第12部分(第4/7 頁)

　fl　y？

Director　Uljii　had　taken　all　the　leaders　over　to　see；　including　even　the　head　of　the　police　station；　Harbar。　After　taking pictures　and　measure—ments；　they　agreed　that　the　wall　was　too　high　for　the　wolves　to　jump　over；　and　noted　that　there　were　no　breaches　through　which　they　could　have　gotten　in。　Several　days　of　investigation　turned　up　no　explanation　for　how　the　wolves　had　gotten　in　and　out。　But　the　herdsmen　knew。

狼圖騰（英文版）　4（9）

The　tale　had　stuck　in　Chen’s　mind　for　a　long　time；　now；　as　his　fas—cination　with　wolves　grew；　it　resurfaced。　So　he　saddled　up　and　rode　out　to　see　the　wall　with　his　own　eyes。　After　examining　it　carefully；　he　was　no　closer　to　an　explanation　than　anyone　else；　so　he　went　to　talk　to　the　old…　timer　Cherendorji。

“I　still　don’t　know　which　of　my　idiot　sons　offended　Tengger；”　the　old　man　said；　“but　my　family　is　cursed　even　today。”

The　old　man’s　son；　who　had　attended　middle　school；　said；　“The　affair　can　be　blamed　on　stupid　pasture　regulations。　There　were　no　such　walls　on　the　Olonbulag　before；　but　headquarters　decided　to　build　stone　enclosures　in　the　birthing　meadow；　both　to　protect　the　sheep　and　to　cut　back　on　expenses　by　reducing　the　work　points　given　out　for　night　watches。　The　wolves　can’t　climb　the　walls；　they　said；　so　there’ll　be　no　need　for　night　watchmen；　and　everyone　can　sleep　easy　at　night。　So　we　closed　the　gate　and　stayed　inside　our　yurt。　That　night　I　heard　the　dogs　bark　and　I　knew　something　was　wrong；　as　if　a　pack　of　wolves　was　in　the　vicinity。　But　since　headquarters　had　said　there　was　no　need　to　go　on　watch；　we　didn’t　even　go　out　to　check。　Unfortunately；　when　we　opened　the　gate　in　the　morning；　we　were　struck　dumb　by　the　sight　of　all　those　dead　and　dying　sheep。　There　was　blood　all　over　the　ground；　as　thick