the return of tarzan-第51节

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thick　of　the　primeval　forest。　　It　was　night。　　A　huge　fire　burned

brightly　in　the　little　clearing　in　which　she　lay。　　About　it

squatted　fifty　frightful　men。　　Their　heads　and　faces　were

covered　with　matted　hair。　　Their　long　arms　rested　upon　the　bent

knees　of　their　short；　crooked　legs。　　They　were　gnawing；　like

beasts；　upon　unclean　food。　　A　pot　boiled　upon　the　edge　of　the

fire；　and　out　of　it　one　of　the　creatures　would　occasionally

drag　a　hunk　of　meat　with　a　sharpened　stick。



When　they　discovered　that　their　captive　had　regained

consciousness；　a　piece　of　this　repulsive　stew　was　tossed　to　her

from　the　foul　hand　of　a　nearby　feaster。　　It　rolled　close　to　her

side；　but　she　only　closed　her　eyes　as　a　qualm　of　nausea

surged　through　her。



For　many　days　they　traveled　through　the　dense　forest。　　The　girl；

footsore　and　exhausted；　was　half　dragged；　half　pushed　through

the　long；　hot；　tedious　days。　　Occasionally；　when　she　would

stumble　and　fall；　she　was　cuffed　and　kicked　by　the　nearest

of　the　frightful　men。　　Long　before　they　reached　their

journey's　end　her　shoes　had　been　discardedthe　soles

entirely　gone。　　Her　clothes　were　torn　to　mere　shreds　and

tatters；　and　through　the　pitiful　rags　her　once　white　and

tender　skin　showed　raw　and　bleeding　from　contact　with　the

thousand　pitiless　thorns　and　brambles　through　which　she

had　been　dragged。



The　last　two　days　of　the　journey　found　her　in　such　utter

exhaustion　that　no　amount　of　kicking　and　abuse　could　force

her　to　her　poor；　bleeding　feet。　　Outraged　nature　had　reached

the　limit　of　endurance；　and　the　girl　was　physically　powerless

to　raise　herself　even　to　her　knees。



As　the　beasts　surrounded　her；　chattering　threateningly　the

while　they　goaded　her　with　their　cudgels　and　beat　and　kicked

her　with　their　fists　and　feet；　she　lay　with　closed　eyes；

praying　for　the　merciful　death　that　she　knew　alone　could

give　her　surcease　from　suffering；　but　it　did　not　come；　and

presently　the　fifty　frightful　men　realized　that　their　victim

was　no　longer　able　to　walk；　and　so　they　picked　her　up　and

carried　her　the　balance　of　the　journey。



Late　one　afternoon　she　saw　the　ruined　walls　of　a　mighty

city　looming　before　them；　but　so　weak　and　sick　was　she

that　it　inspired　not　the　faintest　shadow　of　interest。

Wherever　they　were　bearing　her；　there　could　be　but　one

end　to　her　captivity　among　these　fierce　half　brutes。



At　last　they　passed　through　two　great　walls　and　came

to　the　ruined　city　within。　　Into　a　crumbling　pile　they　bore

her；　and　here　she　was　surrounded　by　hundreds　more　of　the

same　creatures　that　had　brought　her；　but　among　them　were

females　who　looked　less　horrible。　　At　sight　of　them　the

first　faint　hope　that　she　had　entertained　came　to　mitigate

her　misery。　　But　it　was　short…lived；　for　the　women　offered

her　no　sympathy；　though；　on　the　other　hand；　neither　did

they　abuse　her。



After　she　had　been　inspected　to　the　entire　satisfaction

of　the　inmates　of　the　building　she　was　borne　to　a　dark

chamber　in　the　vaults　beneath；　and　here　upon　the　bare　floor

she　was　left；　with　a　metal　bowl　of　water　and　another　of　food。



For　a　week　she　saw　only　some　of　the　women　whose　duty

it　was　to　bring　her　food　and　water。　　Slowly　her　strength　was

returningsoon　she　would　be　in　fit　condition　to　offer　as

a　sacrifice　to　The　Flaming　God。　　Fortunate　indeed　it　was　that

she　could　not　know　the　fate　for　which　she　was　destined。





As　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　moved　slowly　through　the　jungle

after　casting　the　spear　that　saved　Clayton　and　Jane　Porter

from　the　fangs　of　Numa；　his　mind　was　filled　with　all　the

sorrow　that　belongs　to　a　freshly　opened　heart　wound。



He　was　glad　that　he　had　stayed　his　hand　in　time　to

prevent　the　consummation　of　the　thing　that　in　the　first　mad

wave　of　jealous　wrath　he　had　contemplated。　　Only　the　fraction

of　a　second　had　stood　between　Clayton　and　death　at　the

hands　of　the　ape…man。　　In　the　short　moment　that　had

elapsed　after　he　had　recognized　the　girl　and　her　companion

and　the　relaxing　of　the　taut　muscles　that　held　the　poisoned

shaft　directed　at　the　Englishman's　heart；　Tarzan　had　been

swayed　by　the　swift　and　savage　impulses　of　brute　life。



He　had　seen　the　woman　he　cravedhis　womanhis　mate

in　the　arms　of　another。　　There　had　been　but　one　course

open　to　him；　according　to　the　fierce　jungle　code　that　guided

him　in　this　other　existence；　but　just　before　it　had　become

too　late　the　softer　sentiments　of　his　inherent　chivalry　had

risen　above　the　flaming　fires　of　his　passion　and　saved　him。

A　thousand　times　he　gave　thanks　that　they　had　triumphed

before　his　fingers　had　released　that　polished　arrow。



As　he　contemplated　his　return　to　the　Waziri　the　idea　became

repugnant。　　He　did　not　wish　to　see　a　human　being　again。

At　least　he　would　range　alone　through　the　jungle　for　a　time；

until　the　sharp　edge　of　his　sorrow　had　become　blunted。　　Like　his

fellow　beasts；　he　preferred　to　suffer　in　silence　and　alone。



That　night　he　slept　again　in　the　amphitheater　of　the　apes；

and　for　several　days　he　hunted　from　there；　returning　at　night。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day　he　returned　early。

He　had　lain　stretched　upon　the　soft　grass　of　the　circular

clearing　for　but　a　few　moments　when　he　heard　far　to　the

south　a　familiar　sound。　　It　was　the　passing　through　the

jungle　of　a　band　of　great　apeshe　could　not　mistake　that。

For　several　minutes　he　lay　listening。　　They　were　coming

in　the　direction　of　the　amphitheater。



Tarzan　arose　lazily　and　stretched　himself。　　His　keen　ears

followed　every　movement　of　the　advancing　tribe。　　They　were

upwind；　and　presently　he　caught　their　scent；　though　he　had

not　needed　this　added　evidence　to　assure　him　that　he　was　right。



As　they　came　closer　to　the　amphitheater　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

melted　into　the　branches　upon　the　other　side　of　the　arena。

There　he　waited　to　inspect　the　newcomers。　　Nor　had　he　long

to　wait。



Presently　a　fierce；　hairy　face　appeared　among　the　lower

branches　opposite　him。　　The　cruel　little　eyes　took　in　the

clearing　at　a　glance；　then　there　was　a　chattered　report

returned　to　those　behind。　　Tarzan　could　hear　the　words。

The　scout　was　telling　the　other　members　of　the　tribe　that　the

coast　was　clear　and　that　they　might　enter　the　amphitheater

in　safety。



First　the　leader　dropped　lightly　upon　the　soft　carpet　of

the　grassy　floor；　and　then；　one　by　one；　nearly　a　hundred

anthropoids　followed　him。　　There　were　the　huge　adults　and

several　young。　　A　few　nursing　babes　clung　close　to　the

shaggy　necks　of　their　savage　mothers。



Tarzan　recognized　many　members　of　the　tribe。　　It　was

the　same　into　which　he　had　come　as　a　tiny　babe。　　Many　of

the　adults　had　been　little　apes　during　his　boyhood。　　He　had

frolicked　and　played　about　this　very　jungle　with　them

during　their　brief　childhood。　　He　wondered　if　they　would

remember　himthe　memory　of　some　apes　is　not　overlong；　and

two　years　may　be　an　eternity　to　them。



From　the　talk　which　he　overheard　he　learned　that　they

had　come　to　choose　a　new　kingtheir　late　chief　had　fallen　a

hundred　feet　beneath　a　broken　limb　to　an　untimely　end。



Tarzan　walked　to　the　end　of　an　overhanging　limb　in

plain　view　of　them。　　The　quick　eyes　of　a　female　caught

sight　of　him　first。　　With　a　barking　guttural　she　called

the　attention　of　the　others。　　Several　huge　bulls　stood

erect　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　intruder。　　With　bared

fangs　and　bristling　necks　they　advanced　slowly　toward　him；

with　deep…throated；　ominous　growls。



〃Karnath；　I　am　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　said　the　ape…man　in

the　vernacular　of　the　tribe。　　〃You　remember　me。　　Together　we

teased　Numa　when　we　were　still　little　apes；　throwing　sticks

and　nuts　at　him　from　the　safety　of　high　branches。〃



The　brute　he　had　addressed　stopped　with　a　look　of　half…

comprehending；　dull　wonderment　upon　his　savage　face。



〃And　Magor；〃　continued　Tarzan；　addressing　another；　〃do　you

not　recall　your　former　kinghe　who　slew　the　mighty　Kerchak？

Look　at　me！　　Am　I　not　the　same　Tarzanmighty　hunterinvincible

fighterthat　you　all　knew　for　many　seasons？〃



The　apes　all　crowded　forward　now；　but　more　in　curiosity

than　threatening。　　They　muttered　among　themselves　for

a　few　moments。



〃What　do　you　want　among　us　now？〃　asked　Karnath。



〃Only　peace；〃　answered　the　ape…man。



Again　the　apes　conferred。　　At　length　Karnath　spoke　again。



〃Come　in　peace；　then；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　he　said。



And　so　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　dropped　lightly　to　the　turf

into　the　midst　of　the　fierce　and　hideous　hordehe　had

completed　the　cycle　of　evolution；　and　had　returned　to　be　once

again　a　brute　among　brutes。



There　were　no　greetings　such　as　would　have　taken　place

among　men　after　a　separation　of　two　years。　　The　majority

of　the　apes　went　on　about　the　little　activities　that　the

advent　of　the　ape…man　had　interrupted；　paying　no　further

attention　to　him　than　as　though　he　had　not　been　gone　from

the　tribe　at　all。



One　or　two　young　bulls　who　had　not　been　old　enough

to　remem