Поклик предків
Into the Primitive
"Drutherbreakcayusesanyday,andtwiceonSundays,"wasthereplyofthedriver,asheclimbedonthewagonandstartedthehorses.
Buck’ssensescamebacktohim,butnothisstrength. Helaywherehehadfallen,andfromtherehewatchedthemanintheredsweater.
"‘AnswerstothenameofBuck,’"themansoliloquized,quotingfromthesaloon-keeper’sletterwhichhadannouncedtheconsignmentofthecrateandcontents. "Well,Buck,myboy,"hewentoninagenialvoice,"we’vehadourlittleruction,andthebestthingwecandoistoletitgoatthat. You’velearnedyourplace,andIknowmine. Beagooddogandall‘llgowellandthegoosehanghigh. Beabaddog,andI’llwhalethestuffin’outayou. Understand?"
Ashespokehefearlesslypattedtheheadhehadsomercilesslypounded,andthoughBuck’shairinvoluntarilybristledattouchofthehand,heendureditwithoutprotest. Whenthemanbroughthimwaterhedrankeagerly,andlaterboltedagenerousmealofrawmeat,chunkbychunk,fromtheman’shand.
Hewasbeaten(heknewthat);buthewasnotbroken. Hesaw,onceforall,thathestoodnochanceagainstamanwithaclub. Hehadlearnedthelesson,andinallhisafterlifeheneverforgotit. Thatclubwasarevelation. Itwashisintroductiontothereignofprimitivelaw,andhemettheintroductionhalfway. Thefactsoflifetookonafierceraspect;andwhilehefacedthataspectuncowed,hefaceditwithallthelatentcunningofhisnaturearoused. Asthedayswentby,otherdogscame,incratesandattheendsofropes,somedocilely,andsomeragingandroaringashehadcome; and,oneandall,hewatchedthempassunderthedominionofthemanintheredsweater.
