the beasts of tarzan-第19节

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village　gate；　and　as　his　people　looked　to　see　the　cause　of　his

fright；　they　too　took　to　their　heelsfor　there；　lumbering　down

upon　them；　their　huge　forms　exaggerated　by　the　play　of

moonlight　and　camp　fire；　came　the　hideous　apes　of　Akut。



The　instant　the　natives　turned　to　flee　the　ape…man's　savage

cry　rang　out　above　the　shrieks　of　the　blacks；　and　in　answer

to　it　Sheeta　and　the　apes　leaped　growling　after　the　fugitives。　　

Some　of　the　warriors　turned　to　battle　with　their　enraged

antagonists；　but　before　the　fiendish　ferocity　of　the　fierce　beasts

they　went　down　to　bloody　death。



Others　were　dragged　down　in　their　flight；　and　it　was　not

until　the　village　was　empty　and　the　last　of　the　blacks　had

disappeared　into　the　bush　that　Tarzan　was　able　to　recall　his

savage　pack　to　his　side。　　Then　it　was　that　he　discovered　to　his

chagrin　that　he　could　not　make　one　of　them；　not　even　the

comparatively　intelligent　Akut；　understand　that　he　wished　to

be　freed　from　the　bonds　that　held　him　to　the　stake。



In　time；　of　course；　the　idea　would　filter　through　their　thick

skulls；　but　in　the　meanwhile　many　things　might　happenthe

blacks　might　return　in　force　to　regain　their　village；　the　whites

might　readily　pick　them　all　off　with　their　rifles　from　the

surrounding　trees；　he　might　even　starve　to　death　before　the　dull…

witted　apes　realized　that　he　wished　them　to　gnaw　through　his　bonds。



As　for　Sheetathe　great　cat　understood　even　less　than　the

apes；　but　yet　Tarzan　could　not　but　marvel　at　the　remarkable

characteristics　this　beast　had　evidenced。　　That　it　felt　real

affection　for　him　there　seemed　little　doubt；　for　now　that　the

blacks　were　disposed　of　it　walked　slowly　back　and　forth

about　the　stake；　rubbing　its　sides　against　the　ape…man's　legs

and　purring　like　a　contented　tabby。　　That　it　had　gone　of　its

own　volition　to　bring　the　balance　of　the　pack　to　his　rescue；

Tarzan　could　not　doubt。　　His　Sheeta　was　indeed　a　jewel　among　beasts。



Mugambi's　absence　worried　the　ape…man　not　a　little。　　

He　attempted　to　learn　from　Akut　what　had　become　of　the　black；

fearing　that　the　beasts；　freed　from　the　restraint　of　Tarzan's

presence；　might　have　fallen　upon　the　man　and　devoured　him；

but　to　all　his　questions　the　great　ape　but　pointed　back　in　the

direction　from　which　they　had　come　out　of　the　jungle。



The　night　passed　with　Tarzan　still　fast　bound　to　the　stake；

and　shortly　after　dawn　his　fears　were　realized　in　the　discovery

of　naked　black　figures　moving　stealthily　just　within　the　edge　of

the　jungle　about　the　village。　　The　blacks　were　returning。



With　daylight　their　courage　would　be　equal　to　the　demands

of　a　charge　upon　the　handful　of　beasts　that　had　routed　them

from　their　rightful　abodes。　　The　result　of　the　encounter　seemed

foregone　if　the　savages　could　curb　their　superstitious　terror；

for　against　their　overwhelming　numbers；　their　long　spears

and　poisoned　arrows；　the　panther　and　the　apes　could　not　be

expected　to　survive　a　really　determined　attack。




That　the　blacks　were　preparing　for　a　charge　became　apparent

a　few　moments　later；　when　they　commenced　to　show

themselves　in　force　upon　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　dancing

and　jumping　about　as　they　waved　their　spears　and　shouted

taunts　and　fierce　warcries　toward　the　village。



These　manoeuvres　Tarzan　knew　would　continue　until　the　blacks

had　worked　themselves　into　a　state　of　hysterical　courage

sufficient　to　sustain　them　for　a　short　charge　toward　the

village；　and　even　though　he　doubted　that　they　would　reach　it

at　the　first　attempt；　he　believed　that　at　the　second　or　the　third

they　would　swarm　through　the　gateway；　when　the　outcome

could　not　be　aught　than　the　extermination　of　Tarzan's　bold；

but　unarmed　and　undisciplined；　defenders。



Even　as　he　had　guessed；　the　first　charge　carried　the　howling

warriors　but　a　short　distance　into　the　opena　shrill；　weird

challenge　from　the　ape…man　being　all　that　was　necessary　to

send　them　scurrying　back　to　the　bush。　　For　half　an　hour　they

pranced　and　yelled　their　courage　to　the　sticking…point；　and

again　essayed　a　charge。



This　time　they　came　quite　to　the　village　gate；　but　when

Sheeta　and　the　hideous　apes　leaped　among　them　they　turned

screaming　in　terror；　and　again　fled　to　the　jungle。



Again　was　the　dancing　and　shouting　repeated。　　This　time

Tarzan　felt　no　doubt　they　would　enter　the　village　and

complete　the　work　that　a　handful　of　determined　white　men　would

have　carried　to　a　successful　conclusion　at　the　first　attempt。



To　have　rescue　come　so　close　only　to　be　thwarted　because

he　could　not　make　his　poor；　savage　friends　understand

precisely　what　he　wanted　of　them　was　most　irritating；　but　he

could　not　find　it　in　his　heart　to　place　blame　upon　them。　　

They　had　done　their　best；　and　now　he　was　sure　they　would　doubtless

remain　to　die　with　him　in　a　fruitless　effort　to　defend　him。



The　blacks　were　already　preparing　for　the　charge。　　A　few

individuals　had　advanced　a　short　distance　toward　the　village

and　were　exhorting　the　others　to　follow　them。　　In　a　moment

the　whole　savage　horde　would　be　racing　across　the　clearing。



Tarzan　thought　only　of　the　little　child　somewhere　in　this

cruel；　relentless　wilderness。　　His　heart　ached　for　the　son　that

he　might　no　longer　seek　to　savethat　and　the　realization　of

Jane's　suffering　were　all　that　weighed　upon　his　brave　spirit

in　these　that　he　thought　his　last　moments　of　life。　　Succour；　all

that　he　could　hope　for；　had　come　to　him　in　the　instant　of　his

extremityand　failed。　　There　was　nothing　further　for　which

to　hope。



The　blacks　were　half…way　across　the　clearing　when　Tarzan's

attention　was　attracted　by　the　actions　of　one　of　the　apes。

The　beast　was　glaring　toward　one　of　the　huts。　　Tarzan　followed

his　gaze。　　To　his　infinite　relief　and　delight　he　saw　the

stalwart　form　of　Mugambi　racing　toward　him。



The　huge　black　was　panting　heavily　as　though　from　strenuous

physical　exertion　and　nervous　excitement。　　He　rushed

to　Tarzan's　side；　and　as　the　first　of　the　savages　reached　the

village　gate　the　native's　knife　severed　the　last　of　the　cords

that　bound　Tarzan　to　the　stake。



In　the　street　lay　the　corpses　of　the　savages　that　had　fallen

before　the　pack　the　night　before。　　From　one　of　these　Tarzan

seized　a　spear　and　knob　stick；　and　with　Mugambi　at　his　side

and　the　snarling　pack　about　him；　he　met　the　natives　as　they

poured　through　the　gate。



Fierce　and　terrible　was　the　battle　that　ensued；　but　at　last　the

savages　were　routed；　more　by　terror；　perhaps；　at　sight　of　a

black　man　and　a　white　fighting　in　company　with　a　panther　and

the　huge　fierce　apes　of　Akut；　than　because　of　their　inability

to　overcome　the　relatively　small　force　that　opposed　them。



One　prisoner　fell　into　the　hands　of　Tarzan；　and　him　the

ape…man　questioned　in　an　effort　to　learn　what　had　become　of

Rokoff　and　his　party。　　Promised　his　liberty　in　return　for　the

information；　the　black　told　all　he　knew　concerning　the　movements

of　the　Russian。



It　seemed　that　early　in　the　morning　their　chief　had　attempted

to　prevail　upon　the　whites　to　return　with　him　to　the

village　and　with　their　guns　destroy　the　ferocious　pack　that

had　taken　possession　of　it；　but　Rokoff　appeared　to　entertain

even　more　fears　of　the　giant　white　man　and　his　strange

companions　than　even　the　blacks　themselves。



Upon　no　conditions　would　he　consent　to　returning　even

within　sight　of　the　village。　　Instead；　he　took　his　party

hurriedly　to　the　river；　where　they　stole　a　number　of　canoes　the

blacks　had　hidden　there。　　The　last　that　had　been　seen　of　them

they　had　been　paddling　strongly　up…stream；　their　porters　from

Kaviri's　village　wielding　the　blades。



So　once　more　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　with　his　hideous　pack

took　up　his　search　for　the　ape…man's　son　and　the　pursuit　of

his　abductor。



For　weary　days　they　followed　through　an　almost　uninhabited

country；　only　to　learn　at　last　that　they　were　upon　the

wrong　trail。　　The　little　band　had　been　reduced　by　three；　for

three　of　Akut's　apes　had　fallen　in　the　fighting　at　the　village。　　

Now；　with　Akut；　there　were　five　great　apes；　and　Sheeta　was

thereand　Mugambi　and　Tarzan。



The　ape…man　no　longer　heard　rumors　even　of　the　three

who　had　preceded　Rokoffthe　white　man　and　woman　and

the　child。　　Who　the　man　and　woman　were　he　could　not　guess；

but　that　the　child　was　his　was　enough　to　keep　him　hot　upon

the　trail。　　He　was　sure　that　Rokoff　would　be　following　this

trio；　and　so　he　felt　confident　that　so　long　as　he　could　keep

upon　the　Russian's　trail　he　would　be　winning　so　much　nearer

to　the　time　he　might　snatch　his　son　from　the　dangers　and

horrors　that　menaced　him。



In　retracing　their　way　after　losing　Rokoff's　trail　Tarzan

picked　it　up　again　at　a　point　where　the　Russian　had　left　the

river　and　taken　to　the　brush　in　a　northerly　direction。　　He　could

only　account　for　this　change　on　the　ground　that　the　child　had

been　carried　away　from　the　river　by　the　two　who　now　had

possession　of　it。



Nowhere　along　t