狼圖騰(英文版)

第6部分 (第4/7頁)

　for　the　standing　clusters　of　animals。　The　larger　wolves　quickly　brought　down　victims　and　bit　through　their　throats；　sending　crimson　streams　gushing　into　the　air　and　staining　the　snow。　The　frigid　air　suddenly　filled　with　the　heavy　stink　of　blood。　The　gazelles；　with　their　keen　sight　and　smell；　were　so　terrified　by　this　strategy—killing　the　chickens　to　frighten　the　monkeys—they　broke　for　the　mountain。　Sev—eral　large　bucks　led　families　of　gazelles　up　to　the　top　of　the　slope；　where　they　stopped　and　ran　around　in　circles；　unwilling　to　go　down　the　other　side。　Obviously；　the　lead　animals　had　discovered　the　danger　in　the　white　snowdrift；　where　not　a　single　stalk　of　grass　was　visible；　the　older　animals；　who　were　familiar　with　the　landscape；　had　seen　through　the　wolves’　strategy。

狼圖騰（英文版）　2（11）

All　of　a　sudden；　the　closely　packed　group　of　gazelles　turned　and　came　back　down；　like　a　landslide；　as　a　dozen　or　so　large　males　weighed　the　dangers　they　faced。　They　decided　on　the　least　risky　choice　by　turn—ing　to　break　through　the　encirclement。

The　bucks　knew　that　their　fate　hung　in　the　balance。　In　groups　of　four　or　five；　shoulder　to　shoulder；　they　lowered　their　heads　to　create　a　phalanx　of　deadly　horns　and　charged　the　wolves。　Other　gazelles　that　could　still　run　fell　in　behind　them。

Chen　knew　the　damage　those　horns　could　do。　On　the　grassland；　herdsmen　used　them　as　leatherworking　needles；　so　sharp　they　could　penetrate　cowhide；　wolf　skin　would　be　no　problem。　The　counterattack　worked　as　they　tore　a　hole　in　the　encirclement；　through　which　a　yellow　flood　poured。　Chen　Zhen　tensed；　afraid　that　this　rent　in　the　line　would　ruin　the　wolf　pack’s　plans。

But　then　he　discovered　the　pack　leader　standing　near　the　break　in　the　line；　looking　untroubled；　like　a　man　opening