Белый клык
The Famine
Hestruck,afterhiscustom,withoutwarning. Withthefirstslash,Baseek’srightearwasrippedintoribbons. Hewasastoundedatthesuddennessofit. Butmorethings,andmostgrievousones,werehappeningwithequalsuddenness. Hewasknockedoffhisfeet.Histhroatwasbitten. Whilehewasstrugglingtohisfeettheyoungdogsankteethtwiceintohisshoulder. Theswiftnessofitwasbewildering. HemadeafutilerushatWhiteFang,clippingtheemptyairwithanoutragedsnap. Thenextmomenthisnosewaslaidopen,andhewasstaggeringbackwardawayfromthemeat.
Thesituationwasnowreversed. WhiteFangstoodovertheshin-bone,bristlingandmenacing,whileBaseekstoodalittlewayoff,preparingtoretreat. Hedarednotriskafightwiththisyounglightning-flash,andagainheknew,andmorebitterly,theenfeeblementofoncomingage. Hisattempttomaintainhisdignitywasheroic. Calmlyturninghisbackuponyoungdogandshin-bone,asthoughbothwerebeneathhisnoticeandunworthyofhisconsideration,hestalkedgrandlyaway. Nor,untilwelloutofsight,didhestoptolickhisbleedingwounds.
TheeffectonWhiteFangwastogivehimagreaterfaithinhimself,andagreaterpride. Hewalkedlesssoftlyamongthegrowndogs;hisattitudetowardthemwaslesscompromising. Notthathewentoutofhiswaylookingfortrouble.Farfromit.Butuponhiswayhedemandedconsideration. Hestooduponhisrighttogohiswayunmolestedandtogivetrailtonodog. Hehadtobetakenintoaccount,thatwasall. Hewasnolongertobedisregardedandignored,aswasthelotofpuppies,andascontinuedtobethelotofthepuppiesthatwerehisteam-mates. Theygotoutoftheway,gavetrailtothegrowndogs,andgaveupmeattothemundercompulsion. ButWhiteFang,uncompanionable,solitary,morose,scarcelylookingtorightorleft,redoubtable,forbiddingofaspect,remoteandalien,wasacceptedasanequalbyhispuzzledelders.
