The dominant primordial beast was strong in Buck, and under the fierce conditions of trail life it grew and grew. Yet it was a secret growth. His newborn cunning gave him poise and control. He was too busy adjusting himself to the new life to feel at ease, and not only did he not pick fights, but he avoided them whenever possible. A certain deliberateness characterized his attitude. He was not prone to rashness and precipitate action; and in the bitter hatred between him and Spitz he betrayed no impatience, shunned all offensive acts.

On the other hand, possibly because he divined in Buck a dangerous rival, Spitz never lost an opportunity of showing his teeth. He even went out of his way to bully Buck, striving constantly to start the fight which could end only in the death of one or the other.

Early in the trip this might have taken place had it not been for an unwonted accident. At the end of this day they made a bleak and miserable camp on the shore of Lake Le Barge. Driving snow, a wind that cut like a white-hot knife, and darkness, had forced them to grope for a camping place. They could hardly have fared worse. At their backs rose a perpendicular wall of rock, and Perrault and Francois were compelled to make their fire and spread their sleeping robes on the ice of the lake itself. The tent they had discarded at Yea in order to travel light. A few sticks of driftwood furnished them with a fire that thawed down through the ice and left them to eat supper in the dark.

Close in under the sheltering rock Buck made his nest. So snug and warm was it, that he was loath to leave it when Francois distributed the fish which he had first thawed over the fire. But when Buck finished his ration and returned, he found his nest occupied. A warning snarl told him that the trespasser was Spitz. Till now Buck had avoided trouble with his enemy, but this was too much. The beast in him roared. He sprang upon Spitz with a fury which surprised them both, and Spitz particularly, for his whole experience with Buck had gone to teach him that his rival was an unusually timid dog, who managed to hold his own only because of his great weight and size.

Francois was surprised, too, when they shot out in a tangle from the disrupted nest and he divined the cause of the trouble.“A-a-ah!”he cried to Buck.“Give it to him by Gar! Give it to him, the dirty thief!”

Spitz was equally willing. He was crying with sheer rage and eagerness as he circled back and forth for a chance to spring in. Buck was no less eager, and no less cautious, as he likewise circled back and forth for the advantage. But it was then that the unexpected happened, the thing which projected their struggle for supremacy far into the future, past many a weary mile of trail and toil.

An oath from Perrault, the resounding impact of a club upon a bony frame, and a shrill yelp of pain, heralded the breaking forth of pandemonium. the camp was suddenly discovered to be alive with skulking furry forms-starving huskies, four or five score of them, who had scented the camp from some Indian village. They had crept in while Buck and Spitz were fighting, and when the two men sprang among them with stout clubs they showed their teeth and fought back. They were crazed by the smell of the food. Perrault found one with head buried in the grub-box. His club landed heavily on the gaunt ribs, and the grub-box was capsized on the ground. On the instant a score of the famished brutes were scrambling for the bread and bacon. The clubs fell upon them unheeded. They yelped and howled under the rain of blows, but struggled none the less madly till the last crumb had been devoured.

In the meantime the astonished team-dogs had burst out of their nests only to be set upon by the fierce invaders. Never had Buck seen such dogs. It seemed as though their bones would burst through their skins. They were mere skeletons, draped loosely in draggled hides, with blazing eyes and slavered fangs. But the hunger-madness made them terrifying, irresistible. There was no opposing them. The team-dogs were swept back against the cliff at the first onset. Buck was beset by three huskies, and in a trice his head and shoulders were ripped and slashed. The din was frightful. Billee was crying as usual. Dave and Sol-leks, dripping blood from a score of wounds, were fighting bravely side by side. Joe was snapping like a demon. Once his teeth closed on the fore leg of a husky, and he crunched down through the bone. Pike, the malingerer, leaped upon the crippled animal, breaking its neck with a quick flash of teeth and a jerk. Buck got a frothing adversary by the throat, and was sprayed with blood when his teeth sank through the jugular. The warm taste of it in his mouth goaded him to greater fierceness. He flung himself upon another, and at the same time felt teeth sink into his own throat. It was Spitz, treacherously attacking from the side.

Perrault and Francois, having cleaned out their part of the camp, hurried to save their sled-dogs. The wild wave of famished beasts rolled back before them, and Buck shook himself free. But is was only for a moment. The two men were compelled to run back to save the grub; upon which the huskies returned to the attack on the team. Billee, terrified into bravery, sprang through the savage circle and fled away over the ice. Pike and Dub followed on his heels, with the rest of the team behind. As Buck drew himself together to spring after them, out of the tail of his eye he saw Spitz rush upon him with the evident intention of overthrowing him. Once off his feet and under that mass of huskies, there was no hope for him. But he braced himself to the shock of Spitz's charge, then joined the flight out on the lake.

Later, the nine team-dogs gathered together and sought shelter in the forest. Though unpursued, they were in a sorry plight. There was not one who was not wounded in four or five places, while some were wounded grievously. Dub was badly injured in a hind leg; Dolly, the last husky added to the team at Yea, had a badly torn throat; Joe had lost an eye; while Billee, the good-natured, with an ear chewed and rent to ribbons, cried and whimpered throughout the night. At daybreak they limped warily back to camp, to find the marauders gone and the two men in bad tempers. Fully half their grub supply was gone. The huskies had chewed through the sled lashings and canvas coverings. In fact, nothing, no matter how remotely eatable, had escaped them. They had eaten a pair of Perrault's moose-hide moccasins, chunks out of the leather traces, and even two feet of lash from the end of Francois's whip. He broke from a mournful contemplation of it to look over his wounded dogs.

“Ah, my friends,”he said softly,“mebbe it make you mad dog, those many bites. Mebbe all mad dog, sacredam! What you think, eh, Perrault?”

The courier shook his head dubiously. With four hundred miles of trail still between him and Dawson, he could ill afford to have madness break out among his dogs. Two hours of cursing and exertion got the harnesses into shape, and the wound-stiffened team was under way, struggling painfully over the hardest part of the trail they had yet encountered, and for that matter, the hardest between them and Dawson.

The Thirty Mile River was wide open. Its wild water defied the frost, and it was in the eddies only and in the quiet places that the ice held at all. Six days of exhausting toil were required to cover those thirty terrible miles. And terrible they were, for every foot of them was accomplished at the risk of life to dog and man. A dozen times, Perrault, nosing the way, broke through the ice bridges, being saved by the long pole he carried, which he so held that it fell each time across the hole made by his body. But a cold snap was on, the thermometer registering fifty below zero, and each time he broke through he was compelled for very life to build a fire and dry his garments.

Nothing daunted him. It was because nothing daunted him that he had been chosen for government courier. He took all manner of risks, resolutely thrusting his little weazened face into the frost and struggling on from dim dawn to dark. He skirted the frowning shores on rim ice that bent and crackled under foot and upon which they dared not halt. Once, the sled broke through, with Dave and Buck, and they were half-frozen and all but drowned by the time they were dragged out. The usual fire was necessary to save them. They were coated solidly with ice, and the two men kept them on the run around the fire, sweating and thawing, so close that they were singed by the flames.

At another time Spitz went through, dragging the whole team after him up to Buck, who strained backward with all his strength, his fore paws on the slippery edge and the ice quivering and snapping all around. But behind him was Dave, likewise straining backward, and behind the sled was Francois, pulling till his tendons cracked.

Again, the rim ice broke away before and behind, and there was no escape except up the cliff. Perrault scaled it by a miracle, while Francois prayed for just that miracle; and with every thong and sled lashing and the last bit of harness rove into a long rope, the dogs were hoisted, one by one, to the cliff crest. Francois came up last, after the sled and load. Then came the search for a place to descend, which descent was ultimately made by the aid of the rope, and night found them back on the river with a quarter of a mile to the day's credit.

By the time they made the Hootalinqua and good ice, Buck was played out. The rest of the dogs were in like condition; but Perrault, to make up lost time, pushed them late and early. The first day they covered thirty-five miles to the Big Salmon; the next day thirty-five more to the Little Salmon; the third day forty miles, which brought them well up toward the Five Fingers.

Buck's feet were not so compact and hard as the feet of the huskies. His had softened during the many generations since the day his last wild ancestor was tamed by a cave dweller or river man. All day long he limped in agony, and camp once made, lay down like a dead dog. Hungry as he was, he would not move to receive his ration of fish, which Francois had to bring to him. Also, the dog-driver rubbed Buck's feet for half an hour each night after supper, and sacrificed the tops of his own moccasins to make four moccasins for Buck. This was a great relief, and Buck caused even the weazened face of Perrault to twist itself into a grin one morning, when Francois forgot the moccasins and Buck lay on his back, his four feet waving appealingly in the air, and refused to budge without them. later his feet grew hard to the trail, and the worn-out footgear was thrown away.

At the Pelly one morning, as they were harnessing up, dolly, who had never been conspicuous for anything, went suddenly mad. She announced her condition by a long, heart-breaking wolf howl that sent every dog bristling with fear, then sprang straight for Buck. He had never seen a dog go mad, nor did he have any reason to fear madness; yet he knew that here was horror, and fled away from it in a panic. Straight away he raced, with Dolly, panting and frothing, one leap behind; nor could she gain on him, so great was his terror, nor could he leave her, so great was her madness. He plunged through the wooded breast of the island, flew down to the lower end, crossed a back channel filled with rough ice to another island, gained a third island, curved back to the main river, and in desperation started to cross it. And all the time, though he did not look, he could hear her snarling just one leap behind. Francois called to him a quarter of a mile away and he doubled back, still one leap ahead, gasping painfully for air and putting all his faith in that Francois would save him. the dog-driver held the axe poised in his hand, and as Buck shot past him the axe crashed down upon mad Dolly's head.

Buck staggered over against the sled, exhausted, sobbing for breath, helpless. This was Spitz's opportunity. He sprang upon Buck, and twice his teeth sank into his unresisting foe and ripped and tore the flesh to the bone. Then Francois’lash descended, and Buck had the satisfaction of watching Spitz receive the worst whipping as yet administered to any of the team.

“One devil, dat Spitz,”remarked Perrault.“Some dam day him kill dat Buck.”

“Dat Buck two devils,”was Francois's rejoinder.“All de time I watch dat Buck I know for sure. Lissen: some dam fine day him get mad like hell and den him chew dat Spitz all up and spit him out on de snow. Sure, I know.”

From then on it was war between them. Spitz, as lead-dog and acknowledged master of the team, felt his supremacy threatened by this strange Southland dog.F And strange Buck was to him, for of the many Southland dogs he had known, not one had shown up worthily in camp and on trail. They were all too soft, dying under the toil, the frost, and starvation. Buck was the exception. He alone endured and prospered, matching the husky in strength, savagery, and cunning. Then he was a masterful dog, and what made him dangerous was the fact that the club of the man in the red sweater had knocked all blind pluck and rashness out of his desire for mastery. He was preeminently cunning, and could bide his time with a patience that was nothing less than primitive.

It was inevitable that the clash for leadership should come. Buck wanted it. He wanted it because it was his nature, because he had been gripped tight by that nameless, incomprehensible pride of the trail and trace-that pride which holds dogs in the toil to the last gasp, which lures them to die joyfully in the harness, and breaks their hearts if they are cut out of the harness. This was the pride of Dave as wheel-dog, of Sol-leks as he pulled with all his strength; the pride that laid hold of them at break of camp, transforming them from sour and sullen brutes into straining, eager, ambitious creatures; the pride that spurred them on all day and dropped them at pitch of camp at night, letting them fall back into gloomy unrest and discontent. This was the pride that bore up Spitz and made him thrash the sled-dogs who blundered and shirked in the traces or hid away at harness-up time in the morning. Likewise it was this pride that made him fear Buck as a possible lead-dog. And this was Buck's pride, too.

He openly threatened the other's leadership. He came between him and the shirks he should have punished. And he did it deliberately. One night there was a heavy snowfall, and in the morning Pike, the malingerer, did not appear. He was securely hidden in his nest under a foot of snow. Francois called him and sought him in vain. Spitz was wild with wrath. He raged through the camp, smelling and digging in every likely place, snarling so frightfully that Pike heard and shivered in his hiding-place.

But when he was at last unearthed, and Spitz flew at him to punish him, Buck flew with equal rage, in between. So unexpected was it, and so shrewdly managed, that Spitz was hurled backward and off his feet. Pike, who had been trembling abjectly, took heart at this open mutiny, and sprang upon his overthrown leader. Buck, to whom fair play was a forgotten code, likewise sprang upon Spitz. But Francois, chuckling at the incident while unswerving in the administration of justice, brought his lash down upon Buck with all his might. This failed to drive Buck from his prostrate rival, and the butt of the whip was brought into play. Half-stunned by the blow, Buck was knocked backward and the lash laid upon him again and again, while Spitz soundly punished the many times offending Pike.

In the days that followed, as Dawson grew closer and closer, Buck still continued to interfere between Spitz and the culprits; but he did it craftily, when Francois was not around. With the covert mutiny of Buck, a general insubordination sprang up and increased. Dave and Sol-leks were unaffected, but the rest of the team went from bad to worse. Things no longer went right. There was continual bickering and jangling. Trouble was always afoot, and at the bottom of it was Buck. He kept Francois busy, for the dog-driver was in constant apprehension of the life-and-death struggle between the two which he knew must take place sooner or later; and on more than one night the sounds of quarreling and strife among the other dogs turned him out of his sleeping robe, fearful that Buck and Spitz were at it.

But the opportunity did not present itself, and they pulled into Dawson one dreary afternoon with the great fight still to come. Here were many men, and countless dogs, and Buck found them all at work. It seemed the ordained order of things that dogs should work. All day they swung up and down the main street in long teams, and in the night their jingling bells still went by. They hauled cabin logs and firewood, freighted up to the mines, and did all manner of work that horses did in the Santa Clara Valley. Here and there Buck met Southland dogs, but in the main they were the wild wolf husky breed. Every night, regularly, at nine, at twelve, and three, they lifted a nocturnal song, a weird and eerie chant, in which it was Buck's delight to join.

With the aurora borealis flaming coldly overhead, or the stars leaping in the frost dance, and the land numb and frozen under its pall of snow, this song of the huskies might have been the defiance of life, only it was pitched in minor key, with long-drawn wailings and half-sobs, and was more the pleading of life, the articulate travail of existence. It was an old song, old as the breed itself-one of the first songs of the younger world in a day when songs were sad. It was invested with the woe of unnumbered generations, this plaint by which Buck was so strangely stirred. When he moaned and sobbed, it was with the pain of living that was of old the pain of his wild fathers, and the fear and mystery of the cold and dark that was to them fear and mystery. And that he should be stirred by it marked the completeness with which he harked back through the ages of fire and roof to the raw beginnings of life in the howling ages.

Seven days from the time they pulled into Dawson, they dropped down the steep bank by the Barracks to the Yukon Trail, and pulled for Yea and Salt Water. Perrault was carrying dispatches if anything more urgent than those he had brought in; also, the travel pride had gripped him, and he purposed to make the record trip of the year. Several things favored him in this. The week's rest had recuperated the dogs and put them in thorough trim. The trail they had broken into the country was packed hard by later journeyers. And further, the police had arranged in two or three places deposits of grub for dog and man, and he was traveling light.

They made Sixty Mile, which is a fifty-mile run, on the first day; and the second day saw them booming up the Yukon well on their way to Pelly. But such splendid running was achieved not without great trouble and vexation on the part of Francois. The insidious revolt led by Buck had destroyed the solidarity of the team. It no longer was as one dog leaping in the traces. The encouragement Buck gave the rebels led them into all kinds of petty misdemeanors. No more was Spitz a leader greatly to be feared. The old awe departed, and they grew equal to challenging his authority. Pike robbed him of half a fish one night, and gulped it down under the protection of Buck. Another night Dub and Joe fought Spitz and made him forego the punishment they deserved. And even Billee, the good-natured, was less good-natured, and whined not half so placatingly as in former days. Buck never came near Spitz without snarling and bristling menacingly. In fact, his conduct approached that of a bully, and he was given to swaggering up and down before Spitz's very nose.

The breaking down of discipline likewise affected the dogs in their relations with one another. They quarreled and bickered more than ever among themselves, till at times the camp was a howling bedlam. Dave and Sol-leks alone were unaltered, though they were made irritable by the unending squabbling. Francois swore strange barbarous oaths, and stamped the snow in futile rage, and tore his hair. His lash was always singing among the dogs, but it was of small avail. Directly his back was turned they were at it again. He backed up Spitz with his whip, while Buck backed up the remainder of the team. Francois knew he was behind all the trouble, and Buck knew he knew; but Buck was too clever ever again to be caught red-handed. He worked faithfully in the harness, for the toil had become a delight to him; yet it was a greater delight slyly to precipitate a fight amongst his mates and tangle the traces.

At the mouth of the Tahkeena, one night after supper, Dub turned up a snowshoe rabbit, blundered it, and missed. In a second the whole team was in full cry. A hundred yards away was a camp of the Northwest Police, with fifty dogs, huskies all, who joined the chase. The rabbit sped down the river, turned off into a small creek, up the frozen bed of which it held steadily. It ran lightly on the surface of the snow, while the dogs plowed through by main strength. Buck led the pack, sixty strong, around bend after bend, but he could not gain. He lay down low to the race, whining eagerly, his splendid body flashing forward, leap by leap, in the wan white moonlight. And leap by leap, like some pale frost wraith, the snowshoe rabbit flashed on ahead.

All that stirring of old instincts which at stated periods drives men out from the sounding cities to forest and plain to kill things by chemically propelled leaden pellets, the bloodlust, the joy to kill-all this was Buck's, only it was infinitely more intimate. He was ranging at the head of the pack, running the wild thing down, the living meat, to kill with his own teeth and wash his muzzle to the eyes in warm blood.

There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive, and it comes as a complete forgetfulness that one is alive. This ecstasy, this forgetfulness of living, comes to the artist, caught up and out of himself in a sheet of flame; it comes to the soldier, war-mad on a stricken field and refusing quarter; and it came to Buck, leading the pack, sounding the old wolf-cry, straining after the food that was alive and that fled swiftly before him through the moonlight. He was sounding the deeps of his nature, and of the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint, and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement, flying exultantly under the stars and over the face of dead matter that did not move.

But Spitz, cold and calculating even in his supreme moods, left the pack and cut across a narrow neck of land where the creek made a long bend around. Buck did not know of this, and as he rounded the bend, the frost wraith of a rabbit still flitting before him, he saw another and larger frost wraith leap from the overhanging bank into the immediate path of the rabbit. It was Spitz. The rabbit could not turn, and as the white teeth broke its back in mid air it shrieked as loudly as a stricken man may shriek. At sound of this, the cry of Life plunging down from Life's apex in the grip of Death, the full pack at Buck's heels raised a hell's chorus of delight.

Buck did not cry out. He did not check himself, but drove in upon Spitz, shoulder to shoulder, so hard that he missed the throat. They rolled over and over in the powdery snow. Spitz gained his feet almost as though he had not been overthrown, slashing Buck down the shoulder and leaping clear. Twice his teeth clipped together, like the steel jaws of a trap, as he backed away for better footing, with lean and lifting lips that writhed and snarled.

In a flash Buck knew it. The time had come. It was to the death. As they circled about, snarling, ears laid back, keenly watchful for the advantage, the scene came to Buck with a sense of familiarity. He seemed to remember it all-the white woods, and earth, and moonlight, and the thrill of battle. Over the whiteness and silence brooded a ghostly calm. There was not the faintest whisper of air-nothing moved, not a leaf quivered, the visible breaths of the dogs rising slowly and lingering in the frosty air. They had made short work of the snowshoe rabbit, these dogs that were ill-tamed wolves; and they were now drawn up in an expectant circle. They, too, were silent, their eyes only gleaming and their breaths drifting slowly upward. To Buck it was nothing new or strange, this scene of old time. It was as though it had always been, the wonted way of things.

Spitz was a practiced fighter. From Spitzbergen through the Arctic, and across Canada and the Barrens, he had held his own with all manner of dogs and achieved to mastery over them. Bitter rage was his, but never blind rage. In passion to rend and destroy, he never forgot that his enemy was in like passion to rend and destroy. He never rushed till he was prepared to receive a rush; never attacked till he had first defended that attack.

In vain Buck strove to sink his teeth in the neck of the big white dog. Wherever his fangs struck for the softer flesh, they were countered by the fangs of Spitz. Fang clashed fang, and lips were cut and bleeding, but Buck could not penetrate his enemy's guard. Then he warmed up and enveloped Spitz in a whirlwind of rushes. Time and time again he tried for the snow-white throat, where life bubbled near to the surface, and each time and every time Spitz slashed him and got away. Then Buck took to rushing, as though for the throat, when, suddenly drawing back his head and curving in from the side, he would drive his shoulder at the shoulder of Spitz, as a ram by which to overthrow him. But instead, Buck's shoulder was slashed down each time as Spitz leaped lightly away.

Spitz was untouched, while Buck was streaming with blood and panting hard. The fight was growing desperate. And all the while the silent and wolfish circle waited to finish off whichever dog went down. As Buck grew winded, Spitz took to rushing, and he kept him staggering for footing. Once Buck went over, and the whole circle of sixty dogs started up;but he recovered himself, almost in mid air, and the circle sank down again and waited.

But Buck possessed a quality that made for greatness-imagination. He fought by instinct, but he could fight by head as well he rushed, as though attempting the old shoulder trick, but at the last instant swept low to the snow and in. His teeth closed on Spitz's left fore leg. There was a crunch of breaking bone, and the white dog faced him on three legs. Thrice he tried to knock him over, then repeated the trick and broke the right fore leg. Despite the pain and helplessness, Spitz struggled madly to keep up. He saw the silent circle, with gleaming eyes, lolling tongues, and silvery breaths drifting upward, closing in upon him as he had seen similar circles close in upon beaten antagonists in the past. Only this time he was the one who was beaten.

There was no hope for him. Buck was inexorable. Mercy was a thing reserved for gentler climes. He maneuvered for the final rush. The circle had tightened till he could feel the breaths of the huskies on his flanks. He could see them, beyond Spitz and to either side, half-crouching for the spring, their eyes fixed upon him. A pause seemed to fall. Every animal was motionless as though turned to stone. Only Spitz quivered and bristled as he staggered back and forth, snarling with horrible menace, as though to frighten off impending death. Then Buck sprang in and out; but while he was in, shoulder had at last squarely met shoulder. The dark circle became a dot on the moon flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view. Buck stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good.

爭(zhēng)奪霸權(quán)的原始獸性在巴克的身上非常強(qiáng)烈，而且這種獸性在拉車生活的極端環(huán)境下越來越強(qiáng)。然而，這是一種隱秘的變化。剛產(chǎn)生的狡黠使它鎮(zhèn)靜克制。它對(duì)新的生活并不感到輕松，正忙著讓自己適應(yīng)，所以它不僅不挑戰(zhàn)，而且盡可能避開。從容不迫是它的處事特點(diǎn)。它不輕舉妄動(dòng)，盡管它和斯皮茨之間有著深仇大恨，但它從不露出急躁的情緒，避開一切攻擊性的舉動(dòng)。

另一方面，可能是因?yàn)樗蛊ご牟孪氲桨涂耸且粋€(gè)危險(xiǎn)的對(duì)手，所以它不失時(shí)機(jī)露出牙齒。它甚至故意欺負(fù)巴克，不斷想挑起一場(chǎng)只能最后是你死我活的戰(zhàn)斗。

要不是因?yàn)橐粋€(gè)非同尋常的意外事件，這可能早在途中就發(fā)生了。這一天結(jié)束時(shí)，他們?cè)诨臎鲈愀獾睦铡ぐ透窈渡显鸂I(yíng)。大雪紛飛，寒風(fēng)像白熱的刀子一樣刺骨，黑暗迫使他們摸索著尋找營(yíng)地。幾乎沒有比這更糟的情況了。他們身后聳立著一道垂直的石壁，佩羅和弗朗索瓦只好在結(jié)冰的湖面上生火，鋪開睡毯。為了輕裝前進(jìn)，他們把帳篷都拋在了狄亞。他們用幾根漂木的枯枝生起的一堆火，在冰化后就熄滅了，因此，只好摸黑吃晚飯。

巴克在緊靠擋風(fēng)巖石下面搭了一個(gè)窩。那個(gè)窩非常舒適和溫暖，甚至當(dāng)弗朗索瓦最初把魚在火上烤化分發(fā)時(shí)，它都不愿離開。但當(dāng)吃完自己那份返回時(shí)，巴克發(fā)現(xiàn)它的窩被占了。一聲表示警告的吼叫告訴它，非法入侵者是斯皮茨。直到現(xiàn)在，巴克都避開與仇敵發(fā)生糾紛，但斯皮茨這樣做太過分了。它身上的野性發(fā)出了咆哮。它狂怒地?fù)涞剿蛊ご牡纳砩稀＿@使它們倆都吃了一驚，尤其是斯皮茨，因?yàn)樗桶涂私煌恼麄€(gè)經(jīng)驗(yàn)已經(jīng)告訴它，它的對(duì)手是一條格外膽小的狗，它之所以未被打敗，只是因?yàn)樗嫶蟮纳碥|。

當(dāng)它們扭成一團(tuán)從遭到毀壞的窩里躥出來時(shí)，弗朗索瓦也吃了一驚，猜到了糾紛的原因。“啊——!”他對(duì)巴克喊道，“天哪，給它吧！給它吧，那個(gè)卑鄙的小偷！”

斯皮茨同樣反應(yīng)迅速。它一邊急切怒吼，一邊來回兜圈尋找機(jī)會(huì)躍入。巴克同樣急切和謹(jǐn)慎，因?yàn)樗瑯釉趤砘囟等ふ矣欣麘?zhàn)機(jī)。但正在這時(shí)，意外之事發(fā)生了，這件事把它們爭(zhēng)奪霸權(quán)的斗爭(zhēng)推到了許多疲憊旅途和艱難跋涉后的遙遠(yuǎn)未來。

佩羅的一聲咒罵，一棍砸在骨架上的回響聲，以及痛苦的尖叫聲，都預(yù)示著一場(chǎng)大混亂的爆發(fā)。一群鬼鬼祟祟、毛皮覆蓋的家伙——餓得要死的愛斯基摩狗——突然出現(xiàn)，擠滿了營(yíng)地。這些狗有百十來?xiàng)l。它們從某個(gè)印第安村聞到營(yíng)地的氣味后趕來，趁巴克和斯皮茨打架時(shí)溜進(jìn)了營(yíng)地，而且當(dāng)那兩個(gè)人揮舞大棒沖進(jìn)它們當(dāng)中時(shí)，它們齜牙咧嘴進(jìn)行反撲。食物的氣味讓它們發(fā)瘋。佩羅發(fā)現(xiàn)其中一條狗把頭埋進(jìn)了食物箱。他的棍子重重地落在一根根瘦骨嶙峋的肋骨上，食物箱被打翻在地。二三十條饑腸轆轆的餓獸馬上爭(zhēng)奪起面包和咸肉。棍子落在身上，它們都沒有理睬。它們?cè)谟挈c(diǎn)般的棍棒下吠叫哀號(hào)，但仍然發(fā)瘋似的搶食，直到吞下最后一片碎屑。

與此同時(shí)，受驚的雪橇狗從窩里沖出來，卻遭到了兇猛入侵者的攻擊。巴克從來沒有見過這樣的狗。看起來它們的骨頭好像要拱破皮膚似的。它們純粹是皮包骨頭，臟兮兮的皮松垮地遮在外面，眼睛發(fā)光，犬牙上淌著口水。但是，饑餓的瘋狂使它們變得可怕，勢(shì)不可擋。誰也抗不住它們。雪橇狗在第一輪進(jìn)攻中被逼退到了懸崖邊。巴克被三條愛斯基摩狗團(tuán)團(tuán)包圍。轉(zhuǎn)眼間，它的頭和肩膀就被撕咬開了幾個(gè)大口子。喧囂聲令人恐慌。比勒像往常一樣在哭叫。戴夫和索爾雷克斯勇敢地并肩作戰(zhàn)，二十處傷口滴著鮮血。喬像魔鬼一樣猛咬。有一次，它咬住了一條愛斯基摩狗的前腿，咬斷了骨頭。裝病的派克撲到那條瘸狗的身上，飛快地咬了一口，又猛地一拽，咬斷了它的脖子。巴克咬住一個(gè)口吐白沫的仇敵的喉嚨，當(dāng)它把牙齒咬進(jìn)最致命的部位時(shí)，鮮血噴濺而來。它嘴里那股熱血的味道刺激它更加兇猛。它撲向另一個(gè)敵人，同時(shí)感到有牙齒咬進(jìn)了自己的喉嚨。原來是斯皮茨奸詐地從側(cè)面襲擊了它。

佩羅和弗朗索瓦打掃干凈他們自己的那部分營(yíng)地后，趕來援救它們的雪橇狗。那群餓獸在它們面前像狂潮一樣退去，巴克才得以脫身。不過，只是一會(huì)兒。那兩個(gè)人就不得不跑回去搶救食物，而那群愛斯基摩狗則返回去襲擊那隊(duì)雪橇狗。比勒被嚇得膽量陡生，沖破那群狗的兇猛包圍，越過冰面逃走了。派克和達(dá)布緊隨其后，其他拉橇狗都跟著跑了。巴克縱身躍去追它們時(shí)，從眼角瞥見斯皮茨向它撲來，顯然想撲倒它。一旦不能控制自己，落在這群愛斯基摩狗蹄下，它就沒有生還希望了。但是，它振作起來，頂住了斯皮茨的沖擊，之后隨著大家向湖上逃去。

后來，九條雪橇狗集合在一起，躲進(jìn)了森林。盡管沒有受到追擊，但它們處境可憐。它們每個(gè)身上都有四五處傷口，有幾條狗傷得極其嚴(yán)重。達(dá)布的一條后腿受了重傷，在狄亞最后入隊(duì)的愛斯基摩狗多莉頸前部被嚴(yán)重撕裂了，喬失去了一只眼睛。脾氣溫和的比勒的一只耳朵被撕咬成了碎片，哭叫了整整一夜。拂曉，它們一瘸一拐小心翼翼地回到了營(yíng)地，發(fā)現(xiàn)搶匪們已經(jīng)走了，那兩個(gè)人正在生氣。他們足有一半的食物沒了。那群愛斯基摩狗嚼爛了雪橇上的綁繩和篷布。事實(shí)上，無論能不能吃，什么都沒有漏掉。它們吃掉了佩羅的一雙鹿皮靴和大截大截的皮韁繩，甚至把弗朗索瓦的鞭子吃掉了一半。弗朗索瓦中斷悲哀的沉思，檢查那些受傷的狗。

“啊，我的朋友們，”他柔聲說道，“挨了這么多咬，說不定會(huì)使你們變成瘋狗，說不定會(huì)都成瘋狗，天哪！你說呢，佩羅？”

信使半信半疑地?fù)u了搖頭。他離道森還有四百英里路程，狗隊(duì)要是突發(fā)狂犬病，他可經(jīng)受不起。他們罵罵咧咧努力了兩個(gè)小時(shí)才把挽具收拾停當(dāng)，隨后傷痕累累的狗隊(duì)又上路了。它們痛苦掙扎著走上了它們經(jīng)歷過的最艱難的旅程，就此而言，也是它們到達(dá)道森之前最艱難的旅程。

這條“三十里河”非常開闊，湍急的河水足以抵擋霜凍。只有渦流處和靜水處才結(jié)了冰。需要六個(gè)讓人疲憊不堪的日子才能走完那可怕的三十英里路。之所以可怕，是因?yàn)槊孔咭徊剑泛腿硕紩?huì)有生命危險(xiǎn)。佩羅在前面探路，十幾次踏破冰橋，多虧他攜帶的一根長(zhǎng)桿才保住性命，因?yàn)槊慨?dāng)它掉進(jìn)自己踩出的冰窟窿，那根長(zhǎng)桿就會(huì)橫架在冰窟窿上。但是，寒流襲來，氣溫下降到了零下五十度，所以每次踏進(jìn)冰窟窿，為了活命，都不得不生起一堆火，烤干衣服。

什么都難不倒他。正是因?yàn)槭裁匆搽y不住他，他才被選中充當(dāng)政府信使。他冒著各種各樣的危險(xiǎn)，毅然投身于冰霜之中，從早到晚奮力趕路。他順著彎彎曲曲的河岸，在河邊的冰上行走，冰在他腳下嘎吱作響下陷，所以他們不敢停留。有一次，雪橇帶著戴夫和巴克掉進(jìn)了冰窟窿，等到他們被拽出來時(shí)，已被凍得半僵，差點(diǎn)兒淹死。必須生起火，才能救他們的命。他們的身上凍了厚厚的一層冰。于是，那兩個(gè)人讓它們繞著火堆跑，一直跑到出汗、冰化，結(jié)果他們離火堆太近，火焰都燎到了毛。

還有一次，斯皮茨掉了進(jìn)去，把它后面的整個(gè)狗隊(duì)都拖了進(jìn)去，巴克用盡全力向后拽，前爪踩在滑溜溜的冰窟邊上，四周的冰在噼啪顫動(dòng)。但是，戴夫在它身后，和它一樣繃緊身體向后撐。雪橇后面的是弗朗索瓦，他也在拖拽，直到肌腱裂開。

前后的邊冰又一次碎了，除非爬上懸崖，否則沒有逃路。佩羅奇跡般爬了上去，弗朗索瓦祈求的正是這種奇跡。他把所有的鞭子、綁繩和韁繩湊在一起，結(jié)成了一根長(zhǎng)繩，把狗一個(gè)接一個(gè)都吊到了懸崖頂上。雪橇和貨物都吊上去后，弗朗索瓦最后才上來。接下來就是尋找可以下去的地方，最后借助繩子才從懸崖上下來。天黑后，他們又回到了河邊上，這一天才前進(jìn)了四分之一英里。

等他們到達(dá)豪塔林卡，走上好冰時(shí)，巴克已是筋疲力盡。其他狗的情況也一樣；但是，為了彌補(bǔ)耽誤的時(shí)間，佩羅逼迫大家起早貪黑趕路。第一天，他們走了三十五英里，來到了大鮭河；第二天走了三十五英里多，來到了小鮭河；第三天走了四十英里，快到了五指山。

巴克的蹄子沒有愛斯基摩狗的蹄子那樣結(jié)實(shí)堅(jiān)硬。自從它的野狗祖先被穴居人或河居人馴養(yǎng)以來，經(jīng)過許多代，它的蹄子已經(jīng)變得柔軟了。它整天在痛苦中一瘸一拐，一到營(yíng)地，就像死狗一樣躺下來。盡管它饑腸轆轆，但它連動(dòng)都不想動(dòng)一下去接受自己那份魚，弗朗索瓦只好給它送過來。同時(shí)，每天晚飯后，趕狗人還會(huì)給巴克的蹄子揉搓半小時(shí)，并獻(xiàn)出自己的鹿皮靴筒，為巴克做了四只靴子。這大大減緩了它的痛苦。一天早晨，弗朗索瓦忘了給巴克穿靴子，巴克躺在地上，四蹄朝天晃著要穿靴子，沒有靴子，它就不動(dòng)，這使佩羅的瘦臉也擠出了一絲笑容。后來，它的蹄子在旅途中變得越來越結(jié)實(shí)，這才把磨破的靴子扔掉了。

一天早晨，在貝利河口，他們正在套挽具，從不顯山露水的多莉突然發(fā)起瘋來。它發(fā)作時(shí)發(fā)出一聲令人心碎的長(zhǎng)嗥，把所有的狗都嚇得毛發(fā)倒豎，接著它向巴克直撲過來。巴克從沒有見過狗發(fā)瘋，也沒有任何理由害怕瘋狗，然而，它知道這眼前的恐怖，就驚慌失措地逃走了。它徑直飛奔而去，多莉氣喘吁吁，口吐白沫，在后面只有一躍之距。多莉追不上它，巴克驚恐萬狀，也甩不掉多莉，多莉瘋狂極了。巴克一頭鉆進(jìn)島上的樹叢腹地，飛跑著沖到低地，越過一個(gè)布滿冰碴的僻靜河道，奔向另一座島，跑過了第三座島后，又繞回到主河道，開始拼命穿過去。盡管巴克沒有看，但它也能聽到多莉就在它身后一躍之距的地方狂吠著。弗朗索瓦在不遠(yuǎn)處沖它叫喊，它又折了回來，仍以一躍之距跑在多莉前面。它痛苦地喘著粗氣，信心十足地認(rèn)為弗朗索瓦會(huì)救它。趕狗人手拿斧子，泰然自若，當(dāng)巴克從它的身邊飛跑過時(shí)，他一斧砍在了發(fā)瘋的多莉的頭上。

巴克踉踉蹌蹌靠在雪橇上，疲憊不堪，氣喘吁吁，有氣無力。這是斯皮茨的大好時(shí)機(jī)。它撲到巴克的身上，兩次把牙齒咬進(jìn)無力抵抗的仇家的肉里，撕得皮開肉綻，露出了骨頭。隨后，弗朗索瓦的鞭子落了下來，巴克滿意地看著斯皮茨受到了最狠的一頓鞭打，狗隊(duì)里至今還沒有誰這樣挨過打。

“那個(gè)斯皮茨是魔鬼，”佩羅說，“總有一天它會(huì)咬死那個(gè)巴克。”

“那個(gè)巴克是雙料魔鬼，”弗朗索瓦反駁道，“我一直看著那個(gè)巴克，肯定知道。聽著：總有一天，它會(huì)該死地發(fā)瘋，到時(shí)候會(huì)把那個(gè)斯皮茨撕碎，吐在雪地上。真的，我知道。”

從那時(shí)起，它們之間總是戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。作為領(lǐng)頭狗和公認(rèn)的隊(duì)長(zhǎng)，斯皮茨感到自己的霸權(quán)受到了這條陌生的南方狗的威脅。它之所以對(duì)巴克感到陌生，是因?yàn)樵谒私獾脑S多南方狗中，沒有一條在營(yíng)地中和雪道上表現(xiàn)出色過。它們實(shí)在太軟弱了，常常在跋涉、嚴(yán)寒和饑餓下死去。巴克例外。只有它挺了過來，取得了成功，在力量、兇猛和狡猾方面跟愛斯基摩狗勢(shì)均力敵。于是，巴克成了一條好支配的狗。使它變得危險(xiǎn)的事實(shí)，是那個(gè)穿紅毛衣的人拿的那根棍子打掉了它渴望稱王稱霸的一切蠻勇和輕率。它狡猾過人，能耐心等待時(shí)機(jī)，這完全是一種原始的基本屬性。

爭(zhēng)奪領(lǐng)導(dǎo)權(quán)的沖突必然會(huì)到來。巴克希望它到來。它之所以希望到來，是因?yàn)檫@是它的天性，是因?yàn)樗鼮檠┑览炼院溃@種難以名狀、不可思議的自豪緊緊抓住了它——這種自豪感控制著跋涉中的狗到最后一息。這種自豪感誘使它們快樂地死于套下，要是卸下挽具，它們就會(huì)傷心。戴夫駕橇，索爾雷克斯全力拉套，就是這種自豪感。這種自豪感從拔營(yíng)時(shí)起就左右著它們，把它們從郁郁不樂的野獸變成了緊張急切、雄心勃勃的生靈。這種自豪鞭策它們整天趕路，直到夜里扎營(yíng)時(shí)才消失，讓它們又陷入憂郁的不安和不滿之中。支撐斯皮茨的正是這種自豪，使它痛打那些在拉橇?xí)r出錯(cuò)逃避或早晨套韁繩時(shí)躲起來的雪橇狗。同樣，這種自豪也使它害怕巴克可能會(huì)成為領(lǐng)頭狗。而這也是巴克的自豪。

它公然威脅到了別人的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)地位。它在別人和本來要懲罰的偷懶者之間作梗。而且它是故意這樣做的。一天夜里下了一場(chǎng)大雪，第二天早晨裝病的派克沒有出現(xiàn)。它安穩(wěn)地躲在窩里，上面是30厘米厚的雪。弗朗索瓦喊它、找它，都無濟(jì)于事。斯皮茨氣得發(fā)狂，怒氣沖沖地跑遍了營(yíng)地，嗅著、刨著每個(gè)可能的地方，吼叫聲非常可怕，派克聽到后在它的藏身處渾身顫抖。

但當(dāng)它終于被挖出，斯皮茨飛撲上去要懲罰它時(shí)，巴克同樣怒氣沖沖，飛撲在它們中間。這非常出乎意料，而且做得十分奇妙，斯皮茨被撞了回去，倒在地上。派克一直在可憐巴巴地渾身顫抖，看到這次公開造反，就振作了起來，縱身撲到被掀翻在地的首領(lǐng)的身上。巴克忘記了公開較量這個(gè)法則，同樣撲在斯皮茨的身上。但是，弗朗索瓦一邊對(duì)這個(gè)事件暗自發(fā)笑，一邊鐵面無私、公正執(zhí)法，用盡全力抽打巴克。這并沒有將巴克從倒在地上的對(duì)手身上趕走。于是，連鞭柄都派上了用場(chǎng)。巴克被打得半暈，向后倒去，鞭子雨點(diǎn)般抽打在它的身上，而斯皮茨狠狠懲罰了那個(gè)屢次犯錯(cuò)的派克一頓。

在后來的日子里，隨著道森越來越近，巴克仍在斯皮茨和肇事者中間攪和，但是，它都做得非常巧妙，每次弗朗索瓦都不在旁邊。因?yàn)榘涂税档卦旆矗云毡椴环默F(xiàn)象常常出現(xiàn)，越來越多。戴夫和索爾雷克斯不為所動(dòng)，但隊(duì)里別的狗越來越不像話。事情不再順利了。吵吵鬧鬧的事兒不斷出現(xiàn)。總是有麻煩發(fā)生，根源都是巴克。它讓弗朗索瓦忙得團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)，因?yàn)橼s狗人總是擔(dān)心這兩條狗之間出現(xiàn)生死搏斗。他知道這遲早會(huì)發(fā)生。不止一個(gè)晚上，聽到其他狗的吵鬧聲后，他鉆出睡毯，擔(dān)心巴克和斯皮茨打起來。

但是，這樣的機(jī)會(huì)并沒有出現(xiàn)。一個(gè)陰沉的下午，他們進(jìn)入了道森，那場(chǎng)大戰(zhàn)還沒有到來。這里有很多人，還有數(shù)不清的狗，巴克發(fā)現(xiàn)它們?nèi)荚诟苫睢：孟窆犯苫罹蛻?yīng)該是命中注定的事兒。它們組成了長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的狗隊(duì)，整天在大街上跑來跑去，夜里也可以聽到它們經(jīng)過時(shí)發(fā)出的叮當(dāng)聲。它們拖運(yùn)木屋原木和柴火，給礦上送貨，干著各種各樣的活，這些活在圣克拉拉山谷全是馬干的。巴克到處都能碰見一些南方狗，但它們大多數(shù)都是野狼似的愛斯基摩狗。每天夜里九點(diǎn)、十二點(diǎn)、三點(diǎn)，它們定期唱起一首夜曲，是一首古怪神秘的圣歌，巴克很高興跟它們一起唱。

頭上發(fā)出冷冷的北極光，點(diǎn)點(diǎn)繁星在冰舞中跳躍，冰雪覆蓋的大地麻木僵硬，愛斯基摩狗的這首歌可能是對(duì)生命的挑戰(zhàn)，不過用的是小調(diào)，拖著如泣如訴的長(zhǎng)腔，更像是在哀求生命，清晰表達(dá)了生活的艱辛。這是一首古老的歌，像這個(gè)品種本身一樣古老——是較早時(shí)期世界唱的最早的一首歌，當(dāng)時(shí)的歌都是如泣如訴。無數(shù)代狗的悲哀與不幸都在這歌聲里，這首悲歌莫名地感動(dòng)了巴克。巴克呻吟嗚咽時(shí)，懷著生活的痛苦，這種痛苦是很久以前它那些野生祖先們的痛苦。它對(duì)寒冷和黑暗的恐懼和神秘也是祖先們的恐懼和神秘。這首歌打動(dòng)了它，表明它已經(jīng)徹底蛻變了，穿越世世代代苦難與憤怒的生活，返回到哀號(hào)時(shí)代的原始生活的開始。

進(jìn)入道森的第七天，它們又沿著巴勒克斯河陡峭的河岸走到了育空雪道，向狄亞和鹽水湖進(jìn)發(fā)。佩羅帶走的公文比它送來的更緊急，同時(shí)，他為旅行感到自豪，所以它打算創(chuàng)造今年的旅行記錄。好幾件事對(duì)它創(chuàng)造紀(jì)錄都有利。一周休息后，狗隊(duì)已經(jīng)恢復(fù)了元?dú)猓b待發(fā)。它們開辟的雪道也被后來的旅行者踩瓷實(shí)了。此外，警方還在兩三個(gè)地方為人和狗安排了給養(yǎng)站，這樣他們就可以輕裝上陣。

第一天，它們到達(dá)“六十英里”處，實(shí)際上只有五十英里。第二天，它們沿著育空河[6]飛奔，上了通向貝利的雪道。不過，旅途之所以一帆風(fēng)順，是因?yàn)楦ダ仕魍呱焚M(fèi)苦心。巴克領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的陰謀叛亂破壞了全隊(duì)的團(tuán)結(jié)。狗隊(duì)不再齊心協(xié)力拉橇了。巴克對(duì)那些造反者的慫恿，使它們的各種小錯(cuò)不斷發(fā)生。對(duì)斯皮茨這位首領(lǐng)也不再心驚膽戰(zhàn)了。過去的敬畏都紛紛消失了，它們漸漸都平起平坐了，并向斯皮茨的權(quán)威提出了挑戰(zhàn)。一天夜里，派克搶走了它半條魚，并在巴克的保護(hù)下把魚吞進(jìn)了肚子。又一天夜里，達(dá)布和喬跟斯皮茨打了起來，迫使它放棄了它們應(yīng)該受到的懲罰。甚至連脾氣溫和的比勒也不再溫和，它息事寧人的哀鳴也不再像以前那樣了。巴克一走近斯皮茨，就會(huì)兇相畢露，毛發(fā)倒豎，狂吠起來。事實(shí)上，它的行為接近橫行霸道，而且它喜歡在斯皮茨的眼皮底下大搖大擺，走來走去。

紀(jì)律渙散同樣影響了狗與狗之間的關(guān)系。它們吵來吵去，比以往都厲害，有時(shí)營(yíng)地會(huì)變成一座鬼哭狼嚎的瘋狗院。只有戴夫和索爾雷克斯沒有改變，盡管它們被這種沒完沒了的吵鬧弄得心煩意亂。弗朗索瓦罵著古怪的臟話，氣得在雪地里跺腳，揪自己的頭發(fā)，但都無濟(jì)于事。他的鞭子總在那些狗中間抽響，效果卻不大。他一轉(zhuǎn)身，它們就又吵了起來。他用鞭子為斯皮茨撐腰，而巴克則支持隊(duì)里剩下的狗。弗朗索瓦知道這一切都是巴克在背后搗亂，巴克也清楚弗朗索瓦心知肚明。不過，巴克非常聰明，再也沒有被當(dāng)場(chǎng)抓住。它忠心耿耿地拉著雪橇，因?yàn)榘仙鎸?duì)它來說已經(jīng)變成了一種樂趣，而暗地挑起同伴們爭(zhēng)斗，攪亂韁繩，則是它更大的樂趣。

在塔基納河口，飯后的一天夜里，達(dá)布挖出了一只雪兔，笨拙地?fù)淙ィ瑳]有逮住。整個(gè)狗隊(duì)都拼命一起追趕。一百碼開外是西北警察局的一個(gè)營(yíng)地，那里有五十條狗，全都是愛斯基摩狗，它們也加入了追獵的隊(duì)伍。兔子沿河飛奔，拐進(jìn)了一條小溪，躥上結(jié)冰的河床，跑得很穩(wěn)。兔子在雪地上跑得非常輕快，而那些狗全靠力氣才能破雪前進(jìn)。巴克率領(lǐng)多達(dá)六十條狗的隊(duì)伍拐了一個(gè)又一個(gè)彎，但就是追不上。它一邊急切地嗚嗚叫，一邊壓低身體追趕，強(qiáng)壯的身體一躍接一躍，在蒼白的月光下飛閃向前。而那只雪兔也是一躍接一躍，像一個(gè)蒼白的雪地幽靈飛閃向前。

人原有的本能在一定時(shí)期會(huì)騷動(dòng)起來，驅(qū)使人們離開喧囂的城市，來到森林和平原，用化學(xué)方法制造火藥推進(jìn)的鉛彈殺生，這是嗜血欲，是殺戮的快感——這一切都是巴克的本能，只是這種本能隱秘得多。它跑在狗群的前頭，追逐獵物那堆活生生的肉，用自己的牙齒咬死，把鼻、口泡在溫?zé)岬孽r血里，就露出兩只眼睛。

這是標(biāo)志生命頂峰的一種狂喜，這個(gè)頂峰生命無法超越。這就是生活的矛盾之處，最有活力時(shí)就會(huì)出現(xiàn)這種狂喜，完全忘記自己還活著時(shí)也會(huì)出現(xiàn)這種狂喜。這種狂喜，這種對(duì)生活的健忘常常在藝術(shù)家的身上出現(xiàn)，迷失在一片烈焰之中，忘卻了自己；這種狂喜常常出現(xiàn)在士兵的身上，在戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)上成為戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)狂，拒絕寬恕；這種狂喜出現(xiàn)在巴克的身上，它率領(lǐng)狗群，發(fā)出古老的狼嚎，奮力追趕在月光下飛快逃跑的活生生的獵物。它發(fā)出的聲音來自它本性的深處，來自它本性中比它自身更深的那些地方，正在返回孕育生命的初期。生命的真正沖擊，生命的浪潮涌動(dòng)，每一塊肌肉、每一處關(guān)節(jié)和筋腱都快樂起來，這一切超越死亡，它熾熱狂暴，以運(yùn)動(dòng)表現(xiàn)自己，歡欣鼓舞地在星光下飛奔，越過一動(dòng)不動(dòng)的死亡物體的表面。

但是，即使是在情緒最極端時(shí)，斯皮茨也沉著冷靜、攻于心計(jì)。它離開狗群，在小溪一處長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)轉(zhuǎn)彎的地方，抄近路通過一個(gè)狹窄地帶。巴克不知道這一點(diǎn)。所以，當(dāng)它轉(zhuǎn)過彎時(shí)，那只幽靈般的雪兔還在它面前飛掠。這時(shí)，它又看到一條個(gè)頭更大的雪地幽靈從懸垂的岸上飛身躍下，直接擋住了兔子的去路。那是斯皮茨。兔子轉(zhuǎn)不過頭了，當(dāng)雪白的牙齒在空中咬碎它的脊骨時(shí)，它發(fā)出了人遭到襲擊時(shí)發(fā)出的那種尖叫聲。這是生命從生命的頂峰落入死亡的魔掌時(shí)發(fā)出的叫聲。聽到這個(gè)聲音，巴克身后的整個(gè)狗群不約而同發(fā)出了一陣地獄般的歡叫。

巴克沒有大聲叫喊。它也沒有阻攔自己，而是縱身撲向斯皮茨，沖得太猛，跟斯皮茨擦肩而過，沒有咬住對(duì)方的喉嚨。它們?cè)诜勰畹难├餄L來滾去。斯皮茨好像沒有被撞倒過似的站起來，順著巴克的肩膀咬了一口，縱身跳開。當(dāng)它向后退想站得更穩(wěn)時(shí)，兩次緊咬牙關(guān)，就像陷阱里的鋼夾一樣，瘦薄的嘴唇抬起，憤怒地吼叫。

巴克立刻明白了。時(shí)機(jī)已經(jīng)到來。到了生死攸關(guān)的時(shí)刻。當(dāng)它們來回轉(zhuǎn)圈，咆哮著，耳朵貼后，機(jī)警地尋找著有利戰(zhàn)機(jī)時(shí)，巴克感受到了非常熟悉的場(chǎng)景。它仿佛都記起來了——白樹林、大地、月光，還有戰(zhàn)斗的刺激緊張。潔白寂靜的世界籠罩在一片幽靈般的寧靜之中。沒有一絲風(fēng)聲——什么都一動(dòng)不動(dòng)，沒有一片葉子顫動(dòng)，只看到群狗呼出的氣息慢慢升起，在寒冷的空氣中逗留。它們很快就吃掉了雪兔。這群狗都是沒有馴化好的狼。它們現(xiàn)在圍成一個(gè)圓圈，在期待什么。它們也一聲不吭，只看到它們閃閃發(fā)亮的眼睛和慢慢飄升的氣息。對(duì)巴克來說，這時(shí)的場(chǎng)景既不新鮮也不陌生，好像一向如此，是司空見慣的事兒。

斯皮茨是一個(gè)老練的戰(zhàn)士。它從斯皮茨卑爾根群島出發(fā)，穿過北冰洋，越過加拿大和不毛之地，面對(duì)形形色色的狗，都立于不敗之地，并制服了它們。它怒火中燒，但絕不盲目發(fā)火。它永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)忘記，在它處于撕咬和毀滅的激情之中時(shí)，對(duì)手也同樣處于撕咬和毀滅的激情之中。不準(zhǔn)備好迎接敵人的猛攻它絕不猛攻；不先防止好襲擊它絕不襲擊。

巴克努力去咬那條大白狗的脖子，但都失敗了。無論它的犬牙咬向哪處比較柔軟的部位，都被斯皮茨的犬牙給擋回來。犬牙撞擊犬牙，嘴唇破裂流血，但巴克無法穿透敵人的防守。于是，它激動(dòng)起來，旋風(fēng)般圍著斯皮茨連續(xù)猛撲。它一次又一次地設(shè)法咬那雪白的喉嚨，生命從那里汩汩冒出，接近體表。斯皮茨每次都反咬它一口，逃脫開來。接著，巴克又開始進(jìn)攻，好像撲向喉嚨，但突然縮回腦袋，繞到對(duì)方的一側(cè)，要用肩膀去撞斯皮茨的肩膀，想把對(duì)方撞翻。但相反，每次斯皮茨都輕松地跳到一邊，巴克的肩膀卻被咬破了。

巴克鮮血直流，氣喘吁吁，斯皮茨卻毫發(fā)無損。戰(zhàn)斗漸漸到了你死我活的地步。那圈像狼一樣的狗始終在默默等待，無論哪個(gè)倒下來，都會(huì)被干掉。巴克漸漸地上氣不接下氣，斯皮茨開始還擊，讓巴克搖搖晃晃，站不穩(wěn)當(dāng)。有一次，巴克翻了個(gè)跟頭，整個(gè)一圈的六十條狗都突然站起。但是，巴克幾乎還在空中就站了起來。于是，那群狗便又臥下來等待。

然而，巴克具有一種成就偉大的品質(zhì)——想象力。它憑本能作戰(zhàn)，但它也能用頭腦作戰(zhàn)。它撲上去，好像是在故技重演，撞對(duì)方的肩膀，但最后時(shí)刻，它匍匐在地，趴在雪里，咬住了斯皮茨的左前腿。只聽到腿骨斷裂的咔嚓聲，大白狗三條腿站立面對(duì)巴克。巴克第三次試圖撞倒對(duì)方，接著又故技重演，咬斷了斯皮茨的右前腿。盡管疼痛無助，但斯皮茨還是拼命掙扎，想站起來。它看到那群悄無聲息、眼睛發(fā)亮、舌頭耷拉、銀白色氣息飄升的狗把它團(tuán)團(tuán)圍住，這和過去它見過的逼近失敗對(duì)手的那些圈子相似。只有這一次是它被打敗了。

它沒有希望了。巴克殘酷無情。憐憫應(yīng)該用在更溫和的地方。它設(shè)法調(diào)整，準(zhǔn)備最后一撲。圈子收緊，直至它能感覺到那些愛斯基摩狗的呼吸噴到了它的腰窩。它可以看到，它們圍在斯皮茨身后和兩側(cè)，眼睛盯著它，半蹲著準(zhǔn)備躍起。一切似乎都停頓了下來。每只動(dòng)物都像變成了石頭一般一動(dòng)不動(dòng)。只有斯皮茨一瘸一拐來回走著，微微顫抖，毛發(fā)倒豎，發(fā)出可怕威脅的吼叫聲，好像要嚇跑即將到來的死神。隨后，巴克跳來跳去，但當(dāng)它跳來時(shí)，最后肩膀與肩膀正面相撞。在灑滿月光的雪地上，那個(gè)黑圈變成了一個(gè)點(diǎn)，斯皮茨從視野里消失了。巴克站在那里旁觀，只見這個(gè)成功的戰(zhàn)士，這個(gè)爭(zhēng)奪霸權(quán)的原始野獸，完成了搏殺，感覺很好。