tarzan the terrible-第42节
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der the added influence of Lu…don's tutorage leaned always toward duplicity。 〃Receive him graciously and when he is quite convinced of your friendship he will be off his guard； and then you may do with him as you will。 But if possible； Mo…sar； and you would win the undying gratitude of Lu…don； the high…priest； save him alive for my master。〃
Mo…sar nodded understandingly and turning to the warrior commanded that he conduct the visitor to him。
〃We must not be seen by the creature；〃 said one of the priests。 〃Give us your answer to Lu…don； Mo…sar； and we will go our way。〃
〃Tell Lu…don；〃 replied the chief； 〃that the woman would have been lost to him entirely had it not been for me。 I sought to bring her to Tu…lur that I might save her for him from the clutches of Ja…don； but during the night she escaped。 Tell Lu…don that I have sent thirty warriors to search for her。 It is strange you did not see them as you came。〃
〃We did；〃 replied the priests； 〃but they told us nothing of the purpose of their journey。〃
〃It is as I have told you；〃 said Mo…sar； 〃and if they find her； assure your master that she will be kept unharmed in Tu…lur for him。 Also tell him that I will send my warriors to join with his against Ja…don whenever he sends word that he wants them。 Now go； for Tarzan…jad…guru will soon be here。〃
He signaled to a slave。 〃Lead the priests to the temple；〃 he commanded； 〃and ask the high priest of Tu…lur to see that they are fed and permitted to return to A…lur when they will。〃
The two priests were conducted from the apartment by the slave through a doorway other than that at which they had entered； and a moment later Tarzan…jad…guru strode into the presence of Mo…sar； ahead of the warrior whose duty it had been to conduct and announce him。 The ape…man made no sign of greeting or of peace but strode directly toward the chief who； only by the exertion of his utmost powers of will； hid the terror that was in his heart at sight of the giant figure and the scowling face。
〃I am the Dor…ul…Otho；〃 said the ape…man in level tones that carried to the mind of Mo…sar a suggestion of cold steel； 〃I am Dor…ul…Otho； and I come to Tu…lur for the woman you stole from the apartments of O…lo…a； the princess。〃
The very boldness of Tarzan's entry into this hostile city had had the effect of giving him a great moral advantage over Mo…sar and the savage warriors who stood upon either side of the chief。 Truly it seemed to them that no other than the son of Jad…ben…Otho would dare so heroic an act。 Would any mortal warrior act thus boldly； and alone enter the presence of a powerful chief and； in the midst of a score of warriors； arrogantly demand an accounting？ No； it was beyond reason。 Mo…sar was faltering in his decision to betray the stranger by seeming friendliness。 He even paled to a sudden thoughtJad…ben…Otho knew everything； even our inmost thoughts。 Was it not therefore possible that this creature； if after all it should prove true that he was the Dor…ul…Otho； might even now be reading the wicked design that the priests had implanted in the brain of Mo…sar and which he had entertained so favorably？ The chief squirmed and fidgeted upon the bench of hewn rock that was his throne。
〃Quick；〃 snapped the ape…man； 〃Where is she？〃
〃She is not here；〃 cried Mo…sar。
〃You lie；〃 replied Tarzan。
〃As Jad…ben…Otho is my witness； she is not in Tu…lur；〃 insisted the chief。 〃You may search the palace and the temple and the entire city but you will not find her； for she is not here。〃
〃Where is she； then？〃 demanded the ape…man。 〃You took her from the palace at A…lur。 If she is not here； where is she？ Tell me not that harm has befallen her；〃 and he took a sudden threatening step toward Mo…sar； that sent the chief shrinking back in terror。
〃Wait；〃 he cried； 〃if you are indeed the Dor…ul…Otho you will know that I speak the truth。 I took her from the palace of Ko…tan to save her for Lu…don； the high priest； lest with Ko…tan dead Ja…don seize her。 But during the night she escaped from me between here and A…lur； and I have but just sent three canoes full…manned in search of her。〃
Something in the chief's tone and manner assured the ape…man that he spoke in part the truth； and that once again he had braved incalculable dangers and suffered loss of time futilely。
〃What wanted the priests of Lu…don that preceded me here？〃 demanded Tarzan chancing a shrewd guess that the two he had seen paddling so frantically to avoid a meeting with him had indeed come from the high priest at A…lur。
〃They came upon an errand similar to yours；〃 replied Mo…sar； 〃to demand the return of the woman whom Lu…don thought I had stolen from him； thus wronging me as deeply； O Dor…ul…Otho； as have you。〃
〃I would question the priests；〃 said Tarzan。 〃Bring them hither。〃 His peremptory and arrogant manner left Mo…sar in doubt as to whether to be more incensed； or terrified； but ever as is the way with such as he； he concluded that the first consideration was his own safety。 If he could transfer the attention and the wrath of this terrible man from himself to Lu…don's priests it would more than satisfy him and if they should conspire to harm him； then Mo…sar would be safe in the eyes of Jad…ben…Otho if it finally developed that the stranger was in reality the son of god。 He felt uncomfortable in Tarzan's presence and this fact rather accentuated his doubt； for thus indeed would mortal feel in the presence of a god。 Now he saw a way to escape； at least temporarily。
〃I will fetch them myself； Dor…ul…Otho；〃 he said； and turning； left the apartment。 His hurried steps brought him quickly to the temple； for the palace grounds of Tu…lur； which also included the temple as in all of the Ho…don cities； covered a much smaller area than those of the larger city of A…lur。 He found Lu…don's messengers with the high priest of his own temple and quickly transmitted to them the commands of the ape…man。
〃What do you intend to do with him？〃 asked one of the priests。
〃I have no quarrel with him；〃 replied Mo…sar。 〃He came in peace and he may depart in peace； for who knows but that he is indeed the Dor…ul…Otho？〃
〃We know that he is not；〃 replied Lu…don's emissary。 〃We have every proof that he is only mortal； a strange creature from another country。 Already has Lu…don offered his life to Jad…ben…Otho if he is wrong in his belief that this creature is not the son of god。 If the high priest of A…lur； who is the highest priest of all the high priests of Pal…ul…don is thus so sure that the creature in an impostor as to stake his life upon his judgment then who are we to give credence to the claims of this stranger？ No； Mo…sar； you need not fear him。 He is only a warrior who may be overcome with the same weapons that subdue your own fighting men。 Were it not for Lu…don's command that he be taken alive I would urge you to set your warriors upon him and slay him； but the commands of Lu…don are the commands of Jad…ben…Otho himself； and those we may not disobey。〃
But still the remnant of a doubt stirred within the cowardly breast of Mo…sar； urging him to let another take the initiative against the stranger。
〃He is yours then；〃 he replied； 〃to do with as you will。 I have no quarrel with him。 What you may command shall be the command of Lu…don； the high priest； and further than that I shall have nothing to do in the matter。〃
The priests turned to him who guided the destinies of the temple at Tu…lur。 〃Have you no plan？〃 they asked。 〃High indeed will he stand in the counsels of Lu…don and in the eyes of Jad…ben…Otho who finds the means to capture this impostor alive。〃
〃There is the lion pit；〃 whispered the high priest。 〃It is now vacant and what will hold ja and jato will hold this stranger if he is not the Dor…ul…Otho。〃
〃It will hold him；〃 said Mo…sar； 〃doubtless too it would hold a gryf； but first you would have to get the gryf into it。〃
The priests pondered this bit of wisdom thoughtfully and then one of those from A…lur spoke。 〃It should not be difficult；〃 he said； 〃if we use the wits that Jad…ben…Otho gave us instead of the worldly muscles which were handed down to us from our fathers and our mothers and which have not even the power possessed by those of the beasts that run about on four feet。〃
〃Lu…don matched his wits with the stranger and lost；〃 suggested Mo…sar。 〃But this is your own affair。 Carry it out as you see best。〃
〃At A…lur； Ko…tan made much of this Dor…ul…Otho and the priests conducted him through the temple。 It would arouse in his mind no suspicion were you to do the same； and let the high priest of Tu…lur invite him to the temple and gathering all the priests make a great show of belief in his kinship to Jad…ben…Otho。 And what more natural then than that the high priest should wish to show him through the temple as did Lu…don at A…lur when Ko…tan commanded it； and if by chance he should be led through the lion pit it would be a simple matter for those who bear the torches to extinguish them suddenly and before the stranger was aware of what had happened； the stone gates could be dropped； thus safely securing him。〃
〃But there are windows in the pit that let in light；〃 interposed the high priest； 〃and even though the torches were extinguished he
