Белый клык
The Covenant
Thatwasnoconcernofhis. Butitwashisconcernthattheyleavehimaloneinhisisolation,getoutofhiswaywhenheelectedtowalkamongthem,andatalltimesacknowledgehismasteryoverthem. Ahintofstiff-leggednessontheirpart,aliftedliporabristleofhair,andhewouldbeuponthem,mercilessandcruel,swiftlyconvincingthemoftheerroroftheirway.
Hewasamonstroustyrant.Hismasterywasrigidassteel. Heoppressedtheweakwithavengeance. Notfornothinghadhebeenexposedtothepitilessstrugglesforlifeinthedayofhiscubhood,whenhismotherandhe,aloneandunaided,heldtheirownandsurvivedintheferociousenvironmentoftheWild. Andnotfornothinghadhelearnedtowalksoftlywhensuperiorstrengthwentby. Heoppressedtheweak,butherespectedthestrong. AndinthecourseofthelongjourneywithGreyBeaverhewalkedsoftlyindeedamongstthefull-growndogsinthecampsofthestrangeman-animalstheyencountered.
Themonthspassedby.StillcontinuedthejourneyofGreyBeaver. WhiteFang’sstrengthwasdevelopedbythelonghoursontrailandthesteadytoilatthesled;anditwouldhaveseemedthathismentaldevelopmentwaswell-nighcomplete. Hehadcometoknowquitethoroughlytheworldinwhichhelived. Hisoutlookwasbleakandmaterialistic. Theworldashesawitwasafierceandbrutalworld,aworldwithoutwarmth,aworldinwhichcaressesandaffectionandthebrightsweetnessesofthespiritdidnotexist.
HehadnoaffectionforGreyBeaver. True,hewasagod,butamostsavagegod. WhiteFangwasgladtoacknowledgehislordship,butitwasalordshipbaseduponsuperiorintelligenceandbrutestrength. TherewassomethinginthefibreofWhiteFang’sbeingthatmadehislordshipathingtobedesired,elsehewouldnothavecomebackfromtheWildwhenhedidtotenderhisallegiance.
