tarzan and the jewels of opar-第32节

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rustled　not　a　leaf　or　a　grass　blade。



Pausing　beside　the　man；　the　ape　bent　over　and　examined

his　belongings。　　Great　as　was　the　strength　of　Chulk

there　lay　in　the　back　of　his　little　brain　a　something

which　deterred　him　from　arousing　the　man　to　combata

sense　that　is　inherent　in　all　the　lower　orders；　a

strange　fear　of　man；　that　rules　even　the　most　powerful

of　the　jungle　creatures　at　times。



To　remove　Mugambi's　loin　cloth　without　awakening　him

would　be　impossible；　and　the　only　detachable　things

were　the　knob…stick　and　the　pouch；　which　had　fallen

from　the　black's　shoulder　as　he　rolled　in　sleep。



Seizing　these　two　articles；　as　better　than　nothing　at

all；　Chulk　retreated　with　haste；　and　every　indication

of　nervous　terror；　to　the　safety　of　the　tree　from　which

he　had　dropped；　and；　still　haunted　by　that　indefinable

terror　which　the　close　proximity　of　man　awakened　in　his

breast；　fled　precipitately　through　the　jungle。　　Aroused

by　attack；　or　supported　by　the　presence　of　another　of

his　kind；　Chulk　could　have　braved　the　presence　of　a

score　of　human　beings；　but　aloneah；　that　was　a

different　matteralone；　and　unenraged。



It　was　some　time　after　Mugambi　awoke　that　he　missed　the

pouch。　　Instantly　he　was　all　excitement。　　What　could

have　become　of　it？　　It　had　been　at　his　side　when　he　lay

down　to　sleepof　that　he　was　certain；　for　had　he　not

pushed　it　from　beneath　him　when　its　bulging　bulk；

pressing　against　his　ribs；　caused　him　discomfort？　　Yes；

it　had　been　there　when　he　lay　down　to　sleep。　　How　then

had　it　vanished？



Mugambi's　savage　imagination　was　filled　with　visions　of

the　spirits　of　departed　friends　and　enemies；　for　only

to　the　machinations　of　such　as　these　could　he　attribute

the　disappearance　of　his　pouch　and　knob…stick　in　the

first　excitement　of　the　discovery　of　their　loss；　but

later　and　more　careful　investigation；　such　as　his

woodcraft　made　possible；　revealed　indisputable　evidence

of　a　more　material　explanation　than　his　excited　fancy

and　superstition　had　at　first　led　him　to　accept。



In　the　trampled　turf　beside　him　was　the　faint　impress

of　huge；　manlike　feet。　　Mugambi　raised　his　brows　as　the

truth　dawned　upon　him。　　Hastily　leaving　the　boma　he

searched　in　all　directions　about　the　enclosure　for　some

farther　sign　of　the　tell…tale　spoor。　　He　climbed　trees

and　sought　for　evidence　of　the　direction　of　the　thief's

flight；　but　the　faint　signs　left　by　a　wary　ape　who

elects　to　travel　through　the　trees　eluded　the　woodcraft

of　Mugambi。　　Tarzan　might　have　followed　them；　but　no

ordinary　mortal　could　perceive　them；　or　perceiving；

translate。



The　black；　now　strengthened　and　refreshed　by　his　rest；

felt　ready　to　set　out　again　for　Waziri；　and　finding

himself　another　knob…stick；　turned　his　back　upon　the

river　and　plunged　into　the　mazes　of　the　jungle。



As　Taglat　struggled　with　the　bonds　which　secured　the

ankles　and　wrists　of　his　captive；　the　great　lion　that

eyed　the　two　from　behind　a　nearby　clump　of　bushes

wormed　closer　to　his　intended　prey。



The　ape's　back　was　toward　the　lion。　　He　did　not　see　the

broad　head；　fringed　by　its　rough　mane；　protruding

through　the　leafy　wall。　　He　could　not　know　that　the

powerful　hind　paws　were　gathering　close　beneath　the

tawny　belly　preparatory　to　a　sudden　spring；　and　his

first　intimation　of　impending　danger　was　the　thunderous

and　triumphant　roar　which　the　charging　lion　could　no

longer　suppress。



Scarce　pausing　for　a　backward　glance；　Taglat　abandoned

the　unconscious　woman　and　fled　in　the　opposite

direction　from　the　horrid　sound　which　had　broken　in　so

unexpected　and　terrifying　a　manner　upon　his　startled

ears；　but　the　warning　had　come　too　late　to　save　him；

and　the　lion；　in　his　second　bound；　alighted　full　upon

the　broad　shoulders　of　the　anthropoid。



As　the　great　bull　went　down　there　was　awakened　in　him

to　the　full　all　the　cunning；　all　the　ferocity；　all　the

physical　prowess　which　obey　the　mightiest　of　the

fundamental　laws　of　nature；　the　law　of　self…preservation；

and　turning　upon　his　back　he　closed　with

the　carnivore　in　a　death　struggle　so　fearless　and

abandoned；　that　for　a　moment　the　great　Numa　himself　may

have　trembled　for　the　outcome。



Seizing　the　lion　by　the　mane；　Taglat　buried　his

yellowed　fangs　deep　in　the　monster's　throat；　growling

hideously　through　the　muffled　gag　of　blood　and　hair。

Mixed　with　the　ape's　voice　the　lion's　roars　of　rage　and

pain　reverberated　through　the　jungle；　till　the　lesser

creatures　of　the　wild；　startled　from　their　peaceful

pursuits；　scurried　fearfully　away。



Rolling　over　and　over　upon　the　turf　the　two　battled

with　demoniac　fury；　until　the　colossal　cat；　by　doubling

his　hind　paws　far　up　beneath　his　belly　sank　his　talons

deep　into　Taglat's　chest；　then；　ripping　downward　with

all　his　strength；　Numa　accomplished　his　design；　and　the

disemboweled　anthropoid；　with　a　last　spasmodic

struggle；　relaxed　in　limp　and　bloody　dissolution

beneath　his　titanic　adversary。



Scrambling　to　his　feet；　Numa　looked　about　quickly　in

all　directions；　as　though　seeking　to　detect　the

possible　presence　of　other　foes；　but　only　the　still　and

unconscious　form　of　the　girl；　lying　a　few　paces　from

him　met　his　gaze；　and　with　an　angry　growl　he　placed　a

forepaw　upon　the　body　of　his　kill　and　raising　his　head

gave　voice　to　his　savage　victory　cry。



For　another　moment　he　stood　with　fierce　eyes　roving　to

and　fro　about　the　clearing。　　At　last　they　halted　for　a

second　time　upon　the　girl。　　A　low　growl　rumbled　from

the　lion's　throat。　　His　lower　jaw　rose　and　fell；　and

the　slaver　drooled　and　dripped　upon　the　dead　face　of

Taglat。



Like　two　yellow…green　augurs；　wide　and　unblinking；　the

terrible　eyes　remained　fixed　upon　Jane　Clayton。　　The

erect　and　majestic　pose　of　the　great　frame　shrank

suddenly　into　a　sinister　crouch　as；　slowly　and　gently

as　one　who　treads　on　eggs；　the　devil…faced　cat　crept

forward　toward　the　girl。



Beneficent　Fate　maintained　her　in　happy　unconsciousness

of　the　dread　presence　sneaking　stealthily　upon　her。

She　did　not　know　when　the　lion　paused　at　her　side。

She　did　not　hear　the　sniffing　of　his　nostrils　as　he　smelled

about　her。　　She　did　not　feel　the　heat　of　the　fetid

breath　upon　her　face；　nor　the　dripping　of　the　saliva

from　the　frightful　jaws　half　opened　so　close　above　her。



Finally　the　lion　lifted　a　forepaw　and　turned　the　body

of　the　girl　half　over；　then　he　stood　again　eyeing　her

as　though　still　undetermined　whether　life　was　extinct

or　not。　　Some　noise　or　odor　from　the　nearby　jungle

attracted　his　attention　for　a　moment。　　His　eyes　did　not

again　return　to　Jane　Clayton；　and　presently　he　left

her；　walked　over　to　the　remains　of　Taglat；　and

crouching　down　upon　his　kill　with　his　back　toward　the

girl；　proceeded　to　devour　the　ape。



It　was　upon　this　scene　that　Jane　Clayton　at　last　opened

her　eyes。　　Inured　to　danger；　she　maintained　her

self…possession　in　the　face　of　the　startling　surprise

which　her　new…found　consciousness　revealed　to　her。　　She

neither　cried　out　nor　moved　a　muscle；　until　she　had

taken　in　every　detail　of　the　scene　which　lay　within　the

range　of　her　vision。



She　saw　that　the　lion　had　killed　the　ape；　and　that　he

was　devouring　his　prey　less　than　fifty　feet　from　where

she　lay；　but　what　could　she　do？　　Her　hands　and　feet　were

bound。　　She　must　wait　then；　in　what　patience　she　could

command；　until　Numa　had　eaten　and　digested　the　ape；

when；　without　doubt；　he　would　return　to　feast　upon　her；

unless；　in　the　meantime；　the　dread　hyenas　should

discover　her；　or　some　other　of　the　numerous　prowling

carnivora　of　the　jungle。



As　she　lay　tormented　by　these　frightful　thoughts；　she

suddenly　became　conscious　that　the　bonds　at　her　wrists

and　ankles　no　longer　hurt　her；　and　then　of　the　fact

that　her　hands　were　separated；　one　lying　upon　either

side　of　her；　instead　of　both　being　confined　at　her　back。



Wonderingly　she　moved　a　hand。　　What　miracle　had　been

performed？　　It　was　not　bound！　　Stealthily　and　noiselessly

she　moved　her　other　limbs；　only　to　discover　that　she

was　free。　　She　could　not　know　how　the　thing　had

happened；　that　Taglat；　gnawing　upon　them　for　sinister

purposes　of　his　own；　had　cut　them　through　but　an

instant　before　Numa　had　frightened　him　from　his　victim。



For　a　moment　Jane　Clayton　was　overwhelmed　with　joy　and

thanksgiving；　but　only　for　a　moment。　　What　good　was　her

new…found　liberty　in　the　face　of　the　frightful　beast

crouching　so　close　beside　her？　　If　she　could　have　had

this　chance　under　different　conditions；　how　happily　she

would　have　taken　advantage　of　it；　but　now　it　was　given

to　her　when　escape　was　practically　impossible。



The　nearest　tree　was　a　hundred　feet　away；　the　lion　less

than　fifty。　　To　rise　and　attempt　to　reach　the　safety　of

those　tantalizing　branches　would　be　but　to　invite

instant　destruction；　for　Numa　would　doubtless　be　too

jealous　of　this　future　meal　to　permit　it　to　escape　with

ease。　　And　yet；　too；