the son of tarzan-第21节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　now　with　all　the　agility　and　stealth　of　The　Killer　himself。　Great　heights　no　longer　appalled　her。　　She　swung　from　limb　to　limb；　or　she　raced　through　the　mighty　branches；　surefooted；　lithe；　and　fearless。　　Korak　was　very　proud　of　her；　and　even　old　Akut　grunted　in　approval　where　before　he　had　growled　in　contempt。

A　distant　village　of　blacks　had　furnished　her　with　a　mantle　of　fur　and　feathers；　with　copper　ornaments；　and　weapons；　for　Korak　would　not　permit　her　to　go　unarmed；　or　unversed　in　the　use　of　the　weapons　he　stole　for　her。　　A　leather　thong　over　one　shoulder　supported　the　ever　present　Geeka　who　was　still　the　recipient　of　her　most　sacred　confidences。　　A　light　spear　and　a　long　knife　were　her　weapons　of　offense　or　defense。　　Her　body；　rounding　into　the　fulness　of　an　early　maturity；　followed　the　lines　of　a　Greek　goddess；　but　there　the　similarity　ceased；　for　her　face　was　beautiful。

As　she　grew　more　accustomed　to　the　jungle　and　the　ways　of　its　wild　denizens　fear　left　her。　　As　time　wore　on　she　even　hunted　alone　when　Korak　and　Akut　were　prowling　at　a　great　distance；　as　they　were　sometimes　forced　to　do　when　game　was　scarce　in　their　immediate　vicinity。　　Upon　these　occasions　she　usually　confined　her　endeavors　to　the　smaller　animals　though　sometimes　she　brought　down　a　deer；　and　once　even　Horta；　the　boara　great　tusker　that　even　Sheeta　might　have　thought　twice　before　attacking。

In　their　stamping　grounds　in　the　jungle　the　three　were　familiar　figures。　　The　little　monkeys　knew　them　well；　often　coming　close　to　chatter　and　frolic　about　them。　　When　Akut　was　by；　the　small　folk　kept　their　distance；　but　with　Korak　they　were　less　shy　and　when　both　the　males　were　gone　they　would　come　close　to　Meriem；　tugging　at　her　ornaments　or　playing　with　Geeka；　who　was　a　never　ending　source　of　amusement　to　them。　　The　girl　played　with　them　and　fed　them；　and　when　she　was　alone　they　helped　her　to　pass　the　long　hours　until　Korak's　return。

Nor　were　they　worthless　as　friends。　　In　the　hunt　they　helped　her　locate　her　quarry。　　Often　they　would　come　racing　through　the　trees　to　her　side　to　announce　the　near　presence　of　antelope　or　giraffe；　or　with　excited　warnings　of　the　proximity　of　Sheeta　or　Numa。　　Luscious；　sun…kissed　fruits　which　hung　far　out　upon　the　frail　bough　of　the　jungle's　waving　crest　were　brought　to　her　by　these　tiny；　nimble　allies。　　Sometimes　they　played　tricks　upon　her；　but　she　was　always　kind　and　gentle　with　them　and　in　their　wild；　half…human　way　they　were　kind　to　her　and　affectionate。　Their　language　being　similar　to　that　of　the　great　apes　Meriem　could　converse　with　them　though　the　poverty　of　their　vocabulary　rendered　these　exchanges　anything　but　feasts　of　reason。　　For　familiar　objects　they　had　names；　as　well　as　for　those　conditions　which　induced　pain　or　pleasure；　joy；　sorrow；　or　rage。　　These　root　words　were　so　similar　to　those　in　use　among　the　great　anthropoids　as　to　suggest　that　the　language　of　the　Manus　was　the　mother　tongue。　　Dreams；　aspirations；　hopes；　the　past；　the　sordid　exchange。　　Dreams；　aspirations；　hopes；　the　past；　the　future　held　no　place　in　the　conversation　of　Manu；　the　monkey。　　All　was　of　the　present　particularly　of　filling　his　belly　and　catching　lice。

Poor　food　was　this　to　nourish　the　mental　appetite　of　a　girl　just　upon　the　brink　of　womanhood。　　And　so；　finding　Manu　only　amusing　as　an　occasional　playfellow　or　pet；　Meriem　poured　out　her　sweetest　soul　thoughts　into　the　deaf　ears　of　Geeka's　ivory　head。　　To　Geeka　she　spoke　in　Arabic；　knowing　that　Geeka；　being　but　a　doll；　could　not　understand　the　language　of　Korak　and　Akut；　and　that　the　language　of　Korak　and　Akut　being　that　of　male　apes　contained　nothing　of　interest　to　an　Arab　doll。

Geeka　had　undergone　a　transformation　since　her　little　mother　had　left　the　village　of　The　Sheik。　　Her　garmenture　now　reflected　in　miniature　that　of　Meriem。　　A　tiny　bit　of　leopard　skin　covered　her　ratskin　torso　from　shoulder　to　splinter　knee。　　A　band　of　braided　grasses　about　her　brow　held　in　place　a　few　gaudy　feathers　from　the　parakeet；　while　other　bits　of　grass　were　fashioned　into　imitations　of　arm　and　leg　ornaments　of　metal。　　Geeka　was　a　perfect　little　savage；　but　at　heart　she　was　unchanged；　being　the　same　omnivorous　listener　as　of　yore。　　An　excellent　trait　in　Geeka　was　that　she　never　interrupted　in　order　to　talk　about　herself。　　Today　was　no　exception。　　She　had　been　listening　attentively　to　Meriem　for　an　hour；　propped　against　the　bole　of　a　tree　while　her　lithe；　young　mistress　stretched　catlike　and　luxurious　along　a　swaying　branch　before　her。

〃Little　Geeka；〃　said　Meriem；　〃our　Korak　has　been　gone　for　a　long　time　today。　　We　miss　him；　little　Geeka；　do　we　not？　　It　is　dull　and　lonesome　in　the　great　jungle　when　our　Korak　is　away。　What　will　he　bring　us　this　time；　eh？　　Another　shining　band　of　metal　for　Meriem's　ankle？　　Or　a　soft；　doeskin　loin　cloth　from　the　body　of　a　black　she？　　He　tells　me　that　it　is　harder　to　get　the　possessions　of　the　shes；　for　he　will　not　kill　them　as　he　does　the　males；　and　they　fight　savagely　when　he　leaps　upon　them　to　wrest　their　ornaments　from　them。　　Then　come　the　males　with　spears　and　arrows　and　Korak　takes　to　the　trees。　　Sometimes　he　takes　the　she　with　him　and　high　among　the　branches　divests　her　of　the　things　he　wishes　to　bring　home　to　Meriem。　　He　says　that　the　blacks　fear　him　now；　and　at　first　sight　of　him　the　women　and　children　run　shrieking　to　their　huts；　but　he　follows　them　within；　and　it　is　not　often　that　he　returns　without　arrows　for　himself　and　a　present　for　Meriem。　　Korak　is　mighty　among　the　jungle　peopleour　Korak；　Geekano；　MY　Korak！〃

Meriem's　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　sudden　plunge　of　an　excited　little　monkey　that　landed　upon　her　shoulders　in　a　flying　leap　from　a　neighboring　tree。

〃Climb！〃　he　cried。　　〃Climb！　　The　Mangani　are　coming。〃

Meriem　glanced　lazily　over　her　shoulder　at　the　excited　disturber　of　her　peace。

〃Climb；　yourself；　little　Manu；〃　she　said。　　〃The　only　Mangani　in　our　jungle　are　Korak　and　Akut。　　It　is　they　you　have　seen　returning　from　the　hunt。　　Some　day　you　will　see　your　own　shadow；　little　Manu；　and　then　you　will　be　frightened　to　death。〃

But　the　monkey　only　screamed　his　warning　more　lustily　before　he　raced　upward　toward　the　safety　of　the　high　terrace　where　Mangani；　the　great　ape；　could　not　follow。　　Presently　Meriem　heard　the　sound　of　approaching　bodies　swinging　through　the　trees。　　She　listened　attentively。　　There　were　two　and　they　were　great　apesKorak　and　Akut。　　To　her　Korak　was　an　apea　Mangani；　for　as　such　the　three　always　described　themselves。　　Man　was　an　enemy；　so　they　did　not　think　of　themselves　as　belonging　any　longer　to　the　same　genus。　　Tarmangani；　or　great　white　ape；　which　described　the　white　man　in　their　language；　did　not　fit　them　all。　　Gomanganigreat　black　ape；　or　Negrodescribed　none　of　them　so　they　called　themselves　plain　Mangani。

Meriem　decided　that　she　would　feign　slumber　and　play　a　joke　on　Korak。　　So　she　lay　very　still　with　eyes　tightly　closed。　　She　heard　the　two　approaching　closer　and　closer。　　They　were　in　the　adjoining　tree　now　and　must　have　discovered　her；　for　they　had　halted。　　Why　were　they　so　quiet？　　Why　did　not　Korak　call　out　his　customary　greeting？　　The　quietness　was　ominous。　　It　was　followed　presently　by　a　very　stealthy　soundone　of　them　was　creeping　upon　her。　　Was　Korak　planning　a　joke　upon　his　own　account？　　Well；　she　would　fool　him。　　Cautiously　she　opened　her　eyes　the　tiniest　bit；　and　as　she　did　so　her　heart　stood　still。　　Creeping　silently　toward　her　was　a　huge　bull　ape　that　she　never　before　had　seen。　　Behind　him　was　another　like　him。

With　the　agility　of　a　squirrel　Meriem　was　upon　her　feet　and　at　the　same　instant　the　great　bull　lunged　for　her。　　Leaping　from　limb　to　limb　the　girl　fled　through　the　jungle　while　close　behind　her　came　the　two　great　apes。　　Above　them　raced　a　bevy　of　screaming；　chattering　monkeys；　hurling　taunts　and　insults　at　the　Mangani；　and　encouragement　and　advice　to　the　girl。

From　tree　to　tree　swung　Meriem　working　ever　upward　toward　the　smaller　branches　which　would　not　bear　the　weight　of　her　pursuers。　　Faster　and　faster　came　the　bull　apes　after　her。　　The　clutching　fingers　of　the　foremost　were　almost　upon　her　again　and　again；　but　she　eluded　them　by　sudden　bursts　of　speed　or　reckless　chances　as　she　threw　herself　across　dizzy　spaces。

Slowly　she　was　gaining　her　way　to　the　greater　heights　where　safety　lay；　when；　after　a　particularly　daring　leap；　the　swaying　branch　she　grasped　bent　low　beneath　her　weight；　nor　whipped　upward　again　as　it　should　have　done。　　Even　before　the　rending　sound　which　followed　Meriem　knew　that　she　had　misjudged　the　strength　of　the　limb。　　It　gave　slowly　at　first。　　Then　there　was　a　ripping　as　it　parted　from　the　trunk。　　Releasing　her　hold　Meriem　dropped　among　the　foliage　beneath；　clutching　for　a　new　support。　　She　found　it　a　dozen　feet　below　the　broken　limb。　　She　had　fallen　thus　many　times　before；　so　that　she　had　no　particular　terror　of　a　fallit　was　the　delay　which　appalled　her　most；　and　rightly；　for　scarce　had　she　scrambled　to　a　place　of　safety　than　the　body　of　the　huge　ape　dropped　at　her　side　and　a　great；　hairy　arm　went　about　her　waist。

Almost　at　once　the　other　ape　reached　his　companion's　side。　He　made　a　lunge　at　Meriem；　but　her　captor　swung　her　to　one　side；　bared　his　fighting　fangs　and