Костер

           Itcertainlywascold,heconcluded,asherubbedhisnumbednoseandcheek-boneswithhismittenedhand. Hewasawarm-whiskeredman,butthehaironhisfacedidnotprotectthehighcheek-bonesandtheeagernosethatthrustitselfaggressivelyintothefrostyair. 

           Attheman’sheelstrottedadog,abignativehusky,theproperwolf-dog,grey-coatedandwithoutanyvisibleortemperamentaldifferencefromitsbrother,thewildwolf. Theanimalwasdepressedbythetremendouscold. Itknewthatitwasnotimefortravelling. Itsinstincttolditatruertalethanwastoldtothemanbytheman’sjudgment. Inreality,itwasnotmerelycolderthanfiftybelowzero;itwascolderthansixtybelow,thanseventybelow. Itwasseventy-fivebelowzero. Sincethefreezing-pointisthirty-twoabovezero,itmeantthatonehundredandsevendegreesoffrostobtained. Thedogdidnotknowanythingaboutthermometers. Possiblyinitsbraintherewasnosharpconsciousnessofaconditionofverycoldsuchaswasintheman’sbrain. Butthebrutehaditsinstinct. Itexperiencedavaguebutmenacingapprehensionthatsubdueditandmadeitslinkalongattheman’sheels,andthatmadeitquestioneagerlyeveryunwontedmovementofthemanasifexpectinghimtogointocamportoseeksheltersomewhereandbuildafire. Thedoghadlearnedfire,anditwantedfire,orelsetoburrowunderthesnowandcuddleitswarmthawayfromtheair.