the beasts of tarzan-第20节

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

possession　of　it。



Nowhere　along　the　way；　however；　could　he　gain　definite　information

that　might　assure　him　positively　that　the　child　was　ahead　of　him。

Not　a　single　native　they　questioned　had　seen　or　heard　of　this

other　party；　though　nearly　all　had　had　direct　experience　with

the　Russian　or　had　talked　with　others　who　had。



It　was　with　difficulty　that　Tarzan　could　find　means　to　communicate

with　the　natives；　as　the　moment　their　eyes　fell　upon　his　companions

they　fled　precipitately　into　the　bush。　　His　only　alternative　was

to　go　ahead　of　his　pack　and　waylay　an　occasional　warrior　whom

he　found　alone　in　the　jungle。



One　day　as　he　was　thus　engaged；　tracking　an　unsuspecting

savage；　he　came　upon　the　fellow　in　the　act　of　hurling　a　spear

at　a　wounded　white　man　who　crouched　in　a　clump　of　bush　at　the

trail's　side。　　The　white　was　one　whom　Tarzan　had　often　seen；

and　whom　he　recognized　at　once。



Deep　in　his　memory　was　implanted　those　repulsive　featuresthe

close…set　eyes；　the　shifty　expression；　the　drooping　yellow　moustache。



Instantly　it　occurred　to　the　ape…man　that　this　fellow　had

not　been　among　those　who　had　accompanied　Rokoff　at　the

village　where　Tarzan　had　been　a　prisoner。　　He　had　seen　them　all；

and　this　fellow　had　not　been　there。　　There　could　be　but　one

explanationhe　it　was　who　had　fled　ahead　of　the　Russian　with

the　woman　and　the　childand　the　woman　had　been　Jane　Clayton。　　

He　was　sure　now　of　the　meaning　of　Rokoff's　words。



The　ape…man's　face　went　white　as　he　looked　upon　the　pasty；

vice…marked　countenance　of　the　Swede。　　Across　Tarzan's　forehead

stood　out　the　broad　band　of　scarlet　that　marked　the　scar　where；

years　before；　Terkoz　had　torn　a　great　strip　of　the　ape…man's

scalp　from　his　skull　in　the　fierce　battle　in　which　Tarzan　had

sustained　his　fitness　to　the　kingship　of　the　apes　of　Kerchak。



The　man　was　his　preythe　black　should　not　have　him；

and　with　the　thought　he　leaped　upon　the　warrior；　striking

down　the　spear　before　it　could　reach　its　mark。　　The　black；

whipping　out　his　knife；　turned　to　do　battle　with　this　new

enemy；　while　the　Swede；　lying　in　the　bush；　witnessed　a　duel；

the　like　of　which　he　had　never　dreamed　to　seea　half…naked

white　man　battling　with　a　half…naked　black；　hand　to　hand

with　the　crude　weapons　of　primeval　man　at　first；　and　then

with　hands　and　teeth　like　the　primordial　brutes　from　whose

loins　their　forebears　sprung。



For　a　time　Anderssen　did　not　recognize　the　white；　and　when

at　last　it　dawned　upon　him　that　he　had　seen　this　giant　before；

his　eyes　went　wide　in　surprise　that　this　growling；　rending　beast

could　ever　have　been　the　well…groomed　English　gentleman　who　had

been　a　prisoner　aboard　the　Kincaid。



An　English　nobleman！　　He　had　learned　the　identity　of　the

Kincaid's　prisoners　from　Lady　Greystoke　during　their　flight

up　the　Ugambi。　　Before；　in　common　with　the　other　members　of

the　crew　of　the　steamer；　he　had　not　known　who　the　two　might　be。



The　fight　was　over。　　Tarzan　had　been　compelled　to　kill　his　antagonist；

as　the　fellow　would　not　surrender。



The　Swede　saw　the　white　man　leap　to　his　feet　beside　the　corpse

of　his　foe；　and　placing　one　foot　upon　the　broken　neck　lift

his　voice　in　the　hideous　challenge　of　the　victorious　bull…ape。



Anderssen　shuddered。　　Then　Tarzan　turned　toward　him。

His　face　was　cold　and　cruel；　and　in　the　grey　eyes　the

Swede　read　murder。



〃Where　is　my　wife？〃　growled　the　ape…man。　　〃Where　is　the　child？〃



Anderssen　tried　to　reply；　but　a　sudden　fit　of　coughing　choked　him。

There　was　an　arrow　entirely　through　his　chest；　and　as　he　coughed　the

blood　from　his　wounded　lung　poured　suddenly　from　his　mouth　and　nostrils。



Tarzan　stood　waiting　for　the　paroxysm　to　pass。　　Like　a

bronze　imagecold；　hard；　and　relentlesshe　stood　over　the

helpless　man；　waiting　to　wring　such　information　from　him

as　he　needed；　and　then　to　kill。



Presently　the　coughing　and　haemorrhage　ceased；　and　again

the　wounded　man　tried　to　speak。　　Tarzan　knelt　near　the　faintly

moving　lips。



〃The　wife　and　child！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Where　are　they？〃



Anderssen　pointed　up　the　trail。



〃The　Russianhe　got　them；〃　he　whispered。



〃How　did　you　come　here？〃　continued　Tarzan。　　〃Why　are　you　not　with　Rokoff？〃



〃They　catch　us；〃　replied　Anderssen；　in　a　voice　so　low

that　the　ape…man　could　just　distinguish　the　words。　　

〃They　catch　us。　　Ay　fight；　but　my　men　they　all　run　away。　　

Then　they　get　me　when　Ay　ban　vounded。　　Rokoff　he　say　leave

me　here　for　the　hyenas。　　That　vas　vorse　than　to　kill。　　

He　tak　your　vife　and　kid。〃



〃What　were　you　doing　with　themwhere　were　you　taking　them？〃

asked　Tarzan；　and　then　fiercely；　leaping　close　to　the

fellow　with　fierce　eyes　blazing　with　the　passion　of　hate　and

vengeance　that　he　had　with　difficulty　controlled；　〃What　harm

did　you　do　to　my　wife　or　child？　　Speak　quick　before　I　kill　you！　

Make　your　peace　with　God！　　Tell　me　the　worst；　or　I　will

tear　you　to　pieces　with　my　hands　and　teeth。　　You　have　seen

that　I　can　do　it！〃



A　look　of　wide…eyed　surprise　overspread　Anderssen's　face。



〃Why；〃　he　whispered；　〃Ay　did　not　hurt　them。　　Ay　tried

to　save　them　from　that　Russian。　　Your　vife　was　kind　to　me　on

the　Kincaid；　and　Ay　hear　that　little　baby　cry　sometimes。　　

Ay　got　a　vife　an'　kid　for　my　own　by　Christiania　an'　Ay　couldn't

bear　for　to　see　them　separated　an'　in　Rokoff's　hands　any　more。　　

That　vas　all。　　Do　Ay　look　like　Ay　ban　here　to　hurt　them？〃

he　continued　after　a　pause；　pointing　to　the　arrow　protruding

from　his　breast。



There　was　something　in　the　man's　tone　and　expression　that

convinced　Tarzan　of　the　truth　of　his　assertions。　　More　weighty

than　anything　else　was　the　fact　that　Anderssen　evidently　seemed

more　hurt　than　frightened。　　He　knew　he　was　going　to　die；

so　Tarzan's　threats　had　little　effect　upon　him；　but　it　was

quite　apparent　that　he　wished　the　Englishman　to　know　the

truth　and　not　to　wrong　him　by　harbouring　the　belief　that　his

words　and　manner　indicated　that　he　had　entertained。



The　ape…man　instantly　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　the　Swede。



〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　said　very　simply。　　〃I　had　looked　for　none

but　knaves　in　company　with　Rokoff。　　I　see　that　I　was　wrong。　　

That　is　past　now；　and　we　will　drop　it　for　the　more　important

matter　of　getting　you　to　a　place　of　comfort　and　looking　after

your　wounds。　　We　must　have　you　on　your　feet　again　as　soon

as　possible。〃



The　Swede；　smiling；　shook　his　head。



〃You　go　on　an'　look　for　the　vife　an'　kid；〃　he　said。　　

〃Ay　ban　as　gude　as　dead　already；　but〃he　hesitated〃Ay　hate

to　think　of　the　hyenas。　　Von't　you　finish　up　this　job？〃



Tarzan　shuddered。　　A　moment　ago　he　had　been　upon　the　point

of　killing　this　man。　　Now　he　could　no　more　have　taken　his　life

than　he　could　have　taken　the　life　of　any　of　his　best　friends。



He　lifted　the　Swede's　head　in　his　arms　to　change　and　ease　his　position。



Again　came　a　fit　of　coughing　and　the　terrible　haemorrhage。　　

After　it　was　over　Anderssen　lay　with　closed　eyes。



Tarzan　thought　that　he　was　dead；　until　he　suddenly　raised

his　eyes　to　those　of　the　ape…man；　sighed；　and　spokein　a

very　low；　weak　whisper。



〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard！〃　he　said；　and　died。









Chapter　11





Tambudza





Tarzan　scooped　a　shallow　grave　for　the　Kincaid's　cook；

beneath　whose　repulsive　exterior　had　beaten　the　heart　of

a　chivalrous　gentleman。　　That　was　all　he　could　do　in　the　cruel

jungle　for　the　man　who　had　given　his　life　in　the　service　of

his　little　son　and　his　wife。



Then　Tarzan　took　up　again　the　pursuit　of　Rokoff。　　Now　that

he　was　positive　that　the　woman　ahead　of　him　was　indeed

Jane；　and　that　she　had　again　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the

Russian；　it　seemed　that　with　all　the　incredible　speed　of　his

fleet　and　agile　muscles　he　moved　at　but　a　snail's　pace。



It　was　with　difficulty　that　he　kept　the　trail；　for　there　were

many　paths　through　the　jungle　at　this　pointcrossing　and

crisscrossing；　forking　and　branching　in　all　directions；　and　over

them　all　had　passed　natives　innumerable；　coming　and　going。　　

The　spoor　of　the　white　men　was　obliterated　by　that　of　the

native　carriers　who　had　followed　them；　and　over　all　was　the

spoor　of　other　natives　and　of　wild　beasts。



It　was　most　perplexing；　yet　Tarzan　kept　on　assiduously；

checking　his　sense　of　sight　against　his　sense　of　smell；　that　he

might　more　surely　keep　to　the　right　trail。　　But；　with　all　his

care；　night　found　him　at　a　point　where　he　was　positive　that

he　was　on　the　wrong　trail　entirely。



He　knew　that　the　pack　would　follow　his　spoor；　and　so　he

had　been　careful　to　make　it　as　distinct　as　possible；　brushing

often　against　the　vines　and　creepers　that　walled　the　jungle…

path；　and　in　other　ways　leaving　his　scent…spoor　plainly　discernible。



As　darkness　settled　a　heavy　rain　set　in；　and　there　was

nothing　for　the　baffled　ape…man　to　do　but　wait　in　the　partial

shelter　of　a　huge　tree