狼圖騰(英文版)

第6部分 (第5/7頁)

　the　dam　to　release　floodwaters。　As　soon　as　the　gazelles　that　had　maintained　their　running　speed　and　kept　their　horns　out　in　front　had　passed　through　the　open　dam；　he　led　his　troops　in　closing　the　breach。　Now　the　encirclement　con—tained　only　gazelles　that　could　not　run　fast；　had　no　weapons；　and　were　not　very　smart。　A　ragtag　pack　of　them；　now　that　their　leaders　and　more　powerful　males　were　outside　the　circle；　terrified　to　face　the　charging　wolves；　ran　up　the　slope　and　then　down　into　the　deep　snowdrifts。　Chen　knew　at　once　how　the　pursued　animals—with　their　pointed　hooves；　thick　legs；　and　bellies　filled　with　grass—would　end　up。

Both　gazelles　and　wolves　disappeared　where　the　mountain　met　the　horizon。　As　a　thousand　gazelles　ran　for　their　lives；　the　blood…　soaked　encirclement　area　went　quiet。　Seven　or　eight　carcasses　lay　on　the　grassy　slope；　other　injured　members　of　the　herd　struggled　weakly。　No　more　than　ten　minutes　had　passed　from　the　moment　the　attack　was　launched　until　the　battle　was　over。　It　seemed　to　Chen　that　he　had　held　his　breath　the　whole　time；　his　heart　was　racing。

The　old　man　stood　up　and　stretched；　then　sat cross…legged　in　the　tall　grass　on　the　edge　of　the　snow　cave；　where　he　took　a　pipe　with　a　jade　mouthpiece　out　of　his　felt　boot。　He　filled　it　with　tobacco；　lit　it；　and；　covering　the　opening　with　a　lid　made　of　an　old　silver　coin；　inhaled　a　mouthful　of　smoke。

Chen　knew　that　as　a　young　man；　Bilgee　had　given　a　Han　Chinese　trader　from　Zhangjiakou　twenty　fox　pelts　for　this　pipe；　the　students　considered　it　a　bad　deal；　but　the　pipe　was　one　of　the　old　man’s　prized　possessions；　and　he　had　sympathized　with　the　trader；　who’d　had　to　travel　all　the　way　to　Mongolia　to　do　business；　risking　death　at　the　hands　of　highwaymen　along　the　way。

The　old　man