03-01-02-野性的呼唤 [13]
6条根本不会拉车的狗，和8条在跋涉了4000公里之后筋疲力尽的狗。但查尔斯和哈尔很高兴，他们的狗比斯开格威任何一座雪撬上的狗都多。他们根本不知道没有一个雪撬可以负载14条狗的食物。
第二天早上，巴克带领狗队沿街出发了。他们走得很慢，因为在旅途开始前他们就很疲惫了。巴克已经从道桑来回往返了两次，他不想再跑了。他观察了查尔斯、哈尔和玛尔赛蒂，他看出他们对所有的事情都手足无措。而且，随着时间一天天过去，他发现他们学不会任何东西。他们花掉半个夜晚准备晚上的休息；然后又花了半个早晨才准备停当起程。而真正起程后，他们经常不得不停下来，因为有些东西从雪撬上滑落下来，有一阵子他们每天只走20公里，有时只走10公里。
他们起程时就没有足够的狗食。现在他们的给养用得太快了。哈尔给狗加餐因为他想让他们更加卖力地拉车。玛尔赛蒂也总是多给狗食物，因为她可怜他们。但是他们需要的不是食物，而是休息。
很快，哈尔发现他们只走了去道桑的四分之一的路，却吃掉了一半的食物，他不得不减少给狗的食物。少给狗食物容易办到，但是却无法让他们跑快。
达布在离开斯开格威的一路都拉得很卖力，但是他的腿受了伤。他的腿伤越来越厉害，直到最后哈尔不得不杀了他。那6条新狗，由于饥饿和辛苦而病弱不堪，很快就死掉了。
哈尔、查尔斯和玛尔赛蒂开始旅行时高高兴兴，但现在他们疲惫，暴躁又沮丧。查尔斯和哈尔为每件事争吵不休，每个人都自觉比别人干的活儿更多。玛尔赛蒂也不高兴，因为她觉得她不应该工作。她很累，所以就坐到雪撬上，这使狗的工作更加艰难。她一直坐着直到狗拉不动雪撬了。男人们请求她走路。但她不肯离开雪撬，一天他们把她抬了下来，她坐到雪地上不肯起来，他们扔下她走了5公里，然后又返回来捎上了她。
巴克和其余的狗都已瘦得皮包骨头了。他们能拉车时就拉，拉不动时就倒在雪地上，当鞭子抽打下来时，就再站起来吃力地拉雪撬。
一天，贝利倒下去再也没有站起来。哈尔杀了他然后把他抛在了雪地上。巴克和别的狗都意识到他们很快也要死去。第二天，科娜也死了，现在只剩下五条狗：乔，派克，独眼索拉克斯，蒂克还有巴克。
美丽的春天终于来了，冰雪消融，万物复苏。在一个可爱的早晨，两个人，和5条狗拉着雪撬上的玛尔赛蒂，抵达了白河河畔，约翰·桑顿的营地。他们刚停下来，狗立刻瘫倒在地休息。
约翰·桑顿正在做一把斧子，他一边同哈尔聊天一边干活儿。
“现在过河安全吗？”哈尔问道。
“不行，冰太薄了，非常危险。”桑顿回答。
“人们老早就告诉过我们这个。”哈尔笑道，“但是我们平安到了这里。”
“只有愚蠢的人才会从这儿过白河。”桑顿说。
“也就你这么想吧，”哈尔说，“但我们无论如何是要到道桑去的。”他拾起鞭子。“来，巴克！现在起来！我们走！”
桑顿继续他的工作。他已经警告过他们，但是他知道他无法阻止这些愚蠢的人。
但是巴克却没有起来，索拉克斯慢腾腾地爬起来，然后是蒂克和乔，最后是派克。只有巴克没挪身子，鞭子一次又一次抽到他的身上。桑顿想说什么，又忍住了，然后他开始走来走去。
哈尔放下鞭子开始用木棍打巴克。但是巴克铁了心不再站起来。整整一天他的脚下都是稀薄的冰，现在他看到那不堪重负的冰层就在面前。木棍劈头盖脸砸下来，而巴克却全无知觉。
突然，伴着一声狂吼，约翰·桑顿扑向哈尔，把他向后撞去。玛尔赛蒂尖叫起来。
“如果你再动那狗一下，我就宰了你，”桑顿怒喊着。
“他是我的狗。”哈尔回答说，他的脸上沾着鲜血。“别碍我的事儿，否则我连你一块揍，我要去道桑。”
桑顿站在哈尔和巴克中间一动未动。哈尔抽出了他的长刀，但是桑顿把它打落了。玛尔赛蒂又尖叫起来，然后桑顿拾起哈尔的长刀，劈开巴克身上的挽具。
哈尔并不想打架，何况为巴克也不值得去打架，他已经奄奄一息了。哈尔驾着雪撬向河驶去。巴克抬起头望着移动的雪撬。派克打头，乔，蒂克和索拉克斯跟在他后面。哈尔走在雪撬前面，玛尔赛蒂坐在雪撬上，查尔斯随后。
巴克一边看着他们，桑顿一边用手轻轻抚摸着他的身体，寻找着破碎的骨头。巴克虽然瘦骨嶙峋，衰疲不已，但桑顿却仍然觉得他有救。人和狗一起注视着雪撬缓缓地行到河中央。突然雪撬的后部陷了下去，前部向空中翘起。玛尔赛蒂尖叫起来，查尔斯转身刚后退了一步，随后一大块冰破裂了，雪撬、狗还有人一起没了踪影，冰面上只留下了一个大洞。
约翰·桑顿和巴克互相对视着。
“你这可怜儿，”约翰·桑顿说，巴克舔着他的手。
■ 6 For the love of a man
John Thornton had been ill in December，and his two friends had had to leave him at White River and go on to Dawson．They left him in the camp with plenty of food ，and with his two dogs，Skeet and Blackie．Now the spring had come，and he was almost well．He lay in the sun by the river with Buck，watching the water and listening to the birds，slowly getting stronger and stronger．
A rest is very welcome after running five thousand kilome tres，and Buck slowly got fatter and stronger．It was a peace ful，lazy time for both man and dogs while they waited for Thornton's friends to return from Dawson．
Skeet made friends with Buck immediately，and while Buck was still very ill， every morning she washed his cuts carefully with her tongue．Blackie，too，was friendly，and as Buck grew stronger，the three dogs often played games together．Sometimes Thornton joined the games too．
The days passed very happily，and for the first time，Buck learned to love，He had never loved a man before．He and Mr Miller in the Santa Clara valley had been very good friends，but Buck had not loved him．John Thornton had saved his life，but he was also a man who was naturally kind to animals．He took very good care of his dogs，not because it was sensible to do that， but because he felt they were his children． He was always talking to Buck，holding his head and shaking it lovingly．In answer，Buck liked to take Thornton's hand gently in his mouth．
Buck was happy to lie on the ground all day and watch Thornton And when Thornton spoke to him or touched him，Buck went wild with happiness． At first， he was afraid that Thornton was going to disappear，like Perrault and Francois，and at night he sometimes woke up and went to the tent to make sure that he was still there．
But something was changing in Buck．He had lived in the north a long time now，and he was almost a wild dog．He was happy to sit by Thornton's fire，but he sat as a wild animal，and his dreams were filled with other animals—dogs， half wolves，and wild wolves．They seemed to call him into the forest，and sometimes Buck wanted to leave the fire and answer the call．But every time he went into the trees，his love for Thornton brought him back．
第二天早上，巴克带领狗队沿街出发了。他们走得很慢，因为在旅途开始前他们就很疲惫了。巴克已经从道桑来回往返了两次，他不想再跑了。他观察了查尔斯、哈尔和玛尔赛蒂，他看出他们对所有的事情都手足无措。而且，随着时间一天天过去，他发现他们学不会任何东西。他们花掉半个夜晚准备晚上的休息；然后又花了半个早晨才准备停当起程。而真正起程后，他们经常不得不停下来，因为有些东西从雪撬上滑落下来，有一阵子他们每天只走20公里，有时只走10公里。
他们起程时就没有足够的狗食。现在他们的给养用得太快了。哈尔给狗加餐因为他想让他们更加卖力地拉车。玛尔赛蒂也总是多给狗食物，因为她可怜他们。但是他们需要的不是食物，而是休息。
很快，哈尔发现他们只走了去道桑的四分之一的路，却吃掉了一半的食物，他不得不减少给狗的食物。少给狗食物容易办到，但是却无法让他们跑快。
达布在离开斯开格威的一路都拉得很卖力，但是他的腿受了伤。他的腿伤越来越厉害，直到最后哈尔不得不杀了他。那6条新狗，由于饥饿和辛苦而病弱不堪，很快就死掉了。
哈尔、查尔斯和玛尔赛蒂开始旅行时高高兴兴，但现在他们疲惫，暴躁又沮丧。查尔斯和哈尔为每件事争吵不休，每个人都自觉比别人干的活儿更多。玛尔赛蒂也不高兴，因为她觉得她不应该工作。她很累，所以就坐到雪撬上，这使狗的工作更加艰难。她一直坐着直到狗拉不动雪撬了。男人们请求她走路。但她不肯离开雪撬，一天他们把她抬了下来，她坐到雪地上不肯起来，他们扔下她走了5公里，然后又返回来捎上了她。
巴克和其余的狗都已瘦得皮包骨头了。他们能拉车时就拉，拉不动时就倒在雪地上，当鞭子抽打下来时，就再站起来吃力地拉雪撬。
一天，贝利倒下去再也没有站起来。哈尔杀了他然后把他抛在了雪地上。巴克和别的狗都意识到他们很快也要死去。第二天，科娜也死了，现在只剩下五条狗：乔，派克，独眼索拉克斯，蒂克还有巴克。
美丽的春天终于来了，冰雪消融，万物复苏。在一个可爱的早晨，两个人，和5条狗拉着雪撬上的玛尔赛蒂，抵达了白河河畔，约翰·桑顿的营地。他们刚停下来，狗立刻瘫倒在地休息。
约翰·桑顿正在做一把斧子，他一边同哈尔聊天一边干活儿。
“现在过河安全吗？”哈尔问道。
“不行，冰太薄了，非常危险。”桑顿回答。
“人们老早就告诉过我们这个。”哈尔笑道，“但是我们平安到了这里。”
“只有愚蠢的人才会从这儿过白河。”桑顿说。
“也就你这么想吧，”哈尔说，“但我们无论如何是要到道桑去的。”他拾起鞭子。“来，巴克！现在起来！我们走！”
桑顿继续他的工作。他已经警告过他们，但是他知道他无法阻止这些愚蠢的人。
但是巴克却没有起来，索拉克斯慢腾腾地爬起来，然后是蒂克和乔，最后是派克。只有巴克没挪身子，鞭子一次又一次抽到他的身上。桑顿想说什么，又忍住了，然后他开始走来走去。
哈尔放下鞭子开始用木棍打巴克。但是巴克铁了心不再站起来。整整一天他的脚下都是稀薄的冰，现在他看到那不堪重负的冰层就在面前。木棍劈头盖脸砸下来，而巴克却全无知觉。
突然，伴着一声狂吼，约翰·桑顿扑向哈尔，把他向后撞去。玛尔赛蒂尖叫起来。
“如果你再动那狗一下，我就宰了你，”桑顿怒喊着。
“他是我的狗。”哈尔回答说，他的脸上沾着鲜血。“别碍我的事儿，否则我连你一块揍，我要去道桑。”
桑顿站在哈尔和巴克中间一动未动。哈尔抽出了他的长刀，但是桑顿把它打落了。玛尔赛蒂又尖叫起来，然后桑顿拾起哈尔的长刀，劈开巴克身上的挽具。
哈尔并不想打架，何况为巴克也不值得去打架，他已经奄奄一息了。哈尔驾着雪撬向河驶去。巴克抬起头望着移动的雪撬。派克打头，乔，蒂克和索拉克斯跟在他后面。哈尔走在雪撬前面，玛尔赛蒂坐在雪撬上，查尔斯随后。
巴克一边看着他们，桑顿一边用手轻轻抚摸着他的身体，寻找着破碎的骨头。巴克虽然瘦骨嶙峋，衰疲不已，但桑顿却仍然觉得他有救。人和狗一起注视着雪撬缓缓地行到河中央。突然雪撬的后部陷了下去，前部向空中翘起。玛尔赛蒂尖叫起来，查尔斯转身刚后退了一步，随后一大块冰破裂了，雪撬、狗还有人一起没了踪影，冰面上只留下了一个大洞。
约翰·桑顿和巴克互相对视着。
“你这可怜儿，”约翰·桑顿说，巴克舔着他的手。
■ 6 For the love of a man
John Thornton had been ill in December，and his two friends had had to leave him at White River and go on to Dawson．They left him in the camp with plenty of food ，and with his two dogs，Skeet and Blackie．Now the spring had come，and he was almost well．He lay in the sun by the river with Buck，watching the water and listening to the birds，slowly getting stronger and stronger．
A rest is very welcome after running five thousand kilome tres，and Buck slowly got fatter and stronger．It was a peace ful，lazy time for both man and dogs while they waited for Thornton's friends to return from Dawson．
Skeet made friends with Buck immediately，and while Buck was still very ill， every morning she washed his cuts carefully with her tongue．Blackie，too，was friendly，and as Buck grew stronger，the three dogs often played games together．Sometimes Thornton joined the games too．
The days passed very happily，and for the first time，Buck learned to love，He had never loved a man before．He and Mr Miller in the Santa Clara valley had been very good friends，but Buck had not loved him．John Thornton had saved his life，but he was also a man who was naturally kind to animals．He took very good care of his dogs，not because it was sensible to do that， but because he felt they were his children． He was always talking to Buck，holding his head and shaking it lovingly．In answer，Buck liked to take Thornton's hand gently in his mouth．
Buck was happy to lie on the ground all day and watch Thornton And when Thornton spoke to him or touched him，Buck went wild with happiness． At first， he was afraid that Thornton was going to disappear，like Perrault and Francois，and at night he sometimes woke up and went to the tent to make sure that he was still there．
But something was changing in Buck．He had lived in the north a long time now，and he was almost a wild dog．He was happy to sit by Thornton's fire，but he sat as a wild animal，and his dreams were filled with other animals—dogs， half wolves，and wild wolves．They seemed to call him into the forest，and sometimes Buck wanted to leave the fire and answer the call．But every time he went into the trees，his love for Thornton brought him back．