the return of tarzan-第44节

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temple　to　save　him　from　the　polluting　hands　of　worldlings

to　save　him　as　a　human　offering　to　their　flaming　deity。



And　had　he　needed　further　assurance　as　to　the　correctness

of　his　theory　he　had　only　to　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　brownish…

red　stains　that　caked　the　stone　altar　and　covered　the　floor

in　its　immediate　vicinity；　or　to　the　human　skulls　which

grinned　from　countless　niches　in　the　towering　walls。



The　priestess　led　the　victim　to　the　altar　steps。　　Again　the

galleries　above　filled　with　watchers；　while　from　an　arched

doorway　at　the　east　end　of　the　chamber　a　procession　of　females

filed　slowly　into　the　room。　　They　wore；　like　the　men；

only　skins　of　wild　animals　caught　about　their　waists　with

rawhide　belts　or　chains　of　gold；　but　the　black　masses　of　their

hair　were　incrusted　with　golden　headgear　composed　of　many

circular　and　oval　pieces　of　gold　ingeniously　held　together　to

form　a　metal　cap　from　which　depended　at　each　side　of

the　head；　long　strings　of　oval　pieces　falling　to　the　waist。



The　females　were　more　symmetrically　proportioned　than

the　males；　their　features　were　much　more　perfect；　the　shapes

of　their　heads　and　their　large；　soft；　black　eyes　denoting　far

greater　intelligence　and　humanity　than　was　possessed　by

their　lords　and　masters。



Each　priestess　bore　two　golden　cups；　and　as　they　formed　in

line　along　one　side　of　the　altar　the　men　formed　opposite　them；

advancing　and　taking　each　a　cup　from　the　female　opposite。

Then　the　chant　began　once　more；　and　presently　from

a　dark　passageway　beyond　the　altar　another　female

emerged　from　the　cavernous　depths　beneath　the　chamber。



The　high　priestess；　thought　Tarzan。　　She　was　a　young　woman

with　a　rather　intelligent　and　shapely　face。　　Her　ornaments

were　similar　to　those　worn　by　her　votaries；　but　much　more

elaborate；　many　being　set　with　diamonds。　　Her　bare　arms

and　legs　were　almost　concealed　by　the　massive；　bejeweled

ornaments　which　covered　them；　while　her　single　leopard

skin　was　supported　by　a　close…fitting　girdle　of　golden　rings

set　in　strange　designs　with　innumerable　small　diamonds。

In　the　girdle　she　carried　a　long；　jeweled　knife；　and　in　her

hand　a　slender　wand　in　lieu　of　a　bludgeon。



As　she　advanced　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　altar　she

halted；　and　the　chanting　ceased。　　The　priests　and　priestesses

knelt　before　her；　while　with　wand　extended　above　them　she

recited　a　long　and　tiresome　prayer。　　Her　voice　was　soft　and

musicalTarzan　could　scarce　realize　that　its　possessor

in　a　moment　more　would　be　transformed　by　the　fanatical

ecstasy　of　religious　zeal　into　a　wild…eyed　and　bloodthirsty

executioner；　who；　with　dripping　knife；　would　be　the　first　to

drink　her　victim's　red；　warm　blood　from　the　little　golden　cup

that　stood　upon　the　altar。



As　she　finished　her　prayer　she　let　her　eyes　rest　for　the　first

time　upon　Tarzan。　　With　every　indication　of　considerable

curiosity　she　examined　him　from　head　to　foot。　　Then　she

addressed　him；　and　when　she　had　finished　stood　waiting；　as

though　she　expected　a　reply。



〃I　do　not　understand　your　language；〃　said　Tarzan。

〃Possibly　we　may　speak　together　in　another　tongue？〃

But　she　could　not　understand　him；　though　he　tried　French；

English；　Arab；　Waziri；　and；　as　a　last　resort；　the　mongrel

tongue　of　the　West　Coast。



She　shook　her　head；　and　it　seemed　that　there　was　a　note　of

weariness　in　her　voice　as　she　motioned　to　the　priests　to

continue　with　the　rites。　　These　now　circled　in　a　repetition　of

their　idiotic　dance；　which　was　terminated　finally　at　a　command

from　the　priestess；　who　had　stood　throughout；　still

looking　intently　upon　Tarzan。



At　her　signal　the　priests　rushed　upon　the　ape…man；　and；

lifting　him　bodily；　laid　him　upon　his　back　across　the　altar；

his　head　hanging　over　one　edge；　his　legs　over　the　opposite。

Then　they　and　the　priestesses　formed　in　two　lines；　with

their　little　golden　cups　in　readiness　to　capture　a　share　of　the

victim's　lifeblood　after　the　sacrificial　knife　had　accomplished

its　work。



In　the　line　of　priests　an　altercation　arose　as　to　who

should　have　first　place。　　A　burly　brute　with　all　the　refined

intelligence　of　a　gorilla　stamped　upon　his　bestial　face　was

attempting　to　push　a　smaller　man　to　second　place；　but　the

smaller　one　appealed　to　the　high　priestess；　who　in　a　cold

peremptory　voice　sent　the　larger　to　the　extreme　end　of　the　line。

Tarzan　could　hear　him　growling　and　rumbling　as　he　went

slowly　to　the　inferior　station。



Then　the　priestess；　standing　above　him；　began　reciting

what　Tarzan　took　to　be　an　invocation；　the　while　she　slowly

raised　her　thin；　sharp　knife　aloft。　　It　seemed　ages　to　the

ape…man　before　her　arm　ceased　its　upward　progress　and　the

knife　halted　high　above　his　unprotected　breast。



Then　it　started　downward；　slowly　at　first；　but　as　the

incantation　increased　in　rapidity；　with　greater　speed。　　At　the

end　of　the　line　Tarzan　could　still　hear　the　grumbling　of　the

disgruntled　priest。　　The　man's　voice　rose　louder　and　louder。

A　priestess　near　him　spoke　in　sharp　tones　of　rebuke。　　The　knife

was　quite　near　to　Tarzan's　breast　now；　but　it　halted　for　an

instant　as　the　high　priestess　raised　her　eyes　to　shoot　her　swift

displeasure　at　the　instigator　of　this　sacrilegious　interruption。



There　was　a　sudden　commotion　in　the　direction　of　the

disputants；　and　Tarzan　rolled　his　head　in　their　direction

in　time　to　see　the　burly　brute　of　a　priest　leap　upon　the

woman　opposite　him；　dashing　out　her　brains　with　a　single

blow　of　his　heavy　cudgel。　　Then　that　happened　which　Tarzan

had　witnessed　a　hundred　times　before　among　the　wild　denizens

of　his　own　savage　jungle。　　He　had　seen　the　thing　fall

upon　Kerchak；　and　Tublat；　and　Terkoz；　upon　a　dozen　of　the

other　mighty　bull　apes　of　his　tribe；　and　upon　Tantor；

the　elephant；　there　was　scarce　any　of　the　males　of　the　forest

that　did　not　at　times　fall　prey　to　it。　　The　priest　went　mad；

and　with　his　heavy　bludgeon　ran　amuck　among　his　fellows。



His　screams　of　rage　were　frightful　as　he　dashed　hither

and　thither；　dealing　terrific　blows　with　his　giant　weapon；　or

sinking　his　yellow　fangs　into　the　flesh　of　some　luckless　victim。

And　during　it　the　priestess　stood　with　poised　knife　above

Tarzan；　her　eyes　fixed　in　horror　upon　the　maniacal　thing

that　was　dealing　out　death　and　destruction　to　her　votaries。



Presently　the　room　was　emptied　except　for　the　dead　and

dying　on　the　floor；　the　victim　upon　the　altar；　the　high

priestess；　and　the　madman。　　As　the　cunning　eyes　of　the　latter

fell　upon　the　woman　they　lighted　with　a　new　and　sudden　lust。

Slowly　he　crept　toward　her；　and　now　he　spoke；　but　this

time　there　fell　upon　Tarzan's　surprised　ears　a　language　he

could　understand；　the　last　one　that　he　would　ever　have

thought　of　employing　in　attempting　to　converse　with　human

beingsthe　low　guttural　barking　of　the　tribe　of　great

anthropoidshis　own　mother　tongue。　　And　the　woman　answered

the　man　in　the　same　language。



He　was　threateningshe　attempting　to　reason　with　him；　for　it

was　quite　evident　that　she　saw　that　he　was　past　her　authority。

The　brute　was　quite　close　nowcreeping　with　clawlike　hands

extended　toward　her　around　the　end　of　the　altar。

Tarzan　strained　at　the　bonds　which　held　his　arms　pinioned

behind　him。　　The　woman　did　not　seeshe　had　forgotten

her　prey　in　the　horror　of　the　danger　that　threatened　herself。

As　the　brute　leaped　past　Tarzan　to　clutch　his　victim；　the

ape…man　gave　one　superhuman　wrench　at　the　thongs　that　held　him。

The　effort　sent　him　rolling　from　the　altar　to　the　stone

floor　on　the　opposite　side　from　that　on　which　the　priestess

stood；　but　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet　the　thongs　dropped　from

his　freed　arms；　and　at　the　same　time　he　realized　that　he

was　alone　in　the　inner　templethe　high　priestess　and　the

mad　priest　had　disappeared。



And　then　a　muffled　scream　came　from　the　cavernous　mouth

of　the　dark　hole　beyond　the　sacrificial　altar　through　which　the

priestess　had　entered　the　temple。　　Without　even　a　thought　for

his　own　safety；　or　the　possibility　for　escape　which　this　rapid

series　of　fortuitous　circumstances　had　thrust　upon　him；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　answered　the　call　of　the　woman　in　danger。

With　a　little　bound　he　was　at　the　gaping　entrance　to　the

subterranean　chamber；　and　a　moment　later　was　running　down

a　flight　of　age…old　concrete　steps　that　led　he　knew　not　where。



The　faint　light　that　filtered　in　from　above　showed　him

a　large；　low…ceiled　vault　from　which　several　doorways　led　off

into　inky　darkness；　but　there　was　no　need　to　thread　an　unknown

way；　for　there　before　him　lay　the　objects　of　his　searchthe

mad　brute　had　the　girl　upon　the　floor；　and　gorilla…like

fingers　were　clutching　frantically　at　her　throat　as　she

struggled　to　escape　the　fury　of　the　awful　thing　upon　her。



As　Tarzan's　heavy　hand　fell　upon　his　shoulder　the　priest

dropped　his　victim；　and　turned　upon　her　would…be　rescuer。

With　foam…flecked　lips　and　bared　fangs　the　mad　sun…worshiper

battled　with　the　tenfold　power