the return of tarzan-第26章

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and　the　most　comfortable　crotch；　if　necessity　demanded　that

he　sleep　out。　　A　hundred　times　in　the　past　some　great　jungle

cat　had　followed　him　home；　and　compelled　him　to　seek　shelter

in　this　same　tree；　until　another　mood　or　the　rising　sun　had

sent　his　enemy　away。



But　presently　Numa　gave　up　the　chase　and；　with　a　series

of　blood…curdling　moans　and　roars；　turned　angrily　back　in

search　of　another　and　an　easier　dinner。　　So　Tarzan　came　to　his

cabin　unattended；　and　a　few　moments　later　was　curled　up　in

the　mildewed　remnants　of　what　had　once　been　a　bed　of　grasses。

Thus　easily　did　Monsieur　Jean　C。　Tarzan　slough　the　thin　skin

of　his　artificial　civilization；　and　sink　happy　and　contented

into　the　deep　sleep　of　the　wild　beast　that　has　fed　to　repletion。

Yet　a　woman's　〃yes〃　would　have　bound　him　to　that　other　life

forever；　and　made　the　thought　of　this　savage　existence　repulsive。



Tarzan　slept　late　into　the　following　forenoon；　for　he　had

been　very　tired　from　the　labors　and　exertion　of　the　long

night　and　day　upon　the　ocean；　and　the　jungle　jaunt　that　had

brought　into　play　muscles　that　he　had　scarce　used　for　nearly

two　years。　　When　he　awoke　he　ran　to　the　brook　first　to　drink。

Then　he　took　a　plunge　into　the　sea；　swimming　about　for

a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Afterward　he　returned　to　his　cabin；

and　breakfasted　off　the　flesh　of　Horta。　　This　done；　he　buried

the　balance　of　the　carcass　in　the　soft　earth　outside　the　cabin；

for　his　evening　meal。



Once　more　he　took　his　rope　and　vanished　into　the　jungle。

This　time　he　hunted　nobler　quarryman；　although　had　you

asked　him　his　own　opinion　he　could　have　named　a　dozen

other　denizens　of　the　jungle　which　he　considered　far　the

superiors　in　nobility　of　the　men　he　hunted。　　Today　Tarzan

was　in　quest　of　weapons。　　He　wondered　if　the　women　and

children　had　remained　in　Mbonga's　village　after　the　punitive

expedition　from　the　French　cruiser　had　massacred　all　the

warriors　in　revenge　for　D'Arnot's　supposed　death。　　He　hoped

that　he　should　find　warriors　there；　for　he　knew　not　how

long　a　quest　he　should　have　to　make　were　the　village　deserted。



The　ape…man　traveled　swiftly　through　the　forest；　and　about

noon　came　to　the　site　of　the　village；　but　to　his　disappointment

found　that　the　jungle　had　overgrown　the　plantain　fields

and　that　the　thatched　huts　had　fallen　in　decay。　　There　was　no

sign　of　man。　　He　clambered　about　among　the　ruins　for　half

an　hour；　hoping　that　he　might　discover　some　forgotten

weapon；　but　his　search　was　without　fruit；　and　so　he　took　up

his　quest　once　more；　following　up　the　stream；　which　flowed

from　a　southeasterly　direction。　　He　knew　that　near　fresh

water　he　would　be　most　likely　to　find　another　settlement。



As　he　traveled　he　hunted　as　he　had　hunted　with　his　ape

people　in　the　past；　as　Kala　had　taught　him　to　hunt；　turning

over　rotted　logs　to　find　some　toothsome　vermin；　running　high

into　the　trees　to　rob　a　bird's　nest；　or　pouncing　upon　a　tiny

rodent　with　the　quickness　of　a　cat。　　There　were　other　things

that　he　ate；　too；　but　the　less　detailed　the　account　of　an　ape's

diet；　the　betterand　Tarzan　was　again　an　ape；　the　same　fierce；

brutal　anthropoid　that　Kala　had　taught　him　to　be；　and　that

he　had　been　for　the　first　twenty　years　of　his　life。



Occasionally　he　smiled　as　he　recalled　some　friend　who

might　even　at　the　moment　be　sitting　placid　and　immaculate

within　the　precincts　of　his　select　Parisian　clubjust　as　Tarzan

had　sat　but　a　few　months　before；　and　then　he　would　stop；

as　though　turned　suddenly　to　stone　as　the　gentle　breeze

carried　to　his　trained　nostrils　the　scent　of　some　new　prey　or

a　formidable　enemy。



That　night　he　slept　far　inland　from　his　cabin；　securely

wedged　into　the　crotch　of　a　giant　tree；　swaying　a　hundred

feet　above　the　ground。　　He　had　eaten　heartily　againthis

time　from　the　flesh　of　Bara；　the　deer；　who　had　fallen　prey　to

his　quick　noose。



Early　the　next　morning　he　resumed　his　journey；　always

following　the　course　of　the　stream。　　For　three　days　he

continued　his　quest；　until　he　had　come　to　a　part　of　the

jungle　in　which　he　never　before　had　been。　　Occasionally　upon

the　higher　ground　the　forest　was　much　thinner；　and　in　the　far

distance　through　the　trees　he　could　see　ranges　of　mighty

mountains；　with　wide　plains　in　the　foreground。　　Here；　in　the

open　spaces；　were　new　gamecountless　antelope　and　vast

herds　of　zebra。　　Tarzan　was　entrancedhe　would　make　a　long

visit　to　this　new　world。



On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　his　nostrils　were　suddenly

surprised　by　a　faint　new　scent。　　It　was　the　scent　of　man；

but　yet　a　long　way　off。　　The　ape…man　thrilled　with　pleasure。

Every　sense　was　on　the　alert　as　with　crafty　stealth　he

moved　quickly　through　the　trees；　up…wind；　in　the　direction

of　his　prey。　　Presently　he　came　upon　ita　lone　warrior

treading　softly　through　the　jungle。



Tarzan　followed　close　above　his　quarry；　waiting　for　a

clearer　space　in　which　to　hurl　his　rope。　　As　he　stalked

the　unconscious　man；　new　thoughts　presented　themselves　to

the　ape…manthoughts　born　of　the　refining　influences　of

civilization；　and　of　its　cruelties。　　It　came　to　him　that

seldom　if　ever　did　civilized　man　kill　a　fellow　being　without

some　pretext；　however　slight。　　It　was　true　that　Tarzan　wished

this　man's　weapons　and　ornaments；　but　was　it　necessary　to　take

his　life　to　obtain　them？



The　longer　he　thought　about　it；　the　more　repugnant　became

the　thought　of　taking　human　life　needlessly；　and　thus

it　happened　that　while　he　was　trying　to　decide　just　what

to　do；　they　had　come　to　a　little　clearing；　at　the　far　side　of

which　lay　a　palisaded　village　of　beehive　huts。



As　the　warrior　emerged　from　the　forest；　Tarzan　caught　a

fleeting　glimpse　of　a　tawny　hide　worming　its　way　through　the

matted　jungle　grasses　in　his　wakeit　was　Numa；　the　lion。

He；　too；　was　stalking　the　black　man。　　With　the　instant　that

Tarzan　realized　the　native's　danger　his　attitude　toward　his

erstwhile　prey　altered　completelynow　he　was　a　fellow　man

threatened　by　a　common　enemy。



Numa　was　about　to　chargethere　was　little　time　in　which

to　compare　various　methods　or　weigh　the　probable　results

of　any。　　And　then　a　number　of　things　happened；　almost

simultaneouslythe　lion　sprang　from　his　ambush　toward　the

retreating　blackTarzan　cried　out　in　warningand　the　black

turned　just　in　time　to　see　Numa　halted　in　mid…flight　by　a

slender　strand　of　grass　rope；　the　noosed　end　of　which

had　fallen　cleanly　about　his　neck。



The　ape…man　had　acted　so　quickly　that　he　had　been

unable　to　prepare　himself　to　withstand　the　strain　and　shock

of　Numa's　great　weight　upon　the　rope；　and　so　it　was　that

though　the　rope　stopped　the　beast　before　his　mighty　talons

could　fasten　themselves　in　the　flesh　of　the　black；　the　strain

overbalanced　Tarzan；　who　came　tumbling　to　the　ground　not

six　paces　from　the　infuriated　animal。　　Like　lightning　Numa

turned　upon　this　new　enemy；　and；　defenseless　as　he　was；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　nearer　to　death　that　instant　than　he

ever　before　had　been。　　It　was　the　black　who　saved　him。

The　warrior　realized　in　an　instant　that　he　owed　his　life

to　this　strange　white　man；　and　he　also　saw　that　only　a　miracle

could　save　his　preserver　from　those　fierce　yellow　fangs　that

had　been　so　near　to　his　own　flesh。



With　the　quickness　of　thought　his　spear　arm　flew　back；

and　then　shot　forward　with　all　the　force　of　the　sinewy

muscles　that　rolled　beneath　the　shimmering　ebon　hide。

True　to　its　mark　the　iron…shod　weapon　flew；　transfixing

Numa's　sleek　carcass　from　the　right　groin　to　beneath　the

left　shoulder。　With　a　hideous　scream　of　rage　and　pain　the

brute　turned　again　upon　the　black。　　A　dozen　paces　he　had

gone　when　Tarzan's　rope　brought　him　to　a　stand　once　more

then　he　wheeled　again　upon　the　ape…man；　only　to　feel　the

painful　prick　of　a　barbed　arrow　as　it　sank　half　its　length

in　his　quivering　flesh。　　Again　he　stopped；　and　by　this　time

Tarzan　had　run　twice　around　the　stem　of　a　great　tree　with

his　rope；　and　made　the　end　fast。



The　black　saw　the　trick；　and　grinned；　but　Tarzan　knew

that　Numa　must　be　quickly　finished　before　those　mighty

teeth　had　found　and　parted　the　slender　cord　that　held　him。

It　was　a　matter　of　but　an　instant　to　reach　the　black's　side

and　drag　his　long　knife　from　its　scabbard。　　Then　he　signed

the　warrior　to　continue　to　shoot　arrows　into　the　great　beast

while　he　attempted　to　close　in　upon　him　with　the　knife；　so

as　one　tantalized　upon　one　side；　the　other　sneaked　cautiously

in　upon　the　other。　　Numa　was　furious。　　He　raised　his　voice

in　a　perfect　frenzy　of　shrieks；　growls；　and　hideous　moans；

the　while　he　reared　upon　his　hind　legs　in　futile　attempt

to　reach　first　one　and　then　the　other　of　his　tormentors。



But　at　length　the　agile　ape…man　saw　his　chance；　and　rushed

in　upon　the　beast's　left　side　behind　the　mighty　shoulder。

A　giant　arm　encircled　the　tawny　throat；　and　a　long　blade　sank

once；　true　as　a　die；　into　the　fierce　heart。　　Then　Tarzan　arose；

and　the　black　man　and　the　white　looked　into　each　other's　eyes

across　the　body　of　their　killand　the　black　made　the　sign　of

peace　and　friendship；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　answered　in　kind。







Chapter　15





From　Ape　to　Savage





The　noise　of　their　battle　with　Numa　had　drawn　an　excited

horde　of　savages　from　the　nearby　village；　and　a　moment

after　the　lion's　death　the　two　men　were　surrounded　by

lithe；　ebon　warriors；　gesticulating　and　jabberinga

thousand　questions　that　drowned　each　ventured　reply。



And　then　the　women　came；　and　the　childreneager；　curious；

and；　at　sight　of　Tarzan；　more　questioning　than　ever。

The　ape…man's　new　friend　finally　succeeded　in　making

himself　heard；　and　when　he　had　done　talking　the　men　and

women　of　the　village　vied　with　one　another　in　doing　honor

to　the　strange　creature　who　had　saved　their　fellow　and

battled　single…handed　with　fierce　Numa。



At　last　they　led　him　back　to　their　village；　where　they

brought　him　gifts　of　fowl；　and　goats；　and　cooked　food。

When　he　pointed　to　their　weapons　the　warriors　hastened

to　fetch　spear；　shield；　arrows；　and　a　bow。　　His　friend　of　the

encounter　presented　him　with　the　knife　with　which　he　had

killed　Numa。　　There　was　nothing　in　all　the　village　he　could

not　have　had　for　the　asking。



How　much　easier　this　was；　thought　Tarzan；　than　murder

and　robbery　to　supply　his　wants。　　How　close　he　had　been　to

killing　this　man　whom　he　never　had　seen　before；　and　who

now　was　manifesting　by　every　primitive　means　at　his

command　friendship　and　affection　for　his　would…be　slayer。

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　ashamed。　　Hereafter　he　would　at　least　wait

until　he　knew　men　deserved　it　before　he　thought　of　killing　them。



The　idea　recalled　Rokoff　to　his　mind。　　He　wished　that　he

might　have　the　Russian　to　himself　in　the　dark　jungle　for　a

few　minutes。　　There　was　a　man　who　deserved　killing　if　ever

any　one　did。　　And　if　he　could　have　seen　Rokoff　at　that　moment

as　he　assiduously　bent　every　endeavor　t