tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第39章
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fetch golden ingots back to your bungalow。 The blow shattered your
memory。 You are John Clayton； Lord Greystokedon't you remember？〃
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〃John Clayton； Lord Greystoke！〃 repeated Tarzan。 Then for a
moment he was silent。 Presently his hand went falteringly to his
forehead； an expression of wonderment filled his eyesof wonderment
and sudden understanding。 The forgotten name had reawakened the
returning memory that had been struggling to reassert itself。 The ape…
man relinquished his grasp upon the throat of the Belgian； and leaped to
his feet。
〃God！〃 he cried； and then； 〃Jane！〃 Suddenly he turned toward Werper。
〃My wife？〃 he asked。 〃What has become of her？ The farm is in ruins。
You know。 You have had something to do with all this。 You followed
me to Opar； you stole the jewels which I thought but pretty pebbles。 You
are a crook！ Do not try to tell me that you are not。〃
〃He is worse than a crook；〃 said a quiet voice close behind them。
Tarzan turned in astonishment to see a tall man in uniform standing in
the trail a few paces from him。 Back of the man were a number of black
soldiers in the uniform of the Congo Free State。
〃He is a murderer； Monsieur；〃 continued the officer。 〃I have followed
him for a long time to take him back to stand trial for the killing of his
superior officer。〃
Werper was upon his feet now； gazing； white and trembling； at the fate
which had overtaken him even in the fastness of the labyrinthine jungle。
Instinctively he turned to flee； but Tarzan of the Apes reached out a strong
hand and grasped him by the shoulder。
〃Wait！〃 said the ape…man to his captive。 〃This gentleman wishes you；
and so do I。 When I am through with you； he may have you。 Tell me
what has become of my wife。〃
The Belgian officer eyed the almost naked； white giant with curiosity。
He noted the strange contrast of primitive weapons and apparel； and the
easy； fluent French which the man spoke。 The former denoted the lowest；
the latter the highest type of culture。 He could not quite determine the
social status of this strange creature； but he knew that he did not relish the
easy assurance with which the fellow presumed to dictate when he might
take possession of the prisoner。
〃Pardon me；〃 he said； stepping forward and placing his hand on
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Werper's other shoulder； 〃but this gentleman is my prisoner。 He must
come with me。〃
〃When I am through with him；〃 replied Tarzan； quietly。
The officer turned and beckoned to the soldiers standing in the trail
behind him。 A company of uniformed blacks stepped quickly forward
and pushing past the three； surrounded the ape…man and his captive。
〃Both the law and the power to enforce it are upon my side；〃
announced the officer。 〃Let us have no trouble。 If you have a grievance
against this man you may return with me and enter your charge regularly
before an authorized tribunal。〃
〃Your legal rights are not above suspicion； my friend；〃 replied Tarzan；
〃and your power to enforce your commands are only apparentnot real。
You have presumed to enter British territory with an armed force。 Where
is your authority for this invasion？ Where are the extradition papers which
warrant the arrest of this man？ And what assurance have you that I
cannot bring an armed force about you that will prevent your return to the
Congo Free State？〃
The Belgian lost his temper。 〃I have no disposition to argue with a
naked savage；〃 he cried。 〃Unless you wish to be hurt you will not
interfere with me。 Take the prisoner； Sergeant！〃
Werper raised his lips close to Tarzan's ear。 〃Keep me from them；
and I can show you the very spot where I saw your wife last night；〃 he
whispered。 〃She cannot be far from here at this very minute。〃
The soldiers； following the signal from their sergeant； closed in to
seize Werper。 Tarzan grabbed the Belgian about the waist； and bearing
him beneath his arm as he might have borne a sack of flour； leaped
forward in an attempt to break through the cordon。 His right fist caught
the nearest soldier upon the jaw and sent him hurtling backward upon his
fellows。 Clubbed rifles were torn from the hands of those who barred his
way； and right and left the black soldiers stumbled aside in the face of the
ape…man's savage break for liberty。
So completely did the blacks surround the two that they dared not fire
for fear of hitting one of their own number； and Tarzan was already
through them and upon the point of dodging into the concealing mazes of
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the jungle when one who had sneaked upon him from behind struck him a
heavy blow upon the head with a rifle。
In an instant the ape…man was down and a dozen black soldiers were
upon his back。 When he regained consciousness he found himself
securely bound； as was Werper also。 The Belgian officer； success having
crowned his efforts； was in good humor； and inclined to chaff his prisoners
about the ease with which they had been captured； but from Tarzan of the
Apes he elicited no response。 Werper； however； was voluble in his
protests。 He explained that Tarzan was an English lord； but the officer
only laughed at the assertion； and advised his prisoner to save his breath
for his defense in court。
As soon as Tarzan regained his senses and it was found that he was not
seriously injured； the prisoners were hastened into line and the return
march toward the Congo Free State boundary commenced。
Toward evening the column halted beside a stream； made camp and
prepared the evening meal。 From the thick foliage of the nearby jungle a
pair of fierce eyes watched the activities of the uniformed blacks with
silent intensity and curiosity。 From beneath beetling brows the creature
saw the boma constructed； the fires built； and the supper prepared。
Tarzan and Werper had been lying bound behind a small pile of
knapsacks from the time that the company had halted； but with the
preparation of the meal completed； their guard ordered them to rise and
come forward to one of the fires where their hands would be unfettered
that they might eat。
As the giant ape…man rose； a startled expression of recognition entered
the eyes of the watcher in the jungle； and a low guttural broke from the
savage lips。 Instantly Tarzan was alert； but the answering growl died upon
his lips； suppressed by the fear that it might arouse the suspicions of the
soldiers。
Suddenly an inspiration came to him。 He turned toward Werper。
〃I am going to speak to you in a loud voice and in a tongue which you
do not understand。 Appear to listen intently to what I say； and
occasionally mumble something as though replying in the same language
our escape may hinge upon the success of your efforts。〃
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Werper nodded in assent and understanding； and immediately there
broke from the lips of his companion a strange jargon which might have
been compared with equal propriety to the barking and growling of a dog
and the chattering of monkeys。
The nearer soldiers looked in surprise at the ape…man。 Some of them
laughed； while others drew away in evident superstitious fear。 The
officer approached the prisoners while Tarzan was still jabbering； and
halted behind them； listening in perplexed interest。 When Werper
mumbled some ridiculous jargon in reply his curiosity broke bounds； and
he stepped forward； demanding to know what language it was that they
spoke。
Tarzan had gauged the measure of the man's culture from the nature
and quality of his conversation during the march； and he rested the success
of his reply upon the estimate he had made。
〃Greek；〃 he explained。
〃Oh； I thought it was Greek；〃 replied the officer； 〃but it has been so
many years since I studied it that I was not sure。 In future； however； I
will thank you to speak in a language which I am more familiar with。〃
Werper turned his head to hide a grin； whispering to Tarzan： 〃It was
Greek to him all rightand to me； too。〃
But one of the black soldiers mumbled in a low voice to a companion：
〃I have heard those sounds beforeonce at night when I was lost in the
jungle； I heard the hairy men of the trees talking among themselves； and
their words were like the words of this white man。 I wish that we had not
found him。 He is not a man at allhe is a bad spirit； and we shall have
bad luck if we do not let him go；〃 and the fellow rolled his eyes fearfully
toward the jungle。
His companion laughed nervously； and moved away； to repeat the
conversation； with variations and exaggerations； to others of the black
soldiery； so that it was not long before a frightful tale of black magic and
sudden death was woven about the giant prisoner； and had gone the rounds
of the camp。
And deep in the gloomy jungle amidst the darkening shadows of the
falling night a hairy； manlike creature swung swiftly southward upon some
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secret mission of his own。
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