the beasts of tarzan-第7章
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horrible to contemplate。
The filed teeth； the slit nose； the little face painted hideously。
Tarzan groaned。 Could he but feel the throat of the Russ fiend
beneath his steel fingers！
And Jane！
What tortures of doubt and fear and uncertainty she must
be suffering。 He felt that his position was infinitely less
terrible than hers； for he at least knew that one of his
loved ones was safe at home； while she had no idea of the
whereabouts of either her husband or her son。
It is well for Tarzan that he did not guess the truth； for the
knowledge would have but added a hundredfold to his suffering。
As he moved slowly through the jungle his mind absorbed
by his gloomy thoughts； there presently came to his ears a
strange scratching sound which he could not translate。
Cautiously he moved in the direction from which it emanated；
presently coming upon a huge panther pinned beneath a fallen tree。
As Tarzan approached； the beast turned； snarling； toward him；
struggling to extricate itself； but one great limb across
its back and the smaller entangling branches pinioning its
legs prevented it from moving but a few inches in any direction。
The ape…man stood before the helpless cat fitting an arrow
to his bow that he might dispatch the beast that otherwise
must die of starvation； but even as he drew back the shaft a
sudden whim stayed his hand。
Why rob the poor creature of life and liberty； when it would
be so easy a thing to restore both to it！ He was sure from
the fact that the panther moved all its limbs in its futile
struggle for freedom that its spine was uninjured； and for
the same reason he knew that none of its limbs were broken。
Relaxing his bowstring； he returned the arrow to the quiver and；
throwing the bow about his shoulder； stepped closer to
the pinioned beast。
On his lips was the soothing； purring sound that the great
cats themselves made when contented and happy。 It was the
nearest approach to a friendly advance that Tarzan could
make in the language of Sheeta。
The panther ceased his snarling and eyed the ape…man closely。
To lift the tree's great weight from the animal it was
necessary to come within reach of those long； strong talons；
and when the tree had been removed the man would be totally
at the mercy of the savage beast； but to Tarzan of the Apes
fear was a thing unknown。
Having decided； he acted promptly。
Unhesitatingly； he stepped into the tangle of branches close to the
panther's side； still voicing his friendly and conciliatory purr。
The cat turned his head toward the man； eyeing him steadilyquestioningly。
The long fangs were bared； but more in preparedness than threat。
Tarzan put a broad shoulder beneath the bole of the tree；
and as he did so his bare leg pressed against the cat's silken side；
so close was the man to the great beast。
Slowly Tarzan extended his giant thews。
The great tree with its entangling branches rose gradually
from the panther； who； feeling the encumbering weight diminish；
quickly crawled from beneath。 Tarzan let the tree fall back to earth；
and the two beasts turned to look upon one another。
A grim smile lay upon the ape…man's lips； for he knew that he had
taken his life in his hands to free this savage jungle fellow；
nor would it have surprised him had the cat sprung upon him
the instant that it had been released。
But it did not do so。 Instead； it stood a few paces from the tree
watching the ape…man clamber out of the maze of fallen branches。
Once outside； Tarzan was not three paces from the panther。
He might have taken to the higher branches of the trees
upon the opposite side； for Sheeta cannot climb to the heights
to which the ape…man can go； but something； a spirit of bravado
perhaps； prompted him to approach the panther as though to
discover if any feeling of gratitude would prompt the beast
to friendliness。
As he approached the mighty cat the creature stepped
warily to one side； and the ape…man brushed past him within
a foot of the dripping jaws； and as he continued on through
the forest the panther followed on behind him； as a hound
follows at heel。
For a long time Tarzan could not tell whether the beast
was following out of friendly feelings or merely stalking him
against the time he should be hungry； but finally he was
forced to believe that the former incentive it was that
prompted the animal's action。
Later in the day the scent of a deer sent Tarzan into the trees；
and when he had dropped his noose about the animal's neck he
called to Sheeta； using a purr similar to that which he had
utilized to pacify the brute's suspicions earlier in the day；
but a trifle louder and more shrill。
It was similar to that which he had heard panthers use after
a kill when they had been hunting in pairs。
Almost immediately there was a crashing of the underbrush
close at hand； and the long； lithe body of his strange
companion broke into view。
At sight of the body of Bara and the smell of blood the panther
gave forth a shrill scream； and a moment later two beasts were
feeding side by side upon the tender meat of the deer。
For several days this strangely assorted pair roamed
the jungle together。
When one made a kill he called the other；
and thus they fed well and often。
On one occasion as they were dining upon the carcass of a boar
that Sheeta had dispatched； Numa； the lion； grim and terrible；
broke through the tangled grasses close beside them。
With an angry； warning roar he sprang forward to chase them
from their kill。 Sheeta bounded into a near…by thicket；
while Tarzan took to the low branches of an overhanging tree。
Here the ape…man unloosed his grass rope from about his neck； and
as Numa stood above the body of the boar； challenging head erect；
he dropped the sinuous noose about the maned neck；
drawing the stout strands taut with a sudden jerk。
At the same time he called shrilly to Sheeta； as he drew the
struggling lion upward until only his hind feet touched the ground。
Quickly he made the rope fast to a stout branch； and as
the panther； in answer to his summons； leaped into sight；
Tarzan dropped to the earth beside the struggling and
infuriated Numa； and with a long sharp knife sprang upon him
at one side even as Sheeta did upon the other。
The panther tore and rent Numa upon the right； while the
ape…man struck home with his stone knife upon the other；
so that before the mighty clawing of the king of beasts had
succeeded in parting the rope he hung quite dead and harmless
in the noose。
And then upon the jungle air there rose in unison from two savage
throats the victory cry of the bull…ape and the panther；
blended into one frightful and uncanny scream。
As the last notes died away in a long…drawn； fearsome wail；
a score of painted warriors； drawing their long war…canoe
upon the beach； halted to stare in the direction of the
jungle and to listen。
Chapter 5
Mugambi
By the time that Tarzan had travelled entirely about the coast
of the island； and made several trips inland from various points；
he was sure that he was the only human being upon it。
Nowhere had he found any sign that men had stopped even
temporarily upon this shore； though； of course； he knew that
so quickly does the rank vegetation of the tropics erase all
but the most permanent of human monuments that he might
be in error in his deductions。
The day following the killing of Numa； Tarzan and Sheeta came upon
the tribe of Akut。 At sight of the panther the great apes
took to flight； but after a time Tarzan succeeded in recalling them。
It had occurred to him that it would be at least an interesting
experiment to attempt to reconcile these hereditary enemies。
He welcomed anything that would occupy his time and his mind
beyond the filling of his belly and the gloomy thoughts to which
he fell prey the moment that he became idle。
To communicate his plan to the apes was not a particularly
difficult matter； though their narrow and limited vocabulary
was strained in the effort； but to impress upon the little；
wicked brain of Sheeta that he was to hunt with and not for
his legitimate prey proved a task almost beyond the powers
of the ape…man。
Tarzan； among his other weapons； possessed a long； stout
cudgel； and after fastening his rope about the panther's neck
he used this instrument freely upon the snarling beast；
endeavouring in this way to impress upon its memory that
it must not attack the great； shaggy manlike creatures that
had approached more closely once they had seen the purpose
of the rope about Sheeta's neck。
That the cat did not turn and rend Tarzan is something of
a miracle which may possibly be accounted for by the fact
that twice when it turned growling upon the ape…man he had
rapped it sharply upon its sensitive nose； inculcating in its
mind thereby a most wholesome fear of the cudgel and the
ape…beasts behind it。
It is a question if the original cause of his attachment for
Tarzan was still at all clear in the mind of the panther；
though doubtless some subconscious suggestion； superinduced by
this primary reason and aided and abetted by the habit of the past
few days； did much to compel the beast to tolerate treatment at his
hands that would have sent it at the throat of any other creature。
Then； too； there was the compelling force of the manmind exerting
its powerful influence over this creature of a lower order； and；
after all； it may have been this that proved the most potent factor
in Tarzan's supremacy over Sheeta and the other beasts of the jungle
that had from time to time fallen under his domination。
Be that as it may； for days the man； the panther； and the
great apes roamed their savage haunts side by side； making
their kills together and sharing them with one another； and
of all the fierce and savage band none was more terrible than
the smooth…skinned； powerful beast that had been but a few
short months before a familiar figure in many a London
drawing room。
Sometimes the beasts separated to follow their own inclinations
for an hour or a day； and it was upon one of these occasions when
the ape…man had wandered through the tree…tops toward the beach；
and was stretched in the hot sun upon the sand； that from the low
summit of a near…by promontory a pair of keen eyes discovered him。
For a moment the owner of the eyes looked in astonishment
at the figure of the savage white man basking in the
rays of that hot； tropic sun； then he turned； making a sign to
some one behind him。 Presently another pair of eyes were
looking down upon the ape…man； and then another and another；
until a full score of hideously trapped； savage warriors
were lying upon their bellies along t
