hark back：回想
salmon run：一年一度的魚汛
caribou：n。北美馴鹿
replenish：v。再次充滿，再裝滿
naught：nothing的古體
bundle：n。一捆
wail：v。大聲哭
game：n。獵物
fertile：adj。可繁育後代的
clutter：v。胡亂塞滿
sprawling：adj。無計劃擴展的
men-children and women-children就是指男孩女孩，作者故意不使用boy，girl，以及前文用daughter’s daughter代替granddaughter，造成一種和人類社會的疏離感。
revive：v。（使）複原
crafty：adj。狡猾的，能幹的
15.But the moose。Zing-ha and he had gone out that day to play at hunting after the manner of their fathers。On the bed of the creek they struck the fresh track of a moose，and with it the tracks of many wolves。“An old one，”Zing-ha，who was quicker at reading the sign，said—“an old one who cannot keep up withthe herd。The wolves have cut him out from his brothers，and theywill never leave him。”And it was so。It was their way。By day and by night，never resting，snarling on his heels，snapping at his nose，they would stay by him to the end。HowZing-ha and he felt the blood lust quicken！The finish would be a sight to see！
16.Eager-footed，they took the trail，and even he，Koskoosh，slow of sight and an unversed tracker，could have followed it blind，it was so wide。Hot were they on the heels of the chase，reading the grim tragedy，fresh-written，at everystep。Now they came to where the moose had made a stand。Thrice the length of a grown man’s body，in every direction，had the snow been stamped about and uptossed。In the midst were the deep impressions of the splay-hoofed game，and all about，everywhere，were the lighter footmarks of the wolves。Some，while their brothers harried the kill，had lain to one side and rested。The full-stretched impress of their bodies in the snow was as perfect as though made the moment before。One wolf had been caught in a wild lunge of the maddened victim and trampled to death。A few bones，well picked，bore witness。
creek：n。小溪
herd：n。獸群
lust：n。強烈的欲望
unversed：adj。對某事不了解的，不熟悉的
uptossed：v。這裏指雪被翻起來
splay-hoofed：adj。長著外翻的蹄子的
harry：v。侵擾
lunge：n。猛衝
trample：v。踩，踐踏
bear witness：見證，證明曾發生過某事
17.Again，they ceased the uplift of their snowshoes at a second stand。Here the great animal had fought desperately。Twice had he been dragged down，as the snow attested，and twice had he shaken his assailants clear and gained footing once more。He had done his task long since，but none the less was life dear to him。Zing-ha said it was a strange thing，a moose once down to get free again butthis one certainly had。The shaman would see signs and wonders in this when theytold him。
18.And yet again，they come to where the moose had made to mount the bank andgain the timber。But his foes had laid on frombehind，till he reared and fell back upon them，crushing two deep into the snow。It was plain the kill was at hand，for their brothers had left them untouched。Two more stands were hurried past，brief in time-length and very close together。The trail was red now，and theclean stride of the great beast had grown short and slovenly。Then they heard the first sounds of the battle—not the full-throated chorus ofthe chase，but the short，snappy bark which spoke of close quarters and teeth toflesh。Crawlingup the wind，Zing-ha bellied it through the snow，and with him crept he，Koskoosh，who was to be chief of the tribesmen in the years to come。Together they shoved aside the under branches of a young spruce and peered forth。It was the end they saw。
attest：v。證明
assailant：n。攻擊者
timber：n。木材
foe：n。敵人
rear：v。用後腳站立
slovenly：adj。不整潔的，邋遢的
chorus：n。合唱
snappy：adj。短小而粗暴的
shove：v。推，擠
spruce：n。雲杉
19.The picture，like all of youth’s impressions，was still strong with him，and his dim eyes watched the end played out as vividly as in that far-off time。Koskoosh marvelled at this，for in the days which followed，when he was a leader of men and a head of councilors，he had done great deeds and made his name a curse in the mouths of the Pellys，to say naught of the strange white man he had killed，knife to knife，in open fight。
20.For long he pondered on the days of his youth，till the fire died down andthe frost bit deeper。He replenished it with two sticks this time，and gauged his grip on life by what remained。If Sit-cum-to-ha had only remembered her grandfather，and gathered a larger armful，his hours would have been longer。It wouldhave been easy。But she was ever a careless child，and honored not her ancestors from the time the Beaver，son of the son of Zing-ha，first cast eyes upon her。Well，what mattered it？Had he not done likewise in his own quick youth？For a while he listened to the silence。Perhaps the heart of his son might soften，andhe would come back with the dogs to take his old father on with the tribe to where the caribou ran thick and the fat hung heavy upon them。
21.He strained his ears，his restless brain for the moment stilled。Not a stir，nothing。He alone took breath in the midst of the great silence。It was very lonely。Hark！What was that？A chill passed over his body。The familiar，long-drawn howl broke the void，and it was close at hand。Then on his darkened eyes wasprojected the vision of the moose—the old bull moose—the torn flanks and bloody sides，the riddled mane，and the great branching horns，down low and tossing to the last。He saw the flashing forms of gray，the gleaming eyes，the lolling tongues，the slavered fangs。And he saw the inexorable circle close in till it became a dark point in the midst of the stamped snow。
22.A cold muzzle thrust against his cheek，and at its touchhis soul leaped back to the present。His hand shot into the fire and dragged out a burning fagot。Overcome for the nonce by his hereditary fear of man，the brute retreated，raising a prolonged call to his brothers and greedily they answered，till a ring of crouching，jaw-slobbered gray was stretched round about。The old man listenedto the drawing in of this circle。He waved his brand wildly，andsniffs turned to snarls but the panting brutes refused to scatter。Now one wormed his chest forward，dragging his haunches after，now a second，now a third but never a one drew back。Why should he cling to life？he asked，and dropped the blazing stick into the snow。It sizzled and went out。The circle grunted uneasily，but held itsown。Again he saw the last stand of the old bull moose，and Koskoosh dropped his head wearily upon his knees。What did it matter after all？Was it not the law of life？
評注：最後一段描寫了老人自己被獸群圍攻，從本能抵抗到放棄抵抗的過程，和文章主題相吻合。本篇小說帶有明顯的自然主義色彩，它將場景設置在極地，如同將人物放在實驗室中，驗證人在極端的自然條件下表現出的絕大多數是自然性；人也是生物鏈中的一環，逃脫不了生命法則的約束。它對人在理性作用下主動掌控命運這一觀念持否定的態度。它淡化甚至抹去了道德的作用，但這不意味著它是不道德的（immoral），我們隻能說它是超道德的（amoral），因為道德隻存在於人類社會。
marvel at：讚歎
ponder：v。思考
gauge：v。正確衡量
long-drawn：拖長聲音的
howl：n。哀號
void：n。虛空
flank：n。肋部
riddled：adj。布滿的
mane：n。鬃毛
loll：v。使舌頭垂下
fang：n。尖牙
inexorable：adj。不可阻擋的
muzzle：n。狗或馬等動物的口鼻部
for the nonce：暫時
hereditary：adj。遺傳的
slobber：v。淌口水
draw in：收縮
sniff：n。嗅
pant：v。喘氣
haunch：n。人的臀部，胯部
sizzle：v。嗞嗞響
Comprehension Exercises：
1.What function does the setting play in the story？
2.What does the reminiscence of the hunting scene symbolize？
3.Why does he refuse to fight any longer at last？
傑克·倫敦（1876—1916）美國著名作家。代表作《野性的呼喚》、《馬丁·伊登》和《熱愛生命》。他自小家境貧困，生活困苦，顛沛流離，從事過各種體力勞動，後來自學成才，成為當時非常傑出的一位商業作家。這段經曆在他的自傳體小說《馬丁·伊登》中有所體現。
參考譯文
一個幹淨明亮的地方
海明威
1.時間很晚了，大家都離開餐館，隻有一個老人還坐在樹葉擋住燈光的陰影裏。白天裏，街上盡是塵埃，到了晚上，露水壓住了塵埃。這個老人喜歡坐得很晚，因為他是個聾子，現在是夜裏，十分寂靜，他感覺得到跟白天的不同。呆在餐館裏的兩個侍者知道這老人有點兒醉了，他雖然是個好主顧，可是，他們知道，如果他喝得太醉了，他會不付賬就走，所以他們一直在留神他。
2.“上個星期他想自殺，”一個侍者說。
3.“為什麼？”
4.“他絕望啦。”
5.“幹嘛絕望？”
6.“沒事兒。”
7.“你怎麼知道是沒事兒？”
8.“他有很多錢。”
9.他們一起坐在緊靠著餐館大門牆邊的桌旁，眼睛望著平台，那兒的桌子全都空無一人，隻有那個老人坐在隨風輕輕飄拂的樹葉的陰影裏。有個少女和一個大兵走過大街。街燈照在他那領章的銅號碼上。那個少女沒戴帽子，在他身旁匆匆走著。
10.“警衛隊會把他逮走，”一個侍者說。
11.“如果他到手了他要找的東西，那又有什麼關係呢？”
12.“他這會兒還是從街上溜走為好。警衛隊會找他麻煩，他們五分鍾前才經過這裏。”
13.那老人坐在陰影裏，用杯子敲敲茶托。那個年紀比較輕的侍者上他那兒去。
14.“你要什麼？”
15.老人朝他看了看。“再來杯白蘭地，”他說。
16.“你會喝醉的，”侍者說。老人朝他看了一看。侍者走開了。
17.“他會通宵待在這裏，”他對他的同事說。“我這會兒真想睡。我從來沒有在三點鍾以前睡覺過。他應該在上星期就自殺了。”
18.侍者從餐館裏的櫃台上拿了一瓶白蘭地和另一個茶托，大步走了出來，送到老人桌上。他放下茶托，把杯子倒滿了白蘭地。
19.“你應該在上星期就自殺了，”他對那個聾子說。老人把手指一晃。“再加一點，”他說。侍者又往杯子裏倒酒，酒溢了出來，順著高腳杯的腳流進了一疊茶托的第一隻茶托。“謝謝你。”老人說。侍者把酒瓶拿回到餐館去。他又同他的同事坐在桌旁。
20.“他這會兒喝醉了，”他說。
21.“他每天晚上都喝醉。”
22.“他幹嘛要自殺呀？”
23.“我怎麼知道。”
24.“他上次是怎樣自殺的？”
25.“他用繩子上吊。”
26.“誰把他放下來的？”
27.“他侄女。”
28.“幹嘛要把他放下來？”
29.“為他的靈魂擔憂。”
30.“他有多少錢？”
31.“他有很多錢。”
32.“他準有八十歲嘍。”
33.“不管怎樣，我算準他有八十歲。”
34.“我真希望他回家去。我從來沒有在三點鍾以前睡覺過。那是個什麼樣的睡覺時間呀？”
35.“他因為不喜歡睡覺所以才不睡覺。”
36.“他孤孤單單。我可不孤單。我有個老婆在床上等著我呢。”
37.“他從前也有過老婆。”
38.“這會兒有老婆對他可沒好處。”
39.“話可不能這麼說。他有老婆也許會好些。”
40.“他侄女會照料他。”
41.“我知道。你剛才說是她把他放下來的。”
42.“我才不要活得那麼老。老人邋裏邋遢。”
43.“不一定都是這樣。這個老人幹幹淨淨。他喝起啤酒來並不滴滴答答往外漏。哪怕這會兒喝醉了。你瞧他。”
44.“我才不想瞧他。我希望他回家去。他並不關心那些非幹活不可的人。”
45.那老人從酒杯上抬起頭來望望廣場，又望望那兩個侍者。
46.“再來杯白蘭地，”他指著杯子說。那個著急的侍者跑了過去。
47.“沒啦，”他不顧什麼句法地說，蠢漢在對醉漢或外國人說話時就這麼說法。“今晚上沒啦。打烊啦。”
48.“再來一杯，”那老人說。
49.“不，沒啦，”侍者一邊拿塊毛巾揩揩桌沿，一邊搖搖頭。
50.老人站了起來，慢慢地數著茶托，打口袋裏摸出一隻裝硬幣的錢夾子來，付了酒賬，又放下半個比塞塔作小賬。那個侍者瞅著他順著大街走去，這個年紀很大的人走起路來，雖然腳步不很穩，卻很有神氣。
51.“你幹嘛不讓他呆下來喝酒呢？”那個不著急的侍者問道。他們這會兒正在拉下百葉窗。“還不到二點半呢。”
52.“我要回家睡覺了。”
53.“一個鍾頭算啥？”
54.“他無所謂，我可很在乎。”
55.“反正是一個鍾頭。”
56.“你說話就像那個老人一模一樣。他可以買啤酒回家去喝嘛。”
57.“這可不一樣。”
58.“是呀，這是不一樣的。”那個有老婆的侍者表示同意說。他不希望做得不公道，他隻是有點兒著急。
59.“那麼你呢？你不怕不到你通常的時間就回家嗎？”
60.“你想侮辱我嗎？”
61.“不，老兄，隻是開開玩笑。”
62.“不，”那個著急的侍者一邊說，一邊拉下了鐵百葉窗後站了起來。“我有信心。我完全有信心。”
63.“你有青春，信心，又有工作，”那個年紀大些的侍者說，“你什麼都有了。”
64.“那麼，你缺少什麼呢？”
65.“除了工作，什麼都缺。”
66.“我有什麼，你也都有了。”
67.“不，我從來就沒有信心，我也不年輕了。”
68.“好啦，好啦，別亂彈琴了，把門鎖上吧。”
69.“我是屬於那種喜歡在餐館呆得很晚的人，”那個年紀大些的侍者說。
70.“我同情那種不想睡覺的人，同情那種夜裏要有亮光的人。”
71.“我要回家睡覺去了。”
72.“我們是不一樣的，”那個年紀大些的侍者說。這會兒，他穿好衣服要回家了。“這不光是個年輕和信心的問題，雖然青春和信心都是十分美妙的。我每天晚上都很不願意打烊，因為可能有人要上餐館。”
73.“老兄，開通宵的酒店有的是。”
74.“你不懂。這兒是個幹淨愉快的餐館。十分明亮。而且這會兒，燈光很亮，還有縹緲的樹影。”
75.“晚安啦，”那個年輕的侍者說。
76.“晚安，”年紀大些的侍者說。他關了電燈，繼續在自說自話。亮固然要很亮，但也必須是個幹淨愉快的地方。你不要聽音樂。你肯定不要聽音樂。你也不會神氣地站在酒吧前麵，雖然這會兒那裏應有盡有。他怕什麼？他不是怕，也不是發慌。他心裏很有數，這是虛無縹緲。全是虛無縹緲，人也是虛無縹緲的。人所需要的隻是虛無縹緲和亮光以及幹幹淨淨和井井有條。有些人生活於其中卻從來沒有感覺到，可是，他知道一切都是虛無縹緲的，一切都是為了虛無縹緲，虛無縹緲，為了虛無縹緲。我們的虛無縹緲就在虛無縹緲中，虛無縹緲是你的名字，你的王國也叫虛無縹緲，你將是虛無縹緲中的虛無縹緲，因為原來就是虛無縹緲。給我們這個虛無縹緲吧，我們日常的虛無縹緲，虛無縹緲是我們的，我們的虛無縹緲，因為我們是虛無縹緲的，我們的虛無縹緲，我們無不在虛無縹緲中，可是，把我們打虛無縹緲中拯救出來吧；為了虛無縹緲。歡呼全是虛無縹緲的虛無縹緲，虛無縹緲與汝同在。他含笑站在一個酒吧前，那兒有架閃光的蒸汽壓咖啡機。