weakly back and forth。
〃A…h…ah！ You beeg devil！〃 Leclere spluttered。 〃Ah fix you； Ah fix
you plentee； by GAR！〃
94
… Page 95…
The Faith of Men
Batard； the air biting into his exhausted lungs like wine； flashed full
into the man's face； his jaws missing and coming together with a metallic
clip。 They rolled over and over on the snow； Leclere striking madly with
his fists。 Then they separated； face to face； and circled back and forth
before each other。 Leclere could have drawn his knife。 His rifle was at
his feet。 But the beast in him was up and raging。 He would do the thing
with his handsand his teeth。 Batard sprang in； but Leclere knocked him
over with a blow of the fist； fell upon him； and buried his teeth to the bone
in the dog's shoulder。
It was a primordial setting and a primordial scene； such as might have
been in the savage youth of the world。 An open space in a dark forest； a
ring of grinning wolf…dogs； and in the centre two beasts； locked in combat；
snapping and snarling raging madly about panting； sobbing； cursing；
straining； wild with passion； in a fury of murder； ripping and tearing and
clawing in elemental brutishness。
But Leclere caught Batard behind the ear with a blow from his fist；
knocking him over； and； for the instant； stunning him。 Then Leclere
leaped upon him with his feet； and sprang up and down； striving to grind
him into the earth。 Both Batard's hind legs were broken ere Leclere
ceased that he might catch breath。
〃A…a…ah！ A…a…ah！〃 he screamed； incapable of speech； shaking his fist；
through sheer impotence of throat and larynx。
But Batard was indomitable。 He lay there in a helpless welter； his lip
feebly lifting and writhing to the snarl he had not the strength to utter。
Leclere kicked him； and the tired jaws closed on the ankle； but could not
break the skin。
Then Leclere picked up the whip and proceeded almost to cut him to
pieces； at each stroke of the lash crying： 〃Dis taim Ah break you！ Eh？
By GAR！ Ah break you！〃
In the end； exhausted； fainting from loss of blood； he crumpled up and
fell by his victim； and when the wolf…dogs closed in to take their
vengeance； with his last consciousness dragged his body on top of Batard
to shield him from their fangs。
95
… Page 96…
The Faith of Men
This occurred not far from Sunrise； and the missionary； opening the
door to Leclere a few hours later； was surprised to note the absence of
Batard from the team。 Nor did his surprise lessen when Leclere threw
back the robes from the sled； gathered Batard into his arms and staggered
across the threshold。 It happened that the surgeon of McQuestion； who
was something of a gadabout； was up on a gossip； and between them they
proceeded to repair Leclere；
〃Merci； non；〃 said he。 〃Do you fix firs' de dog。 To die？ NON。 Eet
is not good。 Becos' heem Ah mus' yet break。 Dat fo' w'at he mus' not
die。〃
The surgeon called it a marvel； the missionary a miracle； that Leclere
pulled through at all； and so weakened was he； that in the spring the fever
got him； and he went on his back again。 Batard had been in even worse
plight； but his grip on life prevailed； and the bones of his hind legs knit；
and his organs righted themselves； during the several weeks he lay
strapped to the floor。 And by the time Leclere； finally convalescent；
sallow and shaky； took the sun by the cabin door； Batard had reasserted his
supremacy among his kind； and brought not only his own team…mates but
the missionary's dogs into subjection。
He moved never a muscle； nor twitched a hair； when； for the first time；
Leclere tottered out on the missionary's arm； and sank down slowly and
with infinite caution on the three…legged stool。
〃BON！〃 he said。 〃BON！ De good sun！〃 And he stretched out his
wasted hands and washed them in the warmth。
Then his gaze fell on the dog； and the old light blazed back in his eyes。
He touched the missionary lightly on the arm。 〃Mon pere； dat is one
beeg devil； dat Batard。 You will bring me one pistol； so； dat Ah drink de
sun in peace。〃
And thenceforth for many days he sat in the sun before the cabin door。
He never dozed； and the pistol lay always across his knees。 Batard had a
way； the first thing each day； of looking for the weapon in its wonted place。
At sight of it he would lift his lip faintly in token that he understood； and
Leclere would lift his own lip in an answering grin。 One day the
96
… Page 97…
The Faith of Men
missionary took note of the trick。
〃Bless me！〃 he said。 〃I really believe the brute comprehends。〃
Leclere laughed softly。 〃Look you； mon pere。 Dat w'at Ah now
spik； to dat does he lissen。〃
As if in confirmation； Batard just perceptibly wriggled his lone ear up
to catch the sound。
〃Ah say 'keel'。〃
Batard growled deep down in his throat； the hair bristled along his
neck； and every muscle went tense and expectant。
〃Ah lift de gun； so； like dat。〃 And suiting action to word； he sighted
the pistol at Batard。 Batard； with a single leap； sideways； landed around
the corner of the cabin out of sight。
〃Bless me！〃 he repeated at intervals。 Leclere grinned proudly。
〃But why does he not run away？〃
The Frenchman's shoulders went up in the racial shrug that means all
things from total ignorance to infinite understanding。
〃The