the return of tarzan-第21节

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They　moved　cautiously　and　in　silence；　taking　advantage　of　shelter；

as　men　do　who　are　stalking　man。







Chapter　10





Through　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow





As　Tarzan　walked　down　the　wild　canon　beneath　the　brilliant

African　moon　the　call　of　the　jungle　was　strong　upon　him。

The　solitude　and　the　savage　freedom　filled　his　heart　with

life　and　buoyancy。　　Again　he　was　Tarzan　of　the　Apesevery

sense　alert　against　the　chance　of　surprise　by　some　jungle

enemyyet　treading　lightly　and　with　head　erect；　in　proud

consciousness　of　his　might。



The　nocturnal　sounds　of　the　mountains　were　new　to　him；

yet　they　fell　upon　his　ears　like　the　soft　voice　of　a　half…

forgotten　love。　　Many　he　intuitively　sensedah；　there　was　one

that　was　familiar　indeed；　the　distant　coughing　of　Sheeta；　the

leopard；　but　there　was　a　strange　note　in　the　final　wail　which

made　him　doubt。　　It　was　a　panther　he　heard。



Presently　a　new　sounda　soft；　stealthy　soundobtruded

itself　among　the　others。　　No　human　ears　other　than　the　ape…

man's　would　have　detected　it。　　At　first　he　did　not　translate　it；

but　finally　he　realized　that　it　came　from　the　bare　feet　of　a

number　of　human　beings。　　They　were　behind　him；　and　they

were　coming　toward　him　quietly。　　He　was　being　stalked。



In　a　flash　he　knew　why　he　had　been　left　in　that　little

valley　by　Gernois；　but　there　had　been　a　hitch　in　the

arrangementsthe　men　had　come　too　late。　　Closer　and　closer　came

the　footsteps。　　Tarzan　halted　and　faced　them；　his　rifle　ready　in

his　hand。　　Now　he　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　a　white　burnoose。

He　called　aloud　in　French；　asking　what　they　would　of　him。

His　reply　was　the　flash　of　a　long　gun；　and　with　the　sound　of

the　shot　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　plunged　forward　upon　his　face。



The　Arabs　did　not　rush　out　immediately；　instead；　they

waited　to　be　sure　that　their　victim　did　not　rise。　　Then　they

came　rapidly　from　their　concealment；　and　bent　over　him。

It　was　soon　apparent　that　he　was　not　dead。　　One　of　the　men　put

the　muzzle　of　his　gun　to　the　back　of　Tarzan's　head　to　finish

him；　but　another　waved　him　aside。　　〃If　we　bring　him　alive

the　reward　is　to　be　greater；〃　explained　the　latter。

So　they　bound　his　hands　and　feet；　and；　picking　him　up；

placed　him　on　the　shoulders　of　four　of　their　number。

Then　the　march　was　resumed　toward　the　desert。　　When　they　had

come　out　of　the　mountains　they　turned　toward　the　south；　and

about　daylight　came　to　the　spot　where　their　horses　stood

in　care　of　two　of　their　number。



From　here　on　their　progress　was　more　rapid。　　Tarzan；　who

had　regained　consciousness；　was　tied　to　a　spare　horse；　which

they　evidently　had　brought　for　the　purpose。　　His　wound　was　but

a　slight　scratch；　which　had　furrowed　the　flesh　across　his　temple。

It　had　stopped　bleeding；　but　the　dried　and　clotted

blood　smeared　his　face　and　clothing。　　He　had　said　no　word

since　he　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　these　Arabs；　nor　had

they　addressed　him　other　than　to　issue　a　few　brief　commands

to　him　when　the　horses　had　been　reached。



For　six　hours　they　rode　rapidly　across　the　burning　desert；

avoiding　the　oases　near　which　their　way　led。　　About　noon

they　came　to　a　DOUAR　of　about　twenty　tents。　　Here　they

halted；　and　as　one　of　the　Arabs　was　releasing　the　alfa…grass

ropes　which　bound　him　to　his　mount　they　were　surrounded

by　a　mob　of　men；　women；　and　children。　　Many　of　the　tribe；

and　more　especially　the　women；　appeared　to　take　delight　in

heaping　insults　upon　the　prisoner；　and　some　had　even　gone

so　far　as　to　throw　stones　at　him　and　strike　him　with

sticks；　when　an　old　sheik　appeared　and　drove　them　away。



〃Ali…ben…Ahmed　tells　me；〃　he　said；　〃that　this　man　sat　alone

in　the　mountains　and　slew　EL　ADREA。　　What　the　business　of

the　stranger　who　sent　us　after　him　may　be；　I　know　not；　and　what

he　may　do　with　this　man　when　we　turn　him　over　to　him；　I

care　not；　but　the　prisoner　is　a　brave　man；　and　while　he　is　in

our　hands　he　shall　be　treated　with　the　respect　that　be　due

one　who　hunts　THE　LORD　WITH　THE　LARGE　HEAD　alone　and　by

nightand　slays　him。〃



Tarzan　had　heard　of　the　respect　in　which　Arabs　held　a

lion…killer；　and　he　was　not　sorry　that　chance　had　played　into

his　hands　thus　favorably　to　relieve　him　of　the　petty　tortures

of　the　tribe。　　Shortly　after　this　he　was　taken　to　a　goat…

skin　tent　upon　the　upper　side　of　the　DOUAR。　　There　he　was

fed；　and　then；　securely　bound；　was　left　lying　on　a　piece　of

native　carpet；　alone　in　the　tent。



He　could　see　a　guard　sitting　before　the　door　of　his　frail

prison；　but　when　he　attempted　to　force　the　stout　bonds　that

held　him　he　realized　that　any　extra　precaution　on　the　part

of　his　captors　was　quite　unnecessary；　not　even　his　giant

muscles　could　part　those　numerous　strands。



Just　before　dusk　several　men　approached　the　tent　where

he　lay；　and　entered　it。　　All　were　in　Arab　dress；　but　presently

one　of　the　number　advanced　to　Tarzan's　side；　and　as　he　let

the　folds　of　cloth　that　had　hidden　the　lower　half　of　his　face

fall　away　the　ape…man　saw　the　malevolent　features　of

Nikolas　Rokoff。　　There　was　a　nasty　smile　on　the　bearded　lips。

〃Ah；　Monsieur　Tarzan；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　indeed　a　pleasure。

But　why　do　you　not　rise　and　greet　your　guest？〃　　Then；　with

an　ugly　oath；　〃Get　up；　you　dog！〃　and；　drawing　back　his

booted　foot；　he　kicked　Tarzan　heavily　in　the　side。　　〃And　here

is　another；　and　another；　and　another；〃　he　continued；　as　he

kicked　Tarzan　about　the　face　and　side。　　〃One　for　each　of　the

injuries　you　have　done　me。〃



The　ape…man　made　no　replyhe　did　not　even　deign　to　look

upon　the　Russian　again　after　the　first　glance　of　recognition。

Finally　the　sheik；　who　had　been　standing　a　mute　and　frowning

witness　of　the　cowardly　attack；　intervened。



〃Stop！〃　he　commanded。　　〃Kill　him　if　you　will；　but　I　will

see　no　brave　man　subjected　to　such　indignities　in　my　presence。

I　have　half　a　mind　to　turn　him　loose；　that　I　may　see　how

long　you　would　kick　him　then。〃



This　threat　put　a　sudden　end　to　Rokoff's　brutality；　for　he

had　no　craving　to　see　Tarzan　loosed　from　his　bonds　while

he　was　within　reach　of　those　powerful　hands。



〃Very　well；〃　he　replied　to　the　Arab；　〃I　shall　kill　him　presently。〃



〃Not　within　the　precincts　of　my　DOUAR；〃　returned　the

sheik。　　〃When　he　leaves　here　he　leaves　alive。　　What　you　do

with　him　in　the　desert　is　none　of　my　concern；　but　I　shall

not　have　the　blood　of　a　Frenchman　on　the　hands　of　my　tribe

on　account　of　another　man's　quarrelthey　would　send

soldiers　here　and　kill　many　of　my　people；　and　burn　our　tents

and　drive　away　our　flocks。〃



〃As　you　say；〃　growled　Rokoff。　　〃I'll　take　him　out　into　the

desert　below　the　DOUAR；　and　dispatch　him。〃



〃You　will　take　him　a　day's　ride　from　my　country；〃　said

the　sheik；　firmly；　〃and　some　of　my　children　shall　follow　you

to　see　that　you　do　not　disobey　meotherwise　there　may　be

two　dead　Frenchmen　in　the　desert。〃



Rokoff　shrugged。　　〃Then　I　shall　have　to　wait　until　the

morrowit　is　already　dark。〃



〃As　you　will；〃　said　the　sheik。　　〃But　by　an　hour　after　dawn

you　must　be　gone　from　my　DOUAR。　　I　have　little　liking　for

unbelievers；　and　none　at　all　for　a　coward。〃



Rokoff　would　have　made　some　kind　of　retort；　but　he

checked　himself；　for　he　realized　that　it　would　require

but　little　excuse　for　the　old　man　to　turn　upon　him。

Together　they　left　the　tent。　　At　the　door　Rokoff　could　not

resist　the　temptation　to　turn　and　fling　a　parting　taunt　at　Tarzan。

〃Sleep　well；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃and　do　not　forget　to　pray　well；

for　when　you　die　tomorrow　it　will　be　in　such　agony　that　you　will

be　unable　to　pray　for　blaspheming。〃



No　one　had　bothered　to　bring　Tarzan　either　food　or　water　since

noon；　and　consequently　he　suffered　considerably　from　thirst。

He　wondered　if　it　would　be　worth　while　to　ask　his

guard　for　water；　but　after　making　two　or　three　requests

without　receiving　any　response；　he　decided　that　it　would　not。



Far　up　in　the　mountains　he　heard　a　lion　roar。　　How　much

safer　one　was；　he　soliloquized；　in　the　haunts　of　wild　beasts

than　in　the　haunts　of　men。　　Never　in　all　his　jungle　life　had　he

been　more　relentlessly　tracked　down　than　in　the　past　few

months　of　his　experience　among　civilized　men。　　Never　had　he

been　any　nearer　death。



Again　the　lion　roared。　　It　sounded　a　little　nearer。　　Tarzan　felt

the　old；　wild　impulse　to　reply　with　the　challenge　of　his　kind。

His　kind？　　He　had　almost　forgotten　that　he　was　a　man　and　not　an　ape。

He　tugged　at　his　bonds。　　God；　if　he　could　but　get　them　near

those　strong　teeth　of　his。　　He　felt　a　wild　wave　of　madness　sweep

over　him　as　his　efforts　to　regain　his　liberty　met　with　failure。



Numa　was　roaring　almost　continually　now。　　It　was　quite

evident　that　he　was　coming　down　into　the　desert　to　hunt。

It　was　the　roar　of　a　hungry　lion。　　Tarzan　envied　him；　for　he

was　free。　　No　one　would　tie　him　with　ropes　and　slaughter

him　like　a　sheep。　　It　was　that　which　galled　the　ape…man。

He　did　not　fear　to　die；　noit　was　the　humiliation　of　defeat

before