the return of tarzan-第32节

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following　the　course　of　the　stream。　　For　three　days　he

continued　his　quest；　until　he　had　come　to　a　part　of　the

jungle　in　which　he　never　before　had　been。　　Occasionally　upon

the　higher　ground　the　forest　was　much　thinner；　and　in　the　far

distance　through　the　trees　he　could　see　ranges　of　mighty

mountains；　with　wide　plains　in　the　foreground。　　Here；　in　the

open　spaces；　were　new　gamecountless　antelope　and　vast

herds　of　zebra。　　Tarzan　was　entrancedhe　would　make　a　long

visit　to　this　new　world。



On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　his　nostrils　were　suddenly

surprised　by　a　faint　new　scent。　　It　was　the　scent　of　man；

but　yet　a　long　way　off。　　The　ape…man　thrilled　with　pleasure。

Every　sense　was　on　the　alert　as　with　crafty　stealth　he

moved　quickly　through　the　trees；　up…wind；　in　the　direction

of　his　prey。　　Presently　he　came　upon　ita　lone　warrior

treading　softly　through　the　jungle。



Tarzan　followed　close　above　his　quarry；　waiting　for　a

clearer　space　in　which　to　hurl　his　rope。　　As　he　stalked

the　unconscious　man；　new　thoughts　presented　themselves　to

the　ape…manthoughts　born　of　the　refining　influences　of

civilization；　and　of　its　cruelties。　　It　came　to　him　that

seldom　if　ever　did　civilized　man　kill　a　fellow　being　without

some　pretext；　however　slight。　　It　was　true　that　Tarzan　wished

this　man's　weapons　and　ornaments；　but　was　it　necessary　to　take

his　life　to　obtain　them？



The　longer　he　thought　about　it；　the　more　repugnant　became

the　thought　of　taking　human　life　needlessly；　and　thus

it　happened　that　while　he　was　trying　to　decide　just　what

to　do；　they　had　come　to　a　little　clearing；　at　the　far　side　of

which　lay　a　palisaded　village　of　beehive　huts。



As　the　warrior　emerged　from　the　forest；　Tarzan　caught　a

fleeting　glimpse　of　a　tawny　hide　worming　its　way　through　the

matted　jungle　grasses　in　his　wakeit　was　Numa；　the　lion。

He；　too；　was　stalking　the　black　man。　　With　the　instant　that

Tarzan　realized　the　native's　danger　his　attitude　toward　his

erstwhile　prey　altered　completelynow　he　was　a　fellow　man

threatened　by　a　common　enemy。



Numa　was　about　to　chargethere　was　little　time　in　which

to　compare　various　methods　or　weigh　the　probable　results

of　any。　　And　then　a　number　of　things　happened；　almost

simultaneouslythe　lion　sprang　from　his　ambush　toward　the

retreating　blackTarzan　cried　out　in　warningand　the　black

turned　just　in　time　to　see　Numa　halted　in　mid…flight　by　a

slender　strand　of　grass　rope；　the　noosed　end　of　which

had　fallen　cleanly　about　his　neck。



The　ape…man　had　acted　so　quickly　that　he　had　been

unable　to　prepare　himself　to　withstand　the　strain　and　shock

of　Numa's　great　weight　upon　the　rope；　and　so　it　was　that

though　the　rope　stopped　the　beast　before　his　mighty　talons

could　fasten　themselves　in　the　flesh　of　the　black；　the　strain

overbalanced　Tarzan；　who　came　tumbling　to　the　ground　not

six　paces　from　the　infuriated　animal。　　Like　lightning　Numa

turned　upon　this　new　enemy；　and；　defenseless　as　he　was；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　nearer　to　death　that　instant　than　he

ever　before　had　been。　　It　was　the　black　who　saved　him。

The　warrior　realized　in　an　instant　that　he　owed　his　life

to　this　strange　white　man；　and　he　also　saw　that　only　a　miracle

could　save　his　preserver　from　those　fierce　yellow　fangs　that

had　been　so　near　to　his　own　flesh。



With　the　quickness　of　thought　his　spear　arm　flew　back；

and　then　shot　forward　with　all　the　force　of　the　sinewy

muscles　that　rolled　beneath　the　shimmering　ebon　hide。

True　to　its　mark　the　iron…shod　weapon　flew；　transfixing

Numa's　sleek　carcass　from　the　right　groin　to　beneath　the

left　shoulder。　With　a　hideous　scream　of　rage　and　pain　the

brute　turned　again　upon　the　black。　　A　dozen　paces　he　had

gone　when　Tarzan's　rope　brought　him　to　a　stand　once　more

then　he　wheeled　again　upon　the　ape…man；　only　to　feel　the

painful　prick　of　a　barbed　arrow　as　it　sank　half　its　length

in　his　quivering　flesh。　　Again　he　stopped；　and　by　this　time

Tarzan　had　run　twice　around　the　stem　of　a　great　tree　with

his　rope；　and　made　the　end　fast。



The　black　saw　the　trick；　and　grinned；　but　Tarzan　knew

that　Numa　must　be　quickly　finished　before　those　mighty

teeth　had　found　and　parted　the　slender　cord　that　held　him。

It　was　a　matter　of　but　an　instant　to　reach　the　black's　side

and　drag　his　long　knife　from　its　scabbard。　　Then　he　signed

the　warrior　to　continue　to　shoot　arrows　into　the　great　beast

while　he　attempted　to　close　in　upon　him　with　the　knife；　so

as　one　tantalized　upon　one　side；　the　other　sneaked　cautiously

in　upon　the　other。　　Numa　was　furious。　　He　raised　his　voice

in　a　perfect　frenzy　of　shrieks；　growls；　and　hideous　moans；

the　while　he　reared　upon　his　hind　legs　in　futile　attempt

to　reach　first　one　and　then　the　other　of　his　tormentors。



But　at　length　the　agile　ape…man　saw　his　chance；　and　rushed

in　upon　the　beast's　left　side　behind　the　mighty　shoulder。

A　giant　arm　encircled　the　tawny　throat；　and　a　long　blade　sank

once；　true　as　a　die；　into　the　fierce　heart。　　Then　Tarzan　arose；

and　the　black　man　and　the　white　looked　into　each　other's　eyes

across　the　body　of　their　killand　the　black　made　the　sign　of

peace　and　friendship；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　answered　in　kind。







Chapter　15





From　Ape　to　Savage





The　noise　of　their　battle　with　Numa　had　drawn　an　excited

horde　of　savages　from　the　nearby　village；　and　a　moment

after　the　lion's　death　the　two　men　were　surrounded　by

lithe；　ebon　warriors；　gesticulating　and　jabberinga

thousand　questions　that　drowned　each　ventured　reply。



And　then　the　women　came；　and　the　childreneager；　curious；

and；　at　sight　of　Tarzan；　more　questioning　than　ever。

The　ape…man's　new　friend　finally　succeeded　in　making

himself　heard；　and　when　he　had　done　talking　the　men　and

women　of　the　village　vied　with　one　another　in　doing　honor

to　the　strange　creature　who　had　saved　their　fellow　and

battled　single…handed　with　fierce　Numa。



At　last　they　led　him　back　to　their　village；　where　they

brought　him　gifts　of　fowl；　and　goats；　and　cooked　food。

When　he　pointed　to　their　weapons　the　warriors　hastened

to　fetch　spear；　shield；　arrows；　and　a　bow。　　His　friend　of　the

encounter　presented　him　with　the　knife　with　which　he　had

killed　Numa。　　There　was　nothing　in　all　the　village　he　could

not　have　had　for　the　asking。



How　much　easier　this　was；　thought　Tarzan；　than　murder

and　robbery　to　supply　his　wants。　　How　close　he　had　been　to

killing　this　man　whom　he　never　had　seen　before；　and　who

now　was　manifesting　by　every　primitive　means　at　his

command　friendship　and　affection　for　his　would…be　slayer。

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　ashamed。　　Hereafter　he　would　at　least　wait

until　he　knew　men　deserved　it　before　he　thought　of　killing　them。



The　idea　recalled　Rokoff　to　his　mind。　　He　wished　that　he

might　have　the　Russian　to　himself　in　the　dark　jungle　for　a

few　minutes。　　There　was　a　man　who　deserved　killing　if　ever

any　one　did。　　And　if　he　could　have　seen　Rokoff　at　that　moment

as　he　assiduously　bent　every　endeavor　to　the　pleasant　task

of　ingratiating　himself　into　the　affections　of　the　beautiful

Miss　Strong；　he　would　have　longed　more　than　ever　to　mete

out　to　the　man　the　fate　he　deserved。



Tarzan's　first　night　with　the　savages　was　devoted　to　a　wild

orgy　in　his　honor。　　There　was　feasting；　for　the　hunters　had

brought　in　an　antelope　and　a　zebra　as　trophies　of　their　skill；

and　gallons　of　the　weak　native　beer　were　consumed。　　As　the

warriors　danced　in　the　firelight；　Tarzan　was　again　impressed

by　the　symmetry　of　their　figures　and　the　regularity　of　their

featuresthe　flat　noses　and　thick　lips　of　the　typical　West

Coast　savage　were　entirely　missing。　　In　repose　the　faces　of　the

men　were　intelligent　and　dignified；　those　of　the　women

ofttimes　prepossessing。



It　was　during　this　dance　that　the　ape…man　first　noticed

that　some　of　the　men　and　many　of　the　women　wore　ornaments

of　goldprincipally　anklets　and　armlets　of　great　weight；

apparently　beaten　out　of　the　solid　metal。　　When　he

expressed　a　wish　to　examine　one　of　these；　the　owner　removed

it　from　her　person　and　insisted；　through　the　medium　of　signs；

that　Tarzan　accept　it　as　a　gift。　　A　close　scrutiny　of　the

bauble　convinced　the　ape…man　that　the　article　was　of

virgin　gold；　and　he　was　surprised；　for　it　was　the　first　time

that　he　had　ever　seen　golden　ornaments　among　the　savages

of　Africa；　other　than　the　trifling　baubles　those　near　the

coast　had　purchased　or　stolen　from　Europeans。　　He　tried

to　ask　them　from　whence　the　metal　came；　but　he　could　not

make　them　understand。



When　the　dance　was　done　Tarzan　signified　his　intention

to　leave　them；　but　they　almost　implored　him　to　accept　the

hospitality　of　a　great　hut　which　the　chief　set　apart　for　his

sole　use。　　He　tried　to　explain　that　he　would　return　in　the

morning；　but　they　could　not　understand。　　When　he　finally

walked　away　from　them　toward　the　side　of　the　village　opposite

the　gate；　they　were　still　further　mystified　as　to　his　intentions。



Tarzan