Белый клык
The Hunger Cry
Hedozeddespitehimself,crouchingbythefire,theblanketsabouthisshoulders,theaxebetweenhisknees, andoneithersideadogpressingcloseagainsthim. Heawokeonceandsawinfrontofhim,notadozenfeetaway,abiggreywolf,oneofthelargestofthepack. Andevenashelooked,thebrutedeliberatelystretchedhimselfafterthemannerofalazydog, yawningfullinhisfaceandlookinguponhimwithapossessiveeye,asif,intruth,heweremerelyadelayedmealthatwassoontobeeaten.
Thiscertitudewasshownbythewholepack. Fullyascorehecouldcount,staringhungrilyathimorcalmlysleepinginthesnow. Theyremindedhimofchildrengatheredaboutaspreadtableandawaitingpermissiontobegintoeat. Andhewasthefoodtheyweretoeat!Hewonderedhowandwhenthemealwouldbegin.
Ashepiledwoodonthefirehediscoveredanappreciationofhisownbodywhichhehadneverfeltbefore. Hewatchedhismovingmusclesandwasinterestedinthecunningmechanismofhisfingers. Bythelightofthefirehecrookedhisfingersslowlyandrepeatedlynowoneatatime,nowalltogether,spreadingthemwideormakingquickgrippingmovements. Hestudiedthenail-formation,andproddedthefinger-tips,nowsharply,andagainsoftly,gaugingthewhilethenerve-sensationsproduced. Itfascinatedhim,andhegrewsuddenlyfondofthissubtlefleshofhisthatworkedsobeautifullyandsmoothlyanddelicately. Thenhewouldcastaglanceoffearatthewolf-circledrawnexpectantlyabouthim, andlikeablowtherealisationwouldstrikehimthatthiswonderfulbodyofhis,thislivingflesh, wasnomorethansomuchmeat,aquestofravenousanimals,tobetornandslashedbytheirhungryfangs, tobesustenancetothemasthemooseandtherabbithadoftenbeensustenancetohim.
