Костёр

           Andyet,whenhetouchedhisnoseorcheeks,therewasnosensation. Runningwouldnotthawthemout. Norwoulditthawouthishandsandfeet. Thenthethoughtcametohimthatthefrozenportionsofhisbodymustbeextending. Hetriedtokeepthisthoughtdown,toforgetit,tothinkofsomethingelse;hewasawareofthepanickyfeelingthatitcaused,andhewasafraidofthepanic. Butthethoughtasserteditself,andpersisted,untilitproducedavisionofhisbodytotallyfrozen. Thiswastoomuch,andhemadeanotherwildrunalongthetrail. Oncehesloweddowntoawalk,butthethoughtofthefreezingextendingitselfmadehimrunagain. 

           Andallthetimethedogranwithhim,athisheels. Whenhefelldownasecondtime,itcurleditstailoveritsforefeetandsatinfrontofhimfacinghimcuriouslyeagerandintent. Thewarmthandsecurityoftheanimalangeredhim,andhecursedittillitflatteneddownitsearsappeasingly. Thistimetheshiveringcamemorequicklyupontheman. Hewaslosinginhisbattlewiththefrost. Itwascreepingintohisbodyfromallsides. Thethoughtofitdrovehimon,butherannomorethanahundredfeet,whenhestaggeredandpitchedheadlong. Itwashislastpanic. Whenhehadrecoveredhisbreathandcontrol,hesatupandentertainedinhismindtheconceptionofmeetingdeathwithdignity. However,theconceptiondidnotcometohiminsuchterms. Hisideaofitwasthathehadbeenmakingafoolofhimself,runningaroundlikeachickenwithitsheadcutoff—suchwasthesimilethatoccurredtohim.