Белый клык
The Bondage
ItwasduringthisperiodthathemighthaveharkenedtothememoriesofthelairandthestreamandrunbacktotheWild. Butthememoryofhismotherheldhim. Asthehuntingman-animalswentoutandcameback,soshewouldcomebacktothevillagesometime. Soheremainedinhisbondagewaitingforher.
Butitwasnotaltogetheranunhappybondage. Therewasmuchtointeresthim. Somethingwasalwayshappening. Therewasnoendtothestrangethingsthesegodsdid,andhewasalwayscurioustosee. Besides,hewaslearninghowtogetalongwithGreyBeaver. Obedience,rigid,undeviatingobedience,waswhatwasexactedofhim;andinreturnheescapedbeatingsandhisexistencewastolerated.
Nay,GreyBeaverhimselfsometimestossedhimapieceofmeat,anddefendedhimagainsttheotherdogsintheeatingofit. Andsuchapieceofmeatwasofvalue. Itwasworthmore,insomestrangeway,thenadozenpiecesofmeatfromthehandofasquaw. GreyBeaverneverpettednorcaressed. Perhapsitwastheweightofhishand,perhapshisjustice,perhapsthesheerpowerofhim,andperhapsitwasallthesethingsthatinfluencedWhiteFang; foracertaintieofattachmentwasformingbetweenhimandhissurlylord.
Insidiously,andbyremoteways,aswellasbythepowerofstickandstoneandcloutofhand,weretheshacklesofWhiteFang’sbondagebeingriveteduponhim. Thequalitiesinhiskindthatinthebeginningmadeitpossibleforthemtocomeintothefiresofmen,werequalitiescapableofdevelopment. Theyweredevelopinginhim,andthecamp-life,repletewithmiseryasitwas,wassecretlyendearingitselftohimallthetime.
