tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第4节
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darkness beyond the camp made imperative。 The moans and the coughing
of the big cats mingled with the myriad noises of the lesser denizens of the
jungle to fan the savage flame in the breast of this savage English lord。
He tossed upon his bed of grasses； sleepless； for an hour and then he rose；
noiseless as a wraith； and while the Waziri's back was turned； vaulted the
boma wall in the face of the flaming eyes； swung silently into a great tree
and was gone。
For a time in sheer exuberance of animal spirit he raced swiftly
through the middle terrace； swinging perilously across wide spans from
one jungle giant to the next； and then he clambered upward to the swaying；
lesser boughs of the upper terrace where the moon shone full upon him
and the air was stirred by little breezes and death lurked ready in each frail
branch。 Here he paused and raised his face to Goro； the moon。 With
uplifted arm he stood； the cry of the bull ape quivering upon his lips； yet
he remained silent lest he arouse his faithful Waziri who were all too
familiar with the hideous challenge of their master。
And then he went on more slowly and with greater stealth and caution；
for now Tarzan of the Apes was seeking a kill。 Down to the ground he
came in the utter blackness of the close…set boles and the overhanging
verdure of the jungle。 He stooped from time to time and put his nose close
to earth。 He sought and found a wide game trail and at last his nostrils
were rewarded with the scent of the fresh spoor of Bara； the deer。
Tarzan's mouth watered and a low growl escaped his patrician lips。
Sloughed from him was the last vestige of artificial casteonce again he
was the primeval hunterthe first manthe highest caste type of the
human race。 Up wind he followed the elusive spoor with a sense of
perception so transcending that of ordinary man as to be inconceivable to
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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
us。 Through counter currents of the heavy stench of meat eaters he
traced the trail of Bara； the sweet and cloying stink of Horta； the boar；
could not drown his quarry's scent the permeating； mellow musk of the
deer's foot。
Presently the body scent of the deer told Tarzan that his prey was close
at hand。 It sent him into the trees againinto the lower terrace where he
could watch the ground below and catch with ears and nose the first
intimation of actual contact with his quarry。 Nor was it long before the
ape…man came upon Bara standing alert at the edge of a moon…bathed
clearing。 Noiselessly Tarzan crept through the trees until he was directly
over the deer。 In the ape…man's right hand was the long hunting knife of
his father and in his heart the blood lust of the carnivore。 Just for an
instant he poised above the unsuspecting Bara and then he launched
himself downward upon the sleek back。 The impact of his weight carried
the deer to its knees and before the animal could regain its feet the knife
had found its heart。 As Tarzan rose upon the body of his kill to scream
forth his hideous victory cry into the face of the moon the wind carried to
his nostrils something which froze him to statuesque immobility and
silence。 His savage eyes blazed into the direction from which the wind
had borne down the warning to him and a moment later the grasses at one
side of the clearing parted and Numa； the lion； strode majestically into
view。 His yellow…green eyes were fastened upon Tarzan as he halted just
within the clearing and glared enviously at the successful hunter； for
Numa had had no luck this night。
From the lips of the ape…man broke a rumbling growl of warning。
Numa answered but he did not advance。 Instead he stood waving his tail
gently to and fro； and presently Tarzan squatted upon his kill and cut a
generous portion from a hind quarter。 Numa eyed him with growing
resentment and rage as； between mouthfuls； the ape…man growled out his
savage warnings。 Now this particular lion had never before come in
contact with Tarzan of the Apes and he was much mystified。 Here was
the appearance and the scent of a man…thing and Numa had tasted of
human flesh and learned that though not the most palatable it was certainly
by far the easiest to secure； yet there was that in the bestial growls of the
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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
strange creature which reminded him of formidable antagonists and gave
him pause； while his hunger and the odor of the hot flesh of Bara goaded
him almost to madness。 Always Tarzan watched him； guessing what was
passing in the little brain of the carnivore and well it was that he did watch
him； for at last Numa could stand it no longer。 His tail shot suddenly
erect and at the same instant the wary ape…man； knowing all too well what
the signal portended； grasped the remainder of the deer's hind quarter
between his teeth and leaped into a nearby tree as Numa charged him with
all the speed and a sufficient semblance of the weight of an express train。
Tarzan's retreat was no indication that he felt fear。 Jungle life is
ordered along different lines than ours and different standards prevail。
Had Tarzan been famished he would； doubtless； have stood his ground and
met the lion's charge。 He had done the thing before upon more than one
occasion； just as in the past he had charged lions himself； but tonight he
was far from famished and in the hind quarter he had carried off with him
was more raw flesh than he could eat； yet it was with no equanimity that
he looked down upon Numa rending the flesh of Tarzan's kill。 The
presumption of this strange Numa must be punished！ And forthwith
Tarzan set out to make life miserable for the big cat。 Close by were many
trees bearing large； hard fruits and to one of these the ape…man swung with
the agility of a squirrel。 Then commenced a bombardment which
brought forth earthshaking roars from Numa。 One after another as
rapidly as he could gather and hurl them； Tarzan pelted the hard fruit down
upon the lion。 It was impossible for the tawny cat to eat under that hail
of missileshe could but roar and growl and dodge and eventually he was
driven away entirely from the carcass of Bara； the deer。 He went roaring
and resentful； but in the very center of the clearing his voice was suddenly
hushed and Tarzan saw the great head lower and flatten out； the body
crouch and the long tail quiver； as the beast slunk cautiously toward the
trees upon the opposite side。
Immediately Tarzan was alert。 He lifted his head and sniffed the slow；
jungle breeze。 What was it that had attracted Numa's attention and taken
him soft…footed and silent away from the scene of his discomfiture？ Just as
the lion disappeared among the trees beyond the clearing Tarzan caught
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upon the down…coming wind the explanation of his new interestthe scent
spoor of man was wafted strongly to the sensitive nostrils。 Caching the
remainder of the deer's hind quarter in the crotch of a tree the ape…man
wiped his greasy palms upon his naked thighs and swung off in pursuit of
Numa。 A broad； well…beaten elephant path led into the forest from the
clearing。 Parallel to this slunk Numa； while above him Tarzan moved
through the trees； the shadow of a wraith。 The savage cat and the savage
man saw Numa's quarry almost simultaneously； though both had known
before it came within the vision of their eyes that it was a black man。
Their sensitive nostrils had told them this much and Tarzan's had
