the son of tarzan-第3节

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uscular　for　one　so　young。〃

〃He　wouldn't　let　you　take　it？〃　asked　the　mother。

〃He　would　not；〃　confessed　the　tutor。　　〃He　was　perfectly　good　natured　about　it；　but　he　insisted　upon　pretending　that　he　was　a　gorilla　and　that　I　was　a　chimpanzee　attempting　to　steal　food　from　him。　　He　leaped　upon　me　with　the　most　savage　growls　I　ever　heard；　lifted　me　completely　above　his　head；　hurled　me　upon　his　bed；　and　after　going　through　a　pantomime　indicative　of　choking　me　to　death　he　stood　upon　my　prostrate　form　and　gave　voice　to　a　most　fearsome　shriek；　which　he　explained　was　the　victory　cry　of　a　bull　ape。　　Then　he　carried　me　to　the　door；　shoved　me　out　into　the　hall　and　locked　me　from　his　room。〃

For　several　minutes　neither　spoke　again。　　It　was　the　boy's　mother　who　finally　broke　the　silence。

〃It　is　very　necessary；　Mr。　Moore；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　do　everything　in　your　power　to　discourage　this　tendency　in　Jack；　he〃；　but　she　got　no　further。　　A　loud　〃Whoop！〃　from　the　direction　of　the　window　brought　them　both　to　their　feet。　　The　room　was　upon　the　second　floor　of　the　house；　and　opposite　the　window　to　which　their　attention　had　been　attracted　was　a　large　tree；　a　branch　of　which　spread　to　within　a　few　feet　of　the　sill。　　Upon　this　branch　now　they　both　discovered　the　subject　of　their　recent　conversation；　a　tall；　well…built　boy；　balancing　with　ease　upon　the　bending　limb　and　uttering　loud　shouts　of　glee　as　he　noted　the　terrified　expressions　upon　the　faces　of　his　audience。

The　mother　and　tutor　both　rushed　toward　the　window　but　before　they　had　crossed　half　the　room　the　boy　had　leaped　nimbly　to　the　sill　and　entered　the　apartment　with　them。

〃‘The　wild　man　from　Borneo　has　just　come　to　town；'〃　he　sang；　dancing　a　species　of　war　dance　about　his　terrified　mother　and　scandalized　tutor；　and　ending　up　by　throwing　his　arms　about　the　former's　neck　and　kissing　her　upon　either　cheek。

〃Oh；　Mother；〃　he　cried；　〃there's　a　wonderful；　educated　ape　being　shown　at　one　of　the　music　halls。　　Willie　Grimsby　saw　it　last　night。　　He　says　it　can　do　everything　but　talk。　　It　rides　a　bicycle；　eats　with　knife　and　fork；　counts　up　to　ten；　and　ever　so　many　other　wonderful　things；　and　can　I　go　and　see　it　too？　　Oh；　please；　Motherplease　let　me。〃

Patting　the　boy's　cheek　affectionately；　the　mother　shook　her　head　negatively。　　〃No；　Jack；〃　she　said；　〃you　know　I　do　not　approve　of　such　exhibitions。〃

〃I　don't　see　why　not；　Mother；〃　replied　the　boy。　　〃All　the　other　fellows　go　and　they　go　to　the　Zoo；　too；　and　you'll　never　let　me　do　even　that。　　Anybody'd　think　I　was　a　girlor　a　mollycoddle。　　Oh；　Father；〃　he　exclaimed；　as　the　door　opened　to　admit　a　tall　gray…eyed　man。　　〃Oh；　Father；　can't　I　go？〃

〃Go　where；　my　son？〃　asked　the　newcomer。

〃He　wants　to　go　to　a　music　hall　to　see　a　trained　ape；〃　said　the　mother；　looking　warningly　at　her　husband。

〃Who；　Ajax？〃　questioned　the　man。

The　boy　nodded。

〃Well；　I　don't　know　that　I　blame　you；　my　son；〃　said　the　father；　〃I　wouldn't　mind　seeing　him　myself。　　They　say　he　is　very　wonderful；　and　that　for　an　anthropoid　he　is　unusually　large。　Let's　all　go；　Janewhat　do　you　say？〃　　And　he　turned　toward　his　wife；　but　that　lady　only　shook　her　head　in　a　most　positive　manner；　and　turning　to　Mr。　Moore　asked　him　if　it　was　not　time　that　he　and　Jack　were　in　the　study　for　the　morning　recitations。　　When　the　two　had　left　she　turned　toward　her　husband。

〃John；〃　she　said；　〃something　must　be　done　to　discourage　Jack's　tendency　toward　anything　that　may　excite　the　cravings　for　the　savage　life　which　I　fear　he　has　inherited　from　you。　　You　know　from　your　own　experience　how　strong　is　the　call　of　the　wild　at　times。　　You　know　that　often　it　has　necessitated　a　stern　struggle　on　your　part　to　resist　the　almost　insane　desire　which　occasionally　overwhelms　you　to　plunge　once　again　into　the　jungle　life　that　claimed　you　for　so　many　years；　and　at　the　same　time　you　know；　better　than　any　other；　how　frightful　a　fate　it　would　be　for　Jack；　were　the　trail　to　the　savage　jungle　made　either　alluring　or　easy　to　him。〃

〃I　doubt　if　there　is　any　danger　of　his　inheriting　a　taste　for　jungle　life　from　me；〃　replied　the　man；　〃for　I　cannot　conceive　that　such　a　thing　may　be　transmitted　from　father　to　son。　　And　sometimes；　Jane；　I　think　that　in　your　solicitude　for　his　future　you　go　a　bit　too　far　in　your　restrictive　measures。　　His　love　for　animalshis　desire；　for　example；　to　see　this　trained　apeis　only　natural　in　a　healthy；　normal　boy　of　his　age。　　Just　because　he　wants　to　see　Ajax　is　no　indication　that　he　would　wish　to　marry　an　ape；　and　even　should　he；　far　be　it　from　you　Jane　to　have　the　right　to　cry　‘shame！'〃　and　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke；　put　an　arm　about　his　wife；　laughing　good…naturedly　down　into　her　upturned　face　before　he　bent　his　head　and　kissed　her。　　Then；　more　seriously；　he　continued：　　〃You　have　never　told　Jack　anything　concerning　my　early　life；　nor　have　you　permitted　me　to；　and　in　this　I　think　that　you　have　made　a　mistake。　　Had　I　been　able　to　tell　him　of　the　experiences　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　I　could　doubtless　have　taken　much　of　the　glamour　and　romance　from　jungle　life　that　naturally　surrounds　it　in　the　minds　of　those　who　have　had　no　experience　of　it。　　He　might　then　have　profited　by　my　experience；　but　now；　should　the　jungle　lust　ever　claim　him；　he　will　have　nothing　to　guide　him　but　his　own　impulses；　and　I　know　how　powerful　these　may　be　in　the　wrong　direction　at　times。〃

But　Lady　Greystoke　only　shook　her　head　as　she　had　a　hundred　other　times　when　the　subject　had　claimed　her　attention　in　the　past。

〃No；　John；〃　she　insisted；　〃I　shall　never　give　my　consent　to　the　implanting　in　Jack's　mind　of　any　suggestion　of　the　savage　life　which　we　both　wish　to　preserve　him　from。〃

It　was　evening　before　the　subject　was　again　referred　to　and　then　it　was　raised　by　Jack　himself。　　He　had　been　sitting；　curled　in　a　large　chair；　reading；　when　he　suddenly　looked　up　and　addressed　his　father。

〃Why；〃　he　asked；　coming　directly　to　the　point；　〃can't　I　go　and　see　Ajax？〃

〃Your　mother　does　not　approve；〃　replied　his　father。

〃Do　you？〃

〃That　is　not　the　question；〃　evaded　Lord　Greystoke。　　〃It　is　enough　that　your　mother　objects。〃

〃I　am　going　to　see　him；〃　announced　the　boy；　after　a　few　moments　of　thoughtful　silence。　　〃I　am　not　different　from　Willie　Grimsby；　or　any　other　of　the　fellows　who　have　been　to　see　him。　　It　did　not　harm　them　and　it　will　not　harm　me。　　I　could　go　without　telling　you；　but　I　would　not　do　that。　　So　I　tell　you　now；　beforehand；　that　I　am　going　to　see　Ajax。〃

There　was　nothing　disrespectful　or　defiant　in　the　boy's　tone　or　manner。　　His　was　merely　a　dispassionate　statement　of　facts。　His　father　could　scarce　repress　either　a　smile　or　a　show　of　the　admiration　he　felt　for　the　manly　course　his　son　had　pursued。

〃I　admire　your　candor；　Jack；〃　he　said。　　〃Permit　me　to　be　candid；　as　well。　　If　you　go　to　see　Ajax　without　permission；　I　shall　punish　you。　　I　have　never　inflicted　corporal　punishment　upon　you；　but　I　warn　you　that　should　you　disobey　your　mother's　wishes　in　this　instance；　I　shall。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　the　boy；　and　then：　　〃I　shall　tell　you；　sir；　when　I　have　been　to　see　Ajax。〃

Mr。　Moore's　room　was　next　to　that　of　his　youthful　charge；　and　it　was　the　tutor's　custom　to　have　a　look　into　the　boy's　each　evening　as　the　former　was　about　to　retire。　　This　evening　he　was　particularly　careful　not　to　neglect　his　duty；　for　he　had　just　come　from　a　conference　with　the　boy's　father　and　mother　in　which　it　had　been　impressed　upon　him　that　he　must　exercise　the　greatest　care　to　prevent　Jack　visiting　the　music　hall　where　Ajax　was　being　shown。　　So；　when　he　opened　the　boy's　door　at　about　half　after　nine；　he　was　greatly　excited；　though　not　entirely　surprised　to　find　the　future　Lord　Greystoke　fully　dressed　for　the　street　and　about　to　crawl　from　his　open　bed　room　window。

Mr。　Moore　made　a　rapid　spring　across　the　apartment；　but　the　waste　of　energy　was　unnecessary；　for　when　the　boy　heard　him　within　the　chamber　and　realized　that　he　had　been　discovered　he　turned　back　as　though　to　relinquish　his　planned　adventure。

〃Where　were　you　going？〃　panted　the　excited　Mr。　Moore。

〃I　am　going　to　see　Ajax；〃　replied　the　boy；　quietly。

〃I　am　astonished；〃　cried　Mr。　Moore；　but　a　moment　later　he　was　infinitely　more　astonished；　for　the　boy；　approaching　close　to　him；　suddenly　seized　him　about　the　waist；　lifted　him　from　his　feet　and　threw　him　face　downward　upon　the　bed；　shoving　his　face　deep　into　a　soft　pillow。

〃Be　quiet；〃　admonished　the　victor；　〃or　I'll　choke　you。〃

Mr。　Moore　struggled；　but　his　efforts　were　in　vain。　　Whatever　else　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　may　or　may　not　have　handed　down　to　his　son　he　had　at　least　bequeathed　him　almost　as　marvelous　a　physique　as　he　himself　had　possessed　at　the　same　age。　　The　tutor　was　as　putty　in　the　boy's　hands。　　Kneeling　upon　him；　Jack　tore　strips　from　a　sheet　and　bound　the　man's　hands　behind　his　back。　Then　he　rolled　him　over　and　stuffed　a　gag　of　the　same　material　between　his　teeth；　securing　it　with　a　strip　wound　about　the　back　of　his　victim's　head。　　All　the　while　he　talked　in　a　low；　conversational　tone。

〃I　am　Waja；　chief　of　the　Waji；〃　he　explained；　〃and　you　are　Mohammed　Dubn；　the　Arab　sheik；　who　would　murder　my　people　and　steal　my　ivory；〃　and　he　dexterously　trussed　Mr。　Moore's　hobbled　ankles　up　behind　to　meet　his　hob