【英文听力原声】白牙 Chapter 18 第十八章

Day 18

Around about this time, a prisoner got out of San Quentin prison. His name was Jim Hall, and he was dangerous. For days the police tried to catch him, but he was too quick and too clever for them.

The women in the Scott family were afraid.

'You sent Jim Hall to prison and he hates you for it,' they said to Judge Scott, 'Perhaps he'll come here to attack you.'

The judge told them not to worry. But the women were right and he was wrong.

One night, White Fang woke up and heard someone moving inside the house. He smelled a strange god and the hairs on his neck bristled. The stranger walked softly, but White Fang followed him silently to the bottom of the stairs. The stranger stopped and listened. White Fang knew that his master's bedroom was at the top of the stairs, and he knew that he had to protect his master from this stranger.

As soon as the man put a foot on the stairs, White Fang sprang! The two of them crashed to the floor, and White Fang bit the man's neck.

The family woke up to the noise of crashing furniture. Soon after this there were sounds of gunshots, and a man's scream. Then everything went quiet. Weedon Scott put on a light, then he and Judge Scott came downstairs with guns in their hands.

A dead man with a bleeding neck lay at the bottom of the stairs.

Judge Scott approached and looked at his face. 'It's Jim Hall,' he said.

White Fang was lying next to the criminal with his eyes closed, and three gunshot wounds in his side. He was weak from loss of blood.

White Fang did not die. He survived. He slept for many long hours, for many weeks and his wounds closed. At last after some months he got up and stood on his four legs. All the family followed him outside and watched. Very slowly, White Fang walked to the stable. Collie lay near the stable door, and six fat puppies were crawling about and playing beside her. White Fang looked at them, but Collie growled at him in a low voice and he did not go near them.

One of the women put an arm round Collie to prevent her from moving, then Weedon Scott picked up one of the little dogs and put it down next to White Fang. Collie watched and growled again. Then White Fang put his nose next to the puppy's nose. Weedon Scott and the family laughed and cheered. White Fang was surprised, but he lay down next to the little dog.

The rest of the puppies came and climbed over him.

Happy at last, White Fang went to sleep in the sun.