the return of tarzan-第26节

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home　ties　had　been　broken；　she　would　not　so　dread　the　step

which　she　had　so　long　hesitated　to　take。



So　the　evening　that　he　received　Clayton's　letter　Professor　Porter

announced　that　they　would　leave　for　London　the　following　week。



But　once　in　London　Jane　Porter　was　no　more　tractable　than　she

had　been　in　Baltimore。　　She　found　one　excuse　after　another；

and　when；　finally；　Lord　Tennington　invited　the　party　to　cruise

around　Africa　in　his　yacht；　she　expressed　the　greatest　delight

in　the　idea；　but　absolutely　refused　to　be　married　until　they

had　returned　to　London。　　As　the　cruise　was　to　consume　a　year

at　least；　for　they　were　to　stop　for　indefinite　periods　at

various　points　of　interest；　Clayton　mentally　anathematized

Tennington　for　ever　suggesting　such　a　ridiculous　trip。



It　was　Lord　Tennington's　plan　to　cruise　through　the

Mediterranean；　and　the　Red　Sea　to　the　Indian　Ocean；　and

thus　down　the　East　Coast；　putting　in　at　every　port　that

was　worth　the　seeing。



And　so　it　happened　that　on　a　certain　day　two　vessels　passed

in　the　Strait　of　Gibraltar。　　The　smaller；　a　trim　white

yacht；　was　speeding　toward　the　east；　and　on　her　deck　sat　a

young　woman　who　gazed　with　sad　eyes　upon　a　diamondstudded

locket　which　she　idly　fingered。　　Her　thoughts　were　far

away；　in　the　dim；　leafy　fastness　of　a　tropical　jungleand

her　heart　was　with　her　thoughts。



She　wondered　if　the　man　who　had　given　her　the　beautiful

bauble；　that　had　meant　so　much　more　to　him　than　the

intrinsic　value　which　he　had　not　even　known　could　ever

have　meant　to　him；　was　back　in　his　savage　forest。



And　upon　the　deck　of　the　larger　vessel；　a　passenger　steamer

passing　toward　the　east；　the　man　sat　with　another　young

woman；　and　the　two　idly　speculated　upon　the　identity　of　the

dainty　craft　gliding　so　gracefully　through　the　gentle　swell　of

the　lazy　sea。



When　the　yacht　had　passed　the　man　resumed　the　conversation

that　her　appearance　had　broken　off。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　like　America　very　much；　and　that　means；

of　course；　that　I　like　Americans；　for　a　country　is　only　what

its　people　make　it。　　I　met　some　very　delightful　people　while　I

was　there。　　I　recall　one　family　from　your　own　city；　Miss

Strong；　whom　I　liked　particularlyProfessor　Porter　and

his　daughter。〃



〃Jane　Porter！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。　　〃Do　you　mean　to　tell　me

that　you　know　Jane　Porter？　　Why；　she　is　the　very　best　friend

I　have　in　the　world。　　We　were　little　children　togetherwe　have

known　each　other　for　ages。〃



〃Indeed！〃　he　answered；　smiling。　　〃You　would　have　difficulty

in　persuading　any　one　of　the　fact　who　had　seen　either　of　you。〃



〃I'll　qualify　the　statement；　then；〃　she　answered；　with　a　laugh。

〃We　have　known　each　other　for　two　ageshers　and　mine。

But　seriously　we　are　as　dear　to　each　other　as　sisters；

and　now　that　I　am　going　to　lose　her　I　am　almost　heartbroken。〃



〃Going　to　lose　her？〃　exclaimed　Tarzan。　　〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？

Oh；　yes；　I　understand。　　You　mean　that　now　that　she　is　married

and　living　in　England；　you　will　seldom　if　ever　see　her。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　she；　〃and　the　saddest　part　of　it　all　is　that

she　is　not　marrying　the　man　she　loves。　　Oh；　it　is　terrible。

Marrying　from　a　sense　of　duty！　　I　think　it　is　perfectly　wicked；

and　I　told　her　so。　　I　have　felt　so　strongly　on　the　subject　that

although　I　was　the　only　person　outside　of　blood　relations

who　was　to　have　been　asked　to　the　wedding　I　would　not　let

her　invite　me；　for　I　should　not　have　gone　to　witness　the

terrible　mockery。　　But　Jane　Porter　is　peculiarly　positive。

She　has　convinced　herself　that　she　is　doing　the　only　honorable

thing　that　she　can　do；　and　nothing　in　the　world　will　ever

prevent　her　from　marrying　Lord　Greystoke　except　Greystoke

himself；　or　death。〃



〃I　am　sorry　for　her；〃　said　Tarzan。



〃And　I　am　sorry　for　the　man　she　loves；〃　said　the　girl；　〃for

he　loves　her。　　I　never　met　him；　but　from　what　Jane　tells　me

he　must　be　a　very　wonderful　person。　　It　seems　that　he　was

born　in　an　African　jungle；　and　brought　up　by　fierce；

anthropoid　apes。　　He　had　never　seen　a　white　man　or　woman

until　Professor　Porter　and　his　party　were　marooned　on　the

coast　right　at　the　threshold　of　his　tiny　cabin。　　He　saved　them

from　all　manner　of　terrible　beasts；　and　accomplished　the

most　wonderful　feats　imaginable；　and　then　to　cap　the　climax

he　fell　in　love　with　Jane　and　she　with　him；　though　she　never

really　knew　it　for　sure　until　she　had　promised　herself　to

Lord　Greystoke。〃



〃Most　remarkable；〃　murmured　Tarzan；　cudgeling　his　brain　for

some　pretext　upon　which　to　turn　the　subject。　　He　delighted

in　hearing　Hazel　Strong　talk　of　Jane；　but　when　he　was　the

subject　of　the　conversation　he　was　bored　and　embarrassed。

But　he　was　soon　given　a　respite；　for　the　girl's　mother

joined　them；　and　the　talk　became　general。



The　next　few　days　passed　uneventfully。　　The　sea　was　quiet。

The　sky　was　clear。　　The　steamer　plowed　steadily　on　toward　the

south　without　pause。　　Tarzan　spent　quite　a　little　time　with

Miss　Strong　and　her　mother。　　They　whiled　away　their　hours

on　deck　reading；　talking；　or　taking　pictures　with　Miss

Strong's　camera。　　When　the　sun　had　set　they　walked。



One　day　Tarzan　found　Miss　Strong　in　conversation　with　a

stranger；　a　man　he　had　not　seen　on　board　before。　　As　he

approached　the　couple　the　man　bowed　to　the　girl　and　turned

to　walk　away。



〃Wait；　Monsieur　Thuran；〃　said　Miss　Strong；　〃you　must　meet

Mr。　Caldwell。　　We　are　all　fellow　passengers；　and　should

be　acquainted。〃



The　two　men　shook　hands。　　As　Tarzan　looked　into　the　eyes

of　Monsieur　Thuran　he　was　struck　by　the　strange　familiarity

of　their　expression。



〃I　have　had　the　honor　of　monsieur's　acquaintance　in　the

past；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃though　I　cannot　recall　the

circumstances。〃



Monsieur　Thuran　appeared　ill　at　ease。



〃I　cannot　say；　monsieur；〃　he　replied。　　〃It　may　be　so。　　I　have

had　that　identical　sensation　myself　when　meeting　a　stranger。〃



〃Monsieur　Thuran　has　been　explaining　some　of　the　mysteries

of　navigation　to　me；〃　explained　the　girl。



Tarzan　paid　little　heed　to　the　conversation　that　ensuedhe

was　attempting　to　recall　where　he　had　met　Monsieur　Thuran　before。

That　it　had　been　under　peculiar　circumstances　he　was　positive。

Presently　the　sun　reached　them；　and　the　girl　asked　Monsieur

Thuran　to　move　her　chair　farther　back　into　the　shade。

Tarzan　happened　to　be　watching　the　man　at　the　time；

and　noticed　the　awkward　manner　in　which　he　handled

the　chairhis　left　wrist　was　stiff。　　That　clew　was

sufficienta　sudden　train　of　associated　ideas　did　the　rest。



Monsieur　Thuran　had　been　trying　to　find　an　excuse　to

make　a　graceful　departure。　　The　lull　in　the　conversation

following　the　moving　of　their　position　gave　him　an　opportunity

to　make　his　excuses。　　Bowing　low　to　Miss　Strong；　and　inclining

his　head　to　Tarzan；　he　turned　to　leave　them。



〃Just　a　moment；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃If　Miss　Strong　will　pardon　me

I　will　accompany　you。　　I　shall　return　in　a　moment；　Miss　Strong。〃



Monsieur　Thuran　looked　uncomfortable。　　When　the　two　men　had

passed　out　of　the　girl's　sight；　Tarzan　stopped；　laying　a

heavy　hand　on　the　other's　shoulder。



〃What　is　your　game　now；　Rokoff？〃　he　asked。



〃I　am　leaving　France　as　I　promised　you；〃　replied　the　other；

in　a　surly　voice。



〃I　see　you　are；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃but　I　know　you　so　well

that　I　can　scarcely　believe　that　your　being　on　the　same　boat

with　me　is　purely　a　coincidence。　　If　I　could　believe　it　the

fact　that　you　are　in　disguise　would　immediately　disabuse

my　mind　of　any　such　idea。〃



〃Well；〃　growled　Rokoff；　with　a　shrug；　〃I　cannot　see　what　you

are　going　to　do　about　it。　　This　vessel　flies　the　English　flag。

I　have　as　much　right　on　board　her　as　you；　and　from　the

fact　that　you　are　booked　under　an　assumed　name　I　imagine

that　I　have　more　right。〃



〃We　will　not　discuss　it；　Rokoff。　　All　I　wanted　to　say　to

you　is　that　you　must　keep　away　from　Miss　Strongshe　is　a

decent　woman。〃



Rokoff　turned　scarlet。



〃If　you　don't　I　shall　pitch　you　overboard；〃　continued　Tarzan。

〃Do　not　forget　that　I　am　just　waiting　for　some　excuse。〃

Then　he　turned　on　his　heel；　and　left　Rokoff　standing

there　trembling　with　suppressed　rage。



He　did　not　see　the　man　again　for　days；　but　Rokoff　was

not　idle。　　In　his　stateroom　with　Paulvitch　he　fumed　and

swore；　threatening　the　most　terrible　of　revenges。



〃I　would　throw　him　overboard　tonight；〃　he　cried；　〃were　I

sure　that　those　papers　were　not　on　his　person。　　I　cannot

chance　pitching　them　into　the　ocean　with　him。　　If　you　were

not　such　a　stupid　coward；　Alexis；　you　would　find　a　way　to

enter　his　stateroom　and　search　for　the　documents。〃



Paulvitch　smiled。　　〃You　are　supposed　to　be　the　brains　of　this

partnership；　my　dear　Nikolas；〃　he　replied。　　〃Why　do　you　not

find　the　means　to　search　Monsieur　Caldwell's　stateroomeh？〃



Two　hours　later　fate　was　kind　to　them；　for　Paulvitch；　who

was　ever　on　the　watch；　saw　Tarzan　leave　his　room　without

loc