the return of tarzan-第57节

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〃And　afterward　you　told　us　that　your　mother　was　a　she…ape；

and　that　you　had　never　known　your　father？〃　she　asked　incredulously。



〃The　title　and　the　estates　meant　nothing　to　me　without　you；

dear；〃　he　replied。　　〃And　if　I　had　taken　them　away

from　him　I　should　have　been　robbing　the　woman　I　love

don't　you　understand；　Jane？〃　　It　was　as　though　he　attempted

to　excuse　a　fault。



She　extended　her　arms　toward　him　across　the　body　of　the

dead　man；　and　took　his　hands　in　hers。



〃And　I　would　have　thrown　away　a　love　like　that！〃　she　said。







Chapter　26





The　Passing　of　the　Ape…Man





The　next　morning　they　set　out　upon　the　short　journey　to

Tarzan's　cabin。　　Four　Waziri　bore　the　body　of　the　dead　Englishman。

It　had　been　the　ape…man's　suggestion　that　Clayton　be　buried

beside　the　former　Lord　Greystoke　near　the　edge　of　the

jungle　against　the　cabin　that　the　older　man　had　built。



Jane　Porter　was　glad　that　it　was　to　be　so；　and　in　her

heart　of　hearts　she　wondered　at　the　marvelous　fineness　of

character　of　this　wondrous　man；　who；　though　raised　by　brutes

and　among　brutes；　had　the　true　chivalry　and　tenderness　which

only　associates　with　the　refinements　of　the　highest　civilization。



They　had　proceeded　some　three　miles　of　the　five　that

had　separated　them　from　Tarzan's　own　beach　when　the

Waziri　who　were　ahead　stopped　suddenly；　pointing　in

amazement　at　a　strange　figure　approaching　them　along　the　beach。

It　was　a　man　with　a　shiny　silk　hat；　who　walked　slowly　with

bent　head；　and　hands　clasped　behind　him　underneath　the

tails　of　his　long；　black　coat。



At　sight　of　him　Jane　Porter　uttered　a　little　cry　of　surprise

and　joy；　and　ran　quickly　ahead　to　meet　him。　　At　the　sound　of

her　voice　the　old　man　looked　up；　and　when　he　saw　who　it　was

confronting　him　he；　too；　cried　out　in　relief　and　happiness。

As　Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　folded　his　daughter　in　his

arms　tears　streamed　down　his　seamed　old　face；　and　it　was　several

minutes　before　he　could　control　himself　sufficiently　to　speak。



When　a　moment　later　he　recognized　Tarzan　it　was　with

difficulty　that　they　could　convince　him　that　his　sorrow　had

not　unbalanced　his　mind；　for　with　the　other　members　of　the

party　he　had　been　so　thoroughly　convinced　that　the　ape…man

was　dead　it　was　a　problem　to　reconcile　the　conviction　with

the　very　lifelike　appearance　of　Jane's　〃forest　god。〃　　The　old

man　was　deeply　touched　at　the　news　of　Clayton's　death。



〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　he　said。　　〃Monsieur　Thuran

assured　us　that　Clayton　passed　away　many　days　ago。〃



〃Thuran　is　with　you？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Yes；　he　but　recently　found　us　and　led　us　to　your　cabin。

We　were　camped　but　a　short　distance　north　of　it。　　Bless　me；

but　he　will　be　delighted　to　see　you　both。〃



〃And　surprised；〃　commented　Tarzan。



A　short　time　later　the　strange　party　came　to　the　clearing

in　which　stood　the　ape…man's　cabin。　　It　was　filled　with　people

coming　and　going；　and　almost　the　first　whom　Tarzan　saw

was　D'Arnot。



〃Paul！〃　he　cried。　　〃In　the　name　of　sanity　what　are　you

doing　here？　　Or　are　we　all　insane？〃



It　was　quickly　explained；　however；　as　were　many　other

seemingly　strange　things。　　D'Arnot's　ship　had　been　cruising

along　the　coast；　on　patrol　duty；　when　at　the　lieutenant's

suggestion　they　had　anchored　off　the　little　landlocked　harbor

to　have　another　look　at　the　cabin　and　the　jungle　in　which

many　of　the　officers　and　men　had　taken　part　in　exciting

adventures　two　years　before。　　On　landing　they　had　found　Lord

Tennington's　party；　and　arrangements　were　being　made　to

take　them　all　on　board　the　following　morning；　and　carry

them　back　to　civilization。



Hazel　Strong　and　her　mother；　Esmeralda；　and　Mr。　Samuel

T。　Philander　were　almost　overcome　by　happiness　at　Jane

Porter's　safe　return。　　Her　escape　seemed　to　them　little　short

of　miraculous；　and　it　was　the　consensus　of　opinion　that　it

could　have　been　achieved　by　no　other　man　than　Tarzan　of

the　Apes。　　They　loaded　the　uncomfortable　ape…man　with

eulogies　and　attentions　until　he　wished　himself　back　in　the

amphitheater　of　the　apes。



All　were　interested　in　his　savage　Waziri；　and　many　were

the　gifts　the　black　men　received　from　these　friends　of　their

king；　but　when　they　learned　that　he　might　sail　away　from

them　upon　the　great　canoe　that　lay　at　anchor　a　mile　off

shore　they　became　very　sad。



As　yet　the　newcomers　had　seen　nothing　of　Lord　Tennington

and　Monsieur　Thuran。　　They　had　gone　out　for　fresh

meat　early　in　the　day；　and　had　not　yet　returned。



〃How　surprised　this　man；　whose　name　you　say　is　Rokoff；

will　be　to　see　you；〃　said　Jane　Porter　to　Tarzan。



〃His　surprise　will　be　short…lived；〃　replied　the　ape…man

grimly；　and　there　was　that　in　his　tone　that　made　her　look　up

into　his　face　in　alarm。　　What　she　read　there　evidently

confirmed　her　fears；　for　she　put　her　hand　upon　his　arm；　and

pleaded　with　him　to　leave　the　Russian　to　the　laws　of　France。



〃In　the　heart　of　the　jungle；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃with　no

other　form　of　right　or　justice　to　appeal　to　other　than　your

own　mighty　muscles；　you　would　be　warranted　in　executing

upon　this　man　the　sentence　he　deserves；　but　with　the　strong

arm　of　a　civilized　government　at　your　disposal　it　would　be

murder　to　kill　him　now。　　Even　your　friends　would　have　to

submit　to　your　arrest；　or　if　you　resisted　it　would　plunge

us　all　into　misery　and　unhappiness　again。　　I　cannot　bear　to

lose　you　again；　my　Tarzan。　　Promise　me　that　you　will　but

turn　him　over　to　Captain　Dufranne；　and　let　the　law　take　its

coursethe　beast　is　not　worth　risking　our　happiness　for。〃



He　saw　the　wisdom　of　her　appeal；　and　promised。　　A　half

hour　later　Rokoff　and　Tennington　emerged　from　the　jungle。

They　were　walking　side　by　side。　　Tennington　was　the　first　to

note　the　presence　of　strangers　in　the　camp。　　He　saw　the

black　warriors　palavering　with　the　sailors　from　the　cruiser；

and　then　he　saw　a　lithe；　brown　giant　talking　with　Lieutenant

D'Arnot　and　Captain　Dufranne。



〃Who　is　that；　I　wonder；〃　said　Tennington　to　Rokoff；　and

as　the　Russian　raised　his　eyes　and　met　those　of　the　ape…man

full　upon　him；　he　staggered　and　went　white。



〃SAPRISTI！〃　he　cried；　and　before　Tennington　realized　what

he　intended　he　had　thrown　his　gun　to　his　shoulder；　and

aiming　point…blank　at　Tarzan　pulled　the　trigger。　　But　the

Englishman　was　close　to　himso　close　that　his　hand　reached

the　leveled　barrel　a　fraction　of　a　second　before　the　hammer

fell　upon　the　cartridge；　and　the　bullet　that　was　intended　for

Tarzan's　heart　whirred　harmlessly　above　his　head。



Before　the　Russian　could　fire　again　the　ape…man　was

upon　him　and　had　wrested　the　firearm　from　his　grasp。

Captain　Dufranne；　Lieutenant　D'Arnot；　and　a　dozen　sailors　had

rushed　up　at　the　sound　of　the　shot；　and　now　Tarzan　turned

the　Russian　over　to　them　without　a　word。　　He　had　explained

the　matter　to　the　French　commander　before　Rokoff　arrived；

and　the　officer　gave　immediate　orders　to　place　the　Russian

in　irons　and　confine　him　on　board　the　cruiser。



Just　before　the　guard　escorted　the　prisoner　into　the　small

boat　that　was　to　transport　him　to　his　temporary　prison

Tarzan　asked　permission　to　search　him；　and　to　his　delight

found　the　stolen　papers　concealed　upon　his　person。



The　shot　had　brought　Jane　Porter　and　the　others　from

the　cabin；　and　a　moment　after　the　excitement　had　died

down　she　greeted　the　surprised　Lord　Tennington。　　Tarzan　joined

them　after　he　had　taken　the　papers　from　Rokoff；　and；　as　he

approached；　Jane　Porter　introduced　him　to　Tennington。



〃John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke；　my　lord；〃　she　said。



The　Englishman　looked　his　astonishment　in　spite　of　his

most　herculean　efforts　to　appear　courteous；　and　it　required

many　repetitions　of　the　strange　story　of　the　ape…man　as　told

by　himself；　Jane　Porter；　and　Lieutenant　D'Arnot　to　convince

Lord　Tennington　that　they　were　not　all　quite　mad。



At　sunset　they　buried　William　Cecil　Clayton　beside　the

jungle　graves　of　his　uncle　and　his　aunt；　the　former　Lord

and　Lady　Greystoke。　　And　it　was　at　Tarzan's　request　that

three　volleys　were　fired　over　the　last　resting　place　of

〃a　brave　man；　who　met　his　death　bravely。〃



Professor　Porter；　who　in　his　younger　days　had　been　ordained

a　minister；　conducted　the　simple　services　for　the　dead。

About　the　grave；　with　bowed　heads；　stood　as　strange

a　company　of　mourners　as　the　sun　ever　looked　down　upon。

There　were　French　officers　and　sailors；　two　English　lords；

Americans；　and　a　score　of　savage　African　braves。



Following　the　funeral　Tarzan　asked　Captain　Dufranne　to

delay　the　sailing　of　the　cruiser　a　couple　of　days　while　he

went　inland　a　few　miles　to　fetch　his　〃belongings；〃　and　the

officer　gladly　granted　the　favor。



Late　the　next　afternoon　Tarzan　and　his　Waziri　returned

with　the　first　load　of　〃belongings；〃　and　when　the　party　saw

the　ancient　ingots　of　virgin　gold　they　swarmed　upon　the　ape…

man　with　a　thousand　questions；　but　he　was　smilingly　obdurate

to