Білий ікол
The Trail of the Gods
GreyBeaverwouldnothavecampedonthenearsideoftheMackenzie,andWhiteFangwouldhavepassedbyandgoneon,eithertodieortofindhiswaytohiswildbrothersandbecomeoneofthem—awolftotheendofhisdays.
Nighthadfallen. Thesnowwasflyingmorethickly,andWhiteFang,whimperingsoftlytohimselfashestumbledandlimpedalong,cameuponafreshtrailinthesnow. Sofreshwasitthatheknewitimmediatelyforwhatitwas. Whiningwitheagerness,hefollowedbackfromtheriverbankandinamongthetrees. Thecamp-soundscametohisears. Hesawtheblazeofthefire,Kloo-koochcooking, andGreyBeaversquattingonhishamsandmumblingachunkofrawtallow. Therewasfreshmeatincamp!
WhiteFangexpectedabeating. Hecrouchedandbristledalittleatthethoughtofit. Thenhewentforwardagain. Hefearedanddislikedthebeatingheknewtobewaitingforhim. Butheknew,further,thatthecomfortofthefirewouldbehis,theprotectionofthegods,thecompanionshipofthedogs—thelast,acompanionshipofenmity, butnonethelessacompanionshipandsatisfyingtohisgregariousneeds.
Hecamecringingandcrawlingintothefirelight. GreyBeaversawhim,andstoppedmunchingthetallow. WhiteFangcrawledslowly,cringingandgrovellingintheabjectnessofhisabasementandsubmission. HecrawledstraighttowardGreyBeaver,everyinchofhisprogressbecomingslowerandmorepainful. Atlasthelayatthemaster’sfeet,intowhosepossessionhenowsurrenderedhimself,voluntarily,bodyandsoul. Ofhisownchoice,hecameintositbyman’sfireandtoberuledbyhim. WhiteFangtrembled,waitingforthepunishmenttofalluponhim. Therewasamovementofthehandabovehim. Hecringedinvoluntarilyundertheexpectedblow. Itdidnotfall. Hestoleaglanceupward.
