Зов предков
For the Love of a Man
TheyseemedtosharethekindlinessandlargenessofJohnThornton. AsBuckgrewstrongertheyenticedhimintoallsortsofridiculousgames,inwhichThorntonhimselfcouldnotforbeartojoin; andinthisfashionBuckrompedthroughhisconvalescenceandintoanewexistence. Love,genuinepassionatelove,washisforthefirsttime. ThishehadneverexperiencedatJudgeMiller’sdowninthesun-kissedSantaClaraValley. WiththeJudge’ssons,huntingandtramping,ithadbeenaworkingpartnership;withtheJudge’sgrandsons,asortofpompousguardianship;andwiththeJudgehimself,astatelyanddignifiedfriendship. Butlovethatwasfeverishandburning,thatwasadoration,thatwasmadness,ithadtakenJohnThorntontoarouse.
Thismanhadsavedhislife,whichwassomething; but,further,hewastheidealmaster. Othermensawtothewelfareoftheirdogsfromasenseofdutyandbusinessexpediency; hesawtothewelfareofhisasiftheywerehisownchildren,becausehecouldnothelpit.Andhesawfurther. Heneverforgotakindlygreetingoracheeringword,andtositdownforalongtalkwiththem("gas"hecalledit)wasasmuchhisdelightastheirs. HehadawayoftakingBuck’sheadroughlybetweenhishands,andrestinghisownheaduponBuck’s,ofshakinghimbackandforth,thewhilecallinghimillnamesthattoBuckwerelovenames.
