Белый клык
The Covenant
Atfirsthehadbeenpronetoturnuponhispursuers,jealousofhisdignityandwrathful; butatsuchtimesMit-sahwouldthrowthestinginglashofthethirty-footcariboo-gutwhipintohisfaceandcompelhimtoturntailandrunon. Lip-lipmightfacethepack,buthecouldnotfacethatwhip,andallthatwaslefthimtodowastokeephislongropetautandhisflanksaheadoftheteethofhismates.
ButastillgreatercunninglurkedintherecessesoftheIndianmind. Togivepointtounendingpursuitoftheleader,Mit-sahfavouredhimovertheotherdogs. Thesefavoursarousedinthemjealousyandhatred. IntheirpresenceMit-sahwouldgivehimmeatandwouldgiveittohimonly. Thiswasmaddeningtothem. Theywouldragearoundjustoutsidethethrowing-distanceofthewhip,whileLip-lipdevouredthemeatandMit~sahprotectedhim. Andwhentherewasnomeattogive,Mit-sahwouldkeeptheteamatadistanceandmakebelievetogivemeattoLip-lip.
WhiteFangtookkindlytothework. Hehadtravelledagreaterdistancethantheotherdogsintheyieldingofhimselftotheruleofthegods,andhehadlearnedmorethoroughlythefutilityofopposingtheirwill. Inaddition,thepersecutionhehadsufferedfromthepackhadmadethepacklesstohimintheschemeofthings,andmanmore. Hehadnotlearnedtobedependentonhiskindforcompanionship. Besides,Kichewaswell-nighforgotten;andthechiefoutletofexpressionthatremainedtohimwasintheallegiancehetenderedthegodshehadacceptedasmasters. Soheworkedhard,learneddiscipline,andwasobedient. Faithfulnessandwillingnesscharacterisedhistoil. Theseareessentialtraitsofthewolfandthewild-dogwhentheyhavebecomedomesticated,andthesetraitsWhiteFangpossessedinunusualmeasure.
AcompanionshipdidexistbetweenWhiteFangandtheotherdogs,butitwasoneofwarfareandenmity. Hehadneverlearnedtoplaywiththem.
