the beasts of tarzan-µÚ33½Ú
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
It¡¡was¡¡Sheeta£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡grinning¡¡jaws¡¡the¡¡mighty¡¡beast
slunk¡¡silently¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡terror¡stricken¡¡man¡£
When¡¡Rokoff¡¡saw¡¡what¡¡it¡¡was¡¡that¡¡stalked¡¡him¡¡his¡¡shrieks¡¡for
help¡¡filled¡¡the¡¡air£»¡¡as¡¡with¡¡trembling¡¡knees¡¡he¡¡stood£»¡¡as¡¡one
paralyzed£»¡¡before¡¡the¡¡hideous¡¡death¡¡that¡¡was¡¡creeping¡¡upon¡¡him¡£
Tarzan¡¡took¡¡a¡¡step¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡Russian£»¡¡his¡¡brain¡¡burning
with¡¡a¡¡raging¡¡fire¡¡of¡¡vengeance¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡last¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡murderer
of¡¡his¡¡son¡¡at¡¡his¡¡mercy¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡was¡¡the¡¡right¡¡to¡¡avenge¡£
Once¡¡Jane¡¡had¡¡stayed¡¡his¡¡hand¡¡that¡¡time¡¡that¡¡he¡¡sought¡¡to¡¡take
the¡¡law¡¡into¡¡his¡¡own¡¡power¡¡and¡¡mete¡¡to¡¡Rokoff¡¡the¡¡death¡¡that
he¡¡had¡¡so¡¡long¡¡merited£»¡¡but¡¡this¡¡time¡¡none¡¡should¡¡stay¡¡him¡£
His¡¡fingers¡¡clenched¡¡and¡¡unclenched¡¡spasmodically¡¡as¡¡he¡¡approached
the¡¡trembling¡¡Russ£»¡¡beastlike¡¡and¡¡ominous¡¡as¡¡a¡¡brute¡¡of¡¡prey¡£
Presently¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡Sheeta¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡forestall¡¡him£»
robbing¡¡him¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fruits¡¡of¡¡his¡¡great¡¡hate¡£
He¡¡called¡¡sharply¡¡to¡¡the¡¡panther£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡words£»¡¡as¡¡if
they¡¡had¡¡broken¡¡a¡¡hideous¡¡spell¡¡that¡¡had¡¡held¡¡the¡¡Russian£»
galvanized¡¡him¡¡into¡¡sudden¡¡action¡£¡¡¡¡With¡¡a¡¡scream¡¡he¡¡turned
and¡¡fled¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡bridge¡£
After¡¡him¡¡pounced¡¡Sheeta¡¡the¡¡panther£»¡¡unmindful¡¡of¡¡his
master's¡¡warning¡¡voice¡£
Tarzan¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡leap¡¡after¡¡the¡¡two¡¡when¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡a¡¡light
touch¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡arm¡£¡¡¡¡Turning£»¡¡he¡¡found¡¡Jane¡¡at¡¡his¡¡elbow¡£
¡¨Do¡¡not¡¡leave¡¡me£»¡¨¡¡she¡¡whispered¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡am¡¡afraid¡£¡¨
Tarzan¡¡glanced¡¡behind¡¡her¡£
All¡¡about¡¡were¡¡the¡¡hideous¡¡apes¡¡of¡¡Akut¡£¡¡¡¡Some£»¡¡even£»
were¡¡approaching¡¡the¡¡young¡¡woman¡¡with¡¡bared¡¡fangs¡¡and
menacing¡¡guttural¡¡warnings¡£
The¡¡ape¡man¡¡warned¡¡them¡¡back¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡forgotten¡¡for¡¡the
moment¡¡that¡¡these¡¡were¡¡but¡¡beasts£»¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡differentiate
his¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡his¡¡foes¡£¡¡¡¡Their¡¡savage¡¡natures¡¡were¡¡roused¡¡by
their¡¡recent¡¡battle¡¡with¡¡the¡¡sailors£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡all¡¡flesh¡¡outside
the¡¡pack¡¡was¡¡meat¡¡to¡¡them¡£
Tarzan¡¡turned¡¡again¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡Russian£»¡¡chagrined¡¡that
he¡¡should¡¡have¡¡to¡¡forgo¡¡the¡¡pleasure¡¡of¡¡personal¡¡revenge
unless¡¡the¡¡man¡¡should¡¡escape¡¡Sheeta¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡as¡¡he¡¡looked¡¡he¡¡saw
that¡¡there¡¡could¡¡be¡¡no¡¡hope¡¡of¡¡that¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡fellow¡¡had¡¡retreated
to¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bridge£»¡¡where¡¡he¡¡now¡¡stood¡¡trembling¡¡and
wide¡eyed£»¡¡facing¡¡the¡¡beast¡¡that¡¡moved¡¡slowly¡¡toward¡¡him¡£
The¡¡panther¡¡crawled¡¡with¡¡belly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡planking£»¡¡uttering
uncanny¡¡mouthings¡£¡¡¡¡Rokoff¡¡stood¡¡as¡¡though¡¡petrified£»
his¡¡eyes¡¡protruding¡¡from¡¡their¡¡sockets£»¡¡his¡¡mouth¡¡agape£»
and¡¡the¡¡cold¡¡sweat¡¡of¡¡terror¡¡clammy¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡brow¡£
Below¡¡him£»¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡deck£»¡¡he¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡the¡¡great¡¡anthropoids£»
and¡¡so¡¡had¡¡not¡¡dared¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡escape¡¡in¡¡that¡¡direction¡£¡¡¡¡
In¡¡fact£»¡¡even¡¡now¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡brutes¡¡was¡¡leaping¡¡to¡¡seize¡¡the
bridge¡rail¡¡and¡¡draw¡¡himself¡¡up¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Russian's¡¡side¡£
Before¡¡him¡¡was¡¡the¡¡panther£»¡¡silent¡¡and¡¡crouched¡£
Rokoff¡¡could¡¡not¡¡move¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡knees¡¡trembled¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡voice
broke¡¡in¡¡inarticulate¡¡shrieks¡£¡¡¡¡With¡¡a¡¡last¡¡piercing¡¡wail¡¡he
sank¡¡to¡¡his¡¡kneesand¡¡then¡¡Sheeta¡¡sprang¡£
Full¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡man's¡¡breast¡¡the¡¡tawny¡¡body¡¡hurtled£»
tumbling¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡to¡¡his¡¡back¡£
As¡¡the¡¡great¡¡fangs¡¡tore¡¡at¡¡the¡¡throat¡¡and¡¡chest£»¡¡Jane¡¡Clayton
turned¡¡away¡¡in¡¡horror£»¡¡but¡¡not¡¡so¡¡Tarzan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Apes¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡cold
smile¡¡of¡¡satisfaction¡¡touched¡¡his¡¡lips¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡scar¡¡upon¡¡his
forehead¡¡that¡¡had¡¡burned¡¡scarlet¡¡faded¡¡to¡¡the¡¡normal¡¡hue¡¡of¡¡his
tanned¡¡skin¡¡and¡¡disappeared¡£
Rokoff¡¡fought¡¡furiously¡¡but¡¡futilely¡¡against¡¡the¡¡growling£»
rending¡¡fate¡¡that¡¡had¡¡overtaken¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡all¡¡his¡¡countless
crimes¡¡he¡¡was¡¡punished¡¡in¡¡the¡¡brief¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hideous
death¡¡that¡¡claimed¡¡him¡¡at¡¡the¡¡last¡£
After¡¡his¡¡struggles¡¡ceased¡¡Tarzan¡¡approached£»¡¡at¡¡Jane's
suggestion£»¡¡to¡¡wrest¡¡the¡¡body¡¡from¡¡the¡¡panther¡¡and¡¡give¡¡what
remained¡¡of¡¡it¡¡decent¡¡human¡¡burial£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡great¡¡cat¡¡rose
snarling¡¡above¡¡its¡¡kill£»¡¡threatening¡¡even¡¡the¡¡master¡¡it¡¡loved
in¡¡its¡¡savage¡¡way£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡rather¡¡than¡¡kill¡¡his¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡the
jungle£»¡¡Tarzan¡¡was¡¡forced¡¡to¡¡relinquish¡¡his¡¡intentions¡£
All¡¡that¡¡night¡¡Sheeta£»¡¡the¡¡panther£»¡¡crouched¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡grisly
thing¡¡that¡¡had¡¡been¡¡Nikolas¡¡Rokoff¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡bridge¡¡of¡¡the
Kincaid¡¡was¡¡slippery¡¡with¡¡blood¡£¡¡¡¡Beneath¡¡the¡¡brilliant
tropic¡¡moon¡¡the¡¡great¡¡beast¡¡feasted¡¡until£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡rose
the¡¡following¡¡morning£»¡¡there¡¡remained¡¡of¡¡Tarzan's¡¡great¡¡enemy
only¡¡gnawed¡¡and¡¡broken¡¡bones¡£
Of¡¡the¡¡Russian's¡¡party£»¡¡all¡¡were¡¡accounted¡¡for¡¡except¡¡Paulvitch¡£¡¡¡¡
Four¡¡were¡¡prisoners¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Kincaid's¡¡forecastle¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡rest¡¡were¡¡dead¡£
With¡¡these¡¡men¡¡Tarzan¡¡got¡¡up¡¡steam¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡vessel£»¡¡and¡¡with
the¡¡knowledge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mate£»¡¡who¡¡happened¡¡to¡¡be¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡surviving£»
he¡¡planned¡¡to¡¡set¡¡out¡¡in¡¡quest¡¡of¡¡Jungle¡¡Island£»¡¡but¡¡as¡¡the¡¡morning
dawned¡¡there¡¡came¡¡with¡¡it¡¡a¡¡heavy¡¡gale¡¡from¡¡the¡¡west¡¡which¡¡raised
a¡¡sea¡¡into¡¡which¡¡the¡¡mate¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡dared¡¡not¡¡venture¡£
All¡¡that¡¡day¡¡the¡¡ship¡¡lay¡¡within¡¡the¡¡shelter¡¡of¡¡the¡¡mouth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡river£»
for£»¡¡though¡¡night¡¡witnessed¡¡a¡¡lessening¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wind£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡thought
safer¡¡to¡¡wait¡¡for¡¡daylight¡¡before¡¡attempting¡¡the¡¡navigation¡¡of
the¡¡winding¡¡channel¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sea¡£
Upon¡¡the¡¡deck¡¡of¡¡the¡¡steamer¡¡the¡¡pack¡¡wandered¡¡without
let¡¡or¡¡hindrance¡¡by¡¡day£»¡¡for¡¡they¡¡had¡¡soon¡¡learned¡¡through
Tarzan¡¡and¡¡Mugambi¡¡that¡¡they¡¡must¡¡harm¡¡no¡¡one¡¡upon¡¡the
Kincaid£»¡¡but¡¡at¡¡night¡¡they¡¡were¡¡confined¡¡below¡£
Tarzan's¡¡joy¡¡had¡¡been¡¡unbounded¡¡when¡¡he¡¡learned¡¡from
his¡¡wife¡¡that¡¡the¡¡little¡¡child¡¡who¡¡had¡¡died¡¡in¡¡the¡¡village¡¡of
M'ganwazam¡¡was¡¡not¡¡their¡¡son¡£¡¡¡¡Who¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡could¡¡have
been£»¡¡or¡¡what¡¡had¡¡become¡¡of¡¡their¡¡own£»¡¡they¡¡could¡¡not¡¡imagine£»
and¡¡as¡¡both¡¡Rokoff¡¡and¡¡Paulvitch¡¡were¡¡gone£»¡¡there¡¡was
no¡¡way¡¡of¡¡discovering¡£
There¡¡was£»¡¡however£»¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡relief¡¡in¡¡the¡¡knowledge
that¡¡they¡¡might¡¡yet¡¡hope¡£¡¡¡¡Until¡¡positive¡¡proof¡¡of¡¡the¡¡baby's
death¡¡reached¡¡them¡¡there¡¡was¡¡always¡¡that¡¡to¡¡buoy¡¡them¡¡up¡£
It¡¡seemed¡¡quite¡¡evident¡¡that¡¡their¡¡little¡¡Jack¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been
brought¡¡aboard¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡£¡¡¡¡Anderssen¡¡would¡¡have¡¡known
of¡¡it¡¡had¡¡such¡¡been¡¡the¡¡case£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡had¡¡assured¡¡Jane¡¡time
and¡¡time¡¡again¡¡that¡¡the¡¡little¡¡one¡¡he¡¡had¡¡brought¡¡to¡¡her¡¡cabin
the¡¡night¡¡he¡¡aided¡¡her¡¡to¡¡escape¡¡was¡¡the¡¡only¡¡one¡¡that¡¡had
been¡¡aboard¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡since¡¡she¡¡lay¡¡at¡¡Dover¡£
Chapter¡¡18
Paulvitch¡¡Plots¡¡Revenge
As¡¡Jane¡¡and¡¡Tarzan¡¡stood¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡vessel's¡¡deck¡¡recounting
to¡¡one¡¡another¡¡the¡¡details¡¡of¡¡the¡¡various¡¡adventures
through¡¡which¡¡each¡¡had¡¡passed¡¡since¡¡they¡¡had¡¡parted¡¡in¡¡their
London¡¡home£»¡¡there¡¡glared¡¡at¡¡them¡¡from¡¡beneath¡¡scowling
brows¡¡a¡¡hidden¡¡watcher¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡shore¡£
Through¡¡the¡¡man's¡¡brain¡¡passed¡¡plan¡¡after¡¡plan¡¡whereby
he¡¡might¡¡thwart¡¡the¡¡escape¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Englishman¡¡and¡¡his¡¡wife£»
for¡¡so¡¡long¡¡as¡¡the¡¡vital¡¡spark¡¡remained¡¡within¡¡the¡¡vindictive
brain¡¡of¡¡Alexander¡¡Paulvitch¡¡none¡¡who¡¡had¡¡aroused¡¡the¡¡enmity
of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡might¡¡be¡¡entirely¡¡safe¡£
Plan¡¡after¡¡plan¡¡he¡¡formed¡¡only¡¡to¡¡discard¡¡each¡¡either¡¡as
impracticable£»¡¡or¡¡unworthy¡¡the¡¡vengeance¡¡his¡¡wrongs¡¡demanded¡£¡¡¡¡
So¡¡warped¡¡by¡¡faulty¡¡reasoning¡¡was¡¡the¡¡criminal¡¡mind¡¡of
Rokoff's¡¡lieutenant¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡not¡¡grasp¡¡the¡¡real
truth¡¡of¡¡that¡¡which¡¡lay¡¡between¡¡himself¡¡and¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡and
see¡¡that¡¡always¡¡the¡¡fault¡¡had¡¡been£»¡¡not¡¡with¡¡the¡¡English¡¡lord£»
but¡¡with¡¡himself¡¡and¡¡his¡¡confederate¡£
And¡¡at¡¡the¡¡rejection¡¡of¡¡each¡¡new¡¡scheme¡¡Paulvitch¡¡arrived
always¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡conclusionthat¡¡he¡¡could¡¡accomplish
naught¡¡while¡¡half¡¡the¡¡breadth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡¡separated¡¡him
from¡¡the¡¡object¡¡of¡¡his¡¡hatred¡£
But¡¡how¡¡was¡¡he¡¡to¡¡span¡¡the¡¡crocodile¡infested¡¡waters£¿¡¡
There¡¡was¡¡no¡¡canoe¡¡nearer¡¡than¡¡the¡¡Mosula¡¡village£»¡¡and
Paulvitch¡¡was¡¡none¡¡too¡¡sure¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡would¡¡still¡¡be
at¡¡anchor¡¡in¡¡the¡¡river¡¡when¡¡he¡¡returned¡¡should¡¡he¡¡take¡¡the
time¡¡to¡¡traverse¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡to¡¡the¡¡distant¡¡village¡¡and¡¡return
with¡¡a¡¡canoe¡£¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡other¡¡way£»¡¡and¡¡so£»¡¡convinced
that¡¡thus¡¡alone¡¡might¡¡he¡¡hope¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡his¡¡prey£»¡¡Paulvitch£»
with¡¡a¡¡parting¡¡scowl¡¡at¡¡the¡¡two¡¡figures¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Kincaid's
deck£»¡¡turned¡¡away¡¡from¡¡the¡¡river¡£
Hastening¡¡through¡¡the¡¡dense¡¡jungle£»¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡centred¡¡upon
his¡¡one¡¡fetichrevengethe¡¡Russian¡¡forgot¡¡even¡¡his¡¡terror
of¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡world¡¡through¡¡which¡¡he¡¡moved¡£
Baffled¡¡and¡¡beaten¡¡at¡¡every¡¡turn¡¡of¡¡Fortune's¡¡wheel£»
reacted¡¡upon¡¡time¡¡after¡¡time¡¡by¡¡his¡¡own¡¡malign¡¡plotting£»
the¡¡principal¡¡victim¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡criminality£»¡¡Paulvitch
was¡¡yet¡¡so¡¡blind¡¡as¡¡to¡¡imagine¡¡that¡¡his¡¡greatest¡¡happiness
lay¡¡in¡¡a¡¡continuation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plottings¡¡and¡¡schemings¡¡which
had¡¡ever¡¡brought¡¡him¡¡and¡¡Rokoff¡¡to¡¡disaster£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡latter
finally¡¡to¡¡a¡¡hideous¡¡death¡£
As¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡stumbled¡¡on¡¡through¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡Mosula
village¡¡there¡¡presently¡¡crystallized¡¡within¡¡his¡¡brain¡¡a¡¡plan
which¡¡seemed¡¡more¡¡feasible¡¡than¡¡any¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡as¡¡yet¡¡considered¡£
He¡¡would¡¡come¡¡by¡¡night¡¡to¡¡the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid£»¡¡and
once¡¡aboard£»¡¡would¡¡search¡¡out¡¡the¡¡members¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ship's
original¡¡crew¡¡who¡¡had¡¡survived¡¡the¡¡terrors¡¡of¡¡this¡¡frightful
expedition£»¡¡and¡¡enlist¡¡them¡¡in¡¡an¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡wrest¡¡the¡¡vessel
from¡¡Tarzan¡¡and¡¡his¡¡beasts¡£
In¡¡the¡¡cabin¡¡were¡¡arms¡¡and¡¡ammunition£»¡¡and¡¡hidden¡¡in¡¡a
secret¡¡receptacle¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cabin¡¡table¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡infernal
machines£»¡¡the¡¡construction¡¡of¡¡which¡¡had¡¡occupied¡¡much¡¡of
Paulvitch's¡¡spare¡¡time¡¡when¡¡he¡¡had¡¡stood¡¡hi