the beasts of tarzan-第4章
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From the jungle at his back fierce bloodshot eyes glared
from beneath shaggy overhanging brows upon him。
Little monkeys in the tree…tops chattered and scolded； and from
the distance of the inland forest came the scream of a leopard。
But still John Clayton； Lord Greystoke； stood deaf and
unseeing； suffering the pangs of keen regret for the
opportunity that he had wasted because he had been so
gullible as to place credence in a single statement of
the first lieutenant of his arch…enemy。
〃I have at least；〃 he thought； 〃one consolationthe
knowledge that Jane is safe in London。 Thank Heaven she；
too； did not fall into the clutches of those villains。〃
Behind him the hairy thing whose evil eyes had been
watching his as a cat watches a mouse was creeping
stealthily toward him。
Where were the trained senses of the savage ape…man？
Where the acute hearing？
Where the uncanny sense of scent？
Chapter 3
Beasts at Bay
Slowly Tarzan unfolded the note the sailor had thrust into
his hand； and read it。 At first it made little impression on
his sorrow…numbed senses； but finally the full purport of the
hideous plot of revenge unfolded itself before his imagination。
〃This will explain to you〃 ＇the note read＇ 〃the exact nature
of my intentions relative to your offspring and to you。
〃You were born an ape。 You lived naked in the jungles
to your own we have returned you； but your son shall rise a
step above his sire。 It is the immutable law of evolution。
〃The father was a beast； but the son shall be a manhe
shall take the next ascending step in the scale of progress。
He shall be no naked beast of the jungle； but shall wear a
loincloth and copper anklets； and； perchance； a ring in his
nose； for he is to be reared by mena tribe of savage cannibals。
〃I might have killed you； but that would have curtailed the
full measure of the punishment you have earned at my hands。
〃Dead； you could not have suffered in the knowledge of
your son's plight； but living and in a place from which you
may not escape to seek or succour your child； you shall suffer
worse than death for all the years of your life in contemplation
of the horrors of your son's existence。
〃This； then； is to be a part of your punishment for having
dared to pit yourself against
N。 R。
〃P。S。The balance of your punishment has to do with
what shall presently befall your wifethat I shall
leave to your imagination。〃
As he finished reading； a slight sound behind him brought
him back with a start to the world of present realities。
Instantly his senses awoke； and he was again Tarzan of the Apes。
As he wheeled about； it was a beast at bay； vibrant with
the instinct of self…preservation； that faced a huge bull…ape
that was already charging down upon him。
The two years that had elapsed since Tarzan had come out
of the savage forest with his rescued mate had witnessed
slight diminution of the mighty powers that had made him
the invincible lord of the jungle。 His great estates in Uziri
had claimed much of his time and attention； and there he
had found ample field for the practical use and retention of
his almost superhuman powers； but naked and unarmed to do
battle with the shaggy； bull…necked beast that now confronted
him was a test that the ape…man would scarce have welcomed
at any period of his wild existence。
But there was no alternative other than to meet the rage…
maddened creature with the weapons with which nature had
endowed him。
Over the bull's shoulder Tarzan could see now the heads
and shoulders of perhaps a dozen more of these mighty fore…
runners of primitive man。
He knew； however； that there was little chance that they
would attack him； since it is not within the reasoning powers
of the anthropoid to be able to weigh or appreciate the value
of concentrated action against an enemyotherwise they
would long since have become the dominant creatures of
their haunts； so tremendous a power of destruction lies in
their mighty thews and savage fangs。
With a low snarl the beast now hurled himself at Tarzan；
but the ape…man had found； among other things in the haunts
of civilized man； certain methods of scientific warfare that
are unknown to the jungle folk。
Whereas； a few years since； he would have met the brute
rush with brute force； he now sidestepped his antagonist's
headlong charge； and as the brute hurtled past him swung a
mighty right to the pit of the ape's stomach。
With a howl of mingled rage and anguish the great anthropoid
bent double and sank to the ground； though almost
instantly he was again struggling to his feet。
Before he could regain them； however； his white…skinned
foe had wheeled and pounced upon him； and in the act there
dropped from the shoulders of the English lord the last shred
of his superficial mantle of civilization。
Once again he was the jungle beast revelling in bloody
conflict with his kind。 Once again he was Tarzan；
son of Kala the she…ape。
His strong； white teeth sank into the hairy throat of his
enemy as he sought the pulsing jugular。
Powerful fingers held the mighty fangs from his own flesh；
or clenched and beat with the power of a steam…hammer
upon the snarling； foam…flecked face of his adversary。
In a circle about them the balance of the tribe of apes stood
watching and enjoying the struggle。 They muttered low gutturals
of approval as bits of white hide or hairy bloodstained
skin were torn from one contestant or the other。 But they
were silent in amazement and expectation when they saw the
mighty white ape wriggle upon the back of their king； and；
with steel muscles tensed beneath the armpits of his antagonist；
bear down mightily with his open palms upon the back of the
thick bullneck； so that the king ape could but shriek in agony
and flounder helplessly about upon the thick mat of jungle grass。
As Tarzan had overcome the huge Terkoz that time years
before when he had been about to set out upon his quest for
human beings of his own kind and colour； so now he overcame
this other great ape with the same wrestling hold upon
which he had stumbled by accident during that other combat。
The little audience of fierce anthropoids heard the creaking
of their king's neck mingling with his agonized shrieks
and hideous roaring。
Then there came a sudden crack； like the breaking of a
stout limb before the fury of the wind。 The bullet…head
crumpled forward upon its flaccid neck against the great
hairy chestthe roaring and the shrieking ceased。
The little pig…eyes of the onlookers wandered from the still
form of their leader to that of the white ape that was rising
to its feet beside the vanquished； then back to their king as
though in wonder that he did not arise and slay this
presumptuous stranger。
They saw the new…comer place a foot upon the neck of the quiet
figure at his feet and； throwing back his head； give vent to
the wild； uncanny challenge of the bull…ape that has made a kill。
Then they knew that their king was dead。
Across the jungle rolled the horrid notes of the victory cry。
The little monkeys in the tree…tops ceased their chattering。
The harsh…voiced； brilliant…plumed birds were still。 From afar
came the answering wail of a leopard and the deep roar of a lion。
It was the old Tarzan who turned questioning eyes upon
the little knot of apes before him。 It was the old Tarzan who
shook his head as though to toss back a heavy mane that had
fallen before his facean old habit dating from the days that
his great shock of thick； black hair had fallen about his
shoulders； and often tumbled before his eyes when it had meant
life or death to him to have his vision unobstructed。
The ape…man knew that he might expect an immediate
attack on the part of that particular surviving bull…ape who
felt himself best fitted to contend for the kingship of the tribe。
Among his own apes he knew that it was not unusual for an
entire stranger to enter a community and； after having
dispatched the king； assume the leadership of the tribe himself；
together with the fallen monarch's mates。
On the other hand； if he made no attempt to follow them；
they might move slowly away from him； later to fight among
themselves for the supremacy。 That he could be king of them；
if he so chose； he was confident； but he was not sure he cared
to assume the sometimes irksome duties of that position；
for he could see no particular advantage to be gained thereby。
One of the younger apes； a huge； splendidly muscled brute；
was edging threateningly closer to the ape…man。 Through his
bared fighting fangs there issued a low； sullen growl。
Tarzan watched his every move； standing rigid as a statue。
To have fallen back a step would have been to precipitate an
immediate charge； to have rushed forward to meet the other
might have had the same result； or it might have put the
bellicose one to flightit all depended upon the young bull's
stock of courage。
To stand perfectly still； waiting； was the middle course。
In this event the bull would； according to custom； approach
quite close to the object of his attention； growling hideously
and baring slavering fangs。 Slowly he would circle about the other；
as though with a chip upon his shoulder； and this he did；
even as Tarzan had foreseen。
It might be a bluff royal； or； on the other hand； so unstable is
the mind of an ape； a passing impulse might hurl the hairy mass；
tearing and rending； upon the man without an instant's warning。
As the brute circled him Tarzan turned slowly； keeping
his eyes ever upon the eyes of his antagonist。 He had
appraised the young bull as one who had never quite felt equal
to the task of overthrowing his former king； but who one day
would have done so。 Tarzan saw that the beast was of wondrous
proportions； standing over seven feet upon his short； bowed legs。
His great； hairy arms reached almost to the ground even
when he stood erect； and his fighting fangs； now quite close
to Tarzan's face； were exceptionally long and sharp。 Like the
others of his tribe； he differed in several minor essentials
from the apes of Tarzan's boyhood。
At first the ape…man had experienced a thrill of hope at
sight of the shaggy bodies of the anthropoidsa hope that
by some strange freak of fate he had been again returned to
his own tribe； but a closer inspection had convinced him that
these were another species。
As the threatening bull continued his stiff and jerky
circling of the ape…man； much after the manner that you have
noted among dogs when a strange canine comes among them；
it occurred to Tarzan to discover if the language of his own
tribe was identical with that of this other family； and so
