For the Love of a ManWhen John Thornton froze his feet in the previous December hispartners had made him comfortable and left him to get well, going onthemselves up the river to get out a raft of saw-logs for Dawson. —
对于一个人的爱 —

Hewas still limping slightly at the time he rescued Buck, but with thecontinued warm weather even the slight limp left him. —
他在救了巴克之前仍然稍微跛行，但随着持续的温暖天气，即使是轻微的跛行也离他而去了。 —

And here, lyingby the river bank through the long spring days, watching the runningwater, listening lazily to the songs of birds and the hum of nature, Buckslowly won back his strength.
在整个春天的长日里躺在河岸边，看着奔腾的河水，懒散地倾听着鸟儿的歌声和大自然的嗡嗡声，巴克慢慢地恢复了体力。

A rest comes very good after one has travelled three thousand miles,and it must be confessed that Buck waxed lazy as his wounds healed, hismuscles swelled out, and the flesh came back to cover his bones. —
一个人行走了三千英里后，休息是非常必要的，必须承认，随着他伤口愈合，肌肉膨胀，肉质再度覆盖骨头，巴克变得懒洋洋起来。 —

Forthat matter, they were all loafing,–Buck, John Thornton, and Skeet andNig,–waiting for the raft to come that was to carry them down toDawson. —
就这件事而言，他们都在闲逛着——巴克、约翰·桑顿还有斯基特和尼格——等待着要把他们带到道森的筏子到来。 —

Skeet was a little Irish setter who early made friends withBuck, who, in a dying condition, was unable to resent her first advances.
斯基特是一只小爱尔兰雪纳瑞，早早地与巴克成为朋友，巴克因濒临死亡而无法反击她的第一次接触。

She had the doctor trait which some dogs possess; —
她拥有一些狗类具备的医生特质； —

and as a mother catwashes her kittens, so she washed and cleansed Buck’s wounds.
就像母猫舔洗她的小猫一样，她清洗并包扎了巴克的伤口。

Regularly, each morning after he had finished his breakfast, sheperformed her self- appointed task, till he came to look for herministrations as much as he did for Thornton’s. —
每天早餐过后，她都会规律地为他治疗伤口，直到他开始期待她的治疗，就像期待桑顿一样。 —

Nig, equally friendly,though less demonstrative, was a huge black dog, half bloodhound andhalf deerhound, with eyes that laughed and a boundless good nature.
尼格同样友好，虽然不那么热情洋溢，是一只巨大的黑狗，一半猎犬一半鹿猎犬，眼睛里闪着笑意，拥有无尽的善良。

　　To Buck’s surprise these dogs manifested no jealousy toward him.
让巴克惊讶的是，这些狗对他没有表现出嫉妒。

　　They seemed to share the kindliness and largeness of John Thornton.
他们似乎分享着约翰·桑顿的仁慈和宽大。

As Buck grew stronger they enticed him into all sorts of ridiculousgames, in which Thornton himself could not forbear to join; —
随着巴克变得更强壮，他们引诱他参与各种荒谬的游戏，桑顿自己也忍不住加入其中； —

and in thisfashion Buck romped through his convalescence and into a newexistence. —
就这样，巴克在疗养过程中欢快地玩耍，走入了一个全新的生活。 —

Love, genuine passionate love, was his for the first time.
爱，真挚而热烈的爱，是他第一次拥有的。

This he had never experienced at Judge Miller’s down in the sun-kissedSanta Clara Valley. —
这是他从未在阳光普照的圣克拉拉谷米勒法官家里经历过的。 —

With the Judge’s sons, hunting and tramping, it hadbeen a working partnership; —
在米勒法官的儿子们一起打猎和徒步时，这是一种合作关系; —

with the Judge’s grandsons, a sort ofpompous guardianship; —
而与米勒法官的孙子们一起时，是一种有些自大的监护关系; —

and with the Judge himself, a stately anddignified friendship. —
与米勒法官本人一起时，是一种庄严而尊贵的友谊。 —

But love that was feverish and burning, that wasadoration, that was madness, it had taken John Thornton to arouse.
但狂热和灼热的爱情，那是崇拜，那是疯狂，只有约翰·桑顿才能唤起。

This man had saved his life, which was something; but, further, hewas the ideal master. —
这个人救过他的命，这是一件大事; 但更进一步，他是理想的主人。 —

Other men saw to the welfare of their dogs froma sense of duty and business expediency; —
其他男人为了责任感和商业上的利益而照顾他们的狗; —

he saw to the welfare of his asif they were his own children, because he could not help it. —
他却像照顾自己的孩子一样照顾他们，因为他控制不住自己。 —

And he sawfurther. He never forgot a kindly greeting or a cheering word, and to sitdown for a long talk with them (“gas” he called it) was as much hisdelight as theirs. —
他看得更深入。他从不会忘记友好的问候或鼓励的话语，与他们坐下长谈(他称之为“废话”)，与他们相处是他和他们一样的乐趣。 —

He had a way of taking Buck’s head roughly betweenhis hands, and resting his own head upon Buck’s, of shaking him backand forth, the while calling him ill names that to Buck were love names.
他有一种粗鲁地用手捧住巴克的头，把自己的头放在巴克的头上的方式，同时摇动他，同时叫他不好听的名字，而对巴克来说，那是爱的名字。

Buck knew no greater joy than that rough embrace and the sound ofmurmured oaths, and at each jerk back and forth it seemed that his heartwould be shaken out of his body so great was its ecstasy. —
巴克知道没有比那个粗鲁的拥抱和低语的声音更令人愉快的了，每一次来回摇动似乎他的心会被摇出来那么大是因为他的狂喜。 —

And when,released, he sprang to his feet, his mouth laughing, his eyes eloquent, histhroat vibrant with unuttered sound, and in that fashion remainedwithout movement, John Thornton would reverently exclaim, “God! —
当放开他，他跳起来，嘴笑，眼神流露，喉咙发出无法言表的声音，以那样的方式保持不动，约翰·桑顿就会恭敬地称赞说：“天哪！你几乎会说话了！” —

you can all but speak!“Buck had a trick of love expression that was akin to hurt. —
巴克有一种类似受伤的爱表达方式。 —

He wouldoften seize Thornton’s hand in his mouth and close so fiercely that theflesh bore the impress of his teeth for some time afterward. —
他经常会凶猛地咬住桑顿的手，紧闭着，以至于肉上留下他牙印印记一段时间。 —

And asBuck understood the oaths to be love words, so the man understood thisfeigned bite for a caress.
正如巴克认为咒骂是爱的话语一样，这个人理解这种假装的咬是一种爱抚。

　　For the most part, however, Buck’s love was expressed in adoration.
然而，大部分时间，巴克的爱是通过崇拜表达的。

While he went wild with happiness when Thornton touched him orspoke to him, he did not seek these tokens. —
当桑顿触摸他或对他说话时，他会因为过于幸福而变得疯狂，但他并不主动寻求这些表示。 —

Unlike Skeet, who waswont to shove her nose under Thornton’s hand and nudge and nudge tillpetted, or Nig, who would stalk up and rest his great head on Thornton’sknee, Buck was content to adore at a distance. —
与Skeet不同，Skeet常常会把鼻子伸到桑顿的手下，用力推搡直到被抚摸，或者Nig，Nig会走过去，把他那个巨大的头放在桑顿的膝盖上，巴克则满足于远远地崇拜。 —

He would lie by thehour, eager, alert, at Thornton’s feet, looking up into his face, dwellingupon it, studying it, following with keenest interest each fleetingexpression, every movement or change of feature. —
他会躺在桑顿脚边，时刻都充满着渴望和警觉，注视着他的脸，思考着，研究着，对他脸上每个飞逝的表情，每一个表情的变化都始终保持最敏锐的兴趣。 —

Or, as chance mighthave it, he would lie farther away, to the side or rear, watching theoutlines of the man and the occasional movements of his body. —
或者，可能那一刻，他会躺得更远一些，靠在一侧或后面，关注着这个人的外形和偶尔的行动。 —

Andoften, such was the communion in which they lived, the strength ofBuck’s gaze would draw John Thornton’s head around, and he wouldreturn the gaze, without speech, his heart shining out of his eyes asBuck’s heart shone out.
他们之间的交流是如此深刻，致使巴克目光的力量引导约翰·桑顿的头转过来，他也会毫无言语地回望，他的眼睛中发出的心意就像巴克眼中闪现的一样。

For a long time after his rescue, Buck did not like Thornton to getout of his sight. —
在获救后的相当一段时间里，巴克不喜欢桑顿离开他的眼帘。 —

From the moment he left the tent to when he entered itagain, Buck would follow at his heels. —
从他离开帐篷的那一刻到他再次进入，巴克会紧随其后。 —

His transient masters since he hadcome into the Northland had bred in him a fear that no master could bepermanent. —
自从来到北国以来，他一直在接受临时主人，这在他心中植下了一种害怕，即没有一个主人是永久的。 —

He was afraid that Thornton would pass out of his life asPerrault and Francois and the Scotch half-breed had passed out. —
他害怕桑顿会像佩罗、弗朗索瓦和苏格兰混血交易者那样从他的生活中消失。 —

Evenin the night, in his dreams, he was haunted by this fear. —
即使在夜晚，在梦中，他也受到这种恐惧的困扰。 —

At such timeshe would shake off sleep and creep through the chill to the flap of thetent, where he would stand and listen to the sound of his master’s breathing.
这样的时候，他会摆脱睡意，蹑手蹑脚地穿过寒冷，走到帐篷的帷帐前，站在那里，倾听主人的呼吸声。

　　But in spite of this great love he bore John Thornton, which seemedto bespeak the soft civilizing influence, the strain of the primitive, whichthe Northland had aroused in him, remained alive and active.
然而，尽管他深爱着约翰·桑顿，这种爱似乎表明了温柔的文明化影响，北国激发在他身上的原始血统仍然保持活跃。

Faithfulness and devotion, things born of fire and roof, were his; —
忠诚和奉献，火和屋檐所生的东西，就是他的本性； —

yet heretained his wildness and wiliness. —
然而他仍保留着自己的野性和狡黠。 —

He was a thing of the wild, come infrom the wild to sit by John Thornton’s fire, rather than a dog of the softSouthland stamped with the marks of generations of civilization.
他是一只来自荒野的生物，不像是被软弱的南部地区文明烙上世代记号的狗。

Because of his very great love, he could not steal from this man, butfrom any other man, in any other camp, he did not hesitate an instant; —
因为他无比地爱着这个人，所以他无法偷窃，但对于其他任何人，在其他营地，他马上毫不犹豫地行动； —

while the cunning with which he stole enabled him to escape detection.
而他偷窃的巧妙使他得以逍遥法外。

His face and body were scored by the teeth of many dogs, and hefought as fiercely as ever and more shrewdly. —
他的脸和身体被许多狗的牙齿抓伤，他依然像以往一样凶猛，更加狡猾。 —

Skeet and Nig were toogood-natured for quarrelling,–besides, they belonged to John Thornton; —
Skeet和Nig太好脾气了，不会争吵，此外，它们是约翰·索顿的狗； —

but the strange dog, no matter what the breed or valor, swiftlyacknowledged Buck’s supremacy or found himself struggling for lifewith a terrible antagonist. —
但是任何奇怪的狗，不管品种或勇猛程度，很快都会承认巴克的统治地位，否则就会发现自己与一个可怕的对手搏斗。 —

And Buck was merciless. He had learnedwell the law of club and fang, and he never forewent an advantage ordrew back from a foe he had started on the way to Death. He hadlessoned from Spitz, and from the chief fighting dogs of the police andmail, and knew there was no middle course. —
巴克是无情的。他深谙棍棒和利齿的法则，不会放弃任何优势，也不会回避已被打败的敌人。他从斯皮兹以及警察和信差的头号搏斗犬身上学到经验，明白这里没有中间路线。 —

He must master or bemastered; while to show mercy was a weakness. —
他必须掌控或被掌控；而显示慈悲是一种软弱。 —

Mercy did not exist inthe primordial life. —
怜悯在原始生活中不存在。 —

It was misunderstood for fear, and suchmisunderstandings made for death. —
它被误解为恐惧，这种误解导致死亡。 —

Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten,was the law; —
残杀或被残杀，吃或被吃，是法则； —

and this mandate, down out of the depths of Time, he obeyed.
这是来自深不可测的时间之深处的命令，他遵守。

　　He was older than the days he had seen and the breaths he had drawn.
他比他所见过的日子更加古老，呼吸所吸进的空气更多。

He linked the past with the present, and the eternity behind him throbbedthrough him in a mighty rhythm to which he swayed as the tides andseasons swayed. —
他连接着过去与现在，他体内悸动着他身后的永恒在一个巨大的节奏中，就像潮汐和季节的摇摆。 —

He sat by John Thornton’s fire, a broad-breasted dog,white-fanged and long-furred; —
他坐在约翰·索顿的火堆旁，一个胸宽的狗，白牙长毛； —

but behind him were the shades of allmanner of dogs, half-wolves and wild wolves, urgent and prompting,tasting the savor of the meat he ate, thirsting for the water he drank,scenting the wind with him, listening with him and telling him thesounds made by the wild life in the forest, dictating his moods, directinghis actions, lying down to sleep with him when he lay down, anddreaming with him and beyond him and becoming themselves the stuffof his dreams.
但在他身后，是各种狗、半狼和野狼的阴影，渴望和敦促着，品尝他吃的肉的滋味，渴望他喝的水，与他一起嗅风，与他一起倾听并告诉他森林中野生生物发出的声音，规定他的情绪，指导他的行动，与他一起躺下睡觉，当他躺下时与他一起做梦，并成为他梦境的实质。

So peremptorily did these shades beckon him, that each day mankindand the claims of mankind slipped farther from him. —
因为这些阴影如此坚决地招手，以至于每天，人类和人类的要求都从他身边渐行渐远。 —

Deep in the forest acall was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriouslythrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire andthe beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on,he knew not where or why; —
深处森林中，一种呼唤在响起，每当他听到这个呼唤，神秘地令人激动和吸引，他感到自己被迫转身背对着篝火和周围被踩踏过的土地，然后冲进森林，一直向前，他不知道去哪里或为什么; —

nor did he wonder where or why, the callsounding imperiously, deep in the forest. —
也不会想到为什么，只知道那呼唤声深深地响起在森林深处。 —

But as often as he gained thesoft unbroken earth and the green shade, the love for John Thorntondrew him back to the fire again.
但每当他踏上柔软的未被践踏的土地和绿荫时，对约翰·桑顿的爱又吸引着他回到了篝火旁。

　　Thornton alone held him. The rest of mankind was as nothing.
桑顿是唯一能留住他的人。其他所有人对他来说都不算什么。

Chance travellers might praise or pet him; —
偶然路过的旅人可能会赞美或抚摸他; —

but he was cold under it all,and from a too demonstrative man he would get up and walk away.
但在这一切下面，他心中是冷漠的，对于过于热情的人，他会起身走开。

When Thornton’s partners, Hans and Pete, arrived on the long-expectedraft, Buck refused to notice them till he learned they were close toThornton; —
当桑顿的搭档汉斯和皮特到达了他们期待已久的木筏时，巴克拒绝理会他们，直到他们靠近桑顿才表现出一丝兴趣; —

after that he tolerated them in a passive sort of way, acceptingfavors from them as though he favored them by accepting. —
之后他只是消极地容忍他们，接受他们的好意，好像他通过接受他们的好意来喜欢他们。 —

They wereof the same large type as Thornton, living close to the earth, thinkingsimply and seeing clearly; —
他们和桑顿一样，是一样的大块头，贴近大地生活，思想简单，看得清楚; —

and ere they swung the raft into the big eddyby the saw- mill at Dawson, they understood Buck and his ways, and didnot insist upon an intimacy such as obtained with Skeet and Nig.
在他们把木筏摆入道森镇锯木厂处的大旋涡之前，他们了解了巴克及其为人，不像对待斯基特和尼格那样强求亲密。

For Thornton, however, his love seemed to grow and grow. —
但对于桑顿，他的爱似乎与日俱增。 —

He,alone among men, could put a pack upon Buck’s back in the summertravelling. —
只有桑顿能在夏季旅行时让巴克背负背包。 —

Nothing was too great for Buck to do, when Thorntoncommanded. —
没有任何事对于巴克来说太大，当桑顿下令时。 —

One day (they had grub-staked themselves from theproceeds of the raft and left Dawson for the head-waters of the Tanana)the men and dogs were sitting on the crest of a cliff which fell away,straight down, to naked bed-rock three hundred feet below. —
有一天（他们用筏子的收益给自己提供食品，并离开道森前往坦纳纳河的上游），男人和狗坐在悬崖的山顶，悬崖直直地垂直到下面的光秃秃的裸岩三百英尺以下。 —

JohnThornton was sitting near the edge, Buck at his shoulder. —
约翰·桑顿坐在边缘附近，巴克趴在他的肩膀上。 —

A thoughtlesswhim seized Thornton, and he drew the attention of Hans and Pete to theexperiment he had in mind. —
一个轻率的念头占据了桑顿，他引起了汉斯和皮特的注意，针对他心里想暗示的实验。 —

“Jump, Buck!” he commanded, sweepinghis arm out and over the chasm. —
“跳吧，巴克！”他命令道，挥动手臂从悬崖上方划向下面。 —

The next instant he was grapplingwith Buck on the extreme edge, while Hans and Pete were draggingthem back into safety.
下一瞬间，他在边缘极限挣扎着与巴克搏斗，而汉斯和皮特正在将他们拖回安全地带。

　　”It’s uncanny,” Pete said, after it was over and they had caught their speech.
“这太神秘了，”皮特说，在一切结束后，他们恢复了言语。

　　Thornton shook his head. “No, it is splendid, and it is terrible, too.
桑顿摇了摇头。“不，这既辉煌，也令人畏惧，你知道吗，有时候这让我害怕。”

Do you know, it sometimes makes me afraid.” —
“我不想在你身边的时候碰上想对你动手的家伙，”皮特断言道，朝着巴克点点头。 —

“I’m not hankering to be the man that lays hands on you while he’saround,” Pete announced conclusively, nodding his head toward Buck.
“天啊！”汉斯也给出了他的看法。“我也不敢。”

“Py Jingo!” was Hans’s contribution. “Not mineself either.” —
就在那一年结束前，在环城市，皮特的担心成真了。 —

It was at Circle City, ere the year was out, that Pete’s apprehensionswere realized. —
“黑色”伯顿，一个脾气暴躁和恶毒的人，一直在酒吧里与一个新手吵架，当桑顿友好地挺身而出时。 —

“Black” Burton, a man evil-tempered and malicious,had been picking a quarrel with a tenderfoot at the bar, when Thorntonstepped good-naturedly between. —
巴克，像往常一样，躺在一个角落，头枕在爪子上，注视着他主人的每一个动作。 —

Buck, as was his custom, was lyingin a corner, head on paws, watching his master’s every action. —
伯顿毫无警告地出手直接击中。 —

Burtonstruck out, without warning, straight from the shoulder. —
桑顿被击飞，只能通过抓住酒吧栏杆来避免摔倒。 —

Thornton wassent spinning, and saved himself from falling only by clutching the railof the bar.
汉斯突然宣布，“圣基督！”，指着巴克说道：“不是我自己也不敢。”

Those who were looking on heard what was neither bark nor yelp,but a something which is best described as a roar, and they saw Buck’sbody rise up in the air as he left the floor for Burton’s throat. —
看着的人们听到了既不是吠叫也不是咆哮的声音，最好描述为一声吼叫，他们看到巴克的身体离开地面，直冲向伯顿的喉咙。 —

The mansaved his life by instinctively throwing out his arm, but was hurledbackward to the floor with Buck on top of him. —
这名男子本能地伸出手臂救了自己一命，但被巴克压倒在地。 —

Buck loosed his teethfrom the flesh of the arm and drove in again for the throat. —
巴克从他的胳膊上放开牙齿，并再次冲向喉咙。 —

This timethe man succeeded only in partly blocking, and his throat was torn open.
这次男子只成功了部分阻挡，他的喉咙被撕开。

Then the crowd was upon Buck, and he was driven off; —
然后人群涌上前去，将巴克赶开； —

but while asurgeon checked the bleeding, he prowled up and down, growlingfuriously, attempting to rush in, and being forced back by an array ofhostile clubs. —
但在一位外科医生止住流血时，他在周围徘徊，愤怒地咆哮，试图冲进去，却被一排敌对的棍棒挡住。 —

A “miners’ meeting,” called on the spot, decided that thedog had sufficient provocation, and Buck was discharged. —
在当场召开的“矿工会议”上，决定这只狗有足够的挑衅，于是巴克被解雇了。 —

But hisreputation was made, and from that day his name spread through everycamp in Alaska.
但他的名声传开了，从那天起，他的名字在阿拉斯加的每个营地里都传开了。

Later on, in the fall of the year, he saved John Thornton’s life in quiteanother fashion. —
后来在那一年的秋天，他以完全不同的方式救了约翰·桑顿的性命。 —

The three partners were lining a long and narrowpoling-boat down a bad stretch of rapids on the Forty- Mile Creek. Hansand Pete moved along the bank, snubbing with a thin Manila rope fromtree to tree, while Thornton remained in the boat, helping its descent bymeans of a pole, and shouting directions to the shore. —
三个伙伴正在将一只又长又窄的用桨子划行的船，沿着“四十英里溪”的一段险恶的急流下行。汉斯和皮特沿着河岸移动，用一根细长的马尼拉绳从树上捆钉到树上，而桑顿留在船上，用一根桨帮助它下行，并对岸边喊着指示。 —

Buck, on thebank, worried and anxious, kept abreast of the boat, his eyes never offhis master.
巴克在岸边，忧虑不安，始终保持与船平行，眼睛从不离开他的主人。

At a particularly bad spot, where a ledge of barely submerged rocksjutted out into the river, Hans cast off the rope, and, while Thorntonpoled the boat out into the stream, ran down the bank with the end in hishand to snub the boat when it had cleared the ledge. —
在一个特别危险的地方，一块几乎浸没在水中的岩石突出到河中，汉斯解下绳子，而桑顿将船划到河中，并用桨支撑船的滑坡，向岸边喊着指示。 —

This it did, andwas flying down-stream in a current as swift as a mill-race, when Hanschecked it with the rope and checked too suddenly. —
船正如此飞速下流，在一条像水力机一样湍流的水流中，当汉斯用绳索牵制船时，他用力过猛。 —

The boat flirtedover and snubbed in to the bank bottom up, while Thornton, flung sheerout of it, was carried down-stream toward the worst part of the rapids, astretch of wild water in which no swimmer could live.
船翻倒在上，把桑顿甩出，顺着河流向急流的最危险的地方漂流，一段野水中，任何游泳者都无法生存。

Buck had sprung in on the instant; and at the end of three hundredyards, amid a mad swirl of water, he overhauled Thornton. —
巴克在瞬间跳了下去；三百码后，在狂乱的水流中，他追上了桑顿。 —

When hefelt him grasp his tail, Buck headed for the bank, swimming with all hissplendid strength. —
当他感到有人抓住他的尾巴时，巴克朝岸边游去，用尽了他所有的绝佳力量。 —

But the progress shoreward was slow; the progressdown-stream amazingly rapid. —
但朝岸边的进展很慢；向下游的进展惊人地迅速。 —

From below came the fatal roaringwhere the wild current went wilder and was rent in shreds and spray bythe rocks which thrust through like the teeth of an enormous comb.
在下游，那致命的轰鸣声从下方传来，那里的狂暴洪流变得更加狂暴，被穿透的岩石像巨大的梳子的牙齿一样撕裂成碎片和飞沫。

The suck of the water as it took the beginning of the last steep pitch wasfrightful, and Thornton knew that the shore was impossible. —
当水开始倾泻到最后陡坡的时候，水的吸力是可怕的，桑顿知道岸边是不可能到达的。 —

Hescraped furiously over a rock, bruised across a second, and struck a thirdwith crushing force. —
他猛力刮过一块岩石，再擦过第二块，然后用碾压般的力量撞到第三块岩石上。 —

He clutched its slippery top with both hands,releasing Buck, and above the roar of the churning water shouted: —
他用双手紧紧抓住滑溜的岩石顶，放开了巴克，在翻滚的水声中喊道： —

“Go, Buck! Go!“Buck could not hold his own, and swept on down-stream, strugglingdesperately, but unable to win back. —
“走，巴克！走！”巴克无法占上风，被拼命地冲下游，却无法重回原位。 —

When he heard Thornton’scommand repeated, he partly reared out of the water, throwing his headhigh, as though for a last look, then turned obediently toward the bank.
当他听到桑顿的命令被重复时，他有些仰HEAD水面，抬起头，仿佛最后一眼，然后顺从地转向岸边。

　　He swam powerfully and was dragged ashore by Pete and Hans at thevery point where swimming ceased to be possible and destruction began.
他强劲地游着，被皮特和汉斯拽上岸，正好在游泳无法继续的地方，灭亡即将开始的地方。

They knew that the time a man could cling to a slippery rock in theface of that driving current was a matter of minutes, and they ran as fastas they could up the bank to a point far above where Thornton washanging on. —
他们知道一个人可以在那冲击的洪流中紧抓住滑溜的岩石的时间只有几分钟，他们尽快地跑向向上沿岸远远超过桑顿悬挂的地方。 —

They attached the line with which they had been snubbingthe boat to Buck’s neck and shoulders, being careful that it shouldneither strangle him nor impede his swimming, and launched him intothe stream. —
他们用曾经用来系船的绳子系在巴克的脖子和肩膀上，小心翼翼地确保既不勒死他也不妨碍他的游泳，然后把他推入水流。 —

He struck out boldly, but not straight enough into thestream. —
他勇敢地游去，但游得不够直。 —

He discovered the mistake too late, when Thornton was abreastof him and a bare half-dozen strokes away while he was being carriedhelplessly past.
他发现错误已经太晚了，当桑顿与他并排时，相隔仅有半打的划水距离，而他却无力抵抗被带着无助地沿流被冲走。

　　Hans promptly snubbed with the rope, as though Buck were a boat.
汉斯立即用绳子系住，好像巴克是一只船。

The rope thus tightening on him in the sweep of the current, he wasjerked under the surface, and under the surface he remained till his bodystruck against the bank and he was hauled out. —
绳子在水流的带动下拉紧，他被抽到水面下，并在水面下停留，直到他的身体撞到岸边，被拉了出来。 —

He was half drowned,and Hans and Pete threw themselves upon him, pounding the breath intohim and the water out of him. —
他被淹得半死，汉斯和皮特扑上去，往他身上拍打使他恢复呼吸，把水从他体内排出来。 —

He staggered to his feet and fell down.
他踉跄地站了起来，然后倒下。

The faint sound of Thornton’s voice came to them, and though theycould not make out the words of it, they knew that he was in hisextremity. —
汤姆顿微弱的声音传到他们耳中，虽然他们听不清楚具体在说什么，但他们知道他处于极度的危险之中。 —

His master’s voice acted on Buck like an electric shock, Hesprang to his feet and ran up the bank ahead of the men to the point ofhis previous departure.
他的主人的声音如同电击般作用在巴克身上，他跳起来，领先于人们跑上岸，在之前离开的地方。

Again the rope was attached and he was launched, and again hestruck out, but this time straight into the stream. —
绳子再次拴好，他被推进水中，这次直接朝着河中游去。 —

He had miscalculatedonce, but he would not be guilty of it a second time. —
他曾经误判过一次，但他不会犯第二次错误。 —

Hans paid out therope, permitting no slack, while Pete kept it clear of coils. —
汉斯放出绳索，不让它松懈，皮特保持绳索紧张。 —

Buck heldon till he was on a line straight above Thornton; —
巴克保持连线，直至与汤姆顿平齐； —

then he turned, and withthe speed of an express train headed down upon him. —
然后他转身，像快车一样迅速朝着他游去。 —

Thornton sawhim coming, and, as Buck struck him like a battering ram, with thewhole force of the current behind him, he reached up and closed withboth arms around the shaggy neck. —
汤姆顿看见他，当巴克像夯击一样撞向他，整个暗流的力量推着他，他伸手抱住那毛茸茸的颈子。 —

Hans snubbed the rope around thetree, and Buck and Thornton were jerked under the water. —
汉斯把绳子绕在树上，巴克和汤姆顿被拖入水中。 —

Strangling,suffocating, sometimes one uppermost and sometimes the other,dragging over the jagged bottom, smashing against rocks and snags, theyveered in to the bank.
憋气，窒息，有时一个占上风，有时另一个，被拖过参差不齐的底部，撞击岩石和障碍，他们转向江岸。

　　Thornton came to, belly downward and being violently propelledback and forth across a drift log by Hans and Pete. His first glance wasfor Buck, over whose limp and apparently lifeless body Nig was settingup a howl, while Skeet was licking the wet face and closed eyes.
汤姆顿醒来时，肚朝下被汉斯和皮特剧烈地来回推动在一根漂流木上。他的第一个眼神是为了巴克，尼格趴在他那举目无亲、看起来已经没有生命迹象的身体上嚎叫，而斯基特在舔着湿漉漉的面庞和闭着的眼睛。

　　Thornton was himself bruised and battered, and he went carefully overBuck’s body, when he had been brought around, finding three broken ribs.
汤姆顿自己也被伤得遍体鳞伤，当巴克恢复意识时，他细心查看了一下巴克的身体，发现三根断了的肋骨。

“That settles it,” he announced. “We camp right here.” —
“事情就这么定了,” 他宣布道。“我们就在这里搭 camp。” —

And campthey did, till Buck’s ribs knitted and he was able to travel.
他们在那里扎营，直到巴克的肋骨愈合，他能够继续旅行。

That winter, at Dawson, Buck performed another exploit, not soheroic, perhaps, but one that put his name many notches higher on thetotem-pole of Alaskan fame. —
在道森，那个冬天，巴克完成了另一个壮举，也许不那么英勇，但却使他的名字在阿拉斯加的名人堂上更上一层楼。 —

This exploit was particularly gratifying tothe three men; —
这个壮举特别让这三个人满意； —

for they stood in need of the outfit which it furnished, andwere enabled to make a long-desired trip into the virgin East, whereminers had not yet appeared. —
因为他们需要这次壮举提供的装备，并且他们得以实现前所未有的长途旅行，去到犹如处女般未被开发的东部，那里还没有矿工出现。 —

It was brought about by a conversation inthe Eldorado Saloon, in which men waxed boastful of their favorite dogs.
这一切起因于厄尔多拉多酒馆的一次对谈，人们在谈论自己心爱的狗时大肆吹嘘。

Buck, because of his record, was the target for these men, and Thorntonwas driven stoutly to defend him. —
巴克，因为他的战绩，成为了这些人的目标，索尔顿被迫坚决为他辩护。 —

At the end of half an hour one manstated that his dog could start a sled with five hundred pounds and walkoff with it; —
半个小时后，一名男子声称他的狗能够用五百磅的重物开始跑着雪橇，然后带着它走开； —

a second bragged six hundred for his dog; —
一名人炫耀说他的狗拍出六百磅; —

and a third, seven hundred.
第三个人则说七百磅。

“Pooh! pooh!” said John Thornton; “Buck can start a thousand pounds.”“And break it out? —
“呸！呸！” 约翰·桑顿说：“巴克可以拉一千磅。”“还能推翻吗？ —

and walk off with it for a hundred yards?” —
并在一百码后离开？” —

demanded Matthewson, a Bonanza King, he of the seven hundred vaunt.
马修森，一位七百磅的富豪说道。

　　”And break it out, and walk off with it for a hundred yards,” JohnThornton said coolly.
“并在一百码后离开，” 约翰·桑顿冷静地说。

“Well,” Matthewson said, slowly and deliberately, so that all couldhear, “I’ve got a thousand dollars that says he can’t. —
“好吧，”马修森慢条斯理地说，让所有人都听见，“我有一千美元赌注说它做不到。 —

And there it is.” Sosaying, he slammed a sack of gold dust of the size of a bologna sausagedown upon the bar.
就是这样。” 说完，他把一袋金粉状的金子大小像博洛尼亚香肠一样砰地摔在吧台上。

　　Nobody spoke. Thornton’s bluff, if bluff it was, had been called.
没有人说话。桑顿的吹牛看来被戳穿了。

He could feel a flush of warm blood creeping up his face. His tonguehad tricked him. —
他感到一股热血涌上脸庞。他的舌头出卖了他。 —

He did not know whether Buck could start a thousandpounds. Half a ton! —
他不知道巴克能否拍一千磅。半吨！ —

The enormousness of it appalled him. He hadgreat faith in Buck’s strength and had often thought him capable ofstarting such a load; —
这个巨大的数字使他感到震惊。他对巴克的力量有很大信心，经常认为他有能力拉这样的负重。 —

but never, as now, had he faced the possibility of it,the eyes of a dozen men fixed upon him, silent and waiting. —
但是，像现在这样面对可能性，面前十几双眼睛盯着他，无声等待。 —

Further, hehad no thousand dollars; nor had Hans or Pete.
此外，他没有一千美元；汉斯或皮特也没有。

“I’ve got a sled standing outside now, with twenty fiftypound sacksof flour on it,” Matthewson went on with brutal directness; —
“我现在外面有一辆雪橇，上面有二十袋五十磅的面粉，” 马修森继续以残酷的直接性说道。 —

“so don’t letthat hinder you.“Thornton did not reply. He did not know what to say. —
“所以不要让这阻碍你。”桑顿没有回答。他不知道该说什么。 —

He glancedfrom face to face in the absent way of a man who has lost the power ofthought and is seeking somewhere to find the thing that will start itgoing again. —
他茫然地看着一个又一个面孔，好像是一个失去了思考能力的人在寻找着什么可以重新启动思维的东西。 —

The face of Jim O’Brien, a Mastodon King and old-timecomrade, caught his eyes. —
吉姆·奥布莱恩，一个长毛象王和老战友的脸吸引了他的目光。 —

It was as a cue to him, seeming to rouse himto do what he would never have dreamed of doing.
这好像是一个提示给他，似乎激励他去做他从未想过会去做的事情。

　　”Can you lend me a thousand?” he asked, almost in a whisper.
“你能借给我一千块吗？”他几乎是小声地问道。

“Sure,” answered O’Brien, thumping down a plethoric sack by theside of Matthewson’s. —
“当然，”奥布莱恩回答道，一声巨响把装满货物的布满袋扔在了马修森旁边。 —

“Though it’s little faith I’m having, John, that thebeast can do the trick.” —
“尽管我对它能完成这个任务并没有多少信心，约翰。” —

The Eldorado emptied its occupants into the street to see the test.
埃尔多拉多的居民涌向街道，看着测验。

The tables were deserted, and the dealers and gamekeepers came forth tosee the outcome of the wager and to lay odds. —
餐桌被人们弃之不顾，荷官和看守者走出来看看赌注的结果，并下赌注。 —

Several hundred men,furred and mittened, banked around the sled within easy distance.
几百名身穿毛皮衣服和手套的男人围绕着雪橇站在附近。

Matthewson’s sled, loaded with a thousand pounds of flour, had beenstanding for a couple of hours, and in the intense cold (it was sixtybelow zero) the runners had frozen fast to the hard-packed snow. —
马修森的雪橇上装着一千磅的面粉，已经站了好几个小时，在寒冷刺骨的天气下（零下六十度），雪橇的滑橇已经冻结到了坚硬的积雪上。 —

Menoffered odds of two to one that Buck could not budge the sled. —
人们拿出两比一的赔率，说巴克不能将雪橇挪动。 —

Aquibble arose concerning the phrase “break out.” —
关于“脱困”的争辩引起了争吵。 —

O’Brien contended itwas Thornton’s privilege to knock the runners loose, leaving Buck to”break it out” from a dead standstill. —
奥布莱恩认为桑顿有权敲击滑橇，让巴克从静止状态中“解脱”出来。 —

Matthewson insisted that thephrase included breaking the runners from the frozen grip of the snow.
马修森坚持认为这个短语包括从积雪的冻固中解放滑橇。

　　A majority of the men who had witnessed the making of the bet decidedin his favor, whereat the odds went up to three to one against Buck.
虽然决定这场赌注的大多数男人都支持他，赌注几率却变成了反对巴克的三比一。

　　There were no takers. Not a man believed him capable of the feat.
没有一个人愿意接受赌注。没有一个人相信他有能力完成这个壮举。

Thornton had been hurried into the wager, heavy with doubt; —
索尔顿匆忙地赌下了赌注，心中犹豫重重； —

and nowthat he looked at the sled itself, the concrete fact, with the regular teamof ten dogs curled up in the snow before it, the more impossible the taskappeared. —
现在他看着雪橇本身，看着面前蜷缩在雪地上的十只狗，这个任务看起来越来越不可能完成。 —

Matthewson waxed jubilant.
马修森变得高兴起来。

“Three to one!” he proclaimed. “I’ll lay you another thousand atthat figure, Thornton. —
“三比一！”他宣布道。“汤姆森，以这个数字再接受我的一千美元吧。 —

What d’ye say?“Thornton’s doubt was strong in his face, but his fighting spirit wasaroused–the fighting spirit that soars above odds, fails to recognize theimpossible, and is deaf to all save the clamor for battle. —
你怎么看？”索尔顿的脸上充满了怀疑，但他内心的斗志被激起了——那种能超越困难的斗争精神，无视一切除了战斗的呼唤。 —

He called Hansand Pete to him. Their sacks were slim, and with his own the threepartners could rake together only two hundred dollars. —
他叫来了汉斯和皮特。他们的袋子里只有少量现金，加上他自己的，三个合伙人一共也只能凑出两百美元。 —

In the ebb oftheir fortunes, this sum was their total capital; —
在经济困难时期，这笔钱是他们全部资产； —

yet they laid itunhesitatingly against Matthewson’s six hundred.
然而，他们毫不犹豫地将它们押在马修森的六百美元上。

The team of ten dogs was unhitched, and Buck, with his own harness,was put into the sled. —
十只狗的队伍被解下，巴克戴上自己的马具，被绑在雪橇上。 —

He had caught the contagion of the excitement,and he felt that in some way he must do a great thing for John Thornton.
他被兴奋情绪感染，他觉得自己必须以某种方式为约翰·索尔顿做一件伟大的事情。

Murmurs of admiration at his splendid appearance went up. —
对他出色的外表发出了赞美的低语。 —

He was inperfect condition, without an ounce of superfluous flesh, and the onehundred and fifty pounds that he weighed were so many pounds of gritand virility. —
他状态完美，没有一丝多余的脂肪，他一百五十磅的体重都是坚毅和男性气质的象征。 —

His furry coat shone with the sheen of silk. —
他的毛皮外套闪烁着丝绸般的光泽。 —

Down theneck and across the shoulders, his mane, in repose as it was, half bristledand seemed to lift with every movement, as though excess of vigor madeeach particular hair alive and active. —
将头颈和肩膀一路按下，他的鬃毛，在宁静中，仿佛是半竖立的，每一根毛看起来随着每一个动作都在抖动，仿佛过剩的活力使得每根毛都生动而有活力。 —

The great breast and heavy forelegs were no more than in proportion with the rest of the body, where themuscles showed in tight rolls underneath the skin. —
大胸肌和沉重的前腿与身体的其他部分比例恰到好处，肌肉在皮肤下紧绷成卷。 —

Men felt thesemuscles and proclaimed them hard as iron, and the odds went down totwo to one.
人们摸了摸这些肌肉，称之为比铁还硬，赔率下降到了两比一。

“Gad, sir! Gad, sir!” stuttered a member of the latest dynasty, a kingof the Skookum Benches. —
“天哪，先生！天哪，先生！”最新王朝的一名成员结巴着说道，一位Skookum Benches的国王。 —

“I offer you eight hundred for him, sir,before the test, sir; —
“在测试之前，我提供八百给你，先生； —

eight hundred just as he stands.“Thornton shook his head and stepped to Buck’s side.
八百，正如他现在站着的样子。”桑顿摇了摇头，走到了巴克身边。

“You must stand off from him,” Matthewson protested. “Free playand plenty of room.” —
“你必须远离他，”马修森抗议道。“自由比赛和充足的空间。” —

The crowd fell silent; only could be heard the voices of the gamblersvainly offering two to one. —
人群静了下来，只能听到赌徒们徒劳地提供两比一的声音。 —

Everybody acknowledged Buck amagnificent animal, but twenty fifty-pound sacks of flour bulked toolarge in their eyes for them to loosen their pouch-strings.
每个人都承认巴克是一只了不起的动物，但是二十袋五十磅的面粉对他们来说过于庞大，以至于他们还没动摇自己的钱包带子。

Thornton knelt down by Buck’s side. —
桑顿跪在巴克身边。 —

He took his head in his twohands and rested cheek on cheek. —
他用双手托起巴克的头，脸颊靠在脸颊上。 —

He did not playfully shake him, aswas his wont, or murmur soft love curses; —
他没有像往常那样玩闹地摇晃他，也没有轻声地诅咒； —

but he whispered in his ear.
但是他在巴克的耳边耳语。

　　”As you love me, Buck. As you love me,” was what he whispered.
“就像你爱我一样，巴克。就像你爱我一样。”这是他耳语的内容。

　　Buck whined with suppressed eagerness.
巴克带着被压抑的渴望轻吠起来。

The crowd was watching curiously. The affair was growingmysterious. —
人群好奇地观望着。这次事情变得越来越神秘。 —

It seemed like a conjuration. As Thornton got to his feet,Buck seized his mittened hand between his jaws, pressing in with histeeth and releasing slowly, half-reluctantly. —
看起来像是魔法。当桑顿站起来时，巴克用他的有手套的手牢牢地咬住桑顿的手，用牙齿慢慢施加压力，半推半就。 —

It was the answer, in terms,not of speech, but of love. —
这是答案，不是言语，而是爱。 —

Thornton stepped well back.
桑顿退了几步。

　　”Now, Buck,” he said.
现在，巴克，”他说。

Buck tightened the traces, then slacked them for a matter of severalinches. —
巴克收紧了牵引绳，然后松开几英寸。 —

It was the way he had learned.
这是他学到的方式。

　　”Gee!” Thornton’s voice rang out, sharp in the tense silence.
“左转！”桑顿的声音在紧张的寂静中响起。

Buck swung to the right, ending the movement in a plunge that tookup the slack and with a sudden jerk arrested his one hundred and fiftypounds. —
巴克向右摆动，最后一个冲刺结束了松弛的状态，用一个突然的拉扯阻止了他一百五十磅的重量。 —

The load quivered, and from under the runners arose a crisp crackling.
载重颤抖着，从雪橇的下面传来一阵脆脆的响声。

　　”Haw!” Thornton commanded.
“右转！”桑顿下达命令。

Buck duplicated the manoeuvre, this time to the left. —
巴克重复了这个动作，这一次向左。 —

The cracklingturned into a snapping, the sled pivoting and the runners slipping andgrating several inches to the side. —
脆响声变成了噼啪声，雪橇旋转，滑撤并且在一侧摩擦了几英寸。 —

The sled was broken out. Menwere holding their breaths, intensely unconscious of the fact.
雪橇解脱出来。人们屏住呼吸，全然不自觉地紧张。

“Now, MUSH!“Thornton’s command cracked out like a pistol-shot. —
“出发！”桑顿的命令像一声枪响一样炸裂开来。 —

Buck threwhimself forward, tightening the traces with a jarring lunge. —
巴克向前扑去，用一记剧烈的冲刺紧扣住缰绳。 —

His wholebody was gathered compactly together in the tremendous effort, themuscles writhing and knotting like live things under the silky fur. —
他的整个身体像活物一样在丝毛般的毛发下蠕动和纠结，被聚集在一起。 —

Hisgreat chest was low to the ground, his head forward and down, while hisfeet were flying like mad, the claws scarring the hard-packed snow inparallel grooves. —
他的巨大胸膛贴近地面，头向前低着，而他的脚像疯狂一样飞快移动，爪子在坚实的积雪上刻出平行的槽痕。 —

The sled swayed and trembled, half-started forward.
雪橇摇晃着颤抖，半突然开始前行。

One of his feet slipped, and one man groaned aloud. —
他的一只脚滑了，有人发出了痛苦的呻吟。 —

Then the sledlurched ahead in what appeared a rapid succession of jerks, though itnever really came to a dead stop again . —
然后雪橇在看似快速的连续颠簸中前行，尽管它从未真正停下来。 —

..half an inch…an inch … twoinches… The jerks perceptibly diminished; —
… 半英寸 … 一英寸 … 两英寸… 颠簸明显减弱； —

as the sled gainedmomentum, he caught them up, till it was moving steadily along.
随着雪橇的增加冲劲，他追上了它们，直到它稳定地前行。

Men gasped and began to breathe again, unaware that for a momentthey had ceased to breathe. —
人们喘息交加，又开始呼吸，不知道他们曾经瞬间停止呼吸。 —

Thornton was running behind, encouragingBuck with short, cheery words. —
桑顿在后面跑着，用简短、愉快的话语鼓励着巴克。 —

The distance had been measured off,and as he neared the pile of firewood which marked the end of thehundred yards, a cheer began to grow and grow, which burst into a roaras he passed the firewood and halted at command. —
距离已被测量出来，当他接近标志着一百码终点的一堆木柴时，一阵欢呼声越来越大，当他经过木柴停下时，欢呼声爆发成了一片喧哗声。 —

Every man wastearing himself loose, even Matthewson. Hats and mittens were flyingin the air. —
每个人都在拼命解开自己，就连马修森也是如此。帽子和手套飞向半空。 —

Men were shaking hands, it did not matter with whom, andbubbling over in a general incoherent babel.
人们互相握手，不管对方是谁，并且在一片混乱的喋喋不休中汹涌而出。

But Thornton fell on his knees beside Buck. Head was against head,and he was shaking him back and forth. —
但桑顿跪在巴克旁边。头靠着头，他摇晃着巴克。 —

Those who hurried up heardhim cursing Buck, and he cursed him long and fervently, and softly and lovingly.
匆匆赶来的人们听到他在骂巴克，他用长久而热切的、轻柔而深情的方式诅咒着他。

“Gad, sir! Gad, sir!” spluttered the Skookum Bench king. —
“噢，先生！噢，先生！” Skookum Bench国王呜咽道。 —

“I’ll giveyou a thousand for him, sir, a thousand, sir–twelve hundred, sir.” —
“我给你一千，先生，一千，先生——一千二百，先生。” —

Thornton rose to his feet. His eyes were wet. The tears werestreaming frankly down his cheeks. —
桑顿站起身来。他的眼睛湿润了。泪水坦率地流过他的脸颊。 —

“Sir,” he said to the SkookumBench king, “no, sir. You can go to hell, sir. —
“先生，”他对Skookum Bench国王说道，“不，先生。你可以去地狱，先生。” —

It’s the best I can do foryou, sir.“Buck seized Thornton’s hand in his teeth. —
这是我能为你做的最好的事情，先生。”巴克用牙齿攥住桑顿的手。 —

Thornton shook him backand forth. As though animated by a common impulse, the onlookersdrew back to a respectful distance; —
桑顿来回摇动他。仿佛受到共同冲动的驱使，旁观者们向后退了一段尊重的距离； —

nor were they again indiscreetenough to interrupt.
他们再也不愚蠢到再次打扰。