Зов предков
For the Love of a Man
WhenThornton’spartners,HansandPete,arrivedonthelong-expectedraft,BuckrefusedtonoticethemtillhelearnedtheywereclosetoThornton;afterthathetoleratedtheminapassivesortofway,acceptingfavorsfromthemasthoughhefavoredthembyaccepting. TheywereofthesamelargetypeasThornton,livingclosetotheearth,thinkingsimplyandseeingclearly; anderetheyswungtheraftintothebigeddybythesaw-millatDawson,theyunderstoodBuckandhisways,anddidnotinsistuponanintimacysuchasobtainedwithSkeetandNig.
ForThornton,however,hisloveseemedtogrowandgrow. He,aloneamongmen,couldputapackuponBuck’sbackinthesummertravelling. NothingwastoogreatforBucktodo,whenThorntoncommanded. Oneday(theyhadgrub-stakedthemselvesfromtheproceedsoftheraftandleftDawsonforthehead-watersoftheTanana)themenanddogsweresittingonthecrestofacliffwhichfellaway,straightdown,tonakedbed-rockthreehundredfeetbelow. JohnThorntonwassittingneartheedge,Buckathisshoulder. AthoughtlesswhimseizedThornton,andhedrewtheattentionofHansandPetetotheexperimenthehadinmind. "Jump,Buck!"hecommanded,sweepinghisarmoutandoverthechasm. ThenextinstanthewasgrapplingwithBuckontheextremeedge,whileHansandPeteweredraggingthembackintosafety.
"It’suncanny,"Petesaid,afteritwasoverandtheyhadcaughttheirspeech.
Thorntonshookhishead. "No,itissplendid,anditisterrible,too. Doyouknow,itsometimesmakesmeafraid."
