快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

try；’　a　‘tea　country。’　The　Russians　even　thought　that　the　little　Khitan　tribe　was　China；　and　to　this　day；　they　still　call　China；　Khidai。”
　　“It　looks　like　your　fascination　with　wolves　was　worth　it；”　Yang　said。　“It’s　contagious。　Now　when　I　read　history；　I　keep　looking　to　the　barbar—ian　tribes　of　the　four　corners　and　am　tempted　to　look　for　their　connec—tions　to　wolves。”
　　“Look　at　you；”　Chen　said。　“You’re　damned　near　a　Mongol　yourself。　All　you　need　is　an　infusion　of　wolf　blood。　Hybrids　are　always　superior　creatures。”
　　“I　can’t　tell　you　how　happy　I　am　that　you　urged　me　to　e　to　the　grassland。　Do　you　know　what　it　was　you　said　that　touched　that　special　spot　in　me？　You’ve　forgotten；　haven’t　you？　This　is　it：　you　said；　‘The　grassland　contains　the　most　extensive　primitivism　and　freedom　anywhere。’　”
　　Chen　loosened　his　horse’s　bit　and　said；　“I　think　you’re　putting　words　in　my　mouth。”
　　They　laughed　happily。　Snow　flew　from　the　wheels　of　the　cart　as　it　sped　along。
　　Humans；　dogs；　and　carts　formed　a　scene　on　the　snow　like　a　Gypsy　carnival。　Every　member　of　Gasmai’s　group—four　hots　（two　adja—cent　yurts　prised　a　hot）；　altogether　eight　yurts—sent　men　and　carts。　The　eight　carts　were　loaded　with　felt；　ropes；　hoes；　kindling；　and　wooden…handled　hooks。　Everyone　was　wearing　grimy　old　clothing　for　the　dirty；　tiring　work　ahead—so　grimy　it　shone；　so　old　it　was　black；　and　dotted　with　sheepskin　patches。　But　the　people　and　the　dogs　were　as　cheerful　as　the　tribes　that　had　followed　the　ancient　Mongol　hordes　in　sweeping　up　battlefields　to　claim　the　spoils　of　war。　A　large　　felt…wrapped　flask　of　liquor　was　passed　from　the　head　of　the　procession　all　the　way　to　the　rear；　and　from　the　hands　of　women　to　the　mouths　of　men。　Music　filled　the　air：　Mongol　folk　songs；　songs　of　praise；　war　chants；　drinking　songs；　and　love　songs—the　dam　had　broken。　The　forty　or　fi　fty　furry　Mongol　dogs　were　acting　like　children；　giddily　showing　off　on　this　rare　and　happy　occasion；　running　around　the　carts；　rolling　in　the　dirt；　　play—　fighting；　and　flirting。
　　　。　想看书来

狼图腾（英文版）3（3）
Chen　Zhen　and　two　horse　herders；　Batu　and　Lamjav；　plus　five　or　six　cowherds　and　shepherds；　clustered　around　Bilgee；　like　bodyguards　for　a　tribal　chief。　Lamjav；　a　man　with　a　broad　face；　straight　nose；　and　Turkish　eyes；　said　to　Bilgee；　“I　could　be　the　best　marksman　anywhere　and　I　still　wouldn’t　be　your　equal。　Without　firing　a　shot；　you’ve　made　it　possible　for　every　family　in　the　team　to　enjoy　a　bountiful　New　Year’s　holiday。　Even　with　an　apprentice　like　our　Han　friend　Chen　Zhen；　you　haven’t　forgotten　your　old　Mongol　apprentices。　I’d　never　have　predicted　that　the　wolves　would　launch　their　attack　out　here　yesterday。”
　　The　old　man　glared　at　him。　“In　the　future；　when　you　have　a　success—ful　hunt；　don’t　you　forget　the　old　folks　and　the　Beijing　students　in　the　team。　I’ve　never　seen　you　deliver　meat　to　anybody。　You　only　gave　Chen　Zhen　a　gazelle　leg　because　he　visited　your　yurt。　Is　that　how　we　treat　our　guests？　When　we　were　young；　the　first　gazelle　or　snow　otter　of　the　year　always　went　to　the　old　folks　and　to　guests。　Young　people　today　have　forgotten　customs　handed　down　from　the　great　khans。　Let　me　ask　you；　how　many　wolves　do　you　have　to　kill　to　catch　up　with　Buhe；　the　great　hunter　of　the　Bayan　Gobi　mune？　You　want　to　see　your　name　in　the　newspaper；　hear　it　on　the　radio；　win　a　prize；　don’t　you？　If　you　hunt　the　wolves　to　extinction；　where　do　you　think　your　soul　will　go　after　you　die？　Don’t　tell　me　you　want　to　be　like　the　Han；　buried　in　a　hole　in　the　ground；　where　you　can　feed　the　worms　and　other　insects！　If　you　do；　your　soul　will　never　make　it　to　Tengger。”
　　“Batu　is　your　son；”　Lamjav　said　as　he　touched　the　back　fl　ap　of　his　fox…fur　cap。　“You　may　not　believe　me；　but　you　ought　to　believe　him。　Ask　him　if　I　have　any　interest　in　being　a　great　hunter。　A　journalist　from　the　Mongol　League　came　to　the　horse　unit　to　see　me　the　other　day。　Batu　was　there；　you　can　ask　him　if　I　didn’t　cut　the　number　in　half。”
　　“Is　that　true？”　the　old　man　turned　and　asked　his　son。
　　“Yes；”　Batu　replied；　“but　the　man　didn’t　believe　him。　He　asked　people　at　the　purchasing　station　how　many　wolf　pelts　Lamjav　had　sold　them。　You　know　that　after　they　check　the　quality　of　the　pelts　to　determine　the　price；　they　give　the　seller　twenty　bullets。　And　they　keep　records。　After　the　journalist　returned　to　the　league；　he　said　over　the　air　that　Lamjav　had　nearly　caught　up　with　Buhe；　which　so　frightened　Lamjav　that　he　asked　others　to　sell　his　pelts　for　him。”
　　The　old　man　frowned。　“You　two　hunt　wolves　too　often。　You　get　more　kills　than　anyone　on　the　pasture。”
　　Batu　defended　himself：　“The　grazing　land　for　our　herd　of　horses　is　the　closest　to　the　border　with　Outer　Mongolia；　and　that’s　where　most　of　the　wolves　are。　If　we　don’t　hunt　them；　they’ll　cross　the　border　in　even　greater　numbers。　Most　of　the　foals　that　year　did　not　survive。”
　　“Why　are　both　of　you　here？　Did　you　leave　the　herd　in　the　care　of　Zhang　Jiyuan？”
　　

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。
　　　。　想看书来

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　h