14 The Call of the Wild.docx
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14 The Call of the Wild.docx
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14TheCalloftheWild
THECALLOFTHEWILD
(SerializedinTheSaturdayEveningPost,June20-July18,1903)
∙Chapter1:
IntothePrimitive
∙Chapter2:
TheLawofClubandFang
∙Chapter3:
TheDominantPrimordialBeast
∙Chapter4:
WhoHasWonToMastership
∙Chapter5:
TheToilofTraceandTrail
∙Chapter6:
FortheLoveofaMan
∙Chapter7:
TheSoundingoftheCall
CHAPTER1
INTOTHEPRIMITIVE
Oldlongingsnomadicleap,
Chafingatcustom'schain;
Againfromitsbrumalsleep
Wakenstheferinestrain.
Buckdidnotreadthenewspapers,orhewouldhaveknownthattroublewasbrewing,notaloneforhimself,butforeverytidewaterdog,strongofmuscleandwithwarm,longhair,fromPugetSoundtoSanDiego.Becausemen,gropingintheArcticdarkness,hadfoundayellowmetal,andbecausesteamshipandtransportationcompanieswereboomingthefind,thousandsofmenwererushingintotheNorthland.Thesemenwanteddogs,andthedogstheywantedwereheavydogs,withstrongmusclesbywhichtotoil,andfurrycoatstoprotectthemfromthefrost.
Bucklivedatabighouseinthesun-kissedSantaClaraValley.JudgeMiller'splace,itwascalled.Itstoodbackfromtheroad,half-hiddenamongthetrees,throughwhichglimpsescouldbecaughtofthewidecoolverandathatranarounditsfoursides.Thehousewasapproachedbygraveleddrivewayswhichwoundaboutthroughwide-spreadinglawnsandundertheinterlacingboughsoftallpoplars.Attherearthingswereonevenamorespaciousscalethanatthefront.Thereweregreatstables,whereadozengroomsandboysheldforth,rowsofvine-cladservants'cottages,anendlessandorderlyarrayofouthouses,longgrapearbors,greenpastures,orchards,andberrypatches.Thentherewasthepumpingplantfortheartesianwell,andthebigcementtankwhereJudgeMiler'sboystooktheirmorningplungeandkeptcoolinthehotafternoon.
AndoverthisgreatdemesneBuckruled.Herehewasborn,andherehehadlivedthefouryearsofhislife.Itwastrue,therewereotherdogs.Therecouldnotbutbeotherdogsonsovastaplace,buttheydidnotcount.Theycameandwent,residedinthepopulouskennels,orlivedobscurelyintherecessesofthehouseafterthefashionofToots,theJapanesepug,orYsabel,theMexicanhairless,strangecreaturesthatrarelyputnoseoutofdoorsorsetfoottoground.Ontheotherhand,therewerethefoxterriers,ascoreofthematleast,whoyelpedfearfulpromisesatTootsandYsabellookingoutofthewindowsatthemandprotectedbyalegionofhousemaidsarmedwithbroomsandmops.
ButBuckwasneitherhousedognorkenneldog.Thewholerealmwashis.HeplungedintotheswimmingtankorwenthuntingwiththeJudge'ssons;heescortedMollieandAlice,theJudge'sdaughters,onlongtwilightorearlymorningrambles;onwintrynightshelayattheJudge'sfeetbeforetheroaringlibraryfire;hecarriedtheJudge'sgrandsonsonhisback,orrolledtheminthegrass,andguardedtheirfootstepsthroughwildadventuresdowntothefountaininthestableyard,andevenbeyond,wherethepaddockswere,andtheberrypatches.Amongtheterriershestalkedimperiously,andTootsandYsabelheutterlyignored,forhewasking--kingoverallcreeping,crawling,flyingthingsofJudgeMiller'splace,humansincluded.
Hisfather,Elmo,ahugeSt.Bernard,hadbeentheJudge'sinseparablecompanion,andBuckbidfairtofollowinthewayofhisfather.Hewasnotsolarge--heweighedonlyonehundredandfortypounds--forhismother,She,hadbeenaScotchshepherddog.Nevertheless,onehundredandfortypounds,towhichwasaddedthedignitythatcomesofgoodlivinganduniversalrespect,enabledhimtocarryhimselfinrightroyalfashion.Duringthefouryearssincehispuppyhoodhehadlivedthelifeofasatedaristocrat;hehadafineprideinhimself,wasevenatrifleegotistical,ascountrygentlemensometimesbecomebecauseoftheirinsularsituation.Buthehadsavedhimselfbynotbecomingamerepamperedhousedog.Huntingandkindredoutdoordelightshadkeptdownthefatandhardenedhismuscles;andtohim,astothecold-tubbingraces,theloveofwaterhadbeenatonicandahealthpreserver.
AndthiswasthemannerofdogBuckwasinthefallof1897,whentheKlondikestrikedraggedmenfromalltheworldintothefrozenNorth.ButBuckdidnotreadthenewspapers,andhedidnotknowthatManuel,oneofthegardener'shelpers,wasanundesirableacquaintance.Manuelhadonebesettingsin.HelovedtoplayChineselottery.Also,inhisgambling,hehadonebesettingweakness--faithinasystem;andthismadehisdamnationcertain.Fortoplayasystemrequiresmoney,whilethewagesofagardener'shelperdonotlapovertheneedsofawifeandnumerousprogeny.
TheJudgewasatameetingoftheRaisinGrowers'Association,andtheboyswerebusyorganizinganathleticclub,onthememorablenightofManuel'streachery.NoonesawhimandBuckgooffthroughtheorchardonwhatBuckimaginedwasmerelyastroll.Andwiththeexceptionofasolitaryman,noonesawthemarriveatthelittleflagstationknownasCollegePark.ThismantalkedwithManuel,andmoneychinkedbetweenthem.
"Youmightwrapupthegoodsbeforeyoudeliverthem,"thestrangersaidgruffly,andManueldoubledapieceofstoutropearoundBuck'sneckunderthecollar.
"Twistit,andyou'llchokehimplenty,"saidManuel,andthestrangergruntedareadyaffirmative.
Buckhadacceptedtheropewithquietdignity.Tobesure,itwasanunwontedperformancebuthehadlearnedtotrustinmenheknew,andtogivethemcreditforawisdomthatoutreachedhisown.Butwhentheendsoftheropewereplacedinthestranger'shands,hegrowledmenacingly.Hehadmerelyintimatedhisdispleasure,inhispridebelievingthattointimatewastocommand.Buttohissurprisetheropetightenedaroundhisneck,shuttingoffhisbreath.Inaquickragehesprangattheman,whomethimhalfway,grappledhimclosebythethroat,andwithadefttwistthrewhimoveronhisback.Thentheropetightenedmercilessly,whileBuckstruggledinafury,histonguelollingoutofhismouthandhisgreatchestpantingfutilely.Neverinallhislifehadhebeensovilelytreated,andneverinallhislifehadhebeensoangry.Buthisstrengthebbed,hiseyesglazed,andheknewnothingwhenthetrainwasflaggedandthetwomenthrewhimintothebaggagecar.
Thenextheknew,hewasdimlyawarethathistonguewashurtingandthat\hewasbeingjoltedalonginsomekindofaconveyance.Thehoarseshriekofalocomotivewhistlingacrossingtoldhimwherehewas.HehadtraveledtoooftenwiththeJudgenottoknowthesensationofridinginabaggagecar.Heopenedhiseyes,andintothemcametheunbridledangerofakidnapedking.Themansprangforhisthroat,butBuckwastooquickforhim.Hisjawsclosedonthehand,nordidtheyrelaxtillhissenseswerechokedoutofhimoncemore.
"Yep,hasfits,"themansaid,hidinghismangledhandfromthebaggageman,whohadbeenattractedbythesoundsofstruggle."I'mtakinghimupforthebossto'Frisco.Acrackdogdoctortherethinksthathecancurehim."
Concerningthatnight'sride,themanspokemosteloquentlyforhimself,inalittleshedbackofasaloonontheSanFranciscowaterfront.
"AllIgetisfiftyforit,"hegrumbled,"andIwouldn'tdoitoverforathousand,coldcash."
Hishandwaswrappedinabloodyhandkerchief,andtherighttrouserlegwasrippedfromkneetoankle.
"Howmuchdidtheothermugget?
"thesaloon-keeperdemanded.
"Ahundred,"wasthereply."Wouldn'ttakeasouless,sohelpme."
"Thatmakesahundredandfifty,"thesaloon-keepercalculated,"andhe'sworthit,orI'masquarehead."
Thekidnaperundidthebloodywrappingsandlookedathislaceratedhand."IfIdon'tgethydrophobia--"
"It'llbebecauseyouwasborntohang,"laughedthesaloon-keeper."Here,lendmeahandbeforeyoupullyourfreight,"headded.
Dazed,sufferingintolerablepainfromthroatandtongue,withthelifehalfthrottledoutofhim,Buckattemptedtofacehistormentors.Buthewasthrowndownandchokedrepeatedly,tilltheysucceededinfilingtheheavybrasscollarfromoffhisneck.Thentheropewasremoved,andhewasflungintoacage-likecrate.
Therehelayfortheremainderofthewearynight,nursinghiswrathandwoundedpride.Hecouldnotunderstandwhatitallmeant.Whatdidtheywantwithhim,thesestrangemen?
Whyweretheykeepinghimpentupinthisnarrowcrate?
Hedidnotknowwhy,buthefeltoppressedbythevaguesenseofimpendingcalamity.Severaltimesduringthenighthesprangtohisfeetwhenthesheddoorrattledopen,expectingtoseetheJudge,ortheboysatleast.Buteachtimeitwasthebulgingfaceofthesaloon-keeperthatpeeredinathimbythesicklylightofatallowcandle.AndeachtimethejoyfulbarkthattrembledinBuck'sthroatwastwistedintoasavagegrowl.
Butthesaloon-keeperlethimalone,andinthemorningfourmenenteredandpickedupthecrate.Moretormentors,Buckdecided,fortheywereevil-lookingcreatures,raggedandunkempt;andhestormedandragedatthemthroughthebars.Theyonlylaughedandpokedsticksathim,whichhepromptlyassailedwithhisteethtillherealizedthatwaswhattheywanted.Whereuponhelaydownsullenlyandallowedthecratetobeliftedintoawagon.Thenhe,andthecrateinwhichhewasimprisoned,beganapassagethroughmanyhands.Clerksintheexpressofficetookchargeofhim;hewascartedaboutinanotherwagon;atruckcarriedhim,withanassortmentofboxesandparcels,uponaferrysteamer;hewastruckedoffthesteamerintoagreatrailwaydepot,andfinallyhewasdepositedinanexpresscar.
Fortwodaysandnights
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