tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第20章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
made no outcry； but presently she gained sufficient courage to look about
her； to look down at the ground beneath and even to keep her eyes open
during the wide； perilous swings from tree to tree； and then there came
over her a sense of safety because of her confidence in the perfect physical
creature in whose strength and nerve and agility her fate lay。 Once she
raised her eyes to the burning sun and murmured a prayer of thanks to her
pagan god that she had not been permitted to destroy this godlike man； and
her long lashes were wet with tears。 A strange anomaly was La of Opar
a creature of circumstance torn by conflicting emotions。 Now the cruel
and bloodthirsty creature of a heartless god and again a melting woman
filled with compassion and tenderness。 Sometimes the incarnation of
jealousy and revenge and sometimes a sobbing maiden； generous and
forgiving； at once a virgin and a wanton； but alwaysa woman。 Such was
La。
She pressed her cheek close to Tarzan's shoulder。 Slowly she turned
her head until her hot lips were pressed against his flesh。 She loved him
and would gladly have died for him； yet within an hour she had been ready
to plunge a knife into his heart and might again within the coming hour。
A hapless priest seeking shelter in the jungle chanced to show himself
to enraged Tantor。 The great beast turned to one side； bore down upon
the crooked； little man； snuffed him out and then； diverted from his course；
blundered away toward the south。 In a few minutes even the noise of his
trumpeting was lost in the distance。
Tarzan dropped to the ground and La slipped to her feet from his back。
〃Call your people together；〃 said Tarzan。
〃They will kill me；〃 replied La。
〃They will not kill you；〃 contradicted the ape…man。 〃No one will kill
you while Tarzan of the Apes is here。 Call them and we will talk with
them。〃
La raised her voice in a weird； flutelike call that carried far into the
84
… Page 85…
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
jungle on every side。 From near and far came answering shouts in the
barking tones of the Oparian priests： 〃We come！ We come！〃 Again and
again； La repeated her summons until singly and in pairs the greater
portion of her following approached and halted a short distance away from
the High Priestess and her savior。 They came with scowling brows and
threatening mien。 When all had come Tarzan addressed them。
〃Your La is safe；〃 said the ape…man。 〃Had she slain me she would
now herself be dead and many more of you； but she spared me that I might
save her。 Go your way with her back to Opar； and Tarzan will go his way
into the jungle。 Let there be peace always between Tarzan and La。 What
is your answer？〃
The priests grumbled and shook their heads。 They spoke together
and La and Tarzan could see that they were not favorably inclined toward
the proposition。 They did not wish to take La back and they did wish to
complete the sacrifice of Tarzan to the Flaming God。 At last the ape…man
became impatient。
〃You will obey the commands of your queen；〃 he said； 〃and go back to
Opar with her or Tarzan of the Apes will call together the other creatures
of the jungle and slay you all。 La saved me that I might save you and her。
I have served you better alive than I could have dead。 If you are not all
fools you will let me go my way in peace and you will return to Opar with
La。 I know not where the sacred knife is； but you can fashion another。
Had I not taken it from La you would have slain me and now your god
must be glad that I took it since I have saved his priestess from love…mad
Tantor。 Will you go back to Opar with La； promising that no harm shall
befall her？〃
The priests gathered together in a little knot arguing and discussing。
They pounded upon their breasts with their fists； they raised their hands
and eyes to their fiery god； they growled and barked among themselves
until it became evident to Tarzan that one of their number was preventing
the acceptance of his proposal。 This was the High Priest whose heart was
filled with jealous rage because La openly acknowledged her love for the
stranger； when by the worldly customs of their cult she should have
belonged to him。 Seemingly there was to be no solution of the problem
85
… Page 86…
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
until another priest stepped forth and； raising his hand； addressed La。
〃Cadj； the High Priest；〃 he announced； 〃would sacrifice you both to
the Flaming God； but all of us except Cadj would gladly return to Opar
with our queen。〃
〃You are many against one；〃 spoke up Tarzan。 〃Why should you not
have your will？ Go your way with La to Opar and if Cadj interferes slay
him。〃
The priests of Opar welcomed this suggestion with loud cries of
approval。 To them it appeared nothing short of divine inspiration。 The
influence of ages of unquestioning obedience to high priests had made it
seem impossible to them to question his authority； but when they realized
that they could force him to their will they were as happy as children with
new toys。
They rushed forward and seized Cadj。 They talked in loud menacing
tones into his ear。 They threatened him with bludgeon and knife until at
last he acquiesced in their demands； though sullenly； and then Tarzan
stepped close before Cadj。
〃Priest；〃 he said； 〃La goes back to her temple under the protection of
her priests and the threat of Tarzan of the Apes that whoever harms her
shall die。 Tarzan will go again to Opar before the next rains and if harm
has befallen La； woe betide Cadj； the High Priest。〃
Sullenly Cadj promised not to harm his queen。
〃Protect her；〃 cried Tarzan to the other Oparians。 〃Protect her so that
when Tarzan comes again he will find La there to greet him。〃
〃La will be there to greet thee；〃 exclaimed the High Priestess； 〃and La
will wait； longing； always longing； until you come again。 Oh； tell me
that you will come！〃
〃Who knows？〃 asked the ape…man as he swung quickly into the trees
and raced off toward the east。
For a moment La stood looking after him； then her head drooped； a
sigh escaped her lips and like an old woman she took up the march toward
distant Opar。
Through the trees raced Tarzan of the Apes until the darkness of night
had settled upon the jungle； then he lay down and slept； with no thought
86
… Page 87…
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
beyond the morrow and with even La but the shadow of a memory within
his consciousness。
But a few marches to the north Lady Greystoke looked forward to the
day when her mighty lord and master should discover the crime of Achmet
Zek； and be speeding to rescue and avenge； and even as she pictured the
coming of John Clayton； the object of her thoughts squatted almost naked；
beside a fallen log； beneath which he was searching with grimy fingers for
a chance beetle or a luscious grub。
Two days elapsed following the theft of the jewels before Tarzan gave
them a thought。 Then； as they chanced to enter his mind； he conceived a
desire to play with them again； and； having nothing better to do than
satisfy the first whim which possessed him； he rose and started across the
plain from the forest in which he had spent the preceding day。
Though no mark showed where the gems had been buried； and though
the spot resembled the balance of an unbroken stretch several miles in
length； where the reeds terminated at the edge of the meadowland； yet the
ape…man moved with unerring precision directly to the place where he had
hid his treasure。
With his hunting knife he upturned the loose earth； beneath which the
pouch should be； but； though he excavated to a greater distance than the
depth of the original hole there was no sign of pouch or jewels。 Tarzan's
brow clouded as he discovered that he had been despoiled。 Little or no
reasoning was required to convince him of the identity of the guilty party；
and with the same celerity that had marked his decision to unearth the
jewels； he set out upon the trail of the thief。
Though the spoor was two days old； and practically obliterated in
many places； Tarzan followed it with comparative ease。 A white man
could not have followed it twenty paces twelve hours after it had been
made； a black man would have lost it within the first mile； but Tarzan of
the Apes had been forced in childhood to develop senses that an ordinary
mortal scarce ever uses。
We may note the garlic and whisky on the breath of a fellow strap
hanger； or the cheap perfume emanating from the person of the wondrous
lady sitting in front of us； and deplore the fact of our sensitive noses； but；
87
… Page 88…
Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
as a matter of fact； we cannot smell at all； our olfactory organs are
practically atrophied； by comparison with the development of the sense
among the beasts of the wild。
Where a foot is placed an effluvium remains for a considerable time。
It is beyond the range of our sensibilities； but to a creature of the lower
orders； especially to the hunters and the hunted； as interesting and ofttimes
more lucid than is the printed page to us。
Nor was Tarzan dependent alone upon his sense of smell。 Vision and
hearing had been brought to a marvelous state of development by the
necessities of his early life； where survival itself depended almost daily
upon the exercise of the keenest vigilance and the constant use of all his
faculties。
And so he followed the old
