Белый клык
The Mad God
Hedidthecookingfortheothermeninthefort,thedish-washingandthedrudgery. Theydidnotdespisehim.Ratherdidtheytoleratehiminabroadhumanway,asonetoleratesanycreatureevillytreatedinthemaking. Also,theyfearedhim. Hiscowardlyragesmadethemdreadashotinthebackorpoisonintheircoffee. Butsomebodyhadtodothecooking,andwhateverelsehisshortcomings,BeautySmithcouldcook.
ThiswasthemanthatlookedatWhiteFang,delightedinhisferociousprowess,anddesiredtopossesshim. HemadeoverturestoWhiteFangfromthefirst. WhiteFangbeganbyignoringhim. Lateron,whentheoverturesbecamemoreinsistent,WhiteFangbristledandbaredhisteethandbackedaway. Hedidnotliketheman. Thefeelofhimwasbad.Hesensedtheevilinhim,andfearedtheextendedhandandtheattemptsatsoft-spokenspeech.Becauseofallthis,hehatedtheman.
Withthesimplercreatures,goodandbadarethingssimplyunderstood. Thegoodstandsforallthingsthatbringeasementandsatisfactionandsurceasefrompain. Therefore,thegoodisliked. Thebadstandsforallthingsthatarefraughtwithdiscomfort,menace,andhurt,andishatedaccordingly. WhiteFang’sfeelofBeautySmithwasbad.Fromtheman’sdistortedbodyandtwistedmind,inoccultways,likemistsrisingfrommalarialmarshes,cameemanationsoftheunhealthwithin. Notbyreasoning,notbythefivesensesalone,butbyotherandremoterandunchartedsenses,camethefeelingtoWhiteFangthatthemanwasominouswithevil,pregnantwithhurtfulness,andthereforeathingbad,andwiselytobehated.
WhiteFangwasinGreyBeaver’scampwhenBeautySmithfirstvisitedit. Atthefaintsoundofhisdistantfeet,beforehecameinsight,WhiteFangknewwhowascomingandbegantobristle. Hehadbeenlyingdowninanabandonofcomfort,buthearosequickly,and,asthemanarrived,slidawayintruewolf-fashiontotheedgeofthecamp.
