Белый клык

           And,suchwasthecuriousnessofthegame,thewayoflifeforonelayintheeatingoftheother,andthewayoflifefortheotherlayinbeingnoteaten. WhileoldOneEye,thewolfcrouchinginthecovert,playedhispart,too,inthegame, waitingforsomestrangefreakofChance,thatmighthelphimonthemeat-trailwhichwashiswayoflife. 

           Halfanhourpassed,anhour;andnothinghappened. Theballsofquillsmighthavebeenastoneforallitmoved; thelynxmighthavebeenfrozentomarble; andoldOneEyemighthavebeendead. Yetallthreeanimalswerekeyedtoatensenessoflivingthatwasalmostpainful, andscarcelyeverwoulditcometothemtobemorealivethantheywerethenintheirseemingpetrifaction. 

           OneEyemovedslightlyandpeeredforthwithincreasedeagerness. Somethingwashappening. Theporcupinehadatlastdecidedthatitsenemyhadgoneaway. Slowly,cautiously,itwasunrollingitsballofimpregnablearmour. Itwasagitatedbynotremorofanticipation. Slowly,slowly,thebristlingballstraightenedoutandlengthened. OneEyewatching,feltasuddenmoistnessinhismouthandadroolingofsaliva,involuntary,excitedbythelivingmeatthatwasspreadingitselflikearepastbeforehim. 

           Notquiteentirelyhadtheporcupineunrolledwhenitdiscovereditsenemy. Inthatinstantthelynxstruck. Theblowwaslikeaflashoflight. Thepaw,withrigidclawscurvingliketalons,shotunderthetenderbellyandcamebackwithaswiftrippingmovement. Hadtheporcupinebeenentirelyunrolled,orhaditnotdiscovereditsenemyafractionofasecondbeforetheblowwasstruck,thepawwouldhaveescapedunscathed; butaside-flickofthetailsanksharpquillsintoitasitwaswithdrawn.