the son of tarzan-第32节

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e　itching　back　of　a　comrade　commanded　his　industrious　attention。

〃I　am　Goob；〃　cried　another。　　〃My　fighting　fangs　are　long。　They　are　sharp。　　They　are　strong。　　Into　the　soft　flesh　of　many　a　Gomangani　have　they　been　buried。　　Alone　I　slew　the　sister　of　Sheeta。　　Goob　will　go　to　the　low　country　with　you　and　kill　so　many　of　the　Gomangani　that　there　will　be　none　left　to　count　the　dead；〃　and　then　he；　too；　strutted　and　pranced　before　the　admiring　eyes　of　the　shes　and　the　young。

Korak　looked　at　the　king；　questioningly。

〃Your　bulls　are　very　brave；〃　he　said；　〃but　braver　than　any　is　the　king。〃

Thus　addressed；　the　shaggy　bull；　still　in　his　primeelse　he　had　been　no　longer　kinggrowled　ferociously。　　The　forest　echoed　to　his　lusty　challenges。　　The　little　baboons　clutched　fearfully　at　their　mothers'　hairy　necks。　　The　bulls；　electrified；　leaped　high　in　air　and　took　up　the　roaring　challenge　of　their　king。　　The　din　was　terrific。

Korak　came　close　to　the　king　and　shouted　in　his　ear；　〃Come。〃　Then　he　started　off　through　the　forest　toward　the　plain　that　they　must　cross　on　their　long　journey　back　to　the　village　of　Kovudoo；　the　Gomangani。　　The　king；　still　roaring　and　shrieking；　wheeled　and　followed　him。　　In　their　wake　came　the　handful　of　low　country　baboons　and　the　thousands　of　the　hill　clansavage；　wiry；　dog…like　creatures；　athirst　for　blood。

And　so　they　came；　upon　the　second　day；　to　the　village　of　Kovudoo。　　It　was　mid…afternoon。　　The　village　was　sunk　in　the　quiet　of　the　great　equatorial　sun…heat。　　The　mighty　herd　traveled　quietly　now。　　Beneath　the　thousands　of　padded　feet　the　forest　gave　forth　no　greater　sound　than　might　have　been　produced　by　the　increased　soughing　of　a　stronger　breeze　through　the　leafy　branches　of　the　trees。

Korak　and　the　two　kings　were　in　the　lead。　　Close　beside　the　village　they　halted　until　the　stragglers　had　closed　up。　　Now　utter　silence　reigned。　　Korak；　creeping　stealthily；　entered　the　tree　that　overhung　the　palisade。　　He　glanced　behind　him。　　The　pack　were　close　upon　his　heels。　　The　time　had　come。　　He　had　warned　them　continuously　during　the　long　march　that　no　harm　must　befall　the　white　she　who　lay　a　prisoner　within　the　village。　　All　others　were　their　legitimate　prey。　　Then；　raising　his　face　toward　the　sky；　he　gave　voice　to　a　single　cry。　　It　was　the　signal。

In　response　three　thousand　hairy　bulls　leaped　screaming　and　barking　into　the　village　of　the　terrified　blacks。　　Warriors　poured　from　every　hut。　　Mothers　gathered　their　babies　in　their　arms　and　fled　toward　the　gates　as　they　saw　the　horrid　horde　pouring　into　the　village　street。　　Kovudoo　marshaled　his　fighting　men　about　him　and；　leaping　and　yelling　to　arouse　their　courage；　offered　a　bristling；　spear　tipped　front　to　the　charging　horde。

Korak；　as　he　had　led　the　march；　led　the　charge。　　The　blacks　were　struck　with　horror　and　dismay　at　the　sight　of　this　white…　skinned　youth　at　the　head　of　a　pack　of　hideous　baboons。　　For　an　instant　they　held　their　ground；　hurling　their　spears　once　at　the　advancing　multitude；　but　before　they　could　fit　arrows　to　their　bows　they　wavered；　gave；　and　turned　in　terrified　rout。　　Into　their　ranks；　upon　their　backs；　sinking　strong　fangs　into　the　muscles　of　their　necks　sprang　the　baboons　and　first　among　them；　most　ferocious；　most　blood…thirsty；　most　terrible　was　Korak；　The　Killer。

At　the　village　gates；　through　which　the　blacks　poured　in　panic；　Korak　left　them　to　the　tender　mercies　of　his　allies　and　turned　himself　eagerly　toward　the　hut　in　which　Meriem　had　been　a　prisoner。　　It　was　empty。　　One　after　another　the　filthy　interiors　revealed　the　same　disheartening　factMeriem　was　in　none　of　them。　　That　she　had　not　been　taken　by　the　blacks　in　their　flight　from　the　village　Korak　knew　for　he　had　watched　carefully　for　a　glimpse　of　her　among　the　fugitives。

To　the　mind　of　the　ape…man；　knowing　as　he　did　the　proclivities　of　the　savages；　there　was　but　a　single　explanationMeriem　had　been　killed　and　eaten。　　With　the　conviction　that　Meriem　was　dead　there　surged　through　Korak's　brain　a　wave　of　blood　red　rage　against　those　he　believed　to　be　her　murderer。　　In　the　distance　he　could　hear　the　snarling　of　the　baboons　mixed　with　the　screams　of　their　victims；　and　towards　this　he　made　his　way。　　When　he　came　upon　them　the　baboons　had　commenced　to　tire　of　the　sport　of　battle；　and　the　blacks　in　a　little　knot　were　making　a　new　stand；　using　their　knob　sticks　effectively　upon　the　few　bulls　who　still　persisted　in　attacking　them。

Among　these　broke　Korak　from　the　branches　of　a　tree　above　themswift；　relentless；　terrible；　he　hurled　himself　upon　the　savage　warriors　of　Kovudoo。　　Blind　fury　possessed　him。　　Too；　it　protected　him　by　its　very　ferocity。　　Like　a　wounded　lioness　he　was　here；　there；　everywhere；　striking　terrific　blows　with　hard　fists　and　with　the　precision　and　timeliness　of　the　trained　fighter。　Again　and　again　he　buried　his　teeth　in　the　flesh　of　a　foeman。　　He　was　upon　one　and　gone　again　to　another　before　an　effective　blow　could　be　dealt　him。　　Yet；　though　great　was　the　weight　of　his　execution　in　determining　the　result　of　the　combat；　it　was　outweighed　by　the　terror　which　he　inspired　in　the　simple；　superstitious　minds　of　his　foeman。　　To　them　this　white　warrior；　who　consorted　with　the　great　apes　and　the　fierce　baboons；　who　growled　and　snarled　and　snapped　like　a　beast；　was　not　human。　He　was　a　demon　of　the　foresta　fearsome　god　of　evil　whom　they　had　offended；　and　who　had　come　out　of　his　lair　deep　in　the　jungle　to　punish　them。　　And　because　of　this　belief　there　were　many　who　offered　but　little　defense；　feeling　as　they　did　the　futility　of　pitting　their　puny　mortal　strength　against　that　of　a　deity。

Those　who　could　fled；　until　at　last　there　were　no　more　to　pay　the　penalty　for　a　deed；　which；　while　not　beyond　them；　they　were；　nevertheless；　not　guilty　of。　　Panting　and　bloody；　Korak　paused　for　want　of　further　victims。　　The　baboons　gathered　about　him；　sated　themselves　with　blood　and　battle。　　They　lolled　upon　the　ground；　fagged。

In　the　distance　Kovudoo　was　gathering　his　scattered　tribesmen；　and　taking　account　of　injuries　and　losses。　　His　people　were　panic　stricken。　　Nothing　could　prevail　upon　them　to　remain　longer　in　this　country。　　They　would　not　even　return　to　the　village　for　their　belongings。　　Instead　they　insisted　upon　continuing　their　flight　until　they　had　put　many　miles　between　themselves　and　the　stamping　ground　of　the　demon　who　had　so　bitterly　attacked　them。　　And　thus　it　befell　that　Korak　drove　from　their　homes　the　only　people　who　might　have　aided　him　in　a　search　for　Meriem；　and　cut　off　the　only　connecting　link　between　him　and　her　from　whomsoever　might　come　in　search　of　him　from　the　douar　of　the　kindly　Bwana　who　had　befriended　his　little　jungle　sweetheart。

It　was　a　sour　and　savage　Korak　who　bade　farewell　to　his　baboon　allies　upon　the　following　morning。　　They　wished　him　to　accompany　him；　but　the　ape…man　had　no　heart　for　the　society　of　any。　　Jungle　life　had　encouraged　taciturnity　in　him。　　His　sorrow　had　deepened　this　to　a　sullen　moroseness　that　could　not　brook　even　the　savage　companionship　of　the　ill…natured　baboons。

Brooding　and　despondent　he　took　his　solitary　way　into　the　deepest　jungle。　　He　moved　along　the　ground　when　he　knew　that　Numa　was　abroad　and　hungry。　　He　took　to　the　same　trees　that　harbored　Sheeta；　the　panther。　　He　courted　death　in　a　hundred　ways　and　a　hundred　forms。　　His　mind　was　ever　occupied　with　reminiscences　of　Meriem　and　the　happy　years　that　they　had　spent　together。　　He　realized　now　to　the　full　what　she　had　meant　to　him。　　The　sweet　face；　the　tanned；　supple；　little　body；　the　bright　smile　that　always　had　welcomed　his　return　from　the　hunt　haunted　him　continually。

Inaction　soon　threatened　him　with　madness。　　He　must　be　on　the　go。　　He　must　fill　his　days　with　labor　and　excitement　that　he　might　forgetthat　night　might　find　him　so　exhausted　that　he　should　sleep　in　blessed　unconsciousness　of　his　misery　until　a　new　day　had　come。

Had　he　guessed　that　by　any　possibility　Meriem　might　still　live　he　would　at　least　have　had　hope。　　His　days　could　have　been　devoted　to　searching　for　her；　but　he　implicitly　believed　that　she　was　dead。

For　a　long　year　he　led　his　solitary；　roaming　life。　　Occasionally　he　fell　in　with　Akut　and　his　tribe；　hunting　with　them　for　a　day　or　two；　or　he　might　travel　to　the　hill　country　where　the　baboons　had　come　to　accept　him　as　a　matter　of　course；　but　most　of　all　was　he　with　Tantor；　the　elephantthe　great　gray　battle　ship　of　the　junglethe　super…dreadnaught　of　his　savage　world。

The　peaceful　quiet　of　the　monster　bulls；　the　watchful　solicitude　of　the　mother　cows；　the　awkward　playfulness　of　the　calves　rested；　interested；　and　amused　Korak。　　The　life　of　the　huge　beasts　took　his　mind；　temporarily　from　his　own　grief。　　He　came　to　love　them　as　he　loved　not　even　the　great　apes；　and　there　was　one　gigantic　tusker　in　particular　of　which　he　was　very　fondthe　lord　of　the　herda　savage　beast　that　was　wont　to　charge　a　stranger　upon　the　slightest　provocation；　or　upon　no　provocation　whatsoever。　　And　to　Korak　this　mountain　of　destruction　was　docile　and　affectionate　as　a　lap　dog。

He　came　when　Korak　called。　　He　wound　his　trunk　about　the　ape…man's　body　and　lifted　him　to　his　broad　neck　in　response　to　a　gesture；　and　there　would　Korak　lie　at　full　length　kicking　his　toes　affection