the return of tarzan-第56节
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yet when he stopped she put her arms about his neck and
drew his lips down to hers once more。
〃Am I alive and a reality； or am I but a dream？〃 he asked。
〃If you are not alive； my man；〃 she answered； 〃I pray
that I may die thus before I awaken to the terrible
realities of my last waking moments。〃
For a while both were silentgazing into each others'
eyes as though each still questioned the reality of the
wonderful happiness that had come to them。 The past； with all
its hideous disappointments and horrors； was forgottenthe
future did not belong to them； but the presentah； it was
theirs； none could take it from them。 It was the girl who
first broke the sweet silence。
〃Where are we going； dear？〃 she asked。 〃What are we
going to do？〃
〃Where would you like best to go？〃 he asked。 〃What would
you like best to do？〃
〃To go where you go； my man； to do whatever seems
best to you；〃 she answered。
〃But Clayton？〃 he asked。 For a moment he had forgotten
that there existed upon the earth other than they two。
〃We have forgotten your husband。〃
〃I am not married； Tarzan of the Apes；〃 she cried。
〃Nor am I longer promised in marriage。 The day before those
awful creatures captured me I spoke to Mr。 Clayton of my
love for you； and he understood then that I could not keep
the wicked promise that I had made。 It was after we had
been miraculously saved from an attacking lion。〃 She paused
suddenly and looked up at him； a questioning light in her eyes。
〃Tarzan of the Apes；〃 she cried； 〃it was you who did
that thing？ It could have been no other。〃
He dropped his eyes； for he was ashamed。
〃How could you have gone away and left me？〃 she cried reproachfully。
〃Don't； Jane！〃 he pleaded。 〃Please don't！ You cannot
know how I have suffered since for the cruelty of that act；
or how I suffered then； first in jealous rage； and then in
bitter resentment against the fate that I had not deserved。
I went back to the apes after that； Jane； intending never
again to see a human being。〃 He told her then of his life
since he had returned to the jungleof how he had dropped
like a plummet from a civilized Parisian to a savage Waziri
warrior； and from there back to the brute that he had been raised。
She asked him many questions； and at last fearfully of the
things that Monsieur Thuran had told herof the woman in Paris。
He narrated every detail of his civilized life to her；
omitting nothing； for he felt no shame； since his heart always
had been true to her。 When he had finished he sat looking at
her； as though waiting for her judgment； and his sentence。
〃I knew that he was not speaking the truth；〃 she said。
〃Oh； what a horrible creature he is！〃
〃You are not angry with me； then？〃 he asked。
And her reply； though apparently most irrelevant； was
truly feminine。
〃Is Olga de Coude very beautiful？〃 she asked。
And Tarzan laughed and kissed her again。 〃Not one…tenth
so beautiful as you； dear；〃 he said。
She gave a contented little sigh； and let her head rest
against his shoulder。 He knew that he was forgiven。
That night Tarzan built a snug little bower high among
the swaying branches of a giant tree； and there the tired
girl slept； while in a crotch beneath her the ape…man curled；
ready； even in sleep； to protect her。
It took them many days to make the long journey to
the coast。 Where the way was easy they walked hand in hand
beneath the arching boughs of the mighty forest； as might
in a far…gone past have walked their primeval forbears。
When the underbrush was tangled he took her in his great arms；
and bore her lightly through the trees； and the days were all
too short； for they were very happy。 Had it not been for
their anxiety to reach and succor Clayton they would have drawn
out the sweet pleasure of that wonderful journey indefinitely。
On the last day before they reached the coast Tarzan caught
the scent of men ahead of themthe scent of black men。
He told the girl； and cautioned her to maintain silence。
〃There are few friends in the jungle；〃 he remarked dryly。
In half an hour they came stealthily upon a small party of
black warriors filing toward the west。 As Tarzan saw them
he gave a cry of delightit was a band of his own Waziri。
Busuli was there； and others who had accompanied him to Opar。
At sight of him they danced and cried out in exuberant joy。
For weeks they had been searching for him； they told him。
The blacks exhibited considerable wonderment at the
presence of the white girl with him； and when they found that
she was to be his woman they vied with one another to do
her honor。 With the happy Waziri laughing and dancing
about them they came to the rude shelter by the shore。
There was no sign of life； and no response to their calls。
Tarzan clambered quickly to the interior of the little tree
hut； only to emerge a moment later with an empty tin。
Throwing it down to Busuli； he told him to fetch water； and
then he beckoned Jane Porter to come up。
Together they leaned over the emaciated thing that once
had been an English nobleman。 Tears came to the girl's eyes
as she saw the poor； sunken cheeks and hollow eyes； and the
lines of suffering upon the once young and handsome face。
〃He still lives；〃 said Tarzan。 〃We will do all that can be
done for him； but I fear that we are too late。〃
When Busuli had brought the water Tarzan forced a few
drops between the cracked and swollen lips。 He wetted the
hot forehead and bathed the pitiful limbs。
Presently Clayton opened his eyes。 A faint； shadowy smile
lighted his countenance as he saw the girl leaning over him。
At sight of Tarzan the expression changed to one of wonderment。
〃It's all right； old fellow；〃 said the ape…man。 〃We've found
you in time。 Everything will be all right now； and we'll
have you on your feet again before you know it。〃
The Englishman shook his head weakly。 〃It's too late；〃
he whispered。 〃But it's just as well。 I'd rather die。〃
〃Where is Monsieur Thuran？〃 asked the girl。
〃He left me after the fever got bad。 He is a devil。
When I begged for the water that I was too weak to get he drank
before me； threw the rest out； and laughed in my face。〃
At the thought of it the man was suddenly animated by a spark
of vitality。 He raised himself upon one elbow。 〃Yes；〃 he
almost shouted； 〃I will live。 I will live long enough to find
and kill that beast！〃 But the brief effort left him weaker than
before； and he sank back again upon the rotting grasses that；
with his old ulster； had been the bed of Jane Porter。
〃Don't worry about Thuran；〃 said Tarzan of the Apes；
laying a reassuring hand on Clayton's forehead。 〃He belongs
to me； and I shall get him in the end； never fear。〃
For a long time Clayton lay very still。 Several times
Tarzan had to put his ear quite close to the sunken chest
to catch the faint beating of the wornout heart。
Toward evening he aroused again for a brief moment。
〃Jane；〃 he whispered。 The girl bent her head closer to catch
the faint message。 〃I have wronged youand him；〃 he nodded
weakly toward the ape…man。 〃I loved you soit is a poor
excuse to offer for injuring you； but I could not bear to
think of giving you up。 I do not ask your forgiveness。 I only
wish to do now the thing I should have done over a year ago。〃
He fumbled in the pocket of the ulster beneath him
for something that he had discovered there while he lay
between the paroxysms of fever。 Presently he found ita
crumpled bit of yellow paper。 He handed it to the girl；
and as she took it his arm fell limply across his chest； his
head dropped back； and with a little gasp he stiffened and
was still。 Then Tarzan of the Apes drew a fold of the ulster
across the upturned face。
For a moment they remained kneeling there； the girl's
lips moving in silent prayer； and as they rose and stood on
either side of the now peaceful form； tears came to the ape…
man's eyes； for through the anguish that his own heart had
suffered he had learned compassion for the suffering of others。
Through her own tears the girl read the message upon
the bit of faded yellow paper； and as she read her eyes went
very wide。 Twice she read those startling words before she
could fully comprehend their meaning。
Finger prints prove you Greystoke。 Congratulations。
D'ARNOT。
She handed the paper to Tarzan。 〃And he has known it all
this time；〃 she said； 〃and did not tell you？〃
〃I knew it first； Jane；〃 replied the man。 〃I did not know
that he knew it at all。 I must have dropped this message
that night in the waiting room。 It was there that I received it。〃
〃And afterward you told us that your mother was a she…ape；
and that you had never known your father？〃 she asked incredulously。
〃The
