龙腾小说网

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第8部分（第1页）

狼图腾（英文版）3（4）

“The　wolves　e　at　night；”　Batu　said；　“so　we　relieve　him　then。　He’s　never　taken　gazelles　during　the　day；　so　we　came　instead。　We　can　work　faster。”

The　winter　sun　lay　low　in　the　sky；　appearing　to　settle　close　to　the　land。　The　blue　sky　turned　white；　as　did　the　dry　grass；　the　surface　of　the　snow　began　to　melt；　forming　a　glittery　mirror。　Humans；　dogs；　and　carts　had　a　spectral　quality。　The　men　put　on　their　sunglasses；　while　the　women　and　children　covered　their　eyes　with　their　flapped　sleeves。　A　few　of　the　cowherds；　who　suffered　from　sun…blindness；　shut　their　eyes；　but　not　in　time　to　stanch　the　flow　of　tears。　The　big　dogs；　on　the　other　hand；　were　either　watching　wide…eyed　at　bounding　hares　or　sniffing　the　side　of　the　road；　where　foxes　had　recently　left　tracks　in　the　snow。

As　they　neared　the　site　of　the　encirclement；　the　dogs　discovered　something　new　on　the　slope　and　raced　over；　leaving　frenzied　barks　in　their　wakes。　Those　that　were　still　hungry　tore　into　gazelle　carcasses　the　wolves　had　left　behind。　But　Bilgee’s　Bar　and　a　few　of　the　team’s　better　hunting　dogs；　their　hackles　raised；　ran　over　to　where　the　wolves　had　left　droppings　in　the　snow；　searching　the　area　to　determine　how　many　wolves　there　had　been；　how　powerful　a　force；　and　which　alpha　male　they　had　followed。　“Bar　recognizes　the　scent　of　most　of　the　Olonbulag　wolves；”　Bilgee　said；　“and　they　recognize　his。　The　way　the　fur　on　his　neck　is　standing　up　is　a　sure　sign　that　it　was　a　large　pack。”

As　the　riders　entered　the　hunting　ground；　they　sized　the　scene　up　by　keeping　their　eyes　to　the　ground。　All　that　remained　of　most　gazelles　on　the　slope　were　heads　and　a　scattering　of　bones。　Bilgee　pointed　to　the　tracks　in　the　snow　and　said；　“Some　of　them　came　back　last　night。”　Then　he　pointed　to　tufts　of　grayish…yellow　wolf　fur　and　said；　“A　couple　of　wolf　packs　had　a　fight　here。　It　was　probably　a　pack　from　the　other　side　of　the　border　that　followed　the　scent　of　the　gazelle　herd。　The　short—age　of　food　there　makes　them　more　ferocious　than　ever。”

The　horse　team　finally　made　it　up　to　the　ridge；　where　they　reacted　as　if　they’d　discovered　a　cornucopia；　whooping　it　up　like　mad。　They　waved　their　hats　to　the　carts　behind　them。　Gasmai　jumped　down　off　her　wagon　and　grabbed　the　bridle　of　the　lead　ox　to　get　it　to　trot。　So　did　the　other　women。　They　gathered　speed；　since　the　oxen　were　fast　and　the　carts　light。

When　Lamjav　saw　the　sight　below；　his　eyes　nearly　popped　out　of　his　head。　“Yow！”　he　exclaimed。　“It　took　an　amazing　pack　of　wolves　to　herd　in　that　many　gazelles。　Last　year　it　took　more　than　twenty　of　us　herders　to　pen　thirty；　and　we　nearly　ran　our　horses　into　the　ground　doing　it。”

Bilgee　reined　in　his　horse　and　took　out　his　telescope　to　pan　the　snow…drift　and　the　surrounding　mountains。　Everyone　else　reined　in　their　horses　too　and　looked　around；　waiting　to　hear　what　he　had　to　say。

Chen　viewed　the　slope　through　his　telescope。　Countless　gazelles　were　buried　in　the　snowdrift；　which　could　also　have　been　the　burial　site　of　ancient　warriors。　The　center　of　the　drift　was　relatively　smooth；　like　a　mountain　lake　sealed　by　snow　and　ice。　A　dozen　or　so　gazelle　carcasses　dotted　the　sloping　area　around　the　lake；　but　the　shocking　sight　was　seven　or　eight　yellow　dots　on　the　lake；　some　still　moving。　Chen　realized　it　was　a　cluster　of　gazelles　that　had　been　driven　into　the　lake　but　had　not　been　swallowed　up　by　the　snow。　The　surrounding　area　was　pitted　with　hollows；　some　large；　some　small；　off　into　the　distance；　the　only　visible　traces　of　gazelles　that　had　drowned　in　an　ocean　of　snow。　Unlike　lakes　of　water；　snow　lakes　indicate　where　the　drowning　victims　have　fallen　in。

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狼图腾（英文版）3（5）

Bilgee　said　to　Batu；　“You　and　some　of　the　others　start　shoveling　snow　to　let　the　carts　e　up　closer。”　Then　he　led　Chen　Zhen　and　Lamjav　up　to　the　edge　of　the　lake。　“Make　sure　you　check　for　gazelle　and　wolf　tracks　before　you　take　a　step；　and　avoid　spots　with　no　grass。”

They　rode　their　horses　carefully　down　the　slope。　The　snow　kept　getting　deeper；　the　grass　less　visible。　They　moved　down　a　little　more。　The　surface　was　peppered　with　holes　about　the　thickness　of　a　chop—stick　tip。　A　dry　yellow　stalk　of　grass　stood　rigidly　in　the　middle　of　each　hole。　Bilgee　said；　“Tengger　gave　those　air　holes　to　the　wolves。　Without　them；　how　could　they　detect　the　smell　of　their　dead　victims　in　snow　this　deep？”

Chen　Zhen　smiled　and　nodded。　The　holes　and　grass　stalks　were　safety　signs。　A　few　paces　farther　down　the　slope　they　disappeared；　but　there　were　still　gazelle　and　wolf　tracks。　The　powerful　Mongol　horses’　hooves　broke　through　three　inches　of　crusty　snow　and　settled　into　deep　drifts　as　they　moved　closer　to　the　snow　lake；　heading　toward　the　nearest　dead　gazelles。

Finally；　the　horses　could　go　no　farther。　The　men　dismounted；　broke　through　the　crusty　surface；　and　sank　into　deep　snow。　They　struggled　to　stomp　out　a　platform　on　which　they　could　turn　around。　A　　half…eaten　gazelle　lay　at　an　angle　in　the　crushed　snow　beside　Chen　Zhen’s　foot。　All　around　it　was　frozen　grass　from　the　gazelle’s　stomach。　The　remains　of　thirty　or　forty　gazelles　that　had　been　caught　and　eaten　lay　in　the　imme—diate　area。　That　was　as　far　as　the　wolves　had　gone。

Chen　Zhen　gazed　out　at　the　most　tragic　scene　he’d　ever　encoun—tered。　Eight　or　nine　little　gazelles　stood　trembling　on　the　lake　a　hundred　yards　or　so　from　him；　surrounded　by　holes　in　the　snow；　where　other　gazelles　were　now　buried。　These　surviving　animals　were　too　frightened　to　move；　but　the　tiny　spot　of　hard　snow　on　which　they　stood　could　crumble　at　any　moment。　There　were　others　whose　thin　legs　were　buried　in　the　snow　but　whose　bodies　remained　supported　by　a　crusty　layer。　They　were　still　alive　but　immobilized。　These　　fl　eet…footed　free　spirits　of　the　grassland　were　hungry　and　cold；　unable　to　move；　suffering　one　last　torment　from　Death　itself。

But　the　most　heartbreaking　sight　was　a　series　of　gazelle　heads　pok—ing　up　out　of　the　snow；　their　bodies　pletely　submerged。　They　might　have　been　standing　on　a　little　hillock　or　perhaps　on　the　corpses　of　their　panions。　By　using　his　telescope；　Chen　thought　he　could　see　the　ani—mals’　mouths　move；　as　if　crying　for　help；　although　no　sound　emerged。

The　crusty　surface　sparkled　like　ice；　beautiful　yet　treacherous　and　cruel；　another　gift　from　Tengger　to　the　wolves　and　humans；　a　deadly　hidden　weapon　safeguarding　the　grassland。　The　crusty　layer　is　a　prod—uct　of　winter　blizzards　and　the　sun。　The　winds　that　sweep　across　the　land　are　like　winnowing　machines；　removing　the　powdery　snow　and　leaving　a　dense　carpet　of　pellets　that　make　up　the　snowy　landscape。　In　the　windless　mornings；　all　the　way　up　to　midday；　under　intense　rays　of　sunlight；　the　snow　begins　to　melt；　but　cold　afternoon　winds　freeze　it　again。　After　several　blizzards　have　blown　across　the　landscape；　a　　three—inch　crust；　a　mixture　of　ice　and　snow　that　is　harder　than　snow　alone　but　more　brittle　than　ice；　remains；　smooth　and　slippery；　it　is　uneven　in　its　depth。　At　its　thickest；　it　can　support　a　man；　but　there　are　few　places　that　can　withstand　the　sharp　hooves　of　the　Mongolian　gazelles。

狼图腾（英文版）3（6）

The　scene　made　Chen　tremble　with　dread。　Wolves　had　dragged　all　the　gazelles　they　could　out　of　the　snow；　creating　long　troughs　crisscross—ing　the　edges　of　the　deep　snow　as　they　hauled　their　victims　away。　The　far　ends　of　the　troughs　were　the　abattoirs　and　picnic　areas。　Only　the　innards　and　the　choicest　flesh　were　eaten；　the　rest　was　left　as　waste。

The　wolves　had　obviously　heard　the　approach　of　the　people　and　dogs；　and　had　left　in　a　hurry；　for　the　snow　pellets　were　still　shifting　on　the　surface；　and　spots　where　the　wolves　had　defecated　had　not　pletely　frozen　over。

Mongolian　wolves　are　brilliant　fighters　on　a　snowy　field；　fully　cog—nizant　of　the　limits　of　battle。　They　will　ignore　gazelles　out　in　the　deeper　snow；　those　lying　on　top　and　those　sunken　beneath　the　surface。　There　wasn’t　a　single　track　from　a　probe　outside　the　safe　zone。　The　animals　dragged　out　of　the　snow　could　have　fed　several　large　wolf　packs；　the　ignored　frozen　carcasses　were　the　wolf　pack’s　guaranteed　fresh　food；　for　they　would　keep　till　the　spring　thaw；　when　the　wolves　would　return　for　more　tasty　meals。　This　enormous　snowdrift　and　snow　lake　was　a　wolf　pack’s　natural　cold　storage。　Old　Bilgee　said；　“There’s　ice　and　snow　storage　for　wolves　all　over　Olonbulag。　This　is　just　the　biggest　one。　The　wolves　often　store　their　kills　in　places　like　this　to　keep　from　starving　the　following　year。　The　meat　of　these　frozen　gazelles　is　life…　saving　food　for　wolves　that　grow　lean　in　the　spring　and　have　a　lot　more　stored…up　fat　than　the　live；　and　very　thin；　gazelles。”　The　old　man　pointed　to　one　of　the　holes　and　said　with　a　laugh；　“Wolves　out　here　really　know　how　to　live。　We’re　no　match。　As　winter　sets　in　each　year；　herdsmen　slaughter　their　cows　and　sheep　before　they　start　losing　their　autumn　fat　and　then　they　store　the　meat；　which　will　take　them　through　the　winter。　They　learned　that　from　wolves。”

When　Bar　and　the　other　dogs　spotted　live　gazelles；　their　hunting　instincts　kicked　in　and　they　ran　toward　them。　But　when　they　reached　the　spot　where　the　wolves’　paw　prints　ended；　they　stopped。　Denied　the　kill；　they　stretched　out　their　necks　and　barked　madly　in　the　direction　of　the　gazelles。　Some　of　the　targets　were　so　frightened　that　they　broke　for　the　snow　lake。　But　before　they’d　gotten　far；　the　crust　gave　way　and　they　sank　into　the　　quicksand…like　snow；　struggling　briefly　before　disappear—ing　from　sight。　The　snow　above　them　shifted　like　sand　in　an　hourglass；　until　it　formed　a　funnel。　One　of　the　animals　broke　through　the　crust；　thrusting　out　its　front　legs　and　supporting　the　front　half　of　its　body　while　the　rear　half　sank　into　the　snow。　Half　a　life　was　saved—for　the　moment。

The　team　dug　a　path　to　allow　the　carts　down　off　the　ridge；　and　when　the　lead　cart　reached　a　point　where　it　could　go　no　farther；　a　line　of　carts　stretched　out　behind　it。　The　men　got　out　and　shoveled　away　the　snow　around　them　so　that　they　could　unload　the　carts。

The　men　walked　up　to　Bilgee。　“All　of　you；　see　how　the　snow　off　to　the　west　has　frozen　solid？”　he　said。　“There　aren’t　many　holes　there；　but　there　are　a　lot　of　gazelle　droppings　and　tracks；　and　that　means　that　many　got　away。”

狼图腾（英文版）3（7）

The　sheepherder　Sanjai　said　with　a　laugh；　“I　can　see　that　wolves　mis—calculate　sometimes　too。　If　the　alpha　male　had　sent　four　or　five　wolves　over　here　to　close　off　this　route；　those　gazelles　wouldn’t　have　gotten　away　so　easily。”

“If　you　were　the　alpha　male；”　Bilgee　snorted；　“you’d　starve　to　death。　If　you　kill　off　all　the　gazelles　at　one　time；　what　will　you　eat　the　follow—ing　year？　Wolves　aren’t　greedy　like　humans。　They　know　how　to　figure　things　out；　big　things！”

“There　are　too　many　gazelles　this　year；”　Sanjai　said。　“You　could　kill　a　thousand　more　and　still　have　plenty　left。　I　want　to　get　my　hands　on　enough　money　to　build　a　new　yurt　and　get　married。”

The　old　man　glared　at　him。　“When　your　sons　and　grandsons　get　married　and　the　gazelles　are　gone；　then　what？　You　young　people　are　getting　more　like　those　outsiders　all　the　time。”

Seeing　that　the　wo

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