the beasts of tarzan-第13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！



and　until　the　last　spark　of　life　should　flicker　and　go　out；　his

whole　being　would　remain　quick　with　hope　and　determination。　　

Let　them　relax　their　watchfulness　but　for　an　instant；　he

knew　that　his　cunning　mind　and　giant　muscles　would　find　a

way　to　escapeescape　and　revenge。



As　he　lay；　thinking　furiously　on　every　possibility　of　self…

salvation；　there　came　to　his　sensitive　nostrils　a　faint　and　a

familiar　scent。　　Instantly　every　faculty　of　his　mind　was　upon

the　alert。　　Presently　his　trained　ears　caught　the　sound　of　the

soundless　presence　withoutbehind　the　hut　wherein　he　lay。　　

His　lips　moved；　and　though　no　sound　came　forth　that　might

have　been　appreciable　to　a　human　ear　beyond　the　walls　of

his　prison；　yet　he　realized　that　the　one　beyond　would　hear。　　

Already　he　knew　who　that　one　was；　for　his　nostrils　had　told

him　as　plainly　as　your　eyes　or　mine　tell　us　of　the　identity　of

an　old　friend　whom　we　come　upon　in　broad　daylight。



An　instant　later　he　heard　the　soft　sound　of　a　fur…clad

body　and　padded　feet　scaling　the　outer　wall　behind　the

hut　and　then　a　tearing　at　the　poles　which　formed　the　wall。　　

Presently　through　the　hole　thus　made　slunk　a　great　beast；

pressing　its　cold　muzzle　close　to　his　neck。



It　was　Sheeta；　the　panther。



The　beast　snuffed　round　the　prostrate　man；　whining　a　little。　　

There　was　a　limit　to　the　interchange　of　ideas　which　could

take　place　between　these　two；　and　so　Tarzan　could　not　be

sure　that　Sheeta　understood　all　that　he　attempted　to

communicate　to　him。　　That　the　man　was　tied　and　helpless　Sheeta

could；　of　course；　see；　but　that　to　the　mind　of　the　panther　this

would　carry　any　suggestion　of　harm　in　so　far　as　his　master

was　concerned；　Tarzan　could　not　guess。



What　had　brought　the　beast　to　him？　　The　fact　that　he　had

come　augured　well　for　what　he　might　accomplish；　but　when

Tarzan　tried　to　get　Sheeta　to　gnaw　his　bonds　asunder　the　great

animal　could　not　seem　to　understand　what　was　expected　of　him；

and；　instead；　but　licked　the　wrists　and　arms　of　the　prisoner。



Presently　there　came　an　interruption。　　Some　one　was

approaching　the　hut。　　Sheeta　gave　a　low　growl　and　slunk　into

the　blackness　of　a　far　corner。　　Evidently　the　visitor　did　not

hear　the　warning　sound；　for　almost　immediately　he　entered

the　huta　tall；　naked；　savage　warrior。



He　came　to　Tarzan's　side　and　pricked　him　with　a　spear。　　

From　the　lips　of　the　ape…man　came　a　weird；　uncanny　sound；

and　in　answer　to　it　there　leaped　from　the　blackness　of　the

hut's　farthermost　corner　a　bolt　of　fur…clad　death。　　Full　upon

the　breast　of　the　painted　savage　the　great　beast　struck；

burying　sharp　talons　in　the　black　flesh　and　sinking

great　yellow　fangs　in　the　ebon　throat。



There　was　a　fearful　scream　of　anguish　and　terror　from　the　black；

and　mingled　with　it　was　the　hideous　challenge　of　the　killing　panther。

Then　came　silencesilence　except　for　the　rending　of　bloody　flesh

and　the　crunching　of　human　bones　between　mighty　jaws。



The　noise　had　brought　sudden　quiet　to　the　village　without。　　

Then　there　came　the　sound　of　voices　in　consultation。



High…pitched；　fear…filled　voices；　and　deep；　low　tones　of

authority；　as　the　chief　spoke。　　Tarzan　and　the　panther　heard

the　approaching　footsteps　of　many　men；　and　then；　to　Tarzan's

surprise；　the　great　cat　rose　from　across　the　body　of　its　kill；

and　slunk　noiselessly　from　the　hut　through　the　aperture

through　which　it　had　entered。



The　man　heard　the　soft　scraping　of　the　body　as　it　passed

over　the　top　of　the　palisade；　and　then　silence。　　From　the

opposite　side　of　the　hut　he　heard　the　savages　approaching

to　investigate。



He　had　little　hope　that　Sheeta　would　return；　for　had　the　great

cat　intended　to　defend　him　against　all　comers　it　would　have

remained　by　his　side　as　it　heard　the　approaching　savages　without。



Tarzan　knew　how　strange　were　the　workings　of　the　brains

of　the　mighty　carnivora　of　the　junglehow　fiendishly　fearless

they　might　be　in　the　face　of　certain　death；　and　again　how　timid

upon　the　slightest　provocation。　　There　was　doubt　in　his　mind

that　some　note　of　the　approaching　blacks　vibrating　with　fear

had　struck　an　answering　chord　in　the　nervous　system　of　the　panther；

sending　him　slinking　through　the　jungle；　his　tail　between　his　legs。



The　man　shrugged。　　Well；　what　of　it？　　He　had　expected

to　die；　and；　after　all；　what　might　Sheeta　have　done　for　him

other　than　to　maul　a　couple　of　his　enemies　before　a　rifle　in

the　hands　of　one　of　the　whites　should　have　dispatched　him！



If　the　cat　could　have　released　him！　　Ah！　that　would　have

resulted　in　a　very　different　story；　but　it　had　proved　beyond

the　understanding　of　Sheeta；　and　now　the　beast　was　gone

and　Tarzan　must　definitely　abandon　hope。



The　natives　were　at　the　entrance　to　the　hut　now；　peering

fearfully　into　the　dark　interior。　　Two　in　advance　held　lighted

torches　in　their　left　hands　and　ready　spears　in　their　right。　　

They　held　back　timorously　against　those　behind；　who　were

pushing　them　forward。



The　shrieks　of　the　panther's　victim；　mingled　with　those　of

the　great　cat；　had　wrought　mightily　upon　their　poor　nerves；

and　now　the　awful　silence　of　the　dark　interior　seemed　even

more　terribly　ominous　than　had　the　frightful　screaming。



Presently　one　of　those　who　was　being　forced　unwillingly

within　hit　upon　a　happy　scheme　for　learning　first　the　precise

nature　of　the　danger　which　menaced　him　from　the　silent　interior。　　

With　a　quick　movement　he　flung　his　lighted　torch　into　the

centre　of　the　hut。　　Instantly　all　within　was　illuminated

for　a　brief　second　before　the　burning　brand　was　dashed　out

against　the　earth　floor。



There　was　the　figure　of　the　white　prisoner　still　securely

bound　as　they　had　last　seen　him；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　hut

another　figure　equally　as　motionless；　its　throat　and　breasts

horribly　torn　and　mangled。



The　sight　that　met　the　eyes　of　the　foremost　savages

inspired　more　terror　within　their　superstitious　breasts

than　would　the　presence　of　Sheeta；　for　they　saw　only　the

result　of　a　ferocious　attack　upon　one　of　their　fellows。



Not　seeing　the　cause；　their　fear…ridden　minds　were　free　to

attribute　the　ghastly　work　to　supernatural　causes；　and　with

the　thought　they　turned；　screaming；　from　the　hut；　bowling

over　those　who　stood　directly　behind　them　in　the　exuberance

of　their　terror。



For　an　hour　Tarzan　heard　only　the　murmur　of　excited　voices

from　the　far　end　of　the　village。　　Evidently　the　savages

were　once　more　attempting　to　work　up　their　flickering　courage

to　a　point　that　would　permit　them　to　make　another　invasion

of　the　hut；　for　now　and　then　came　a　savage　yell；　such

as　the　warriors　give　to　bolster　up　their　bravery　upon　the

field　of　battle。



But　in　the　end　it　was　two　of　the　whites　who　first　entered；

carrying　torches　and　guns。　　Tarzan　was　not　surprised　to

discover　that　neither　of　them　was　Rokoff。　　He　would　have

wagered　his　soul　that　no　power　on　earth　could　have　tempted

that　great　coward　to　face　the　unknown　menace　of　the　hut。



When　the　natives　saw　that　the　white　men　were　not　attacked

they；　too；　crowded　into　the　interior；　their　voices　hushed　with

terror　as　they　looked　upon　the　mutilated　corpse　of　their　comrade。　　

The　whites　tried　in　vain　to　elicit　an　explanation　from

Tarzan；　but　to　all　their　queries　he　but　shook　his　head；　a　grim

and　knowing　smile　curving　his　lips。



At　last　Rokoff　came。



His　face　grew　very　white　as　his　eyes　rested　upon　the　bloody

thing　grinning　up　at　him　from　the　floor；　the　face　set　in　a

death　mask　of　excruciating　horror。



〃Come！〃　he　said　to　the　chief。　　〃Let　us　get　to　work　and

finish　this　demon　before　he　has　an　opportunity　to　repeat　this

thing　upon　more　of　your　people。〃



The　chief　gave　orders　that　Tarzan　should　be　lifted　and

carried　to　the　stake；　but　it　was　several　minutes　before　he

could　prevail　upon　any　of　his　men　to　touch　the　prisoner。



At　last；　however；　four　of　the　younger　warriors　dragged

Tarzan　roughly　from　the　hut；　and　once　outside　the　pall　of

terror　seemed　lifted　from　the　savage　hearts。



A　score　of　howling　blacks　pushed　and　buffeted　the　prisoner

down　the　village　street　and　bound　him　to　the　post　in　the

centre　of　the　circle　of　little　fires　and　boiling　cooking…pots。



When　at　last　he　was　made　fast　and　seemed　quite　helpless

and　beyond　the　faintest　hope　of　succour；　Rokoff's　shrivelled

wart　of　courage　swelled　to　its　usual　proportions　when　danger

was　not　present。



He　stepped　close　to　the　ape…man；　and；　seizing　a　spear　from

the　hands　of　one　of　the　savages；　was　the　first　to　prod　the

helpless　victim。　　A　little　stream　of　blood　trickled　down　the

giant's　smooth　skin　from　the　wound　in　his　side；　but　no　murmur

of　pain　passed　his　lips。



The　smile　of　contempt　upon　his　face　seemed　to　infuriate

the　Russian。　　With　a　volley　of　oaths　he　leaped　at　the　helpless

captive；　beating　him　upon　the　face　with　his　clenched　fists

and　kicking　him　mercilessly　about　the　legs。



Then　he　raised　the　heavy　spear　to　drive　it　through　the

mighty　heart；　and　still　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　smiled

contemptuously　upon　him。



Before　Rokoff　could　drive　the　weapon　home　the　chief　sprang

upon　him　and　dragged　him　away　from　his　intended　victim。



〃Stop；　white　man！〃　he　cried。　　〃Rob　us　of　this　prisoner　and

our　death…dance；　and　you　yourself　may　have　to　take　his　place。〃



The　threat　proved　most　effective　in　keeping　the　Russian

from　further　assaults　upon　the　prisoner；　though　he　continued

to　stand　a　little　apart　and　hurl　taunts　at　his　enemy。　　He　told

Tarzan　that　he　himself　was　going　to　eat　the　ape…man's　heart。　　

He　enlarged　upon　the　horrors　of　the　future　life　of　Tarzan's

son；　and　intimated　that　his　vengeance　would　reach　as　well　to

Jane　Clayton。



〃You　think　your　wife　safe　in　England；〃　said　Rokoff。　　

〃Poor　fool！　　She　is　even　now　in　the　hands　of　one　not　even　of

decent　birth；　and　far　from　the　safety　of　London　and　the

protection　of　her　friends。　　I　had　not　meant　to　tell　you　this

until　I　could　bring　to　you　upon　Jungle　Island　proof　of　her　fate。



〃Now　that　you　are　about　to　die　the　most　unthinkably　horrid

death　that　it　is　given　a　white　man　to　dielet　this　word　of

the　plight　of　your　wife　add　to　the　torments　that　you　must

suffer　before　the　last　savage　spear…thrust　releases　you　from

your　torture。〃



The　dance　had　commenced　now；　and　the　yells　of　the　circling

warriors　drowned　Rokoff's　further　attempts　to　distress

his　victim。



The　leaping　savages；　the　flickering　firelight　playing　upon

their　painted　bodies；　circled　about　the　victim　at　the　stake。



To　Tarzan's　memory　came　a　similar　scene；　when　he　had

rescued　D'Arnot　from　a　like　predicament　at　the　last　moment

before　the　final　spear…thrust　should　have　ended　his　sufferings。　　

Who　was　there　now　to　rescue　him？　　In　all　the　world　there　was

none　able　to　save　him　from　the　torture　and　the　death。



The　thought　that　these　human　fiends　would　devour　him

when　the　dance　was　done　caused　him　not　a　single　q