Into the Primitive”Old longings nomadic leap, Chafing at custom’s chain; —
古老的渴望在内心野性地蠢动，对习俗的束缚感到不耐烦； —

Again from its brumal sleep Wakens the ferine strain.” —
再次从寒冷的冬眠中醒来，野性的本能开始蠢动； —

Buck did not read the newspapers, or he would have known thattrouble was brewing, not alone for himself, but for every tide- water dog,strong of muscle and with warm, long hair, from Puget Sound to SanDiego. Because men, groping in the Arctic darkness, had found ayellow metal, and because steamship and transportation companies werebooming the find, thousands of men were rushing into the Northland.
Buck 不看报纸，否则他就会知道麻烦正在酝酿，不仅仅是针对他自己，而且是针对从普吉特海湾到圣地亚哥的每一只肌肉发达、长毛温暖的海滨狗。因为在北极黑暗中，人们发现了一种黄色的金属，而船公司和运输公司正推崇这个发现，成千上万的人都涌向北方。

　　These men wanted dogs, and the dogs they wanted were heavy dogs,with strong muscles by which to toil, and furry coats to protect them from the frost.
这些人需要狗，他们需要有力的狗，拥有强壮肌肉和毛茸茸的外套，以保护它们免受寒冷的侵袭；

　　Buck lived at a big house in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley.
Buck 住在阳光普照的圣克拉拉谷的一座大房子里；

Judge Miller’s place, it was called. —
Judge Miller 的家，人们称之为； —

It stood back from the road, halfhidden among the trees, through which glimpses could be caught of thewide cool veranda that ran around its four sides. —
它后退离道路，半藏身在树木之间，透过那些树木可以看到环绕四周的宽敞凉爽的游廊； —

The house wasapproached by gravelled driveways which wound about through wide-spreading lawns and under the interlacing boughs of tall poplars. —
这座房子由碎石铺成的车道通向，车道蜿蜒穿过广阔的草坪，穿行于高大白杨林的交织树冠之下； —

Atthe rear things were on even a more spacious scale than at the front.
后院的规模比前院更宽敞；

　　There were great stables, where a dozen grooms and boys held forth,rows of vine-clad servants’ cottages, an endless and orderly array ofouthouses, long grape arbors, green pastures, orchards, and berry patches.
这里有巨大的马厩，有十几个马丁和男孩在那里务农，有爬满藤蔓的仆人小屋，一个没有尽头的整齐的农场，长长的葡萄藤架，绿色的牧场，果园和莓果园；

　　Then there was the pumping plant for the artesian well, and the bigcement tank where Judge Miller’s boys took their morning plunge andkept cool in the hot afternoon.
然后还有深水井的抽水设备，以及 Judge Miller 家伙们每天早上泡澡和在炎热的下午保持凉爽的大水泥水箱；

And over this great demesne Buck ruled. —
在这片广袤的土地上，Buck 占据着主导地位； —

Here he was born, andhere he had lived the four years of his life. —
他在这里出生，并在这里度过了他四岁的生命； —

It was true, there were otherdogs, There could not but be other dogs on so vast a place, but they didnot count. —
是的，还有其他的狗，这么大的地方肯定会有其他的狗，但他们不算数； —

They came and went, resided in the populous kennels, orlived obscurely in the recesses of the house after the fashion of Toots,the Japanese pug, or Ysabel, the Mexican hairless,–strange creaturesthat rarely put nose out of doors or set foot to ground. —
他们来了又去，住在繁华的狗舍里，或者像那些日本咕噜和墨西哥秃子伊莎贝尔那样，在房子的角落里默默无闻地生活；这些奇特的生物很少探出鼻子，也很少踏上土地。 —

On the other hand,there were the fox terriers, a score of them at least, who yelped fearfulpromises at Toots and Ysabel looking out of the windows at them andprotected by a legion of housemaids armed with brooms and mops.
另一方面，有狐狸梗，至少有二十只，在窗户外向着Toots和Ysabel狂叫着恐吓，被一群女仆武装着扫帚和拖把保护着。

But Buck was neither house-dog nor kennel-dog. The whole realmwas his. —
但Buck既不是家犬也不是犬舍里的狗。整个领地都属于他。 —

He plunged into the swimming tank or went hunting with theJudge’s sons; —
他跳进游泳池，或者和法官的儿子们一起去打猎； —

he escorted Mollie and Alice, the Judge’s daughters, onlong twilight or early morning rambles; —
他陪着Mollie和Alice，法官的女儿们，在黄昏或清晨漫步； —

on wintry nights he lay at theJudge’s feet before the roaring library fire; —
在寒冷的夜晚，他躺在法官的脚边，靠着熊熊燃烧的壁炉火； —

he carried the Judge’sgrandsons on his back, or rolled them in the grass, and guarded theirfootsteps through wild adventures down to the fountain in the stable yard,and even beyond, where the paddocks were, and the berry patches.
他背着法官的孙子们，或者在草地上和他们打闹，保护着他们的脚步进入马厩院子中的喷泉，甚至更远处，到草地和野果丛中。

　　Among the terriers he stalked imperiously, and Toots and Ysabel heutterly ignored, for he was king,–king over all creeping, crawling, flyingthings of Judge Miller’s place, humans included.
他在梗犬中昂首挺胸地昂首阔步，对于Toots和Ysabel，他完全不理睬，因为他是王者，统治着法官米勒家中所有爬行的、爬行的、飞行的生物，包括人类在内。

His father, Elmo, a huge St. Bernard, had been the Judge’sinseparable companion, and Buck bid fair to follow in the way of hisfather. —
他的父亲Elmo是一只巨大的圣伯纳犬，是法官的不可分割的伙伴，而Buck有望效仿他父亲的方式。 —

He was not so large,–he weighed only one hundred and fortypounds,–for his mother, Shep, had been a Scotch shepherd dog.
他体重不算很大，只有一百四十磅，因为他的母亲Shep是一只苏格兰牧羊犬。

Nevertheless, one hundred and forty pounds, to which was added thedignity that comes of good living and universal respect, enabled him tocarry himself in right royal fashion. —
尽管如此，一百四十磅，加上因美好生活和普遍尊重而带来的尊严，使他能够以王者的姿态行事。 —

During the four years since hispuppyhood he had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; —
自从幼犬时期以来的四年时间里，他过着饱足贵族的生活； —

he had a fine pridein himself, was even a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimesbecome because of their insular situation. —
他对自己非常自豪，甚至有点自负，就像乡绅有时因为他们的与众不同而变得自大。 —

But he had saved himself bynot becoming a mere pampered house-dog. —
但他通过不成为一个被宠坏的家犬而拯救了自己。 —

Hunting and kindredoutdoor delights had kept down the fat and hardened his muscles; —
狩猎和类似的户外乐趣使他保持苗条，并硬化了他的肌肉； —

and tohim, as to the cold-tubbing races, the love of water had been a tonic anda health preserver.
对他来说，就像寒冷浴族一样，对水的热爱成为一种强身健体的良药。

　　And this was the manner of dog Buck was in the fall of 1897, whenthe Klondike strike dragged men from all the world into the frozenNorth. But Buck did not read the newspapers, and he did not know thatManuel, one of the gardener’s helpers, was an undesirable acquaintance.
这就是1897年秋天巴克的狗性情，当时克朗代克金矿发现吸引了世界各地的人涌入冰冻的北方。但巴克从不看报纸，也不知道园丁助手之一的曼纽尔是个不良的朋友。

Manuel had one besetting sin. He loved to play Chinese lottery. —
曼努尔有一个致命的毛病，他喜欢玩中国彩票。 —

Also,in his gambling, he had one besetting weakness–faith in a system; —
在赌博中，他有一个致命的弱点–信奉一个系统； —

andthis made his damnation certain. For to play a system requires money,while the wages of a gardener’s helper do not lap over the needs of awife and numerous progeny.
这使得他的堕落成为必然。因为运用系统需要钱，而一个园丁助手的工资不够养活妻子和众多子女。

The Judge was at a meeting of the Raisin Growers’ Association, andthe boys were busy organizing an athletic club, on the memorable nightof Manuel’s treachery. —
法官正在葡萄种植者协会会议上，而那个令人难忘的夜晚，曼努尔背叛了。 —

No one saw him and Buck go off through theorchard on what Buck imagined was merely a stroll. —
没有人看到他和巴克穿过果园，以为仅仅是散步。 —

And with theexception of a solitary man, no one saw them arrive at the little flagstation known as College Park. This man talked with Manuel, andmoney chinked between them.
除了一个孤独的人外，没有人看到他们抵达被称为大学公园的小旗站。这个人和曼努尔谈了起来，两人之间传来了金钱的声音。

　　”You might wrap up the goods before you deliver ’m,” the strangersaid gruffly, and Manuel doubled a piece of stout rope around Buck’sneck under the collar.
“在交付之前，你最好把货物包好，”陌生人粗暴地说道，曼努尔在巴克的颈圈下用一根牢固的绳子缠了一圈。

　　”Twist it, an’ you’ll choke ’m plentee,” said Manuel, and the strangergrunted a ready affirmative.
“扭曲一下，你会把他勒死的，”曼努尔说道，陌生人准备地表示同意。

Buck had accepted the rope with quiet dignity. To be sure, it wasan unwonted performance: —
巴克以沉静的尊严接受了这根绳子。当然，这是一种不寻常的表演： —

but he had learned to trust in men he knew,and to give them credit for a wisdom that outreached his own. —
但他已经学会相信他认识的人，并视他们为超越自己的智慧的人。 —

Butwhen the ends of the rope were placed in the stranger’s hands, hegrowled menacingly. —
但当绳子的两端放在陌生人手中时，他愤怒地低声咆哮。 —

He had merely intimated his displeasure, in hispride believing that to intimate was to command. —
以他的自尊相信，示意就是命令。 —

But to his surprisethe rope tightened around his neck, shutting off his breath. —
但令他惊讶的是，绳子紧紧勒住了他的脖子，使他无法呼吸。 —

In quickrage he sprang at the man, who met him halfway, grappled him close bythe throat, and with a deft twist threw him over on his back. —
在快速的愤怒中，他向那个人扑去，后者与他半途相遇，抓住了他的喉咙，熟练地转身把他摔翻在背上。 —

Then therope tightened mercilessly, while Buck struggled in a fury, his tonguelolling out of his mouth and his great chest panting futilely. —
然后绳索无情地绷紧，巴克挣扎着愤怒地，他的舌头伸出嘴巴，他的胸膛剧烈地喘气。 —

Never inall his life had he been so vilely treated, and never in all his life had hebeen so angry. —
在他的一生中，他从未受到如此卑鄙的对待过，也从未如此愤怒过。 —

But his strength ebbed, his eyes glazed, and he knewnothing when the train was flagged and the two men threw him into the baggage car.
但是他的力量在减弱，他的眼睛变得呆滞，当火车被示意停下来并且两个人把他扔进行李车时，他一无所知。

The next he knew, he was dimly aware that his tongue was hurtingand that he was being jolted along in some kind of a conveyance. —
接下来他意识到，他的舌头受伤了，他正被摇晃在某种交通工具中。 —

Thehoarse shriek of a locomotive whistling a crossing told him where hewas. —
嘶哑的火车鸣笛声告诉他他所在的位置。 —

He had travelled too often with the Judge not to know thesensation of riding in a baggage car. —
他和法官一起旅行了太多次，以至于他知道了坐在行李车里的感觉。 —

He opened his eyes, and into themcame the unbridled anger of a kidnapped king. —
他睁开眼睛，一种被绑架的国王的愤怒涌上心头。 —

The man sprang for histhroat, but Buck was too quick for him. —
这人朝他的喉咙扑去，但巴克比他快。 —

His jaws closed on the hand,nor did they relax till his senses were choked out of him once more.
他的下颚咬住了那只手，直到他再次失去知觉。

“Yep, has fits,” the man said, hiding his mangled hand from thebaggageman, who had been attracted by the sounds of struggle. —
“是的，这狗有发作，”那人说着，把被斗争声音吸引过来的行李员躲开，“我把它带给老板去旧金山。那里有位出色的兽医认为他可以治好它。” —

“I’mtakin’ ’m up for the boss to ‘Frisco. A crack dog-doctor there thinks thathe can cure ’m.” —
关于那晚的旅程，这人自己在旧金山海滨的一家小酒吧后面的一个小棚子里最为生动地表达了。 —

Concerning that night’s ride, the man spoke most eloquently forhimself, in a little shed back of a saloon on the San Francisco water front.
“我只拿到了五十块，”他抱怨道，“拿到一千块现金，我也不会再做了。”

“All I get is fifty for it,” he grumbled; “an’ I wouldn’t do it over for athousand, cold cash.” —
他的手裹着一块血淋淋的手帕，右裤腿从膝盖到脚踝都被撕开了。 —

His hand was wrapped in a bloody handkerchief, and the righttrouser leg was ripped from knee to ankle.
“另外一个家伙拿了多少？”酒吧老板问道。

　　”How much did the other mug get?” the saloon-keeper demanded.
　　”一百块钱。”

“A hundred,” was the reply. “Wouldn’t take a sou less, so help me.” —
“一百。”回答道。“一文不少，救命。” —

“That makes a hundred and fifty,” the saloon-keeper calculated; —
“那就是一百五十。”酒吧老板算着； —

“andhe’s worth it, or I’m a squarehead.” —
“他值得，否则我就是个笨蛋。” —

The kidnapper undid the bloody wrappings and looked at hislacerated hand. —
绑架犯解开血迹斑斑的包裹，看着自己划破的手。 —

“If I don’t get the hydrophoby–”“It’ll be because you was born to hang,” laughed the saloon- keeper.
“如果我不得狂犬病——”“那就是因为天生要被绞死。”酒吧老板笑道。

　　”Here, lend me a hand before you pull your freight,” he added.
“来，过来帮我一把再走。”他补充道。

　　Dazed, suffering intolerable pain from throat and tongue, with thelife half throttled out of him, Buck attempted to face his tormentors.
恍惚中，喉咙和舌头疼痛难忍，生命被勒得几乎窒息的Buck试图面对折磨者。

But he was thrown down and choked repeatedly, till they succeeded infiling the heavy brass collar from off his neck. —
但他被扑倒并反复扼住，直到他们成功地从他的脖子上割下那个沉重的黄铜领圈。 —

Then the rope wasremoved, and he was flung into a cagelike crate.
然后绳子被解开，他被扔进了一只像笼子一样的板条箱。

There he lay for the remainder of the weary night, nursing his wrathand wounded pride. —
他躺在那里，度过了漫长的夜晚，憋着怒火和受伤的自尊。 —

He could not understand what it all meant. Whatdid they want with him, these strange men? —
他不明白这一切意味着什么。这些陌生人想要他做什么？ —

Why were they keepinghim pent up in this narrow crate? —
为什么他们将他囚禁在这个狭窄的板条箱里？ —

He did not know why, but he feltoppressed by the vague sense of impending calamity. —
他不知道为什么，但他感到被即将到来的不幸压迫着。 —

Several timesduring the night he sprang to his feet when the shed door rattled open,expecting to see the Judge, or the boys at least. —
整夜间，每当棚子的门被嘎响打开，他都会跳起来，期待看到法官，或者至少是那几个男孩。 —

But each time it wasthe bulging face of the saloon-keeper that peered in at him by the sicklylight of a tallow candle. —
但每次都是酒吧老板肿胀的脸庞，在灯烛微弱的光线下向他窥视。 —

And each time the joyful bark that trembled inBuck’s throat was twisted into a savage growl.
每次巴克喉咙里那欢快的吠声转变成了一声野蛮的咆哮。

But the saloon-keeper let him alone, and in the morning four menentered and picked up the crate. —
但酒馆老板放他一马，第二天早上四个人进来，捡起了板条箱。 —

More tormentors, Buck decided, forthey were evil-looking creatures, ragged and unkempt; —
更多的折磨者，巴克认定他们是邪恶的生物，衣衫褴褛，不整洁； —

and he stormedand raged at them through the bars. —
他对着它们怒吼，狂暴地攻击着笼中的囚禁之物。 —

They only laughed and pokedsticks at him, which he promptly assailed with his teeth till he realizedthat that was what they wanted. —
他们只是笑着，用棍子戳着他，他便立即用牙齿袭击，直到意识到这正是他们想要的。 —

Whereupon he lay down sullenly andallowed the crate to be lifted into a wagon. —
于是，他郁闷地躺下，允许笼子被装入一辆马车中。 —

Then he, and the crate inwhich he was imprisoned, began a passage through many hands.
然后他，以及他被监禁的箱子，开始经过许多人的手。

Clerks in the express office took charge of him; he was carted about inanother wagon; —
快递办公室的职员照管他；他被用另一辆马车运送； —

a truck carried him, with an assortment of boxes andparcels, upon a ferry steamer; —
一辆卡车载着他和一堆箱子和包裹上了渡轮； —

he was trucked off the steamer into a greatrailway depot, and finally he was deposited in an express car.
他被卸下轮渡，进入一个巨大的火车站，最后被放入快递车厢中。

For two days and nights this express car was dragged along at thetail of shrieking locomotives; and for two days and nights Buck neitherate nor drank. —
这辆快递车厢被尖叫的火车拖行了两天两夜；两天两夜巴克既不吃也不喝。 —

In his anger he had met the first advances of the expressmessengers with growls, and they had retaliated by teasing him. —
在愤怒中，他遇到了快递员的第一次接近，用咆哮回应，而他们则以戏弄他作为报复。 —

Whenhe flung himself against the bars, quivering and frothing, they laughed athim and taunted him. —
当他撞向栅栏，哆嗦着口吐白沫时，他们嘲笑他，奚落他。 —

They growled and barked like detestable dogs,mewed, and flapped their arms and crowed. —
他们像可憎的狗一样咆哮和吠叫，喵喵叫，拍打着自己的胳膊，欢呼。 —

It was all very silly, heknew; but therefore the more outrage to his dignity, and his anger waxedand waxed. —
他知道这一切都很愚蠢；但因此对他的尊严造成了更大的侮辱，于是他的愤怒不断增长。 —

He did not mind the hunger so much, but the lack of watercaused him severe suffering and fanned his wrath to fever-pitch. —
他并不太在意饥饿，但缺水让他受尽折磨，激起了他的愤怒到了顶点。 —

Forthat matter, high-strung and finely sensitive, the ill treatment had flunghim into a fever, which was fed by the inflammation of his parched andswollen throat and tongue.
对于这件事，性格敏感、易激动的他被苦待激怒成发烧，因为喉咙和舌头发炎膨胀。

He was glad for one thing: the rope was off his neck. That hadgiven them an unfair advantage; —
他为一件事感到高兴：绳子从脖子上解开了。那让他们占了不公平的便宜； —

but now that it was off, he would showthem. They would never get another rope around his neck. —
但现在绳子解开了，他要向他们展现。他们永远别想再用绳子套住他的脖子。 —

Upon thathe was resolved. For two days and nights he neither ate nor drank, andduring those two days and nights of torment, he accumulated a fund ofwrath that boded ill for whoever first fell foul of him. —
他决心如此。在两天两夜里，他既不进食也不饮水，在那两天两夜的折磨中，他积累了一股愤怒，对第一个惹恼他的人不妙。 —

His eyes turnedblood-shot, and he was metamorphosed into a raging fiend. —
他的眼睛变得充血，他变成了愤怒的恶魔。 —

Sochanged was he that the Judge himself would not have recognized him; —
他变化如此之大，以至于连法官自己都认不出他； —

and the express messengers breathed with relief when they bundled himoff the train at Seattle.
快车的信使们把他从火车上拉下来，松了口气。

Four men gingerly carried the crate from the wagon into a small,high-walled back yard. —
四个男人小心地把箱子从马车上搬进一个高墙的小后院。 —

A stout man, with a red sweater that saggedgenerously at the neck, came out and signed the book for the driver.
一位身穿松垮的红色毛衣的壮汉走出来，为司机签了收据。

That was the man, Buck divined, the next tormentor, and he hurledhimself savagely against the bars. —
那就是那个人，巴克预料到，下一个折磨者，他愤怒地扑向铁栏。 —

The man smiled grimly, and broughta hatchet and a club.
壮汉冷冷地笑了笑，拿来一把斧头和一根棍棒。

　　”You ain’t going to take him out now?” the driver asked.
“你们现在就不把他带出来了？” 司机问道。

　　”Sure,” the man replied, driving the hatchet into the crate for a pry.
“当然，” 壮汉答道，用斧头撬着箱子。

　　There was an instantaneous scattering of the four men who hadcarried it in, and from safe perches on top the wall they prepared towatch the performance.
进行这一操作时，曾经搬进来的四个人立刻四处散开，站到围墙上安全的地方准备观看这场表演。

Buck rushed at the splintering wood, sinking his teeth into it, surgingand wrestling with it. —
巴克冲向裂开的木头，咬住它，挣扎着与之搏斗。 —

Wherever the hatchet fell on the outside, he wasthere on the inside, snarling and growling, as furiously anxious to get outas the man in the red sweater was calmly intent on getting him out.
无论斧头在外面砍下去的地方，他都在里面，咆哮着、吠叫着，如同红衣汉那样平静地意图把他赶出来时，他同样急切地想要离开。

“Now, you red-eyed devil,” he said, when he had made an openingsufficient for the passage of Buck’s body. —
“现在，你这只红眼睛的恶鬼，”当他打开了足够让巴克通过的口子时，他说。 —

At the same time he droppedthe hatchet and shifted the club to his right hand.
与此同时，他丢下斧头，将棍棒换到右手。

And Buck was truly a red-eyed devil, as he drew himself together forthe spring, hair bristling, mouth foaming, a mad glitter in his blood-shoteyes. —
而巴克确实是只红眼睛的恶鬼，当他调整好自己准备跳跃时，蓬乱着的毛发、口出白沫，血红的眼睛里闪烁着疯狂的光芒。 —

Straight at the man he launched his one hundred and fortypounds of fury, surcharged with the pent passion of two days and nights.
他用一百四十磅的愤怒，承载着两天两夜的愤怒，向着那人猛扑过去。

In mid air, just as his jaws were about to close on the man, he received ashock that checked his body and brought his teeth together with anagonizing clip. —
正当他的下颚即将咬住那人时，他受到了一个震撼，使他的身体停顿，牙齿发出痛苦的一夹。 —

He whirled over, fetching the ground on his back andside. —
他倒下，背朝上，身体一侧。 —

He had never been struck by a club in his life, and did notunderstand. —
他一生中从未被棍棒击打过，他不明白。 —

With a snarl that was part bark and more scream he wasagain on his feet and launched into the air. —
他发出部分狂吠声、部分尖叫声的咆哮，再次站了起来，跃向空中。 —

And again the shock cameand he was brought crushingly to the ground. —
但又一次震撼到来，他被重重地摔到地上。 —

This time he was awarethat it was the club, but his madness knew no caution. —
这次他意识到是那根棍棒，但他的疯狂不知道什么是谨慎。 —

A dozen timeshe charged, and as often the club broke the charge and smashed him down.
他冲锋了十多次，每次棍棒都打断了冲击并将他摔倒。

After a particularly fierce blow, he crawled to his feet, too dazed torush. —
经过一次尤为猛烈的打击后，他爬起来，已经晕头转向，无力再冲锋。 —

He staggered limply about, the blood flowing from nose andmouth and ears, his beautiful coat sprayed and flecked with bloodyslaver. —
他摇摇晃晃地走动着，鼻子、嘴巴和耳朵里流着血，他美丽的皮毛上布满了含着血的唾液。 —

Then the man advanced and deliberately dealt him a frightfulblow on the nose. —
然后那个男人走上前去，有意识地对他的鼻子造成了一击可怕的打击。 —

All the pain he had endured was as nothingcompared with the exquisite agony of this. —
他忍受的所有痛苦和这种极致的痛苦相比简直不算什么。 —

With a roar that was almostlionlike in its ferocity, he again hurled himself at the man. —
他发出了几乎像狮子一样凶猛的吼叫，再次冲向那个男人。 —

But the man,shifting the club from right to left, coolly caught him by the under jaw,at the same time wrenching downward and backward. —
但是那个男人将木棒从右手转移到左手，冷静地抓住了他的下颌，同时向下向后猛拽。 —

Buck describeda complete circle in the air, and half of another, then crashed to theground on his head and chest.
Buck在空中画了一个完整的圆圈，还有半个圆圈，然后摔到地上，头和胸部着地。

　　For the last time he rushed. The man struck the shrewd blow hehad purposely withheld for so long, and Buck crumpled up and wentdown, knocked utterly senseless.
他最后一次冲向那个男人了。那人打出了他故意保留了很久的狠招，Buck完全失去了意识，倒地不起。

　　”He’s no slouch at dog-breakin’, that’s wot I say,” one of the men onthe wall cried enthusiastically.
“他在驯养狗的领域可不是善茬，这就是我说的，”墙上的一个人热情地喊道。

　　”Druther break cayuses any day, and twice on Sundays,” was thereply of the driver, as he climbed on the wagon and started the horses.
“我每天都选驯马，而且星期天会选两次，”车夫回答说，他爬上马车，开始了马匹。

Buck’s senses came back to him, but not his strength. —
Buck的感觉恢复了，但他的力气还没有。 —

He lay wherehe had fallen, and from there he watched the man in the red sweater.
他躺着没有爬起来，从那里看着穿着红色毛衣的男人。

” ‘Answers to the name of Buck,’ “ the man soliloquized, quotingfrom the saloon-keeper’s letter which had announced the consignment ofthe crate and contents. —
” ‘回答巴克这个名字，’ “那个男人自言自语，引用了酒馆老板的信件，宣布了箱子和周围物品的交接。 —

“Well, Buck, my boy,” he went on in a genialvoice, “we’ve had our little ruction, and the best thing we can do is to letit go at that. —
“好了，Buck，老兄，”他以友好的语调继续说道，”我们已经有过小小的摩擦，最好的做法就是放下吧。 —

You’ve learned your place, and I know mine. —
你学会了你的位置，我知道我的。 —

Be a gooddog and all ’ll go well and the goose hang high. —
做个好狗，一切都会顺利，皆大欢喜。 —

Be a bad dog, and I’llwhale the stuffin’ outa you. Understand?” —
做个坏狗，我会狠揍你。明白吗？” —

As he spoke he fearlessly patted the head he had so mercilesslypounded, and though Buck’s hair involuntarily bristled at touch of thehand, he endured it without protest. —
当他说话时，他毫不畏惧地轻拍了那个他曾经无情地殴打过的头颅，虽然巴克的毛发在手的触碰下不由自主地竖起来，但他默默忍受了。 —

When the man brought him waterhe drank eagerly, and later bolted a generous meal of raw meat, chunkby chunk, from the man’s hand.
当那人给他带来水时，他渴望地喝了起来，后来又从那人手中大口吞下了一顿丰盛的生肉。

He was beaten (he knew that); but he was not broken. —
他被打败了（他知道这一点）；但他并没有被打垮。 —

He saw, oncefor all, that he stood no chance against a man with a club. —
他看到了，一办永久的，他无法对抗手持木棍的人。 —

He hadlearned the lesson, and in all his after life he never forgot it. That clubwas a revelation. —
他领悟到了这个教训，并且在以后的生活中从未忘记过。那根木棍是一次启示。 —

It was his introduction to the reign of primitive law,and he met the introduction halfway. —
这是他进入原始法则统治的引子，他对此表示赞同。 —

The facts of life took on a fierceraspect; —
生活的事实变得更加残酷； —

and while he faced that aspect uncowed, he faced it with all thelatent cunning of his nature aroused. —
而他面对这种残酷并未畏缩，他用觉醒的潜在狡猾来对抗。 —

As the days went by, other dogscame, in crates and at the ends of ropes, some docilely, and some ragingand roaring as he had come; —
随着日子一天天过去，其他狗也陆续来了，有些安静，有些像他一样狂吠咆哮； —

and, one and all, he watched them passunder the dominion of the man in the red sweater. —
他们来时，有的被关在笼子里，有的被拴在绳子的尽头，无论怎样，他都看着它们在红衣男人的支配下迈过去。 —

Again and again, ashe looked at each brutal performance, the lesson was driven home toBuck: —
每次看着那些残忍的表演，巴克都再次感觉到一个教训： —

a man with a club was a lawgiver, a master to be obeyed, thoughnot necessarily conciliated. —
一个手持木棍的人是一个立法者，一个必须服从但不一定要讨好的主人。 —

Of this last Buck was never guilty, thoughhe did see beaten dogs that fawned upon the man, and wagged their tails,and licked his hand. —
巴克从来没有犯过这种错，虽然他看到其他被打败的狗会对那个男人谄媚，摇尾巴，舔他的手。 —

Also he saw one dog, that would neither conciliatenor obey, finally killed in the struggle for mastery.
他也看到了一只狗，既不讨好也不服从，最终在争夺主导权的斗争中被杀死。

　　Now and again men came, strangers, who talked excitedly,wheedlingly, and in all kinds of fashions to the man in the red sweater.
偶尔会有陌生人来，他们激动地，阿谀地以各种方式与穿红衣的男人交谈。

And at such times that money passed between them the strangers tookone or more of the dogs away with them. —
在这种时候，人们之间传递金钱时，陌生人们会带走其中一只或更多的狗。 —

Buck wondered where theywent, for they never came back; —
Buck想知道它们去了哪里，因为它们再也没有回来过； —

but the fear of the future was strongupon him, and he was glad each time when he was not selected.
但对未来的恐惧强烈地笼罩着它，每次当它没有被选择时，它都感到高兴。

　　Yet his time came, in the end, in the form of a little weazened manwho spat broken English and many strange and uncouth exclamationswhich Buck could not understand.
然而，最终，他的时机来了，以一个矮小、脸色枯黄的人的形象出现，他说着断断续续的英语和许多奇怪、粗俗的呐喊，Buck听不懂。

“Sacredam!” he cried, when his eyes lit upon Buck. “Dat one dambully dog! Eh? How moch?” —
“天哪！”当他看到Buck时,他喊道,“那只该死的欺负狗！嗯？多少钱?” —

“Three hundred, and a present at that,” was the prompt reply of theman in the red sweater. —
“三百，而且还有个礼物,” 穿着红毛衣的那人迅速回答。 —

“And seem’ it’s government money, you ain’tgot no kick coming, eh, Perrault?“Perrault grinned. —
“而看起来是政府的钱，你也别抱怨，对吧，Perrault？” Perrault咧嘴笑了。 —

Considering that the price of dogs had beenboomed skyward by the unwonted demand, it was not an unfair sum forso fine an animal. —
考虑到狗的价格因史无前例的需求而飙升，对这样一只如此优秀的动物来说，这并不是不公平的数目。 —

The Canadian Government would be no loser, norwould its despatches travel the slower. —
加拿大政府将不会亏损，也不会因此导致派件延迟。 —

Perrault knew dogs, and whenhe looked at Buck he knew that he was one in a thousand– “One in tent’ousand,” he commented mentally.
Perrault懂狗，当他看向Buck时，他知道他是千里挑一 – “One in tent’ousand,” 他在心中评价道。

Buck saw money pass between them, and was not surprised whenCurly, a good-natured Newfoundland, and he were led away by the littleweazened man. —
Buck看到他们之间有钱来往，当Curly和它被那个矮小的男人带走时也不感到惊讶。 —

That was the last he saw of the man in the red sweater,and as Curly and he looked at receding Seattle from the deck of theNarwhal, it was the last he saw of the warm Southland. —
那是他最后一次看到穿红毛衣的男人，当Curly和它俯视船尾看着背离的西雅图时，这也是它们最后看到温暖的南国。 —

Curly and hewere taken below by Perrault and turned over to a black-faced giantcalled Francois. —
Curly和它被Perrault带到下面，并交给了一个名叫弗朗索瓦的黑面巨人。 —

Perrault was a French-Canadian, and swarthy; —
Perrault是一个法裔加拿大人，黑黑的皮肤； —

butFrancois was a French-Canadian half-breed, and twice as swarthy.
而弗朗索瓦是一个法裔加拿大人混血儿，皮肤更加黝黑。

They were a new kind of men to Buck (of which he was destined to seemany more), and while he developed no affection for them, he none theless grew honestly to respect them. —
他们对巴克来说是一种新类型的人（他注定会见到更多），尽管他并没有对他们产生情感，但却真诚地尊重他们。 —

He speedily learned that Perraultand Francois were fair men, calm and impartial in administering justice,and too wise in the way of dogs to be fooled by dogs.
他很快就发现佩罗和弗朗索瓦是公正的人，冷静和公正地施行法律，对狗的方式也很明智，不会被狗所愚弄。

In the ‘tween-decks of the Narwhal, Buck and Curly joined two otherdogs. —
在那独角兽号的’甲板间，巴克和卡利加入了另外两只狗。 —

One of them was a big, snow-white fellow from Spitzbergenwho had been brought away by a whaling captain, and who had lateraccompanied a Geological Survey into the Barrens. —
其中一只是一只来自斯匹次卑尔根的雪白大家伙，曾被一艘捕鲸船船长带走，后来又跟随一支地质调查队进入荒原。 —

He was friendly, ina treacherous sort of way, smiling into one’s face the while he meditatedsome underhand trick, as, for instance, when he stole from Buck’s foodat the first meal. —
他是友好的，但是性情阴险，一面对着你微笑，一面在想着一些暗算，比如，在第一顿饭时偷了巴克的食物。 —

As Buck sprang to punish him, the lash of Francois’swhip sang through the air, reaching the culprit first; —
当巴克扑向惩罚他时，弗朗索瓦的鞭子痛飕飕地在空中响起，首先打中了罪犯； —

and nothingremained to Buck but to recover the bone. —
对于巴克来说，除了取回那块骨头，别无选择。 —

That was fair of Francois, hedecided, and the half-breed began his rise in Buck’s estimation.
那在巴克看来是公平的，于是混血开始在巴克的认可中升高。

The other dog made no advances, nor received any; —
另一只狗没有做出任何举动，也没有受到任何对待； —

also, he did not attempt to steal from the newcomers. —
同样，他也没有尝试从新来者那里偷东西。 —

He was a gloomy, morose fellow,and he showed Curly plainly that all he desired was to be left alone, andfurther, that there would be trouble if he were not left alone. —
他是一只忧郁、愠怒的家伙，明显告诉卡利他所渴望的只是被安静地留下，而且，如果不让他安静，那就会有麻烦。 —

“Dave” hewas called, and he ate and slept, or yawned between times, and tookinterest in nothing, not even when the Narwhal crossed Queen CharlotteSound and rolled and pitched and bucked like a thing possessed. —
他被称为“戴夫”，白天晚上吃吃睡睡，或者之间打哈欠，对任何事情都不感兴趣，哪怕是那天独角兽号在夏洛特皇后海峡翻滚摇晃得像是被附身的东西。 —

WhenBuck and Curly grew excited, half wild with fear, he raised his head asthough annoyed, favored them with an incurious glance, yawned, andwent to sleep again.
当巴克和卡利变得兴奋，半疯狂的恐惧时，他抬起头，好像有些烦恼，对他们投以无动于衷的一瞥，打了个哈欠，然后又去睡觉了。

Day and night the ship throbbed to the tireless pulse of the propeller,and though one day was very like another, it was apparent to Buck thatthe weather was steadily growing colder. —
白天和黑夜里，船只一直在无休止地跟着螺旋桨的脉动而震动，虽然一天与另一天如出一辙，但巴克明显感觉到天气逐渐变得更冷。 —

At last, one morning, thepropeller was quiet, and the Narwhal was pervaded with an atmosphereof excitement. —
最后，有一天早晨，螺旋桨停止了转动，独角兽号充满了一种兴奋的氛围。 —

He felt it, as did the other dogs, and knew that a changewas at hand. —
他感受到了变化，其他狗也是，他知道一场变化即将发生。 —

Francois leashed them and brought them on deck. —
弗朗索瓦给他们套上绳子，带他们走到甲板上。 —

Atthe first step upon the cold surface, Buck’s feet sank into a white mushysomething very like mud. —
在冰冷的表面上迈出的第一步，巴克的脚陷入了一团像泥一样的白色糊状物。 —

He sprang back with a snort. More of thiswhite stuff was falling through the air. —
他吓得一个响鼻子退了回去。更多的白色东西正从空中飘落。 —

He shook himself, but more of itfell upon him. —
他摇摇身子，但更多的又落在了他身上。 —

He sniffed it curiously, then licked some up on histongue. —
他好奇地嗅了嗅，然后舔了舔舌头。 —

It bit like fire, and the next instant was gone. This puzzledhim. —
它刺得像火，下一瞬间就消失了。这让他感到困惑。 —

He tried it again, with the same result. —
他再试了一次，结果一样。 —

The onlookers laugheduproariously, and he felt ashamed, he knew not why, for it was his firstsnow.
旁观者们哄堂大笑，他感到很尴尬，却不知道为什么，因为这是他的第一场雪。