Белый клык
The Reign of Hate
Inthefalloftheyear,whenthefirstsnowswerefallingandmush-icewasrunningintheriver,BeautySmithtookpassageforhimselfandWhiteFangonasteamboatbounduptheYukontoDawson. WhiteFanghadnowachievedareputationintheland. As"theFightingWolf"hewasknownfarandwide,andthecageinwhichhewaskeptonthesteam-boat’sdeckwasusuallysurroundedbycuriousmen. Heragedandsnarledatthem,orlayquietlyandstudiedthemwithcoldhatred. Whyshouldhenothatethem? Heneveraskedhimselfthequestion. Heknewonlyhateandlosthimselfinthepassionofit. Lifehadbecomeahelltohim. Hehadnotbeenmadeforthecloseconfinementwildbeastsendureatthehandsofmen. Andyetitwasinpreciselythiswaythathewastreated. Menstaredathim,pokedsticksbetweenthebarstomakehimsnarl,andthenlaughedathim.
Theywerehisenvironment,thesemen,andtheyweremouldingtheclayofhimintoamoreferociousthingthanhadbeenintendedbyNature. Nevertheless,Naturehadgivenhimplasticity. Wheremanyanotheranimalwouldhavediedorhaditsspiritbroken,headjustedhimselfandlived,andatnoexpenseofthespirit. PossiblyBeautySmith,arch-fiendandtormentor,wascapableofbreakingWhiteFang’sspirit,butasyettherewerenosignsofhissucceeding.
IfBeautySmithhadinhimadevil,WhiteFanghadanother;andthetwoofthemragedagainsteachotherunceasingly. Inthedaysbefore,WhiteFanghadhadthewisdomtocowerdownandsubmittoamanwithaclubinhishand; butthiswisdomnowlefthim. ThemeresightofBeautySmithwassufficienttosendhimintotransportsoffury. Andwhentheycametoclosequarters,andhehadbeenbeatenbackbytheclub,hewentongrowlingandsnarling,andshowinghisfangs. Thelastgrowlcouldneverbeextractedfromhim.
