Белый клык
The Sleeping Wolf
Hesawnohumanface,spoketonohumanthing. Whenhisfoodwasshovedintohim,hegrowledlikeawildanimal. Hehatedallthings. Fordaysandnightshebellowedhisrageattheuniverse. Forweeksandmonthshenevermadeasound,intheblacksilenceeatinghisverysoul.Hewasamanandamonstrosity,asfearfulathingoffearasevergibberedinthevisionsofamaddenedbrain.
Andthen,onenight,heescaped. Thewarderssaiditwasimpossible,butneverthelessthecellwasempty,andhalfinhalfoutofitlaythebodyofadeadguard. Twootherdeadguardsmarkedhistrailthroughtheprisontotheouterwalls,andhehadkilledwithhishandstoavoidnoise.
Hewasarmedwiththeweaponsoftheslainguards—alivearsenalthatfledthroughthehillspursuedbytheorganisedmightofsociety. Aheavypriceofgoldwasuponhishead. Avariciousfarmershuntedhimwithshot-guns. Hisbloodmightpayoffamortgageorsendasontocollege. Public-spiritedcitizenstookdowntheirriflesandwentoutafterhim. Apackofbloodhoundsfollowedthewayofhisbleedingfeet. Andthesleuth-houndsofthelaw,thepaidfightinganimalsofsociety,withtelephone,andtelegraph,andspecialtrain,clungtohistrailnightandday.
Sometimestheycameuponhim,andmenfacedhimlikeheroes,orstampededthroughbarbed-wirefencestothedelightofthecommonwealthreadingtheaccountatthebreakfasttable. Itwasaftersuchencountersthatthedeadandwoundedwerecartedbacktothetowns,andtheirplacesfilledbymeneagerfortheman-hunt.
AndthenJimHalldisappeared. Thebloodhoundsvainlyquestedonthelosttrail. Inoffensiveranchersinremotevalleyswereheldupbyarmedmenandcompelledtoidentifythemselves.
