第9部分(第2/7 頁)

　the　edge　of　the　deep　snow；　Bilgee　had　Chen　and　Yang　spread　one　of　the　rolls　of　felt　over　the　crusty　snow；　then　asked　Yang；　the　heavier　of　the　two；　to　see　if　it　could　sustain　his　weight。　It　was　like　a　gigantic　skateboard。　Yang　stepped　onto　the　felt；　drawing　crunch—ing　sounds　from　the　snow　under　it；　but　no　signs　of　danger。　He　jumped　up　and　down。　The　felt　sank　beneath　his　feet　slightly　but　not　perilously。　The　old　man　quickly　made　him　stop。　“Don’t　do　that　when　we’re　out　on　the　deep　snow。　If　you　break　through　the　felt；　you’ll　bee　a　frozen　gazelle　yourself；　and　that’s　no　joke。　Now　then；　Chen　Zhen　is　lighter　than　you；　so　I’ll　go　dig　out　a　couple　of　gazelles　with　him。　After　that；　you　two　can　go　out　on　your　own。”

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狼圖騰（英文版）3（8）

Yang　jumped　off　and　helped　the　old　man　onto　the　felt。　Chen　fol—lowed。　The　felt　easily　withstood　the　weight　of　the　two　men　and　looked　as　if　it　would　hold　up　under　the　added　weight　of　a　couple　of　gazelles。　Once　they　were　steady；　they　dragged　up　the　second　roll　of　felt　and　laid　it　out　in　front　of　the　one　they　were　standing　on。　They　squared　the　two　pieces　and　then　stepped　onto　the　second　piece。　After　laying　down　the　hooked　pole；　they　repeated　the　process；　moving　the　first　piece　out　in　front　of　the　second。　This　they　did　over　and　over；　as　if　piloting　a　pair　of　felt　boats；　gliding　toward　a　living　gazelle。

At　last；　Chen　Zhen　was　aboard　one　of　those　marvelous　creations；　which　grassland　inhabitants　had　devised　to　transport　themselves　across　the　snow　and　avoid　calamitous　blizzards。　Countless　Mongol　herdsmen　had　ridden　these　boats　over　the　millennia；　escaping　the　snowy　abyss　and　rescuing　vast　numbers　of　sheep　and　dogs。　It　had　also　allowed　them　to　drag　out　victims　of　hunts　by　wolves　and　humans　and　to　claim　spoils　of　war　aband