Белый клык
The Mad God
AndwhenBeautySmithlefthimtiedoutsidethefort,heknewthatitwasBeautySmith’swillthatheshouldremainthere. Therefore,hehaddisobeyedthewillofboththegods,andearnedtheconsequentpunishment. Hehadseendogschangeownersinthepast,andhehadseentherunawaysbeatenashewasbeingbeaten. Hewaswise,andyetinthenatureofhimtherewereforcesgreaterthanwisdom. Oneofthesewasfidelity. HedidnotloveGreyBeaver,yet,eveninthefaceofhiswillandhisanger,hewasfaithfultohim. Hecouldnothelpit. Thisfaithfulnesswasaqualityoftheclaythatcomposedhim. Itwasthequalitythatwaspeculiarlythepossessionofhiskind;thequalitythatsetaparthisspeciesfromallotherspecies;thequalitythathasenabledthewolfandthewilddogtocomeinfromtheopenandbethecompanionsofman.
Afterthebeating,WhiteFangwasdraggedbacktothefort. ButthistimeBeautySmithlefthimtiedwithastick. Onedoesnotgiveupagodeasily,andsowithWhiteFang. GreyBeaverwashisownparticulargod,and,inspiteofGreyBeaver’swill,WhiteFangstillclungtohimandwouldnotgivehimup. GreyBeaverhadbetrayedandforsakenhim,butthathadnoeffectuponhim. NotfornothinghadhesurrenderedhimselfbodyandsoultoGreyBeaver. TherehadbeennoreservationonWhiteFang’spart,andthebondwasnottobebrokeneasily.
So,inthenight,whenthemeninthefortwereasleep,WhiteFangappliedhisteethtothestickthatheldhim. Thewoodwasseasonedanddry,anditwastiedsocloselytohisneckthathecouldscarcelygethisteethtoit.Itwasonlybytheseverestmuscularexertionandneck-archingthathesucceededingettingthewoodbetweenhisteeth,andbarelybetweenhisteethatthat; anditwasonlybytheexerciseofanimmensepatience,extendingthroughmanyhours,thathesucceededingnawingthroughthestick.
