the beasts of tarzan-第21节

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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　until　morning；　but　the　coming　of　dawn

brought　no　cessation　of　the　torrential　downpour。



For　a　week　the　sun　was　obscured　by　heavy　clouds；　while

violent　rain　and　wind　storms　obliterated　the　last　remnants　of

the　spoor　Tarzan　constantly　though　vainly　sought。



During　all　this　time　he　saw　no　signs　of　natives；　nor　of　his

own　pack；　the　members　of　which　he　feared　had　lost　his　trail

during　the　terrific　storm。　　As　the　country　was　strange　to　him；

he　had　been　unable　to　judge　his　course　accurately；　since　he　had　had

neither　sun　by　day　nor　moon　nor　stars　by　night　to　guide　him。



When　the　sun　at　last　broke　through　the　clouds　in　the

fore…　noon　of　the　seventh　day；　it　looked　down　upon

an　almost　frantic　ape…man。



For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　been

lost　in　the　jungle。　　That　the　experience　should　have　befallen

him　at　such　a　time　seemed　cruel　beyond　expression。　　Somewhere　in

this　savage　land　his　wife　and　son　lay　in　the　clutches　of　the

arch…fiend　Rokoff。



What　hideous　trials　might　they　not　have　undergone　during

those　seven　awful　days　that　nature　had　thwarted　him　in　his

endeavours　to　locate　them？　　Tarzan　knew　the　Russian；　in

whose　power　they　were；　so　well　that　he　could　not　doubt　but

that　the　man；　filled　with　rage　that　Jane　had　once　escaped

him；　and　knowing　that　Tarzan　might　be　close　upon　his　trail；

would　wreak　without　further　loss　of　time　whatever　vengeance

his　polluted　mind　might　be　able　to　conceive。



But　now　that　the　sun　shone　once　more；　the　ape…man　was　still

at　a　loss　as　to　what　direction　to　take。　　He　knew　that　Rokoff

had　left　the　river　in　pursuit　of　Anderssen；　but　whether　he

would　continue　inland　or　return　to　the　Ugambi　was　a　question。



The　ape…man　had　seen　that　the　river　at　the　point　he　had　left

it　was　growing　narrow　and　swift；　so　that　he　judged　that

it　could　not　be　navigable　even　for　canoes　to　any　great

distance　farther　toward　its　source。　　However；　if　Rokoff　had

not　returned　to　the　river；　in　what　direction　had　he　proceeded？



From　the　direction　of　Anderssen's　flight　with　Jane　and　the

child　Tarzan　was　convinced　that　the　man　had　purposed

attempting　the　tremendous　feat　of　crossing　the　continent　to

Zanzibar；　but　whether　Rokoff　would　dare　so　dangerous　a

journey　or　not　was　a　question。



Fear　might　drive　him　to　the　attempt　now　that　he　knew　the

manner　of　horrible　pack　that　was　upon　his　trail；　and　that

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　following　him　to　wreak　upon　him

the　vengeance　that　he　deserved。



At　last　the　ape…man　determined　to　continue　toward　the

northeast　in　the　general　direction　of　German　East　Africa　until

he　came　upon　natives　from　whom　he　might　gain　information

as　to　Rokoff's　whereabouts。



The　second　day　following　the　cessation　of　the　rain　Tarzan

came　upon　a　native　village　the　inhabitants　of　which　fled　into

the　bush　the　instant　their　eyes　fell　upon　him。　　Tarzan；　not　to

be　thwarted　in　any　such　manner　as　this；　pursued　them；　and

after　a　brief　chase　caught　up　with　a　young　warrior。　　The　fellow

was　so　badly　frightened　that　he　was　unable　to　defend

himself；　dropping　his　weapons　and　falling　upon　the　ground；

wide…eyed　and　screaming　as　he　gazed　on　his　captor。



It　was　with　considerable　difficulty　that　the　ape…man　quieted

the　fellow's　fears　sufficiently　to　obtain　a　coherent　statement

from　him　as　to　the　cause　of　his　uncalled…for　terror。



From　him　Tarzan　learned；　by　dint　of　much　coaxing；　that

a　party　of　whites　had　passed　through　the　village　several

days　before。　　These　men　had　told　them　of　a　terrible　white

devil　that　pursued　them；　warning　the　natives　against　it　and

the　frightful　pack　of　demons　that　accompanied　it。



The　black　had　recognized　Tarzan　as　the　white　devil　from

the　descriptions　given　by　the　whites　and　their　black　servants。　　

Behind　him　he　had　expected　to　see　a　horde　of　demons　disguised

as　apes　and　panthers。



In　this　Tarzan　saw　the　cunning　hand　of　Rokoff。　　The　Russian

was　attempting　to　make　travel　as　difficult　as　possible　for

him　by　turning　the　natives　against　him　in　superstitious　fear。



The　native　further　told　Tarzan　that　the　white　man　who　had

led　the　recent　expedition　had　promised　them　a　fabulous　reward

if　they　would　kill　the　white　devil。　　This　they　had　fully

intended　doing　should　the　opportunity　present　itself；　but　the

moment　they　had　seen　Tarzan　their　blood　had　turned　to　water；

as　the　porters　of　the　white　men　had　told　them　would　be　the　case。



Finding　the　ape…man　made　no　attempt　to　harm　him；　the　native

at　last　recovered　his　grasp　upon　his　courage；　and；　at　Tarzan's

suggestion；　accompanied　the　white　devil　back　to　the　village；

calling　as　he　went　for　his　fellows　to　return　also；　as　〃the

white　devil　has　promised　to　do　you　no　harm　if　you　come　back

right　away　and　answer　his　questions。〃



One　by　one　the　blacks　straggled　into　the　village；　but　that

their　fears　were　not　entirely　allayed　was　evident　from　the

amount　of　white　that　showed　about　the　eyes　of　the　majority

of　them　as　they　cast　constant　and　apprehensive　sidelong

glances　at　the　ape…man。



The　chief　was　among　the　first　to　return　to　the　village；　and

as　it　was　he　that　Tarzan　was　most　anxious　to　interview；　he

lost　no　time　in　entering　into　a　palaver　with　the　black。



The　fellow　was　short　and　stout；　with　an　unusually　low　and

degraded　countenance　and　apelike　arms。　　His　whole　expression

denoted　deceitfulness。



Only　the　superstitious　terror　engendered　in　him　by　the

stories　poured　into　his　ears　by　the　whites　and　blacks　of　the

Russian's　party　kept　him　from　leaping　upon　Tarzan　with　his

warriors　and　slaying　him　forthwith；　for　he　and　his　people

were　inveterate　maneaters。　　But　the　fear　that　he　might　indeed

be　a　devil；　and　that　out　there　in　the　jungle　behind　him　his

fierce　demons　waited　to　do　his　bidding；　kept　M'ganwazam

from　putting　his　desires　into　action。



Tarzan　questioned　the　fellow　closely；　and　by　comparing

his　statements　with　those　of　the　young　warrior　he　had　first

talked　with　he　learned　that　Rokoff　and　his　safari　were　in

terror…stricken　retreat　in　the　direction　of　the　far　East　Coast。



Many　of　the　Russian's　porters　had　already　deserted　him。　　

In　that　very　village　he　had　hanged　five　for　theft　and

attempted　desertion。　　Judging；　however；　from　what　the　Waganwazam

had　learned　from　those　of　the　Russian's　blacks　who　were　not

too　far　gone　in　terror　of　the　brutal　Rokoff　to　fear　even　to

speak　of　their　plans；　it　was　apparent　that　he　would　not　travel

any　great　distance　before　the　last　of　his　porters；　cooks；

tent…boys；　gun…bearers；　askari；　and　even　his　headman；

would　have　turned　back　into　the　bush；　leaving　him　to

the　mercy　of　the　merciless　jungle。



M'ganwazam　denied　that　there　had　been　any　white　woman

or　child　with　the　party　of　whites；　but　even　as　he　spoke　Tarzan

was　convinced　that　he　lied。　　Several　times　the　ape…man　approached

the　subject　from　different　angles；　but　never　was　he　successful

in　surprising　the　wily　cannibal　into　a　direct　contradiction　of

his　original　statement　that　there　had　been　no　women　or　children

with　the　party。



Tarzan　demanded　food　of　the　chief；　and　after　considerable　haggling

on　the　part　of　the　monarch　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　meal。

He　then　tried　to　draw　out　others　of　the　tribe；　especially　the

young　man　whom　he　had　captured　in　the　bush；　but　M'ganwazam's

presence　sealed　their　lips。



At　last；　convinced　that　these　people　knew　a　great　deal

more　than　they　had　told　him　concerning　the　whereabouts　of

the　Russian　and　the　fate　of　Jane　and　the　child；　Tarzan

determined　to　remain　overnight　among　them　in　the　hope　of

discovering　something　further　of　importance。



When　he　had　stated　his　decision　to　the　chief　he　was　rather

surprised　to　note　the　sudden　change　in　the　fellow's　attitude

toward　him。　　From　apparent　dislike　and　suspicion　M'ganwazam

became　a　most　eager　and　solicitous　host。



Nothing　would　do　but　that　the　ape…man　should　occupy　the

best　hut　in　the　village；　from　which　M'ganwazam's　oldest

wife　was　forthwith　summarily　ejected；　while　the　chief　took　up

his　temporary　abode　in　the　hut　of　one　of　his　younger　consorts。



Had　Tarzan　chanced　to　recall　the　fact　that　a　princely　reward　had

been　offered　the　blacks　if　they　should　succeed　in　killing　him；

he　might　have　more　quickly　interpreted　M'ganwazam's　sudden

change　in　front。



To　have　the　white　giant　sleeping　peacefully　in　one　of　his　own

huts　would　greatly　facilitate　the　matter　of　earning　the　reward；

and　so　the　chief　was　urgent　in　his　suggestions　that　Tarzan；

doubtless　being　very　much　fatigued　after　his　travels；

should　retire　early　to　the　comforts　of　the　anything　but

inviting　palace。



As　much　as　the　ape…man　detested　the　thought　of　sleeping

within　a　native　hut；　he　had　determined　to　do　so　this　night；

on　the　chance　that　he　might　be　able　to　induce　one　of　the

younger　men　to　sit　and　chat　with　him　befo