Зов предков
The Toil of Trace and Trail
Hismuscleshadwastedawaytoknottystrings,andthefleshpadshaddisappeared,sothateachribandeveryboneinhisframewereoutlinedcleanlythroughtheloosehidethatwaswrinkledinfoldsofemptiness. Itwasheartbreaking,onlyBuck’sheartwasunbreakable. Themanintheredsweaterhadprovedthat.
AsitwaswithBuck,sowasitwithhismates. Theywereperambulatingskeletons. Thereweresevenalltogether,includinghim. Intheirverygreatmiserytheyhadbecomeinsensibletothebiteofthelashorthebruiseoftheclub. Thepainofthebeatingwasdullanddistant,justasthethingstheireyessawandtheirearsheardseemeddullanddistant. Theywerenothalfliving,orquarterliving. Theyweresimplysomanybagsofbonesinwhichsparksoflifeflutteredfaintly. Whenahaltwasmade,theydroppeddowninthetraceslikedeaddogs,andthesparkdimmedandpaledandseemedtogoout. Andwhenthecluborwhipfelluponthem,thesparkflutteredfeeblyup,andtheytotteredtotheirfeetandstaggeredon.
TherecameadaywhenBillee,thegood-natured,fellandcouldnotrise. Halhadtradedoffhisrevolver,sohetooktheaxeandknockedBilleeontheheadashelayinthetraces,thencutthecarcassoutoftheharnessanddraggedittooneside. Bucksaw,andhismatessaw,andtheyknewthatthisthingwasveryclosetothem.
