Поклик предків
The Law of Club and Fang
Allhisdays,nomatterwhattheodds,hehadneverrunfromafight. Buttheclubofthemanintheredsweaterhadbeatenintohimamorefundamentalandprimitivecode. Civilized,hecouldhavediedforamoralconsideration,saythedefenceofJudgeMiller’sriding-whip; butthecompletenessofhisdecivilizationwasnowevidencedbyhisabilitytofleefromthedefenceofamoralconsiderationandsosavehishide. Hedidnotstealforjoyofit,butbecauseoftheclamorofhisstomach. Hedidnotrobopenly,butstolesecretlyandcunningly,outofrespectforclubandfang. Inshort,thethingshedidweredonebecauseitwaseasiertodothemthannottodothem.
Hisdevelopment(orretrogression)wasrapid. Hismusclesbecamehardasiron,andhegrewcalloustoallordinarypain. Heachievedaninternalaswellasexternaleconomy. Hecouldeatanything,nomatterhowloathsomeorindigestible;and,onceeaten,thejuicesofhisstomachextractedthelastleastparticleofnutriment; andhisbloodcarriedittothefarthestreachesofhisbody,buildingitintothetoughestandstoutestoftissues. Sightandscentbecameremarkablykeen,whilehishearingdevelopedsuchacutenessthatinhissleepheheardthefaintestsoundandknewwhetheritheraldedpeaceorperil. Helearnedtobitetheiceoutwithhisteethwhenitcollectedbetweenhistoes;andwhenhewasthirstyandtherewasathickscumoficeoverthewaterhole,hewouldbreakitbyrearingandstrikingitwithstiffforelegs. Hismostconspicuoustraitwasanabilitytoscentthewindandforecastitanightinadvance. Nomatterhowbreathlesstheairwhenhedughisnestbytreeorbank,thewindthatlaterblewinevitablyfoundhimtoleeward,shelteredandsnug.
Andnotonlydidhelearnbyexperience,butinstinctslongdeadbecamealiveagain. Thedomesticatedgenerationsfellfromhim.
