Белый клык
The Clinging Death
TimeandagainWhiteFanghadattemptedtoknockCherokeeoffhisfeet;butthedifferenceintheirheightwastoogreat. Cherokeewastoosquat,tooclosetotheground. WhiteFangtriedthetrickoncetoooften. Thechancecameinoneofhisquickdoublingsandcounter-circlings.HecaughtCherokeewithheadturnedawayashewhirledmoreslowly.Hisshoulderwasexposed. WhiteFangdroveinuponit:buthisownshoulderwashighabove,whilehestruckwithsuchforcethathismomentumcarriedhimonacrossovertheother’sbody. Forthefirsttimeinhisfightinghistory,mensawWhiteFanglosehisfooting. Hisbodyturnedahalf-somersaultintheair,andhewouldhavelandedonhisbackhadhenottwisted,catlike,stillintheair,intheefforttobringhisfeettotheearth. Asitwas,hestruckheavilyonhisside.Thenextinstanthewasonhisfeet,butinthatinstantCherokee’steethclosedonhisthroat.
Itwasnotagoodgrip,beingtoolowdowntowardthechest;butCherokeeheldon. WhiteFangsprangtohisfeetandtorewildlyaround,tryingtoshakeoffthebull-dog’sbody. Itmadehimfrantic,thisclinging,draggingweight. Itboundhismovements,restrictedhisfreedom. Itwaslikethetrap,andallhisinstinctresenteditandrevoltedagainstit. Itwasamadrevolt.Forseveralminuteshewastoallintentsinsane. Thebasiclifethatwasinhimtookchargeofhim. Thewilltoexistofhisbodysurgedoverhim. Hewasdominatedbythismereflesh-loveoflife.Allintelligencewasgone.Itwasasthoughhehadnobrain.Hisreasonwasunseatedbytheblindyearningofthefleshtoexistandmove,atallhazardstomove,tocontinuetomove,formovementwastheexpressionofitsexistence.
Roundandroundhewent,whirlingandturningandreversing,tryingtoshakeoffthefifty-poundweightthatdraggedathisthroat. Thebull-dogdidlittlebutkeephisgrip. Sometimes,andrarely,hemanagedtogethisfeettotheearthandforamomenttobracehimselfagainstWhiteFang. ButthenextmomenthisfootingwouldbelostandhewouldbedraggingaroundinthewhirlofoneofWhiteFang’smadgyrations.
