the son of tarzan-第57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！


ed　his　gaze　the　head　and　shoulders　of　a　great　ape　appeared　amidst　the　foliage。　　For　a　moment　the　creature　eyed　them；　and　then　from　its　throat　rose　a　loud　scream　of　recognition　and　of　joy；　and　a　moment　later　the　beast　had　leaped　to　the　ground；　followed　by　a　score　of　bulls　like　himself；　and　was　waddling　toward　them；　shouting　in　the　primordial　tongue　of　the　anthropoid：

〃Tarzan　has　returned！　　Tarzan；　Lord　of　the　Jungle！〃

It　was　Akut；　and　instantly　he　commenced　leaping　and　bounding　about　the　trio；　uttering　hideous　shrieks　and　mouthings　that　to　any　other　human　beings　might　have　indicated　the　most　ferocious　rage；　but　these　three　knew　that　the　king　of　the　apes　was　doing　homage　to　a　king　greater　than　himself。　　In　his　wake　leaped　his　shaggy　bulls；　vying　with　one　another　as　to　which　could　spring　the　highest　and　which　utter　the　most　uncanny　sounds。

Korak　laid　his　hand　affectionately　upon　his　father's　shoulder。

〃There　is　but　one　Tarzan；〃　he　said。　　〃There　can　never　be　another。〃


Two　days　later　the　three　dropped　from　the　trees　on　the　edge　of　the　plain　across　which　they　could　see　the　smoke　rising　from　the　bungalow　and　the　cook　house　chimneys。　　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　regained　his　civilized　clothing　from　the　tree　where　he　had　hidden　it；　and　as　Korak　refused　to　enter　the　presence　of　his　mother　in　the　savage　half…raiment　that　he　had　worn　so　long　and　as　Meriem　would　not　leave　him；　for　fear；　as　she　explained；　that　he　would　change　his　mind　and　run　off　into　the　jungle　again；　the　father　went　on　ahead　to　the　bungalow　for　horses　and　clothes。

My　Dear　met　him　at　the　gate；　her　eyes　filled　with　questioning　and　sorrow；　for　she　saw　that　Meriem　was　not　with　him。

〃Where　is　she？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　trembling。　　〃Muviri　told　me　that　she　disobeyed　your　instructions　and　ran　off　into　the　jungle　after　you　had　left　them。　　Oh；　John；　I　cannot　bear　to　lose　her；　too！〃　　And　Lady　Greystoke　broke　down　and　wept；　as　she　pillowed　her　head　upon　the　broad　breast　where　so　often　before　she　had　found　comfort　in　the　great　tragedies　of　her　life。

Lord　Greystoke　raised　her　head　and　looked　down　into　her　eyes；　his　own　smiling　and　filled　with　the　light　of　happiness。

〃What　is　it；　John？〃　she　cried。　　〃You　have　good　newsdo　not　keep　me　waiting　for　it。〃

〃I　want　to　be　quite　sure　that　you　can　stand　hearing　the　best　news　that　ever　came　to　either　of　us；〃　he　said。

〃Joy　never　kills；〃　she　cried。　　〃You　have　foundher？〃　　She　could　not　bring　herself　to　hope　for　the　impossible。

〃Yes；　Jane；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　husky　with　emotion；　〃I　have　found　her；　andHIM！〃

〃Where　is　he？　　Where　are　they？〃　she　demanded。

〃Out　there　at　the　edge　of　the　jungle。　　He　wouldn't　come　to　you　in　his　savage　leopard　skin　and　his　nakednesshe　sent　me　to　fetch　him　civilized　clothing。〃

She　clapped　her　hands　in　ecstasy；　and　turned　to　run　toward　the　bungalow。　　〃Wait！〃　she　cried　over　her　shoulder。　　〃I　have　all　his　little　suitsI　have　saved　them　all。　　I　will　bring　one　to　you。〃

Tarzan　laughed　and　called　to　her　to　stop。

〃The　only　clothing　on　the　place　that　will　fit　him；〃　he　said；　〃is　mineif　it　isn't　too　small　for　himyour　little　boy　has　grown；　Jane。〃

She　laughed；　too；　she　felt　like　laughing　at　everything；　or　at　nothing。　　The　world　was　all　love　and　happiness　and　joy　once　morethe　world　that　had　been　shrouded　in　the　gloom　of　her　great　sorrow　for　so　many　years。　　So　great　was　her　joy　that　for　the　moment　she　forgot　the　sad　message　that　awaited　Meriem。　　She　called　to　Tarzan　after　he　had　ridden　away　to　prepare　her　for　it；　but　he　did　not　hear　and　rode　on　without　knowing　himself　what　the　event　was　to　which　his　wife　referred。

And　so；　an　hour　later；　Korak；　The　Killer；　rode　home　to　his　motherthe　mother　whose　image　had　never　faded　in　his　boyish　heartand　found　in　her　arms　and　her　eyes　the　love　and　forgiveness　that　he　plead　for。

And　then　the　mother　turned　toward　Meriem；　an　expression　of　pitying　sorrow　erasing　the　happiness　from　her　eyes。

〃My　little　girl；〃　she　said；　〃in　the　midst　of　our　happiness　a　great　sorrow　awaits　youMr。　Baynes　did　not　survive　his　wound。〃

The　expression　of　sorrow　in　Meriem's　eyes　expressed　only　what　she　sincerely　felt；　but　it　was　not　the　sorrow　of　a　woman　bereft　of　her　best　beloved。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　she　said；　quite　simply。　　〃He　would　have　done　me　a　great　wrong；　but　he　amply　atoned　before　he　died。　　Once　I　thought　that　I　loved　him。　　At　first　it　was　only　fascination　for　a　type　that　was　new　to　methen　it　was　respect　for　a　brave　man　who　had　the　moral　courage　to　admit　a　sin　and　the　physical　courage　to　face　death　to　right　the　wrong　he　had　committed。　　But　it　was　not　love。　　I　did　not　know　what　love　was　until　I　knew　that　Korak　lived；〃　and　she　turned　toward　The　Killer　with　a　smile。

Lady　Greystoke　looked　quickly　up　into　the　eyes　of　her　son　the　son　who　one　day　would　be　Lord　Greystoke。　　No　thought　of　the　difference　in　the　stations　of　the　girl　and　her　boy　entered　her　mind。　　To　her　Meriem　was　fit　for　a　king。　　She　only　wanted　to　know　that　Jack　loved　the　little　Arab　waif。　　The　look　in　his　eyes　answered　the　question　in　her　heart；　and　she　threw　her　arms　about　them　both　and　kissed　them　each　a　dozen　times。

〃Now；〃　she　cried；　〃I　shall　really　have　a　daughter！〃

It　was　several　weary　marches　to　the　nearest　mission；　but　they　only　waited　at　the　farm　a　few　days　for　rest　and　preparation　for　the　great　event　before　setting　out　upon　the　journey；　and　after　the　marriage　ceremony　had　been　performed　they　kept　on　to　the　coast　to　take　passage　for　England。　　Those　days　were　the　most　wonderful　of　Meriem's　life。　　She　had　not　dreamed　even　vaguely　of　the　marvels　that　civilization　held　in　store　for　her。　　The　great　ocean　and　the　commodious　steamship　filled　her　with　awe。　　The　noise；　and　bustle　and　confusion　of　the　English　railway　station　frightened　her。

〃If　there　was　a　good…sized　tree　at　hand；〃　she　confided　to　Korak；　〃I　know　that　I　should　run　to　the　very　top　of　it　in　terror　of　my　life。〃

〃And　make　faces　and　throw　twigs　at　the　engine？〃　he　laughed　back。

〃Poor　old　Numa；〃　sighed　the　girl。　　〃What　will　he　do　without　us？〃

〃Oh；　there　are　others　to　tease　him；　my　little　Mangani；〃　assured　Korak。

The　Greystoke　town　house　quite　took　Meriem's　breath　away；　but　when　strangers　were　about　none　might　guess　that　she　had　not　been　to　the　manner　born。

They　had　been　home　but　a　week　when　Lord　Greystoke　received　a　message　from　his　friend　of　many　years；　D'Arnot。

It　was　in　the　form　of　a　letter　of　introduction　brought　by　one　General　Armand　Jacot。　　Lord　Greystoke　recalled　the　name；　as　who　familiar　with　modern　French　history　would　not；　for　Jacot　was　in　reality　the　Prince　de　Cadrenetthat　intense　republican　who　refused　to　use；　even　by　courtesy；　a　title　that　had　belonged　to　his　family　for　four　hundred　years。

〃There　is　no　place　for　princes　in　a　republic；〃　he　was　wont　to　say。

Lord　Greystoke　received　the　hawk…nosed；　gray　mustached　soldier　in　his　library；　and　after　a　dozen　words　the　two　men　had　formed　a　mutual　esteem　that　was　to　endure　through　life。

〃I　have　come　to　you；〃　explained　General　Jacot；　〃because　our　dear　Admiral　tells　me　that　there　is　no　one　in　all　the　world　who　is　more　intimately　acquainted　with　Central　Africa　than　you。

〃Let　me　tell　you　my　story　from　the　beginning。　　Many　years　ago　my　little　daughter　was　stolen；　presumably　by　Arabs；　while　I　was　serving　with　the　Foreign　Legion　in　Algeria。　　We　did　all　that　love　and　money　and　even　government　resources　could　do　to　discover　her；　but　all　to　no　avail。　　Her　picture　was　published　in　the　leading　papers　of　every　large　city　in　the　world；　yet　never　did　we　find　a　man　or　woman　who　ever　had　seen　her　since　the　day　she　mysteriously　disappeared。

〃A　week　since　there　came　to　me　in　Paris　a　swarthy　Arab；　who　called　himself　Abdul　Kamak。　　He　said　that　he　had　found　my　daughter　and　could　lead　me　to　her。　　I　took　him　at　once　to　Admiral　d'Arnot；　whom　I　knew　had　traveled　some　in　Central　Africa。　　The　man's　story　led　the　Admiral　to　believe　that　the　place　where　the　white　girl　the　Arab　supposed　to　be　my　daughter　was　held　in　captivity　was　not　far　from　your　African　estates；　and　he　advised　that　I　come　at　once　and　call　upon　youthat　you　would　know　if　such　a　girl　were　in　your　neighborhood。〃

〃What　proof　did　the　Arab　bring　that　she　was　your　daughter？〃　asked　Lord　Greystoke。

〃None；〃　replied　the　other。　　〃That　is　why　we　thought　best　to　consult　you　before　organizing　an　expedition。　　The　fellow　had　only　an　old　photograph　of　her　on　the　back　of　which　was　pasted　a　newspaper　cutting　describing　her　and　offering　a　reward。　　We　feared　that　having　found　this　somewhere　it　had　aroused　his　cupidity　and　led　him　to　believe　that　in　some　way　he　could　obtain　the　reward；　possibly　by　foisting　upon　us　a　white　girl　on　the　chance　that　so　many　years　had　elapsed　that　we　would　not　be　able　to　recognize　an　imposter　as　such。〃

〃Have　you　the　photograph　with　you？〃　asked　Lord　Greystoke。

The　General　drew　an　envelope　from　his　pocket；　took　a　yellowed　photograph　from　it　and　handed　it　to　the　Englishman。

Tears　dimmed　the　old　warrior's　eyes　as　they　fell　again　upon　the　pictured　features　of　his　lost　daughter。

Lord　Greystoke　examined　the　photograph　for　a　moment。　　A　queer　expression　entered　his　eyes。　　He　touched　a　bell　at　his　elbow；　and　an　instant　later　a　footman　entered。

〃Ask　my　son's　wife　if　she　will　be　so　good　as　to　come　to　the　library；