the return of tarzan-第18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！





Rokoff　shrugged。　　〃Then　I　shall　have　to　wait　until　the

morrowit　is　already　dark。〃



〃As　you　will；〃　said　the　sheik。　　〃But　by　an　hour　after　dawn

you　must　be　gone　from　my　DOUAR。　　I　have　little　liking　for

unbelievers；　and　none　at　all　for　a　coward。〃



Rokoff　would　have　made　some　kind　of　retort；　but　he

checked　himself；　for　he　realized　that　it　would　require

but　little　excuse　for　the　old　man　to　turn　upon　him。

Together　they　left　the　tent。　　At　the　door　Rokoff　could　not

resist　the　temptation　to　turn　and　fling　a　parting　taunt　at　Tarzan。

〃Sleep　well；　monsieur；〃　he　said；　〃and　do　not　forget　to　pray　well；

for　when　you　die　tomorrow　it　will　be　in　such　agony　that　you　will

be　unable　to　pray　for　blaspheming。〃



No　one　had　bothered　to　bring　Tarzan　either　food　or　water　since

noon；　and　consequently　he　suffered　considerably　from　thirst。

He　wondered　if　it　would　be　worth　while　to　ask　his

guard　for　water；　but　after　making　two　or　three　requests

without　receiving　any　response；　he　decided　that　it　would　not。



Far　up　in　the　mountains　he　heard　a　lion　roar。　　How　much

safer　one　was；　he　soliloquized；　in　the　haunts　of　wild　beasts

than　in　the　haunts　of　men。　　Never　in　all　his　jungle　life　had　he

been　more　relentlessly　tracked　down　than　in　the　past　few

months　of　his　experience　among　civilized　men。　　Never　had　he

been　any　nearer　death。



Again　the　lion　roared。　　It　sounded　a　little　nearer。　　Tarzan　felt

the　old；　wild　impulse　to　reply　with　the　challenge　of　his　kind。

His　kind？　　He　had　almost　forgotten　that　he　was　a　man　and　not　an　ape。

He　tugged　at　his　bonds。　　God；　if　he　could　but　get　them　near

those　strong　teeth　of　his。　　He　felt　a　wild　wave　of　madness　sweep

over　him　as　his　efforts　to　regain　his　liberty　met　with　failure。



Numa　was　roaring　almost　continually　now。　　It　was　quite

evident　that　he　was　coming　down　into　the　desert　to　hunt。

It　was　the　roar　of　a　hungry　lion。　　Tarzan　envied　him；　for　he

was　free。　　No　one　would　tie　him　with　ropes　and　slaughter

him　like　a　sheep。　　It　was　that　which　galled　the　ape…man。

He　did　not　fear　to　die；　noit　was　the　humiliation　of　defeat

before　death；　without　even　a　chance　to　battle　for　his　life。



It　must　be　near　midnight；　thought　Tarzan。　　He　had　several

hours　to　live。　　Possibly　he　would　yet　find　a　way　to　take

Rokoff　with　him　on　the　long　journey。　　He　could　hear　the　savage

lord　of　the　desert　quite　close　by　now。　　Possibly　he　sought

his　meat　from　among　the　penned　animals　within　the　DOUAR。



For　a　long　time　silence　reigned；　then　Tarzan's　trained　ears

caught　the　sound　of　a　stealthily　moving　body。　　It　came

from　the　side　of　the　tent　nearest　the　mountainsthe　back。

Nearer　and　nearer　it　came。　　He　waited；　listening　intently；　for

it　to　pass。　　For　a　time　there　was　silence　without；　such　a　terrible

silence　that　Tarzan　was　surprised　that　he　did　not　hear　the

breathing　of　the　animal　he　felt　sure　must　be　crouching　close

to　the　back　wall　of　his　tent。



There！　　It　is　moving　again。　　Closer　it　creeps。　　Tarzan　turns　his

head　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　　It　is　very　dark　within　the　tent。

Slowly　the　back　rises　from　the　ground；　forced　up　by　the　head　and

shoulders　of　a　body　that　looks　all　black　in　the　semi…darkness。

Beyond　is　a　faint　glimpse　of　the　dimly　starlit　desert。

A　grim　smile　plays　about　Tarzan's　lips。　　At　least　Rokoff　will

be　cheated。　　How　mad　he　will　be！　　And　death　will　be　more

merciful　than　he　could　have　hoped　for　at　the　hands　of　the　Russian。



Now　the　back　of　the　tent　drops　into　place；　and　all　is　darkness

againwhatever　it　is　is　inside　the　tent　with　him。　　He　hears

it　creeping　close　to　himnow　it　is　beside　him。　　He　closes

his　eyes　and　waits　for　the　mighty　paw。　　Upon　his　upturned

face　falls　the　gentle　touch　of　a　soft　hand　groping　in　the　dark；

and　then　a　girl's　voice　in　a　scarcely　audible　whisper

pronounces　his　name。



〃Yes；　it　is　I；〃　he　whispers　in　reply。　　〃But　in　the　name　of

Heaven　who　are　you？〃



〃The　Ouled…Nail　of　Sisi　Aissa；〃　came　the　answer。　　While　she

spoke　Tarzan　could　feel　her　working　about　his　bonds。

Occasionally　the　cold　steel　of　a　knife　touched　his　flesh。

A　moment　later　he　was　free。



〃Come！〃　she　whispered。



On　hands　and　knees　he　followed　her　out　of　the　tent　by　the　way

she　had　come。　　She　continued　crawling　thus　flat　to　the　ground

until　she　reached　a　little　patch　of　shrub。　　There　she　halted

until　he　gained　her　side。　　For　a　moment　he　looked　at　her

before　he　spoke。



〃I　cannot　understand；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃Why　are　you　here？

How　did　you　know　that　I　was　a　prisoner　in　that　tent？

How　does　it　happen　that　it　is　you　who　have　saved　me？〃



She　smiled。　　〃I　have　come　a　long　way　tonight；〃　she　said；

〃and　we　have　a　long　way　to　go　before　we　shall　be　out　of　danger。

Come；　I　shall　tell　you　all　about　as　we　go。〃



Together　they　rose　and　set　off　across　the　desert　in　the

direction　of　the　mountains。



〃I　was　not　quite　sure　that　I　should　ever　reach　you；〃　she

said　at　last。　　〃EL　ADREA　is　abroad　tonight；　and　after

I　left　the　horses　I　think　he　winded　me　and　was　followingI

was　terribly　frightened。〃



〃What　a　brave　girl；〃　he　said。　　〃And　you　ran　all　that　risk

for　a　strangeran　alienan　unbeliever？〃



She　drew　herself　up　very　proudly。



〃I　am　the　daughter　of　the　Sheik　Kabour　ben　Saden；〃　she　answered。

〃I　should　be　no　fit　daughter　of　his　if　I　would　not　risk　my

life　to　save　that　of　the　man　who　saved　mine　while　he　yet

thought　that　I　was　but　a　common　Ouled…Nail。〃



〃Nevertheless；〃　he　insisted；　〃you　are　a　very　brave　girl。

But　how　did　you　know　that　I　was　a　prisoner　back　there？〃



〃Achmet…din…Taieb；　who　is　my　cousin　on　my　father's　side；　was

visiting　some　friends　who　belong　to　the　tribe　that　captured　you。

He　was　at　the　DOUAR　when　you　were　brought　in。　　When　he　reached

home　he　was　telling　us　about　the　big　Frenchman　who　had　been

captured　by　Ali…ben…Ahmed　for　another　Frenchman　who　wished

to　kill　him。　　From　the　description　I　knew　that　it　must　be　you。

My　father　was　away。　　I　tried　to　persuade　some　of　the　men　to

come　and　save　you；　but　they　would　not　do　it；　saying：　　‘Let　the

unbelievers　kill　one　another　if　they　wish。　　It　is　none　of　our

affair；　and　if　we　go　and　interfere　with　Ali…ben…Ahmed's　plans

we　shall　only　stir　up　a　fight　with　our　own　people。'



〃So　when　it　was　dark　I　came　alone；　riding　one　horse　and

leading　another　for　you。　　They　are　tethered　not　far　from　here。

By　morning　we　shall　be　within　my　father's　DOUAR。

He　should　be　there　himself　by　nowthen　let　them　come　and

try　to　take　Kadour　ben　Saden's　friend。〃



For　a　few　moments　they　walked　on　in　silence。



〃We　should　be　near　the　horses；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　strange

that　I　do　not　see　them　here。〃



Then　a　moment　later　she　stopped；　with　a　little　cry　of　consternation。



〃They　are　gone！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃It　is　here　that　I　tethered　them。〃



Tarzan　stooped　to　examine　the　ground。　　He　found　that　a

large　shrub　had　been　torn　up　by　the　roots。　　Then　he　found

something　else。　　There　was　a　wry　smile　on　his　face　as　he　rose

and　turned　toward　the　girl。



〃EL　ADREA　has　been　here。　　From　the　signs；　though；　I　rather

think　that　his　prey　escaped　him。　　With　a　little　start　they

would　be　safe　enough　from　him　in　the　open。〃



There　was　nothing　to　do　but　continue　on　foot。　　The　way

led　them　across　a　low　spur　of　the　mountains；　but　the　girl

knew　the　trail　as　well　as　she　did　her　mother's　face。

They　walked　in　easy；　swinging　strides；　Tarzan　keeping　a　hand's

breadth　behind　the　girl's　shoulder；　that　she　might　set　the

pace；　and　thus　be　less　fatigued。　　As　they　walked　they　talked；

occasionally　stopping　to　listen　for　sounds　of　pursuit。



It　was　now　a　beautiful；　moonlit　night。　　The　air　was　crisp

and　invigorating。　　Behind　them　lay　the　interminable　vista　of

the　desert；　dotted　here　and　there　with　an　occasional　oasis。

The　date　palms　of　the　little　fertile　spot　they　had　just　left；

and　the　circle　of　goatskin　tents；　stood　out　in　sharp　relief

against　the　yellow　sanda　phantom　paradise　upon　a　phantom　sea。

Before　them　rose　the　grim　and　silent　mountains。　　Tarzan's　blood

leaped　in　his　veins。　　This　was　life！　　He　looked　down　upon　the

girl　beside　hima　daughter　of　the　desert　walking　across　the

face　of　a　dead　world　with　a　son　of　the　jungle。　　He　smiled　at

the　thought。　　He　wished　that　he　had　had　a　sister；　and　that　she

had　been　like　this　girl。　　What　a　bully　chum　she　would　have　been！



They　had　entered　the　mountains　now；　and　were　progressing

more　slowly；　for　the　trail　was　steeper　and　very　rocky。



For　a　few　minutes　they　had　been　silent。　　The　girl　was

wondering　if　they　would　reach　her　father's　DOUAR　before　the

pursuit　had　overtaken　them。　　Tarzan　was　wishing　that　they

might　walk　on　thus　forever。　　If　the　girl　were　only　a　man

they　might。　　He　longed　for　a　friend　who　loved　the　same　wild

life　that　he　loved。　　He　had　learned　to　crave　companionship；

but　it　was　his　misfortune　that　most　of　the　men　he　knew

preferred　immaculate　linen　and　their　clubs　to　nakedness　and

the　jungle。　　It　was；　of　course；　difficult　to　understand；

yet　it　was　very　evident　that　they　did。



The　two　had　just　turned　a　projecting　rock　around　which

the　trail　ran　when　they　were　brought　to　a　sudden　stop。

There；　before　them；　directly　in　the　middle　of　the　path；　stood

Numa；　EL　ADREA；　the　black　lion。　　His　green　eyes　looked　very

wicked；　and　he　bared　his　teeth；　and　lashed　his　bay…black　sides

with　his　angry　tail。　　Then　he　roaredthe　fearsome；　terror…

inspiring　roar　of　the　hungry　lion　which　is　also　angry。



〃Your　knife；〃　said　Tarzan　to　the　girl；　extending　his　hand。

She　slipped　the　hilt　of　the　weapon　into　his　waiting　palm。

As　his　fingers　closed　upon　it　he　drew　her　back　and　pushed　her

behind　him。　　〃Walk　back　to　the　desert　as　rapidly　as　you　can。

If　you　hear　me　call　you　will　know　that　all　is　well；　and

you　may　return。〃



〃It　is　useless；〃　she　replied；　resignedly。　　〃This　is　the　end。〃



〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　he　commanded。　　〃Quickly！　　He　is　about

to　charge。〃　　The　girl　dropped　back　a　few　paces；　where　she

stood　watching　for　the　terrible　sight　that　she　knew　she

should　soon　witness。



The　lion　was　advancing　slowly　toward　Tarzan；　his　nose　to

the　ground；　like　a　challenging　bull；　his　tail　extended　now

and　quivering　as　though　with　intense　excitement。



The　ape…man　stood；　half　crouching；　the　long　Arab　knife

glistening　in　the　moonlight。　　Behind　him　the　tense　figure　of

the　girl；　motionless　as　a　carven　statue。　　She　leaned　slightly

forward；　her　lips　parted；　her　eyes　wide。　　Her　only　conscious

thought　was　wonder　at　the　bravery　of　the　man　who　dared

face　with　a　puny　knife　the　lord　with　the　large　head。　　A　man


of　her　own　blood　would　have　knelt　in　prayer　and　gone　down

beneath　those　awful　fangs　without　resistance。　　In　either　case

the　result　would　be　the　sameit　was　inevitable；　but　she　could

not　repress　a　thrill　of　admiration　as　her　eyes　rested　upon

the　heroic　figure　before　her。　　Not　a　tremor　in　the　whole

giant　framehis　attitude　as　menacing　and　defiant　as　that　of

EL　ADREA　himself。



T