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！
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。
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 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。
〃Then why do you not kill him？〃
Again the shoulders went up。
〃Mon pere；〃 he said after a pause； 〃de taim is not yet。 He is one
beeg devil。 Some taim Ah break heem； so an' so； all to leetle
bits。 Hey？ some taim。 BON！〃
A day came when Leclere gathered his dogs together and floated down
in a bateau to Forty Mile； and on to the Porcupine； where he took a
commission from the P。 C。 Company； and went exploring for the
better part of a year。 After that he poled up the Koyokuk to
deserted Arctic City； and later came drifting back； from camp to
camp； along the Yukon。 And during the long months Batard was well
lessoned。 He learned many tortures； and； notably； the torture of
hunger； the torture of thirst； the torture of fire； and； worst of
all； the torture of music。
Like the rest of his kind； he did not enjoy music。 It gave him
exquisite anguish； racking him nerve by nerve； and ripping apart
every fibre of his being。 It made him howl； long and wolf…life； as
when the wolves bay the stars on frosty nights。 He could not help
howling。 It was his one weakness in the contest with Leclere； and
it was his shame。 Leclere； on the other hand； passionately loved
musicas passionately as he loved strong drink。 And when his soul
clamoured for expression； it usually uttered itself in one or the
other of the two ways； and more usually in both ways。 And when he
had drunk； his brain a…lilt with unsung song and the devil in him
aroused and rampant； his soul found its supreme utterance in
torturing Batard。
〃Now we will haf a leetle museek；〃 he would say。 〃Eh？ W'at you
t'ink； Batard？〃
It was only an old and battered harmonica； tenderly treasured and
patiently repaired； but it was the best that money could buy； and
out of its silver reeds he drew weird vagrant airs that men had
never heard before。 Then Batard； dumb of throat； with teeth tight
clenched； would back away； inch by inch； to the farthest cabin
corner。 And Leclere； playing； playing； a stout club tucked under
his arm； followed the animal up； inch by inch； step by step； till
there was no further retreat。
At first Batard would crowd himself into the smallest possible
space； grovelling close to the floor； but as the music came nearer
and nearer； he was forced to uprear； his back jammed into the logs；
his fore legs fanning the air as though to beat off the rippling
waves of sound。 He still kept his teeth together； but severe
muscular contractions attacked his body； strange twitchings and
jerkings； till he was all a…quiver and writhing in silent torment。
As he lost control； his jaws spasmodically wrenched apart； and deep
throaty vibrations issued forth； too low in the register of sound
for human ear to catch。 And then； nostrils distended； eyes
dilated； hair bristling in helpless rage； arose the long wolf howl。
It came with a slurring rush upwards； swelling to a great heart…
breaking burst of sound； and dying away in sadly cadenced woethen
the next rush upward； octave upon octave； the bursting heart； and
the infinite sorrow and misery； fainting； fading； falling； and
dying slowly away。
It was fit for hell。 And Leclere； with fiendish ken； seemed to
divine each partic