tarzan the terrible-第31节

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〃What　priest？〃　asked　O…lo…a。

〃One　passed　the　guards　shortly　before　us；〃　explained　the　man。

〃I　did　not　see　him；〃　said　O…lo…a。

〃Doubtless　he　left　by　another　exit；〃　remarked　the　second　priest。

〃Yes；　doubtless；〃　acquiesced　O…lo…a；　〃but　it　is　strange　that　I　did　not　see　him。〃　The　two　priests　made　their　obeisance　and　turned　to　depart。

〃Stupid　as　Buto；　the　rhinoceros；〃　soliloquized　Tarzan；　who　considered　Buto　a　very　stupid　creature　indeed。　〃It　should　be　easy　to　outwit　such　as　these。〃

The　priests　had　scarce　departed　when　there　came　the　sound　of　feet　running　rapidly　across　the　garden　in　the　direction　of　the　princess　to　an　accompaniment　of　rapid　breathing　as　of　one　almost　spent；　either　from　fatigue　or　excitement。

〃Pan…at…lee；〃　exclaimed　O…lo…a；　〃what　has　happened？　You　look　as　terrified　as　the　doe　for　which　you　were　named！〃

〃O　Princess　of　Pal…ul…don；〃　cried　Pan…at…lee；　〃they　would　have　killed　him　in　the　temple。　They　would　have　killed　the　wondrous　stranger　who　claimed　to　be　the　Dor…ul…Otho。〃

〃But　he　escaped；〃　said　O…lo…a。　〃You　were　there。　Tell　me　about　it。〃

〃The　head　priest　would　have　had　him　seized　and　slain；　but　when　they　rushed　upon　him　he　hurled　one　in　the　face　of　Lu…don　with　the　same　ease　that　you　might　cast　your　breastplates　at　me；　and　then　he　leaped　upon　the　altar　and　from　there　to　the　top　of　the　temple　wall　and　disappeared　below。　They　are　searching　for　him；　but；　O　Princess；　I　pray　that　they　do　not　find　him。〃

〃And　why　do　you　pray　that？〃　asked　O…lo…a。　〃Has　not　one　who　has　so　blasphemed　earned　death？〃

〃Ah；　but　you　do　not　know　him；〃　replied　Pan…at…lee。

〃And　you　do；　then？〃　retorted　O…lo…a　quickly。　〃This　morning　you　betrayed　yourself　and　then　attempted　to　deceive　me。　The　slaves　of　O…lo…a　do　not　such　things　with　impunity。　He　is　then　the　same　Tarzan…jad…guru　of　whom　you　told　me？　Speak　woman　and　speak　only　the　truth。〃

Pan…at…lee　drew　herself　up　very　erect；　her　little　chin　held　high；　for　was　not　she　too　among　her　own　people　already　as　good　as　a　princess？　〃Pan…at…lee；　the　Kor…ul…ja　does　not　lie；〃　she　said；　〃to　protect　herself。〃

〃Then　tell　me　what　you　know　of　this　Tarzan…jad…guru；〃　insisted　O…lo…a。

〃I　know　that　he　is　a　wondrous　man　and　very　brave；〃　said　Pan…at…lee；　〃and　that　he　saved　me　from　the　Tor…o…don　and　the　gryf　as　I　told　you；　and　that　he　is　indeed　the　same　who　came　into　the　garden　this　morning；　and　even　now　I　do　not　know　that　he　is　not　the　son　of　Jad…ben…Otho　for　his　courage　and　his　strength　are　more　than　those　of　mortal　man；　as　are　also　his　kindness　and　his　honor：　for　when　he　might　have　harmed　me　he　protected　me；　and　when　he　might　have　saved　himself　he　thought　only　of　me。　And　all　this　he　did　because　of　his　friendship　for　Om…at；　who　is　gund　of　Kor…ul…ja　and　with　whom　I　should　have　mated　had　the　Ho…don　not　captured　me。〃

〃He　was　indeed　a　wonderful　man　to　look　upon；〃　mused　O…lo…a；　〃and　he　was　not　as　are　other　men；　not　alone　in　the　conformation　of　his　hands　and　feet　or　the　fact　that　he　was　tailless；　but　there　was　that　about　him　which　made　him　seem　different　in　ways　more　important　than　these。〃

〃And；〃　supplemented　Pan…at…lee；　her　savage　little　heart　loyal　to　the　man　who　had　befriended　her　and　hoping　to　win　for　him　the　consideration　of　the　princess　even　though　it　might　not　avail　him；　〃and；〃　she　said；　〃did　he　not　know　all　about　Ta…den　and　even　his　whereabouts。　Tell　me；　O　Princess；　could　mortal　know　such　things　as　these？〃

〃Perhaps　he　saw　Ta…den；〃　suggested　O…lo…a。

〃But　how　would　he　know　that　you　loved　Ta…den；〃　parried　Pan…at…lee。　〃I　tell　you；　my　Princess；　that　if　he　is　not　a　god　he　is　at　least　more　than　Ho…don　or　Waz…don。　He　followed　me　from　the　cave　of　Es…sat　in　Kor…ul…ja　across　Kor…ul…lul　and　two　wide　ridges　to　the　very　cave　in　Kor…ul…gryf　where　I　hid；　though　many　hours　had　passed　since　I　had　come　that　way　and　my　bare　feet　left　no　impress　upon　the　ground。　What　mortal　man　could　do　such　things　as　these？　And　where　in　all　Pal…ul…don　would　virgin　maid　find　friend　and　protector　in　a　strange　male　other　than　he？〃

〃Perhaps　Lu…don　may　be　mistakenperhaps　he　is　a　god；〃　said　O…lo…a；　influenced　by　her　slave's　enthusiastic　championing　of　the　stranger。〃

〃But　whether　god　or　man　he　is　too　wonderful　to　die；〃　cried　Pan…at…lee。　〃Would　that　I　might　save　him。　If　he　lived　he　might　even　find　a　way　to　give　you　your　Ta…den；　Princess。〃

〃Ah；　if　he　only　could；〃　sighed　O…lo…a；　〃but　alas　it　is　too　late　for　tomorrow　I　am　to　be　given　to　Bu…lot。〃

〃He　who　came　to　your　quarters　yesterday　with　your　father？〃　asked　Pan…at…lee。

〃Yes；　the　one　with　the　awful　round　face　and　the　big　belly；〃　exclaimed　the　Princess　disgustedly。　〃He　is　so　lazy　he　will　neither　hunt　nor　fight。　To　eat　and　to　drink　is　all　that　Bu…lot　is　fit　for；　and　he　thinks　of　naught　else　except　these　things　and　his　slave　women。　But　come；　Pan…at…lee；　gather　for　me　some　of　these　beautiful　blossoms。　I　would　have　them　spread　around　my　couch　tonight　that　I　may　carry　away　with　me　in　the　morning　the　memory　of　the　fragrance　that　I　love　best　and　which　I　know　that　I　shall　not　find　in　the　village　of　Mo…sar；　the　father　of　Bu…lot。　I　will　help　you；　Pan…at…lee；　and　we　will　gather　armfuls　of　them；　for　I　love　to　gather　them　as　I　love　nothing　elsethey　were　Ta…den's　favorite　flowers。〃

The　two　approached　the　flowering　shrubbery　where　Tarzan　hid；　but　as　the　blooms　grew　plentifully　upon　every　bush　the　ape…man　guessed　there　would　be　no　necessity　for　them　to　enter　the　patch　far　enough　to　discover　him。　With　little　exclamations　of　pleasure　as　they　found　particularly　large　or　perfect　blooms　the　two　moved　from　place　to　place　upon　the　outskirts　of　Tarzan's　retreat。

〃Oh；　look；　Pan…at…lee；〃　cried　O…lo…a　presently；　〃there　is　the　king　of　them　all。　Never　did　I　see　so　wonderful　a　flowerNo！　I　will　get　it　myselfit　is　so　large　and　wonderful　no　other　hand　shall　touch　it；〃　and　the　princess　wound　in　among　the　bushes　toward　the　point　where　the　great　flower　bloomed　upon　a　bush　above　the　ape…man's　head。

So　sudden　and　unexpected　her　approach　that　there　was　no　opportunity　to　escape　and　Tarzan　sat　silently　trusting　that　fate　might　be　kind　to　him　and　lead　Ko…tan's　daughter　away　before　her　eyes　dropped　from　the　high…growing　bloom　to　him。　But　as　the　girl　cut　the　long　stem　with　her　knife　she　looked　down　straight　into　the　smiling　face　of　Tarzan…jad…guru。

With　a　stifled　scream　she　drew　back　and　the　ape…man　rose　and　faced　her。

〃Have　no　fear；　Princess；〃　he　assured　her。　〃It　is　the　friend　of　Ta…den　who　salutes　you；〃　raising　her　fingers　to　his　lips。

Pan…at…lee　came　now　excitedly　forward。　〃O　Jad…ben…Otho；　it　is　he！〃

〃And　now　that　you　have　found　me；〃　queried　Tarzan；　〃will　you　give　me　up　to　Lu…don；　the　high　priest？〃

Pan…at…lee　threw　herself　upon　her　knees　at　O…lo…a's　feet。　〃Princess！　Princess！〃　she　beseeched；　〃do　not　discover　him　to　his　enemies。〃

〃But　Ko…tan；　my　father；〃　whispered　O…lo…a　fearfully；　〃if　he　knew　of　my　perfidy　his　rage　would　be　beyond　naming。　Even　though　I　am　a　princess　Lu…don　might　demand　that　I　be　sacrificed　to　appease　the　wrath　of　Jad…ben…Otho；　and　between　the　two　of　them　I　should　be　lost。〃

〃But　they　need　never　know；〃　cried　Pan…at…lee；　〃that　you　have　seen　him　unless　you　tell　them　yourself　for　as　Jad…ben…Otho　is　my　witness　I　will　never　betray　you。〃

〃Oh；　tell　me；　stranger；〃　implored　O…lo…a；　〃are　you　indeed　a　god？〃

〃Jad…ben…Otho　is　not　more　so；〃　replied　Tarzan　truthfully。

〃But　why　do　you　seek　to　escape　then　from　the　hands　of　mortals　if　you　are　a　god？〃　she　asked。

〃When　gods　mingle　with　mortals；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃they　are　no　less　vulnerable　than　mortals。　Even　Jad…ben…Otho；　should　he　appear　before　you　in　the　flesh；　might　be　slain。〃

〃You　have　seen　Ta…den　and　spoken　with　him？〃　she　asked　with　apparent　irrelevancy。

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　him　and　spoken　with　him；〃　replied　the　ape…man。　〃For　the　duration　of　a　moon　I　was　with　him　constantly。〃

〃And〃　she　hesitated〃he〃　she　cast　her　eyes　toward　the　ground　and　a　flush　mantled　her　cheek〃he　still　loves　me？〃　and　Tarzan　knew　that　she　had　been　won　over。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃Ta…den　speaks　only　of　O…lo…a　and　he　waits　and　hopes　for　the　day　when　he　can　claim　her。〃

〃But　tomorrow　they　give　me　to　Bu…lot；〃　she　said　sadly。

〃May　it　be　always　tomorrow；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃for　tomorrow　never　comes。〃

〃Ah；　but　this　unhappiness　will　come；　and　for　all　the　tomorrows　of　my　life　I　must　pine　in　misery　for　the　Ta…den　who　will　never　be　mine。〃

〃But　for　Lu…don　I　might　have　helped　you；〃　said　the　ape…man。　〃And　who　knows　that　I　may　not　help　you　yet？〃

〃Ah；　if　you　only　could；　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　cried　the　girl；　〃and　I　know　that　you　would　if　it　were　possible　for　Pan…at…lee　has　told　me　how　brave　you　are；　and　at　the　same　time　how　kind。〃

〃Only　Jad…ben…Otho　knows　what　the　future　may　bring；〃　said　Tarzan。　〃And　now　you　two　go　your　way　lest　someone　should　discover　you　and　become　suspicious。〃

〃We　will　go；〃　said　O…lo…a；　〃but　Pan…at…lee　will　return　with　food。　I　hope　that　you　escape　and　that　Jad…ben…Otho　is　pleased　with　what　I　have　done。〃　She　turned　and　walked　away　and　Pan…at…lee　followed　while　the　ape…man　again　resumed　his　hiding。

At　dusk　Pan…at…lee　came　with　food　and　having　her　alone　Tarzan　put　the　question　that　he　had　been　anxious　to　put　since　his　conversation　earlier　in　the　day　with　O…lo…a。

〃Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃what　you　know　of　the　rumors　of　which　O…lo