tarzan the terrible-第14节
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g cave。 The beast that held her crouched and the creature that faced it crouched also； and growledas hideously as the other。 Pan…at…lee trembled。 This was no Ho…don and though she feared the Ho…don she feared this thing more； with its catlike crouch and its beastly growls。 She was lostthat Pan…at…lee knew。 The two things might fight for her； but whichever won she was lost。 Perhaps； during the battle； if it came to that； she might find the opportunity to throw herself over into the Kor…ul…gryf。
The thing that held her she had recognized now as a Tor…o…don； but the other thing she could not place； though in the moonlight she could see it very distinctly。 It had no tail。 She could see its hands and its feet； and they were not the hands and feet of the races of Pal…ul…don。 It was slowly closing upon the Tor…o…don and in one hand it held a gleaming knife。 Now it spoke and to Pan…at…lee's terror was added an equal weight of consternation。
〃When it leaves go of you；〃 it said； 〃as it will presently to defend itself； run quickly behind me； Pan…at…lee； and go to the cave nearest the pegs you descended from the cliff top。 Watch from there。 If I am defeated you will have time to escape this slow thing； if I am not I will come to you there。 I am Om…at's friend and yours。〃
The last words took the keen edge from Pan…at…lee's terror； but she did not understand。 How did this strange creature know her name？ How did it know that she had descended the pegs by a certain cave？ It must； then； have been here when she came。 Pan…at…lee was puzzled。
〃Who are you？〃 she asked； 〃and from whence do you come？〃
〃I am Tarzan；〃 he replied； 〃and just now I came from Om…at； of Kor…ul…ja； in search of you。〃
Om…at； gund of Kor…ul…ja！ What wild talk was this？ She would have questioned him further； but now he was approaching the Tor…o…don and the latter was screaming and growling so loudly as to drown the sound of her voice。 And then it did what the strange creature had said that it would doit released its hold upon her hair as it prepared to charge。 Charge it did and in those close quarters there was no room to fence for openings。 Instantly the two beasts locked in deadly embrace； each seeking the other's throat。 Pan…at…lee watched； taking no advantage of the opportunity to escape which their preoccupation gave her。 She watched and waited； for into her savage little brain had come the resolve to pin her faith to this strange creature who had unlocked her heart with those four words〃I am Om…at's friend！〃 And so she waited； with drawn knife； the opportunity to do her bit in the vanquishing of the Tor…o…don。 That the newcomer could do it unaided she well knew to be beyond the realms of possibility； for she knew well the prowess of the beastlike man with whom it fought。 There were not many of them in Pal…ul…don； but what few there were were a terror to the women of the Waz…don and the Ho…don； for the old Tor…o…don bulls roamed the mountains and the valleys of Pal…ul…don between rutting seasons and woe betide the women who fell in their paths。
With his tail the Tor…o…don sought one of Tarzan's ankles； and finding it； tripped him。 The two fell heavily； but so agile was the ape…man and so quick his powerful muscles that even in falling he twisted the beast beneath him； so that Tarzan fell on top and now the tail that had tripped him sought his throat as had the tail of In…tan； the Kor…ul…lul。 In the effort of turning his antagonist's body during the fall Tarzan had had to relinquish his knife that he might seize the shaggy body with both hands and now the weapon lay out of reach at the very edge of the recess。 Both hands were occupied for the moment in fending off the clutching fingers that sought to seize him and drag his throat within reach of his foe's formidable fangs and now the tail was seeking its deadly hold with a formidable persistence that would not be denied。
Pan…at…lee hovered about； breathless； her dagger ready； but there was no opening that did not also endanger Tarzan； so constantly were the two duelists changing their positions。 Tarzan felt the tail slowly but surely insinuating itself about his neck though he had drawn his head down between the muscles of his shoulders in an effort to protect this vulnerable part。 The battle seemed to be going against him for the giant beast against which he strove would have been a fair match in weight and strength for Bolgani； the gorilla。 And knowing this he suddenly exerted a single super…human effort； thrust far apart the giant hands and with the swiftness of a striking snake buried his fangs in the jugular of the Tor…o…don。 At the same instant the creature's tail coiled about his own throat and then commenced a battle royal of turning and twisting bodies as each sought to dislodge the fatal hold of the other； but the acts of the ape…man were guided by a human brain and thus it was that the rolling bodies rolled in the direction that Tarzan wishedtoward the edge of the recess。
The choking tail had shut the air from his lungs； he knew that his gasping lips were parted and his tongue protruding； and now his brain reeled and his sight grew dim； but not before he reached his goal and a quick hand shot out to seize the knife that now lay within reach as the two bodies tottered perilously upon the brink of the chasm。
With all his remaining strength the ape…man drove home the bladeonce； twice； thrice； and then all went black before him as he felt himself； still in the clutches of the Tor…o…don； topple from the recess。
Fortunate it was for Tarzan that Pan…at…lee had not obeyed his injunction to make good her escape while he engaged the Tor…o…don； for it was to this fact that he owed his life。 Close beside the struggling forms during the brief moments of the terrific climax she had realized every detail of the danger to Tarzan with which the emergency was fraught and as she saw the two rolling over the outer edge of the niche she seized the ape…man by an ankle at the same time throwing herself prone upon the rocky floor。 The muscles of the Tor…o…don relaxed in death with the last thrust of Tarzan's knife and with its hold upon the ape…man released it shot from sight into the gorge below。
It was with infinite difficulty that Pan…at…lee retained her hold upon the ankle of her protector； but she did so and then； slowly； she sought to drag the dead weight back to the safety of the niche。 This； however； was beyond her strength and she could but hold on tightly； hoping that some plan would suggest itself before her powers of endurance failed。 She wondered if； after all； the creature was already dead； but that she could not bring herself to believeand if not dead how long it would be before he regained consciousness。 If he did not regain it soon he never would regain it； that she knew； for she felt her fingers numbing to the strain upon them and slipping； slowly； slowly； from their hold。 It was then that Tarzan regained consciousness。 He could not know what power upheld him； but he felt that whatever it was it was slowly releasing its hold upon his ankle。 Within easy reach of his hands were two pegs and these he seized upon just as Pan…at…lee's fingers slipped from their hold。
As it was he came near to being precipitated into the gorge only his great strength saved him。 He was upright now and his feet found other pegs。 His first thought was of his foe。 Where was he？ Waiting above there to finish him？ Tarzan looked up just as the frightened face of Pan…at…lee appeared over the threshold of the recess。
〃You live？〃 she cried。
〃Yes；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃Where is the shaggy one？〃
Pan…at…lee pointed downward。 〃There；〃 she said； 〃dead。〃
〃Good！〃 exclaimed the ape…man； clambering to her side。 〃You are unharmed？〃 he asked。
〃You came just in time；〃 replied Pan…at…lee； 〃but who are you and how did you know that I was here and what do you know of Om…at and where did you come from and what did you mean by calling Om…at； gund？〃
〃Wait； wait；〃 cried Tarzan； 〃one at a time。 My； but you are all alikethe shes of the tribe of Kerchak； the ladies of England； and their sisters of Pal…ul…don。 Have patience and I will try to tell you all that you wish to know。 Four of us set out with Om…at from Kor…ul…ja to search for you。 We were attacked by the Kor…ul…lul and separated。 I was taken prisoner； but escaped。 Again I stumbled upon your trail and followed it； reaching the summit of this cliff just as the hairy one was climbing up after you。 I was coming to investigate when I heard your screamthe rest you know。〃
〃But you called Om…at； gund of Kor…ul…ja；〃 she insisted。 〃Es…sat is gund。〃
〃Es…sat is dead；〃 explained the ape…man。 〃Om…at slew him and now Om…at is gund。 Om…at came back seeking you。 He found Es…sat in your cave and killed him。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the girl； 〃Es…sat came to my cave and I struck him down with my golden breastplates and escaped。〃
〃And a lion pursued you；〃 continued Tarzan； 〃and you leaped from the cliff into Kor…ul…lul； but why you were not killed is beyond me。〃
〃Is there anything beyond you？〃 exclaimed Pan…at…lee。 〃How could you know that a lion pursued me and that I leaped from the cliff and not know that it was the pool of deep water below that saved me？〃
〃I would have known that； too
