Білий ікол

           Thedoorofthepenwasbeingopenedagain. WhiteFangpaused. Somethingunusualwashappening.Hewaited. Thedoorwasopenedwider. Thenahugedogwasthrustinside,andthedoorwasslammedshutbehindhim. WhiteFanghadneverseensuchadog(itwasamastiff);butthesizeandfierceaspectoftheintruderdidnotdeterhim. Herewassomething,notwoodnoriron,uponwhichtowreakhishate. Heleapedinwithaflashoffangsthatrippeddownthesideofthemastiff’sneck. Themastiffshookhishead,growledhoarsely,andplungedatWhiteFang. ButWhiteFangwashere,there,andeverywhere,alwaysevadingandeluding,andalwaysleapinginandslashingwithhisfangsandleapingoutagainintimetoescapepunishment. 

           Themenoutsideshoutedandapplauded,whileBeautySmith,inanecstasyofdelight,gloatedovertherippingandmanglingperformedbyWhiteFang. Therewasnohopeforthemastifffromthefirst.Hewastooponderousandslow. Intheend,whileBeautySmithbeatWhiteFangbackwithaclub,themastiffwasdraggedoutbyitsowner. Thentherewasapaymentofbets,andmoneyclinkedinBeautySmith’shand. 

           WhiteFangcametolookforwardeagerlytothegatheringofthemenaroundhispen. Itmeantafight;andthiswastheonlywaythatwasnowvouchsafedhimofexpressingthelifethatwasinhim. Tormented,incitedtohate,hewaskeptaprisonersothattherewasnowayofsatisfyingthathateexceptatthetimeshismastersawfittoputanotherdogagainsthim. BeautySmithhadestimatedhispowerswell,forhewasinvariablythevictor. Oneday,threedogswereturnedinuponhiminsuccession. Anotherdayafull-grownwolf,fresh-caughtfromtheWild,wasshovedinthroughthedoorofthepen. Andonstillanotherdaytwodogsweresetagainsthimatthesametime. Thiswashisseverestfight,andthoughintheendhekilledthembothhewashimselfhalfkilledindoingit.