the son of tarzan-第6节

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　lucky　to　have　escaped　with　his　life。　　All　that　saved　him　was　the　accidental　presence　of　Jack　Clayton；　who　had　been　permitted　to　visit　the　animal　in　the　dressing　room　reserved　for　him　at　the　music　hall；　and　had　immediately　interfered　when　he　saw　that　the　savage　beast　meant　serious　mischief。

And　after　the　money　consideration；　strong　in　the　heart　of　the　Russian　was　the　desire　for　revenge；　which　had　been　growing　with　constant　brooding　over　the　failures　and　miseries　of　his　life；　which　he　attributed　to　Tarzan；　the　latest；　and　by　no　means　the　least；　of　which　was　Ajax's　refusal　to　longer　earn　money　for　him。　The　ape's　refusal　he　traced　directly　to　Tarzan；　finally　convincing　himself　that　the　ape　man　had　instructed　the　great　anthropoid　to　refuse　to　go　upon　the　stage。

Paulvitch's　naturally　malign　disposition　was　aggravated　by　the　weakening　and　warping　of　his　mental　and　physical　faculties　through　torture　and　privation。　　From　cold；　calculating；　highly　intelligent　perversity　it　had　deteriorated　into　the　indiscriminating；　dangerous　menace　of　the　mentally　defective。　　His　plan；　however；　was　sufficiently　cunning　to　at　least　cast　a　doubt　upon　the　assertion　that　his　mentality　was　wandering。　　It　assured　him　first　of　the　competence　which　Lord　Greystoke　had　promised　to　pay　him　for　the　deportation　of　the　ape；　and　then　of　revenge　upon　his　benefactor　through　the　son　he　idolized。　　That　part　of　his　scheme　was　crude　and　brutalit　lacked　the　refinement　of　torture　that　had　marked　the　master　strokes　of　the　Paulvitch　of　old；　when　he　had　worked　with　that　virtuoso　of　villainy；　Nikolas　Rokoffbut　it　at　least　assured　Paulvitch　of　immunity　from　responsibility；　placing　that　upon　the　ape；　who　would　thus　also　be　punished　for　his　refusal　longer　to　support　the　Russian。

Everything　played　with　fiendish　unanimity　into　Paulvitch's　hands。　　As　chance　would　have　it；　Tarzan's　son　overheard　his　father　relating　to　the　boy's　mother　the　steps　he　was　taking　to　return　Akut　safely　to　his　jungle　home；　and　having　overheard　he　begged　them　to　bring　the　ape　home　that　he　might　have　him　for　a　play…fellow。　　Tarzan　would　not　have　been　averse　to　this　plan；　but　Lady　Greystoke　was　horrified　at　the　very　thought　of　it。　　Jack　pleaded　with　his　mother；　but　all　unavailingly。　　She　was　obdurate；　and　at　last　the　lad　appeared　to　acquiesce　in　his　mother's　decision　that　the　ape　must　be　returned　to　Africa　and　the　boy　to　school；　from　which　he　had　been　absent　on　vacation。

He　did　not　attempt　to　visit　Paulvitch's　room　again　that　day；　but　instead　busied　himself　in　other　ways。　　He　had　always　been　well　supplied　with　money；　so　that　when　necessity　demanded　he　had　no　difficulty　in　collecting　several　hundred　pounds。　　Some　of　this　money　he　invested　in　various　strange　purchases　which　he　managed　to　smuggle　into　the　house；　undetected；　when　he　returned　late　in　the　afternoon。

The　next　morning；　after　giving　his　father　time　to　precede　him　and　conclude　his　business　with　Paulvitch；　the　lad　hastened　to　the　Russian's　room。　　Knowing　nothing　of　the　man's　true　character　the　boy　dared　not　take　him　fully　into　his　confidence　for　fear　that　the　old　fellow　would　not　only　refuse　to　aid　him；　but　would　report　the　whole　affair　to　his　father。　　Instead；　he　simply　asked　permission　to　take　Ajax　to　Dover。　　He　explained　that　it　would　relieve　the　old　man　of　a　tiresome　journey；　as　well　as　placing　a　number　of　pounds　in　his　pocket；　for　the　lad　purposed　paying　the　Russian　well。

〃You　see；〃　he　went　on；　〃there　will　be　no　danger　of　detection　since　I　am　supposed　to　be　leaving　on　an　afternoon　train　for　school。　　Instead　I　will　come　here　after　they　have　left　me　on　board　the　train。　　Then　I　can　take　Ajax　to　Dover；　you　see；　and　arrive　at　school　only　a　day　late。　　No　one　will　be　the　wiser；　no　harm　will　be　done；　and　I　shall　have　had　an　extra　day　with　Ajax　before　I　lose　him　forever。〃

The　plan　fitted　perfectly　with　that　which　Paulvitch　had　in　mind。　　Had　he　known　what　further　the　boy　contemplated　he　would　doubtless　have　entirely　abandoned　his　own　scheme　of　revenge　and　aided　the　boy　whole　heartedly　in　the　consummation　of　the　lad's；　which　would　have　been　better　for　Paulvitch；　could　he　have　but　read　the　future　but　a　few　short　hours　ahead。

That　afternoon　Lord　and　Lady　Greystoke　bid　their　son　good…　bye　and　saw　him　safely　settled　in　a　first…class　compartment　of　the　railway　carriage　that　would　set　him　down　at　school　in　a　few　hours。　　No　sooner　had　they　left　him；　however；　than　he　gathered　his　bags　together；　descended　from　the　compartment　and　sought　a　cab　stand　outside　the　station。　　Here　he　engaged　a　cabby　to　take　him　to　the　Russian's　address。　　It　was　dusk　when　he　arrived。　　He　found　Paulvitch　awaiting　him。　　The　man　was　pacing　the　floor　nervously。　　The　ape　was　tied　with　a　stout　cord　to　the　bed。　　It　was　the　first　time　that　Jack　had　ever　seen　Ajax　thus　secured。　　He　looked　questioningly　at　Paulvitch。　　The　man；　mumbling；　explained　that　he　believed　the　animal　had　guessed　that　he　was　to　be　sent　away　and　he　feared　he　would　attempt　to　escape。

Paulvitch　carried　another　piece　of　cord　in　his　hand。　　There　was　a　noose　in　one　end　of　it　which　he　was　continually　playing　with。　　He　walked　back　and　forth；　up　and　down　the　room。　　His　pock…marked　features　were　working　horribly　as　he　talked　silent　to　himself。　　The　boy　had　never　seen　him　thusit　made　him　uneasy。　　At　last　Paulvitch　stopped　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room；　far　from　the　ape。

〃Come　here；〃　he　said　to　the　lad。　　〃I　will　show　you　how　to　secure　the　ape　should　he　show　signs　of　rebellion　during　the　trip。〃

The　lad　laughed。　　〃It　will　not　be　necessary；〃　he　replied。　　〃Ajax　will　do　whatever　I　tell　him　to　do。〃

The　old　man　stamped　his　foot　angrily。　　〃Come　here；　as　I　tell　you；〃　he　repeated。　　〃If　you　do　not　do　as　I　say　you　shall　not　accompany　the　ape　to　DoverI　will　take　no　chances　upon　his　escaping。〃

Still　smiling；　the　lad　crossed　the　room　and　stood　before　the　Russ。

〃Turn　around；　with　your　back　toward　me；〃　directed　the　latter；　〃that　I　may　show　you　how　to　bind　him　quickly。〃

The　boy　did　as　he　was　bid；　placing　his　hands　behind　him　when　Paulvitch　told　him　to　do　so。　　Instantly　the　old　man　slipped　the　running　noose　over　one　of　the　lad's　wrists；　took　a　couple　of　half　hitches　about　his　other　wrist；　and　knotted　the　cord。

The　moment　that　the　boy　was　secured　the　attitude　of　the　man　changed。　　With　an　angry　oath　he　wheeled　his　prisoner　about；　tripped　him　and　hurled　him　violently　to　the　floor；　leaping　upon　his　breast　as　he　fell。　　From　the　bed　the　ape　growled　and　struggled　with　his　bonds。　　The　boy　did　not　cry　outa　trait　inherited　from　his　savage　sire　whom　long　years　in　the　jungle　following　the　death　of　his　foster　mother；　Kala　the　great　ape；　had　taught　that　there　was　none　to　come　to　the　succor　of　the　fallen。

Paulvitch's　fingers　sought　the　lad's　throat。　　He　grinned　down　horribly　into　the　face　of　his　victim。

〃Your　father　ruined　me；〃　he　mumbled。　　〃This　will　pay　him。　He　will　think　that　the　ape　did　it。　　I　will　tell　him　that　the　ape　did　it。　　That　I　left　him　alone　for　a　few　minutes；　and　that　you　sneaked　in　and　the　ape　killed　you。　　I　will　throw　your　body　upon　the　bed　after　I　have　choked　the　life　from　you；　and　when　I　bring　your　father　he　will　see　the　ape　squatting　over　it；〃　and　the　twisted　fiend　cackled　in　gloating　laughter。　　His　fingers　closed　upon　the　boy's　throat。

Behind　them　the　growling　of　the　maddened　beast　reverberated　against　the　walls　of　the　little　room。　　The　boy　paled；　but　no　other　sign　of　fear　or　panic　showed　upon　his　countenance。　　He　was　the　son　of　Tarzan。　　The　fingers　tightened　their　grip　upon　his　throat。　It　was　with　difficulty　that　he　breathed；　gaspingly。　　The　ape　lunged　against　the　stout　cord　that　held　him。　　Turning；　he　wrapped　the　cord　about　his　hands；　as　a　man　might　have　done；　and　surged　heavily　backward。　　The　great　muscles　stood　out　beneath　his　shaggy　hide。　　There　was　a　rending　as　of　splintered　woodthe　cord　held；　but　a　portion　of　the　footboard　of　the　bed　came　away。

At　the　sound　Paulvitch　looked　up。　　His　hideous　face　went　white　with　terrorthe　ape　was　free。

With　a　single　bound　the　creature　was　upon　him。　　The　man　shrieked。　　The　brute　wrenched　him　from　the　body　of　the　boy。　　Great　fingers　sunk　into　the　man's　flesh。　　Yellow　fangs　gaped　close　to　his　throathe　struggled；　futilelyand　when　they　closed；　the　soul　of　Alexis　Paulvitch　passed　into　the　keeping　of　the　demons　who　had　long　been　awaiting　it。

The　boy　struggled　to　his　feet；　assisted　by　Akut。　　For　two　hours　under　the　instructions　of　the　former　the　ape　worked　upon　the　knots　that　secured　his　friend's　wrists。　　Finally　they　gave　up　their　secret；　and　the　boy　was　free。　　Then　he　opened　one　of　his　bags　and　drew　forth　some　garments。　　His　plans　had　been　well　made。　　He　did　not　consult　the　beast；　which　did　all　that　he　directed。　　Together　they　slunk　from　the　house；　but　no　casual　observer　might　have　noted　that　one　of　them　was　an　ape。



Chapter　4

The　killing　of　the　friendless　old　Russian；　Michael　Sabrov；　by　his　great　trained　ape；　was　a　matter　for　newspaper　comment　for　a　few　days。　　Lord　Greystoke　read　of　it；　and　while　taking　special　precautions　not　to　permit　his　name　to　become　connected　with　the　affair；　kept　himself　well　posted　as　to　the　police　search　for　the　anthropoid。

As　was　true　of　the　general　public；　his　chief　interest　in　the　matter　centered　about　the　mysterious　disappea