寂静的雪野 The White Silence（第1页）

寂静的雪野TheWhiteSilence

杰克·伦敦Ja

杰克·伦敦（1876—1916），美国最著名的作家之一，批判现实主义者。他出身贫困，童年就以从事繁重劳动谋生，先后做过工人、水手、司炉、淘金者，甚至流浪汉。艰苦的生活使他深切体会到损贫利富的社会弊端。他对社会问题非常感兴趣，自称是社会学者，从事过工人运动。他的短篇小说独树一帜，情节紧凑，人物栩栩如生，深受读者喜爱。代表作有《狼的儿子》《荒野的呼唤》《铁蹄》等。

"'tlastmorethanacoupleofdays。"Masonspatoutakofidsurveyedthepooraheinhismouthaobiteouttheicewhichclusteredcruellybetweeoes。

"Ineversawadogwithahighfalutieverwas，"hesaid，ashecludedhistaskandshovedheraside。"Theyjustfadeawayaheresponsibility。DidyeeverseewithasensiblenamelikeCassiar，Siwash，orHusky?No，sir!TakealookatShookumhere，he's—"Snap!Theleanbruteflashedup，thewhiteteethjustmissingMason'sthroat。

"Yewill，willye?"Ashrewdcloutbehihebuttofthedogwhipstretchedtheanimalinthesly，ayellfromitsfangs。

"AsIwassaying，justlookatShookumhere—he'sgotthespirit。Betyeheeatsbeforetheweek'sout。""I'llbankanotherpropositionagainstthat，"repliedMalemuteKid，reversingthefrozenbreadplacedbeforethefiretothaw。"We'lleatShookumbeforethetripisover。Whatd'yesay，Ruth?"TheIndiahecoffeeieceofiuteKidtoherhusbahedogs，butvouoreply。Itabletruismthatnonewaswohundredmilesofurailihastsixdays'grubforthemselvesahedogs，iterwomenandtheedaboutthefireaheirmeagermeal。Thedogslayintheirharwasamiddayhalt，andwatchedeachmouthfulenviously。

"Nomoreluoday，"saidMalemuteKid。"Andwe'vegottokeepacloseeyeohey&#vicious。They'djustassoonpullafellowdownasnot，iftheygetace。""AndIresidehoaughtintheSundayschool。"Havilydeliveredhimselfofthis，Masooadreamyplationofhissteamingmos，butwasarousedbyRuthfillinghiscup。

"ThankGod，we'vegotslathersoftea!I'veseenitgrowing，downiwouldn'tIgiveforahotejustnow!Nevermind，Ruth;youwon'tstarvemuger，norwearmoseither。"Thewomanthrewloomatthis，andinhereyeswelledupagreatloveforherwhitelord—thefirstwhitemanshehadeverseemanwhomshehadknowawomaterthanamereanimalorbeastofburden。

"Yes，Ruth，"uedherhusband，haviothemaiinwhichitossibleforthemtouaher;"waittillandpullfortheOutside。We'lltaketheWhiteMan'sdgototheSaltWater。Yes，badwater，rreatmountainsdanddowime。Andsobig，sofar，sofaraway—youtravelteysleep，fortysleep"—hegraphiumeratedthedaysonhisfi;allthetimewater，badwater。Thevillage，plehesamemosquitoessummer。Wigwamsoh，sohigh—teypi;

"Hi-yuskookum!"Hepausedimpotently，appealiMalemuteKid，thenlaboriouslyplacedthetwentypines，endonend，bysigeKidsmiledwithicism;butRuth'seyesithleasure;forshehalfbelievedhewasjoking，andsudespleasedherpoorwoman'sheart。

"Aepintoa—abox，andpouf!upyougo。"Hetossedhisemptytheairbywayofillustrationalycaughtit，cried:"Andbiff!Downyoue。Oh，greatmedi!YougoFortYukon。IgoArcticty-fivesleep—bigstring，allthetime—Icatchhimstring—Isay，'Hello，Ruth!Howareye?'—andyousay，'Isthatmygoodhusband?'—andIsay，'Yes'—andyousay，'Nobakegoodbread，nomoresoda'—thenIsay，'Lookinderflood-by。'Youlookandtysoda。AllthetimeyouFortYukoicCity。Hi-yumedi!"Ruthsmiledsoingenuouslyatthefairystorythatbothmenburstintolaughter。ArowamoshortthewoheOutside，ahesnarlingbataed，shehadlashedthesledsandallwasreadyforthetrail。—"Mush!Baldy!Hi!Mushon!"Masonworkedhiswhipsmartlyand，asthedogswhinedlowiraces，brokeoutthesledwiththegeepole。Ruthfollowedwiththese，leavieKid，edherstart，tuptherear。Strongmaheableoffellinganoxatablow，heotbeartobeatthepooranimals，buthumoredthemasadogdriverrarelydoes—nay，almostweptwiththemintheirmisery。

"ushonthere，youpoorsore-footedbrutes!"hemurmured，afterseveraliemptstostarttheload。Buthispatielastrewarded，andthoughwhimperingwithpaieojointheirfellows。

Nomoreversatiooilofthetrailwillsuchextravagance。

Andofalldeadeninglabors，thatoftheNorthlandtrailistheyisthemanwhoweatheraday'stravelatthepriceofsilehatoradofallheartbreakinglabors，thattrailistheworst。Ateverystepthegreatwebbedshoesinkstilltheshthekraightup，thedeviationofafraofaningaprecursorofdisaster，thesbeliftedtillthesurfaceiscleared;thenforward，dowherfootisraisedperpendiatterofhalfayard。Hewhotriesthisforthefirsttime，ifhaplyheavhisshoesindangerouspropinquityahislengthoreacherousfooting，willgiveupexhaustedattheendofahundredyards;heoutofthewayofthedogsforawholedaymaywelltohissleepingbagwithasdapridewhichpassethalluandiravelstweheLongTrailisamanwhomthegodsmayenvy。

&ernoonworeon，andwiththeawe，boreSilehevoicelesstravelersbenttotheirwork。Naturehasmanytrickswherewithsheanofhisfinity—theceaselessflowofthetides，thefuryofthestorm，theshockoftheearthquake，thelongrollofheaven'sartillery—butthemosttremeupefyingofall，isthepassivephaseoftheWhiteSileneheskyclears，theheavensareasbrass;theslightestwhisperseemssacrilege，aimid，affrightedatthesoundofhisownvoice。Solespeckoflifejacrosstheghostlywastesofadeadworld，hetremblesathisaudacity，realizesthathisisamaggot'slife，nothingmore。

Strasariseuhemysteryofallthierance。

Andthefearofdeath，ofGod，oftheuniverse，—thehopeoftheResurredtheLife，theyearningforimmortality，thevainstrivingoftheimprisoisthen，ifever，manwalksalohGod。

Soworethedayaway。Therivertookagreatbend，andMasoeamforthecutoffacrossthenarrowned。Butthedogsbalkedatthehighbank。Againandagain，thoughRuthaeKidwereshoviheyslippedbacamethecertedeffort。Themiserablecreatures，weakfromhuheirlaststrength。Up—up—thesledpoisedohebank;buttheleaderswuringofdogsbehindhimtht，foulingMason'ssheresultwasgrievous。

Masonedoffhisfeet;ohedogsfelliradthesledtoppledback，draggiothebottomagain。

Slash!thewhipfellamongthedogssavagely，especiallyupontheonewhichhadfallen。

"Don't，—MasoedMalemuteKid;"thepoordevil'sonitslastlegs。Waitandwe'llputmyteamon。"Masoelywithheldthewhiptillthelastwordhadfalleflashedthelonglash，pletelygabouttheoffeure'sbody。

&was—theseously，thenrolledoveronherside。

Itwasatragient，apitifulihetrail—adyingdog，tworadesinanger。

Ruthglaouslyfrommantoman。ButMalemuteKidrestraihoughtherewasaworldofreproahiseyes，and，behedog，cutthetraookeeamsweredouble-spahediffie;thesledswereunderwayagain，thedyingdherselfalongintherear。Aslongasananimaltravel，itisnotshot，andthislastceisaccordedit—thegintocamp，ifitthehopeofamoosebeingkilled。

&entfrya，buttoostubborntomakeamends，Masoheheadofthecavalcade，littledreamingthatdaheair。Thetimberclusteredthitheshelteredbottom，andthroughthistheythreadedtheirway。Fiftyfeetormorefromthetrailtoiionsithadstoodthere，aioinyhadhadthisoneendihesamehadbeendeason。

&oopedtofastentheloosehongofhismo。Thesledscametoahalt，andthedogslaydowhoutawhimper。Thestillnesswasweird;ledthefroste;thedsileerspacehadchilledtheheartaremblinglipshpulsedthroughtheair—theydiduallyhearit，butratherfeltit，likethepremonitioinamotionlessvoid。Theree，burdesweightofyearsandsslastpartiragedyoflife。Heheardthewarningdattemptedtupbut，almhttheblowsquarelyontheshoulder。

Thesuddehequickdeath—howofteeKidfacedit!ThepiillquiveringashegavehisandsandsprangintoaordidtheIndiangirlfaintorraisehervoiidlewailing，asmightmaesisters。Athisorder，shethrewherweightontheendofaquicklyextemporizedhahepressureaoherhusband'sgroaeKidattackedthetreewithhisax。Thesteelrangmerrilyasitbitirurokebeingapaniedbyaforced，audiblerespiration，the'Huh!''Huh!'ofthe>

AtlasttheKidlaidthepitiablethingthatwasoninthesnow。Butworsethanhisrade'spainwasthedumbanguishinthewoman'sface，theblendedlookofhopeful，hopelessquery。Littlewassaid;thoseoftheNorthlaaughtthefutilityofwordsaimablevalueofdeeds。Withthetemperatureatsixty-fivebelowzero，amanahesnowahesledlashi，andthesufferer，rolledinfurs，laidonacouchofboughs。Beforehimroaredafire，builtoftheveryroughtthemishap。Behindandpartiallyoverhimwasstretchedtheprimitivefly—apievas，whichcaughttheradiatihrewitbaddownuponhimatrickwhimayknowwhostudyphysicsatthefount。

Andmeheirbedwithdeathkheasonwasterriblycrushed。Themosti。

Hisrightarm，leg，andbackwerebroken;hislimbswereparalyzedfromthehips;andthelikelihoodofinternalinjurieswaslarge。Anooanwashisonlysignoflife。

hihepitilessslowlyby—Ruth'sportion，thedespairingstoicismofherradMalemuteKidaddiohisfaze。

Infasufferedleastofall，forhespenthistimeieheGreatSmokyMountains，livihesesofhisostpatheticwasthemelodyofhislottenSouthernvernacular，asheravedofswimmingholesandtsandwatermelonraids。ItwasasGreektoRuth，buttheKiduoodaasonlyonefeelwhohasbeenshutoutforyearsfromallthatcivilizationmeans。

Mhtesstothestri，aeKidbechhiswhispers。

"Yourememberwheheredoanana，fouryearsei?Ididn'tuchforherthen。Itwasmorelikesheretty，andtherewasasmaentaboutit，Ithink。ButI'veknow，I'veetothinkaheapofher。She'sbeenagoodwifetome，alwaysatmyshoulderinthepindwherading，youknowthereisn'therequal。D'yerecollectthetimesheshottheMoosehornRapidstopullyouarock，thebulletswhippierlikehailstohetimeofthefamio?—wheheitthenews?Yes，she'sbeenagoodwifetome，better'nthatotherone。Didn'tknowI'dbee;

"oldyou，eh?Well，Itrieditonies。That'swhyI'mhere。Beeher，too。Icameawaytogiveheracefotit。