the beasts of tarzan-第16章

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expected　to　survive　a　really　determined　attack。




That　the　blacks　were　preparing　for　a　charge　became　apparent

a　few　moments　later；　when　they　commenced　to　show

themselves　in　force　upon　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　dancing

and　jumping　about　as　they　waved　their　spears　and　shouted

taunts　and　fierce　warcries　toward　the　village。



These　manoeuvres　Tarzan　knew　would　continue　until　the　blacks

had　worked　themselves　into　a　state　of　hysterical　courage

sufficient　to　sustain　them　for　a　short　charge　toward　the

village；　and　even　though　he　doubted　that　they　would　reach　it

at　the　first　attempt；　he　believed　that　at　the　second　or　the　third

they　would　swarm　through　the　gateway；　when　the　outcome

could　not　be　aught　than　the　extermination　of　Tarzan's　bold；

but　unarmed　and　undisciplined；　defenders。



Even　as　he　had　guessed；　the　first　charge　carried　the　howling

warriors　but　a　short　distance　into　the　opena　shrill；　weird

challenge　from　the　ape…man　being　all　that　was　necessary　to

send　them　scurrying　back　to　the　bush。　　For　half　an　hour　they

pranced　and　yelled　their　courage　to　the　sticking…point；　and

again　essayed　a　charge。



This　time　they　came　quite　to　the　village　gate；　but　when

Sheeta　and　the　hideous　apes　leaped　among　them　they　turned

screaming　in　terror；　and　again　fled　to　the　jungle。



Again　was　the　dancing　and　shouting　repeated。　　This　time

Tarzan　felt　no　doubt　they　would　enter　the　village　and

complete　the　work　that　a　handful　of　determined　white　men　would

have　carried　to　a　successful　conclusion　at　the　first　attempt。



To　have　rescue　come　so　close　only　to　be　thwarted　because

he　could　not　make　his　poor；　savage　friends　understand

precisely　what　he　wanted　of　them　was　most　irritating；　but　he

could　not　find　it　in　his　heart　to　place　blame　upon　them。　　

They　had　done　their　best；　and　now　he　was　sure　they　would　doubtless

remain　to　die　with　him　in　a　fruitless　effort　to　defend　him。



The　blacks　were　already　preparing　for　the　charge。　　A　few

individuals　had　advanced　a　short　distance　toward　the　village

and　were　exhorting　the　others　to　follow　them。　　In　a　moment

the　whole　savage　horde　would　be　racing　across　the　clearing。



Tarzan　thought　only　of　the　little　child　somewhere　in　this

cruel；　relentless　wilderness。　　His　heart　ached　for　the　son　that

he　might　no　longer　seek　to　savethat　and　the　realization　of

Jane's　suffering　were　all　that　weighed　upon　his　brave　spirit

in　these　that　he　thought　his　last　moments　of　life。　　Succour；　all

that　he　could　hope　for；　had　come　to　him　in　the　instant　of　his

extremityand　failed。　　There　was　nothing　further　for　which

to　hope。



The　blacks　were　half…way　across　the　clearing　when　Tarzan's

attention　was　attracted　by　the　actions　of　one　of　the　apes。

The　beast　was　glaring　toward　one　of　the　huts。　　Tarzan　followed

his　gaze。　　To　his　infinite　relief　and　delight　he　saw　the

stalwart　form　of　Mugambi　racing　toward　him。



The　huge　black　was　panting　heavily　as　though　from　strenuous

physical　exertion　and　nervous　excitement。　　He　rushed

to　Tarzan's　side；　and　as　the　first　of　the　savages　reached　the

village　gate　the　native's　knife　severed　the　last　of　the　cords

that　bound　Tarzan　to　the　stake。



In　the　street　lay　the　corpses　of　the　savages　that　had　fallen

before　the　pack　the　night　before。　　From　one　of　these　Tarzan

seized　a　spear　and　knob　stick；　and　with　Mugambi　at　his　side

and　the　snarling　pack　about　him；　he　met　the　natives　as　they

poured　through　the　gate。



Fierce　and　terrible　was　the　battle　that　ensued；　but　at　last　the

savages　were　routed；　more　by　terror；　perhaps；　at　sight　of　a

black　man　and　a　white　fighting　in　company　with　a　panther　and

the　huge　fierce　apes　of　Akut；　than　because　of　their　inability

to　overcome　the　relatively　small　force　that　opposed　them。



One　prisoner　fell　into　the　hands　of　Tarzan；　and　him　the

ape…man　questioned　in　an　effort　to　learn　what　had　become　of

Rokoff　and　his　party。　　Promised　his　liberty　in　return　for　the

information；　the　black　told　all　he　knew　concerning　the　movements

of　the　Russian。



It　seemed　that　early　in　the　morning　their　chief　had　attempted

to　prevail　upon　the　whites　to　return　with　him　to　the

village　and　with　their　guns　destroy　the　ferocious　pack　that

had　taken　possession　of　it；　but　Rokoff　appeared　to　entertain

even　more　fears　of　the　giant　white　man　and　his　strange

companions　than　even　the　blacks　themselves。



Upon　no　conditions　would　he　consent　to　returning　even

within　sight　of　the　village。　　Instead；　he　took　his　party

hurriedly　to　the　river；　where　they　stole　a　number　of　canoes　the

blacks　had　hidden　there。　　The　last　that　had　been　seen　of　them

they　had　been　paddling　strongly　up…stream；　their　porters　from

Kaviri's　village　wielding　the　blades。



So　once　more　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　with　his　hideous　pack

took　up　his　search　for　the　ape…man's　son　and　the　pursuit　of

his　abductor。



For　weary　days　they　followed　through　an　almost　uninhabited

country；　only　to　learn　at　last　that　they　were　upon　the

wrong　trail。　　The　little　band　had　been　reduced　by　three；　for

three　of　Akut's　apes　had　fallen　in　the　fighting　at　the　village。　　

Now；　with　Akut；　there　were　five　great　apes；　and　Sheeta　was

thereand　Mugambi　and　Tarzan。



The　ape…man　no　longer　heard　rumors　even　of　the　three

who　had　preceded　Rokoffthe　white　man　and　woman　and

the　child。　　Who　the　man　and　woman　were　he　could　not　guess；

but　that　the　child　was　his　was　enough　to　keep　him　hot　upon

the　trail。　　He　was　sure　that　Rokoff　would　be　following　this

trio；　and　so　he　felt　confident　that　so　long　as　he　could　keep

upon　the　Russian's　trail　he　would　be　winning　so　much　nearer

to　the　time　he　might　snatch　his　son　from　the　dangers　and

horrors　that　menaced　him。



In　retracing　their　way　after　losing　Rokoff's　trail　Tarzan

picked　it　up　again　at　a　point　where　the　Russian　had　left　the

river　and　taken　to　the　brush　in　a　northerly　direction。　　He　could

only　account　for　this　change　on　the　ground　that　the　child　had

been　carried　away　from　the　river　by　the　two　who　now　had

possession　of　it。



Nowhere　along　the　way；　however；　could　he　gain　definite　information

that　might　assure　him　positively　that　the　child　was　ahead　of　him。

Not　a　single　native　they　questioned　had　seen　or　heard　of　this

other　party；　though　nearly　all　had　had　direct　experience　with

the　Russian　or　had　talked　with　others　who　had。



It　was　with　difficulty　that　Tarzan　could　find　means　to　communicate

with　the　natives；　as　the　moment　their　eyes　fell　upon　his　companions

they　fled　precipitately　into　the　bush。　　His　only　alternative　was

to　go　ahead　of　his　pack　and　waylay　an　occasional　warrior　whom

he　found　alone　in　the　jungle。



One　day　as　he　was　thus　engaged；　tracking　an　unsuspecting

savage；　he　came　upon　the　fellow　in　the　act　of　hurling　a　spear

at　a　wounded　white　man　who　crouched　in　a　clump　of　bush　at　the

trail's　side。　　The　white　was　one　whom　Tarzan　had　often　seen；

and　whom　he　recognized　at　once。



Deep　in　his　memory　was　implanted　those　repulsive　featuresthe

close…set　eyes；　the　shifty　expression；　the　drooping　yellow　moustache。



Instantly　it　occurred　to　the　ape…man　that　this　fellow　had

not　been　among　those　who　had　accompanied　Rokoff　at　the

village　where　Tarzan　had　been　a　prisoner。　　He　had　seen　them　all；

and　this　fellow　had　not　been　there。　　There　could　be　but　one

explanationhe　it　was　who　had　fled　ahead　of　the　Russian　with

the　woman　and　the　childand　the　woman　had　been　Jane　Clayton。　　

He　was　sure　now　of　the　meaning　of　Rokoff's　words。



The　ape…man's　face　went　white　as　he　looked　upon　the　pasty；

vice…marked　countenance　of　the　Swede。　　Across　Tarzan's　forehead

stood　out　the　broad　band　of　scarlet　that　marked　the　scar　where；

years　before；　Terkoz　had　torn　a　great　strip　of　the　ape…man's

scalp　from　his　skull　in　the　fierce　battle　in　which　Tarzan　had

sustained　his　fitness　to　the　kingship　of　the　apes　of　Kerchak。



The　man　was　his　preythe　black　should　not　have　him；

and　with　the　thought　he　leaped　upon　the　warrior；　striking

down　the　spear　before　it　could　reach　its　mark。　　The　black；

whipping　out　his　knife；　turned　to　do　battle　with　this　new

enemy；　while　the　Swede；　lying　in　the　bush；　witnessed　a　duel；

the　like　of　which　he　had　never　dreamed　to　seea　half…naked

white　man　battling　with　a　half…naked　black；　hand　to　hand

with　the　crude　weapons　of　primeval　man　at　first；　and　then

with　hands　and　teeth　like　the　primordial　brutes　from　whose

loins　their　forebears　sprung。



For　a　time　Anderssen　did　not　recognize　the　white；　and　when

at　last　it　dawned　upon　him　that　he　had　seen　this　giant　before；

his　eyes　went　wide　in　surprise　that　this　growling；　rending　beast

could　ever　have　been　the　well…groomed　English　gentleman　who　had

been　a　prisoner　aboard　the　Kincaid。



An　English　nobleman！　　He　had　learned　the　identity　of　the

Kincaid's　prisoners　from　Lady　Greystoke　during　their　flight

up　the　Ugambi。　　Before；　in　common　with　the　other　members　of

the　crew　of　the　steamer；　he　had　not　known　who　the　two　might　be。



The　fight　was　over。　　Tarzan　had　been　compelled　to　kill　his　antagonist；

as　the　fellow　would　not　surrender。



The　Swede　saw　the　white　man　leap　to　his　feet　beside　the　corpse

of　his　foe；　and　placing　one　foot　upon　the　broken　neck　lift

his　voice　in　the　hideous　challenge　of　the　victorious　bull…ape。



Anderssen　shuddered。　　Then　Tarzan　turned　toward　him。

His　face　was　cold　and　cruel；　and　in　the　grey　eyes　the

Swede　read　murder。



〃Where　is　my　wife？〃　growled　the　ape…man。　　〃Where　is　the　child？〃



Anderssen　tried　to　reply；　but　a　sudden　fit　of　coughing　choked　him。

There　was　an　arrow　entirely　through　his　chest；　and　as　he　coughed　the

blood　from　his　wounded　lung　poured　suddenly　from　his　mouth　and　nostrils。



Tarzan　stood　waiting　for　the　paroxysm　to　pass。　　Like　a

bronze　imagecold；　hard；　and　relentlesshe　stood　over　the

helpless　man；　waiting　to　wring　such　information　from　him

as　he　needed；　and　then　to　kill。



Presently　the　coughing　and　haemorrhage　ceased；　and　again

the　wounded　man　tried　to　speak。　　Tarzan　knelt　near　the　faintly

moving　lips。



〃The　wife　and　child！〃　he　repeated。　　〃Where　are　they？〃



Anderssen　pointed　up　the　trail。



〃The　Russianhe　got　them；〃　he　whispered。



〃How　did　you　come　here？〃　continued　Tarzan。　　〃Why　are　you　not　with　Rokoff？〃



〃They　catch　us；〃　replied　Anderssen；　in　a　voice　so　low

that　the　ape…man　could　just　distinguish　the　words。　　

〃They　catch　us。　　Ay　fight；　but　my　men　they　all　run　away。　　

Then　they　get　me　when　Ay　ban　vounded。　　Rokoff　he　say　leave

me　here　for　the　hyenas。　　That　vas　vorse　than　to　kill。　　

He　tak　your　vife　and　kid。〃



〃What　were　you　doing　with　themwhere　were　you　taking　them？〃

asked　Tarzan；　and　then　fiercely；　leaping　close　to　the

fellow　with　fierce　eyes　blazing　with　the　passion　of　hate　and

vengeance　that　he　had　with　difficulty　controlled；　〃What　harm

did　you　do　to　my　wife　or　child？　　Speak　quick　before　I　kill　you！　

Make　your　peace　with　God！　　Tell　me　the　worst；　or　I　will

tear　you　to　pieces　with　my　h