Поклик предків
The Dominant Primordial Beast
Heworkedfaithfullyintheharness,forthetoilhadbecomeadelighttohim; yetitwasagreaterdelightslylytoprecipitateafightamongsthismatesandtanglethetraces.
AtthemouthoftheTahkeena,onenightaftersupper,Dubturnedupasnowshoerabbit,blunderedit,andmissed. Inasecondthewholeteamwasinfullcry. AhundredyardsawaywasacampoftheNorthwestPolice,withfiftydogs,huskiesall,whojoinedthechase. Therabbitspeddowntheriver,turnedoffintoasmallcreek,upthefrozenbedofwhichitheldsteadily. Itranlightlyonthesurfaceofthesnow,whilethedogsploughedthroughbymainstrength. Buckledthepack,sixtystrong,aroundbendafterbend,buthecouldnotgain. Helaydownlowtotherace,whiningeagerly,hissplendidbodyflashingforward,leapbyleap,inthewanwhitemoonlight. Andleapbyleap,likesomepalefrostwraith,thesnowshoerabbitflashedonahead.
Allthatstirringofoldinstinctswhichatstatedperiodsdrivesmenoutfromthesoundingcitiestoforestandplaintokillthingsbychemicallypropelledleadenpellets,thebloodlust,thejoytokill—allthiswasBuck’s,onlyitwasinfinitelymoreintimate. Hewasrangingattheheadofthepack,runningthewildthingdown,thelivingmeat,tokillwithhisownteethandwashhismuzzletotheeyesinwarmblood.
Thereisanecstasythatmarksthesummitoflife,andbeyondwhichlifecannotrise.
