Белый клык
The God’s Domain
Andstilllater,itwasnoticedthatapleasedlightcameintohiseyeswhenhesawthemapproaching,andthathelookedafterthemwithanappearanceofcuriousregretwhentheylefthimforotheramusements.
Allthiswasamatterofdevelopment,andtooktime. Nextinhisregard,afterthechildren,wasJudgeScott. Thereweretworeasons,possibly,forthis. First,hewasevidentlyavaluablepossessionofthemaster’s,andnext,hewasundemonstrative. WhiteFanglikedtolieathisfeetonthewideporchwhenhereadthenewspaper, fromtimetotimefavouringWhiteFangwithalookoraword—untroublesometokensthatherecognisedWhiteFang’spresenceandexistence. Butthiswasonlywhenthemasterwasnotaround. Whenthemasterappeared,allotherbeingsceasedtoexistsofarasWhiteFangwasconcerned.
WhiteFangallowedallthemembersofthefamilytopethimandmakemuchofhim;buthenevergavetothemwhathegavetothemaster. Nocaressoftheirscouldputthelove-croonintohisthroat,and,tryastheywould,theycouldneverpersuadehimintosnugglingagainstthem. Thisexpressionofabandonandsurrender,ofabsolutetrust,hereservedforthemasteralone. Infact,heneverregardedthemembersofthefamilyinanyotherlightthanpossessionsofthelove-master.
AlsoWhiteFanghadearlycometodifferentiatebetweenthefamilyandtheservantsofthehousehold. Thelatterwereafraidofhim,whilehemerelyrefrainedfromattackingthem.Thisbecauseheconsideredthattheywerelikewisepossessionsofthemaster. BetweenWhiteFangandthemexistedaneutralityandnomore. TheycookedforthemasterandwashedthedishesanddidotherthingsjustasMatthaddoneupintheKlondike. Theywere,inshort,appurtenancesofthehousehold.
