第4部分(第2/7 頁)

uld　only　watch　in　awe。

狼圖騰（英文版）　2（3）

The　gazelles　they　were　observing　now　may　have　prised　no　more　than　a medium…　sized　herd；　but　Chen　was　sure　it　was　too　big　for　a　pack　of　wolves　numbering　in　the　dozens。　People　had　told　him　there　is　no　ani—mal　more　determined　than　a　wolf；　and　he　was　eager　to　see　not　only　how　great　the　wolves’　appetite　and　determination　might　be　but　also　what　kind　of　hunters　they　were。

For　the　wolves；　this　was　too　great　an　opportunity　to　miss。　Their　movements　were　slight　and　slow。　When　the　male　gazelles　looked　up；　the　wolves　flattened　out　and　did　not　move；　even　the　steam　in　their　breath　was　light　and　gentle。

The　herd　continued　its　desperate　grazing；　and　the　human　observers　settled　in　to　see　what　was　going　to　happen。

“Gazelles　are　a　scourge　on　the　grassland；”　the　old　man　whispered。　“They　run　like　the　wind　and　eat　all　the　time。　Just　look　how　much　good　forage　they’ve　already　gone　through。　The　brigade　has　done　everything　it　can　to　keep　this　pastureland　in　good　shape；　but　the　gazelles　will　have　destroyed　nearly　half　of　it　in　days。　A　few　more　herds　like　this；　and　the　grass　will　be　gone。　The　snows　have　been　heavy　this　year；　and　a　blizzard　is　always　a　possibility。　Without　this　pastureland　in　reserve；　we’d　prob—ably　not　survive—neither　us　nor　our　animals。　Luckily；　there’s　the　wolf　pack。　Within　days　this　herd　will　be　driven　off；　those　that　aren’t　killed；　that　is。”

Surprised　by　this　ment；　Chen　looked　at　the　old　man　and　said；　“No　wonder　you　don’t　hunt　wolves。”

“Oh；　I　hunt　them；”　the　old　man　replied。　“But　not　often。　If　we　killed　them　off；　the　grassland　would　perish；　and　then　how　would　we　survive？　This　is　something　you　Chinese　cannot　understand。”

“It’s　starting　to　make　sense　to　me；”　Chen　said。　He　was　getting　exc