Поклик предків
Into the Primitive
AndBuckwastrulyared-eyeddevil,ashedrewhimselftogetherforthespring,hairbristling,mouthfoaming,amadglitterinhisblood-shoteyes. Straightatthemanhelaunchedhisonehundredandfortypoundsoffury,surchargedwiththepentpassionoftwodaysandnights. Inmidair,justashisjawswereabouttocloseontheman,hereceivedashockthatcheckedhisbodyandbroughthisteethtogetherwithanagonizingclip. Hewhirledover,fetchingthegroundonhisbackandside. Hehadneverbeenstruckbyaclubinhislife,anddidnotunderstand. Withasnarlthatwaspartbarkandmorescreamhewasagainonhisfeetandlaunchedintotheair.Andagaintheshockcameandhewasbroughtcrushinglytotheground. Thistimehewasawarethatitwastheclub,buthismadnessknewnocaution. Adozentimeshecharged,andasoftentheclubbrokethechargeandsmashedhimdown.
Afteraparticularlyfierceblow,hecrawledtohisfeet,toodazedtorush. Hestaggeredlimplyabout,thebloodflowingfromnoseandmouthandears,hisbeautifulcoatsprayedandfleckedwithbloodyslaver. Thenthemanadvancedanddeliberatelydealthimafrightfulblowonthenose. Allthepainhehadenduredwasasnothingcomparedwiththeexquisiteagonyofthis. Witharoarthatwasalmostlionlikeinitsferocity,heagainhurledhimselfattheman. Buttheman,shiftingtheclubfromrighttoleft,coollycaughthimbytheunderjaw,atthesametimewrenchingdownwardandbackward. Buckdescribedacompletecircleintheair,andhalfofanother,thencrashedtothegroundonhisheadandchest.
Forthelasttimeherushed. Themanstrucktheshrewdblowhehadpurposelywithheldforsolong,andBuckcrumpledupandwentdown,knockedutterlysenseless.
"He’snoslouchatdog-breakin’,that’swotIsay,"oneofthemenonthewallcriedenthusiastically.
