the return of tarzan-第4节

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seen　that　his　companion　was　Paulvitch。



Tarzan　had　overheard　but　a　few　words：　　〃And　if　she　screams

you　may　choke　her　until〃　　But　those　had　been　enough　to

arouse　the　spirit　of　adventure　within　him；　and　so　he　kept　the

two　men　in　sight　as　they　walked；　briskly　now；　along　the　deck。

To　the　smoking…room　he　followed　them；　but　they　merely

halted　at　the　doorway　long　enough；　apparently；　to　assure

themselves　that　one　whose　whereabouts　they　wished　to

establish　was　within。



Then　they　proceeded　directly　to　the　first…class　cabins　upon

the　promenade　deck。　　Here　Tarzan　found　greater　difficulty

in　escaping　detection；　but　he　managed　to　do　so　successfully。

As　they　halted　before　one　of　the　polished　hardwood　doors；

Tarzan　slipped　into　the　shadow　of　a　passageway　not　a　dozen

feet　from　them。



To　their　knock　a　woman's　voice　asked　in　French：　　〃Who　is　it？〃



〃It　is　I；　OlgaNikolas；〃　was　the　answer；　in　Rokoff's　now

familiar　guttural。　　〃May　I　come　in？〃



〃Why　do　you　not　cease　persecuting　me；　Nikolas？〃　came

the　voice　of　the　woman　from　beyond　the　thin　panel。

〃I　have　never　harmed　you。〃



〃Come；　come；　Olga；〃　urged　the　man；　in　propitiary　tones；

〃I　but　ask　a　half　dozen　words　with　you。　　I　shall　not　harm　you；

nor　shall　I　enter　your　cabin；　but　I　cannot　shout　my　message

through　the　door。〃



Tarzan　heard　the　catch　click　as　it　was　released　from　the

inside。　　He　stepped　out　from　his　hiding…place　far　enough　to

see　what　transpired　when　the　door　was　opened；　for　he　could

not　but　recall　the　sinister　words　he　had　heard　a　few　moments

before　upon　the　deck；　〃And　if　she　screams　you　may　choke　her。〃



Rokoff　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　the　door。　　Paulvitch

had　flattened　himself　against　the　paneled　wall　of　the　corridor

beyond。　　The　door　opened。　　Rokoff　half　entered　the　room；　and

stood　with　his　back　against　the　door；　speaking　in　a　low　whisper

to　the　woman；　whom　Tarzan　could　not　see。　　Then　Tarzan　heard　the

woman's　voice；　level；　but　loud　enough　to　distinguish　her　words。



〃No；　Nikolas；〃　she　was　saying；　〃it　is　useless。　　Threaten　as　you

will；　I　shall　never　accede　to　your　demands。　　Leave　the　room；

please；　you　have　no　right　here。　　You　promised　not　to　enter。〃



〃Very　well；　Olga；　I　shall　not　enter；　but　before　I　am　done

with　you；　you　shall　wish　a　thousand　times　that　you　had

done　at　once　the　favor　I　have　asked。　　In　the　end　I　shall　win

anyway；　so　you　might　as　well　save　trouble　and　time　for　me；

and　disgrace　for　yourself　and　your〃



〃Never；　Nikolas！〃　interrupted　the　woman；　and　then　Tarzan

saw　Rokoff　turn　and　nod　to　Paulvitch；　who　sprang　quickly

toward　the　doorway　of　the　cabin；　rushing　in　past　Rokoff；　who

held　the　door　open　for　him。　　Then　the　latter　stepped　quickly　out。

The　door　closed。　　Tarzan　heard　the　click　of　the　lock　as

Paulvitch　turned　it　from　the　inside。　　Rokoff　remained　standing

before　the　door；　with　head　bent；　as　though　to　catch　the　words

of　the　two　within。　　A　nasty　smile　curled　his　bearded　lip。



Tarzan　could　hear　the　woman's　voice　commanding　the　fellow　to

leave　her　cabin。　　〃I　shall　send　for　my　husband；〃　she　cried。

〃He　will　show　you　no　mercy。〃



Paulvitch's　sneering　laugh　came　through　the　polished　panels。



〃The　purser　will　fetch　your　husband；　madame；〃　said　the　man。

〃In　fact；　that　officer　has　already　been　notified　that　you

are　entertaining　a　man　other　than　your　husband　behind　the

locked　door　of　your　cabin。〃



〃Bah！〃　cried　the　woman。　　〃My　husband　will　know！〃



〃Most　assuredly　your　husband　will　know；　but　the　purser

will　not；　nor　will　the　newspaper　men　who　shall　in　some

mysterious　way　hear　of　it　on　our　landing。　　But　they　will

think　it　a　fine　story；　and　so　will　all　your　friends　when　they

read　of　it　at　breakfast　onlet　me　see；　this　is　Tuesdayyes；

when　they　read　of　it　at　breakfast　next　Friday　morning。

Nor　will　it　detract　from　the　interest　they　will　all　feel　when

they　learn　that　the　man　whom　madame　entertained　is　a　Russian

servanther　brother's　valet；　to　be　quite　exact。〃



〃Alexis　Paulvitch；〃　came　the　woman's　voice；　cold　and　fearless；

〃you　are　a　coward；　and　when　I　whisper　a　certain　name

in　your　ear　you　will　think　better　of　your　demands　upon　me

and　your　threats　against　me；　and　then　you　will　leave　my

cabin　quickly；　nor　do　I　think　that　ever　again　will　you；　at

least；　annoy　me；〃　and　there　came　a　moment's　silence　in

which　Tarzan　could　imagine　the　woman　leaning　toward　the

scoundrel　and　whispering　the　thing　she　had　hinted　at　into

his　ear。　　Only　a　moment　of　silence；　and　then　a　startled　oath

from　the　manthe　scuffling　of　feeta　woman's　scream

and　silence。



But　scarcely　had　the　cry　ceased　before　the　ape…man　had

leaped　from　his　hiding…place。　　Rokoff　started　to　run；　but

Tarzan　grasped　him　by　the　collar　and　dragged　him　back。

Neither　spoke；　for　both　felt　instinctively　that　murder　was

being　done　in　that　room；　and　Tarzan　was　confident　that　Rokoff

had　had　no　intention　that　his　confederate　should　go　that

farhe　felt　that　the　man's　aims　were　deeper　than　thatdeeper

and　even　more　sinister　than　brutal；　cold…blooded　murder。

Without　hesitating　to　question　those　within；　the　ape…man

threw　his　giant　shoulder　against　the　frail　panel；　and　in　a

shower　of　splintered　wood　he　entered　the　cabin；　dragging

Rokoff　after　him。　　Before　him；　on　a　couch；　the　woman　lay；

and　on　top　of　her　was　Paulvitch；　his　fingers　gripping　the

fair　throat；　while　his　victim's　hands　beat　futilely　at　his　face；

tearing　desperately　at　the　cruel　fingers　that　were　forcing　the

life　from　her。



The　noise　of　his　entrance　brought　Paulvitch　to　his　feet；

where　he　stood　glowering　menacingly　at　Tarzan。　　The　girl

rose　falteringly　to　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　couch。

One　hand　was　at　her　throat；　and　her　breath　came　in　little　gasps。

Although　disheveled　and　very　pale；　Tarzan　recognized　her

as　the　young　woman　whom　he　had　caught　staring　at　him　on

deck　earlier　in　the　day。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　Tarzan；　turning　to　Rokoff；

whom　he　intuitively　singled　out　as　the　instigator　of　the　outrage。

The　man　remained　silent；　scowling。　　〃Touch　the　button；　please；〃

continued　the　ape…man；　〃we　will　have　one　of　the　ship's

officers　herethis　affair　has　gone　quite　far　enough。〃



〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　girl；　coming　suddenly　to　her　feet。

〃Please　do　not　do　that。　　I　am　sure　that　there　was　no　real

intention　to　harm　me。　　I　angered　this　person；　and　he　lost

control　of　himself；　that　is　all。　　I　would　not　care　to　have　the

matter　go　further；　please；　monsieur；〃　and　there　was　such　a

note　of　pleading　in　her　voice　that　Tarzan　could　not　press

the　matter；　though　his　better　judgment　warned　him　that

there　was　something　afoot　here　of　which　the　proper

authorities　should　be　made　cognizant。



〃You　wish　me　to　do　nothing；　then；　in　the　matter？〃　he　asked。



〃Nothing；　please；〃　she　replied。



〃You　are　content　that　these　two　scoundrels　should　continue

persecuting　you？〃



She　did　not　seem　to　know　what　answer　to　make；　and

looked　very　troubled　and　unhappy。　　Tarzan　saw　a　malicious

grin　of　triumph　curl　Rokoff's　lip。　　The　girl　evidently　was　in

fear　of　these　twoshe　dared　not　express　her　real　desires

before　them。



〃Then；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃I　shall　act　on　my　own　responsibility。

To　you；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　Rokoff；　〃and　this　includes

your　accomplice；　I　may　say　that　from　now　on　to　the　end　of

the　voyage　I　shall　take　it　upon　myself　to　keep　an　eye　on

you；　and　should　there　chance　to　come　to　my　notice　any

act　of　either　one　of　you　that　might　even　remotely　annoy　this

young　woman　you　shall　be　called　to　account　for　it　directly

to　me；　nor　shall　the　calling　or　the　accounting　be　pleasant

experiences　for　either　of　you。



〃Now　get　out　of　here；〃　and　he　grabbed　Rokoff　and

Paulvitch　each　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　thrust　them

forcibly　through　the　doorway；　giving　each　an　added　impetus

down　the　corridor　with　the　toe　of　his　boot。　　Then　he　turned

back　to　the　stateroom　and　the　girl。　　She　was　looking　at　him

in　wide…eyed　astonishment。



〃And　you；　madame；　will　confer　a　great　favor　upon　me　if　you

will　but　let　me　know　if　either　of　those　rascals　troubles

you　further。〃



〃Ah；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　〃I　hope　that　you　will　not

suffer　for　the　kind　deed　you　attempted。　　You　have　made　a

very　wicked　and　resourceful　enemy；　who　will　stop　at　nothing

to　satisfy　his　hatred。　　You　must　be　very　careful　indeed；

Monsieur〃



〃Pardon　me；　madame；　my　name　is　Tarzan。〃



〃Monsieur　Tarzan。　　And　because　I　would　not　consent　to

notify　the　officers；　do　not　think　that　I　am　not　sincerely

grateful　to　you　for　the　brave　and　chivalrous　protection　you

rendered　me。　　Good　night；　Monsieur　Tarzan。　　I　shall　never

forget　the　debt　I　owe　you；〃　and；　with　a　most　winsome　smile

that　displayed　a　row　of　perfect　teeth；　the　girl　curtsied　to

Tarzan；　who　bade　her　good　night　and　made　his　way　on　deck。



It　puzzled　the　man　considerably　that　there　should　be　two

on　boardthis　girl　and　Count　de　Coudewho　suffered

indignities　at　the　hands　of　Rokoff　and　his　companion；　and　yet

would　n