the return of tarzan-第3章

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but　this　affair　shall　not　be　overlooked。　　If　monsieur

does　not　know　who　Nikolas　Rokoff　is；　this　last　piece　of

effrontery　will　insure　that　monsieur　later　has　good　reason

to　remember　him。〃



〃That　you　are　a　coward　and　a　scoundrel；　monsieur；〃　replied

Tarzan；　〃is　all　that　I　care　to　know　of　you；〃　and　he

turned　to　ask　the　girl　if　the　man　had　hurt　her；　but　she　had

disappeared。　　Then；　without　even　a　glance　toward　Rokoff　and

his　companion；　he　continued　his　stroll　along　the　deck。



Tarzan　could　not　but　wonder　what　manner　of　conspiracy

was　on　foot；　or　what　the　scheme　of　the　two　men　might　be。

There　had　been　something　rather　familiar　about　the

appearance　of　the　veiled　woman　to　whose　rescue　he　had　just

come；　but　as　he　had　not　seen　her　face　he　could　not　be　sure

that　he　had　ever　seen　her　before。　　The　only　thing　about　her

that　he　had　particularly　noticed　was　a　ring　of　peculiar

workmanship　upon　a　finger　of　the　hand　that　Rokoff　had

seized；　and　he　determined　to　note　the　fingers　of　the　women

passengers　he　came　upon　thereafter；　that　he　might　discover

the　identity　of　her　whom　Rokoff　was　persecuting；　and　learn

if　the　fellow　had　offered　her　further　annoyance。



Tarzan　had　sought　his　deck　chair；　where　he　sat　speculating

on　the　numerous　instances　of　human　cruelty；　selfishness；　and

spite　that　had　fallen　to　his　lot　to　witness　since　that　day　in

the　jungle　four　years　since　that　his　eyes　had　first　fallen

upon　a　human　being　other　than　himselfthe　sleek；　black

Kulonga；　whose　swift　spear　had　that　day　found　the　vitals　of

Kala；　the　great　she…ape；　and　robbed　the　youth；　Tarzan；　of

the　only　mother　he　had　ever　known。



He　recalled　the　murder　of　King　by　the　rat…faced　Snipes；

the　abandonment　of　Professor　Porter　and　his　party　by　the

mutineers　of　the　ARROW；　the　cruelty　of　the　black　warriors

and　women　of　Mbonga　to　their　captives；　the　petty　jealousies　of

the　civil　and　military　officers　of　the　West　Coast　colony　that

had　afforded　him　his　first　introduction　to　the　civilized　world。



〃MON　DIEU！〃　he　soliloquized；　〃but　they　are　all　alike。

Cheating；　murdering；　lying；　fighting；　and　all　for　things　that

the　beasts　of　the　jungle　would　not　deign　to　possessmoney

to　purchase　the　effeminate　pleasures　of　weaklings。　　And　yet

withal　bound　down　by　silly　customs　that　make　them　slaves　to

their　unhappy　lot　while　firm　in　the　belief　that　they　be　the

lords　of　creation　enjoying　the　only　real　pleasures　of　existence。

In　the　jungle　one　would　scarcely　stand　supinely　aside　while

another　took　his　mate。　　It　is　a　silly　world；　an　idiotic　world；

and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　a　fool　to　renounce　the　freedom　and

the　happiness　of　his　jungle　to　come　into　it。〃



Presently；　as　he　sat　there；　the　sudden　feeling　came　over

him　that　eyes　were　watching　from　behind；　and　the　old

instinct　of　the　wild　beast　broke　through　the　thin　veneer　of

civilization；　so　that　Tarzan　wheeled　about　so　quickly　that　the

eyes　of　the　young　woman　who　had　been　surreptitiously　regarding

him　had　not　even　time　to　drop　before　the　gray　eyes

of　the　ape…man　shot　an　inquiring　look　straight　into　them。

Then；　as　they　fell；　Tarzan　saw　a　faint　wave　of　crimson　creep

swiftly　over　the　now　half…averted　face。



He　smiled　to　himself　at　the　result　of　his　very　uncivilized　and

ungallant　action；　for　he　had　not　lowered　his　own　eyes　when

they　met　those　of　the　young　woman。　　She　was　very　young；

and　equally　good　to　look　upon。　　Further；　there　was　something

rather　familiar　about　her　that　set　Tarzan　to　wondering

where　he　had　seen　her　before。　　He　resumed　his　former　position；

and　presently　he　was　aware　that　she　had　arisen　and　was

leaving　the　deck。　　As　she　passed；　Tarzan　turned　to　watch　her；

in　the　hope　that　he　might　discover　a　clew　to　satisfy　his　mild

curiosity　as　to　her　identity。



Nor　was　he　disappointed　entirely；　for　as　she　walked　away

she　raised　one　hand　to　the　black；　waving　mass　at　the　nape

of　her　neckthe　peculiarly　feminine　gesture　that　admits

cognizance　of　appraising　eyes　behind　herand　Tarzan　saw

upon　a　finger　of　this　hand　the　ring　of　strange　workmanship

that　he　had　seen　upon　the　finger　of　the　veiled　woman　a　short

time　before。



So　it　was　this　beautiful　young　woman　Rokoff　had　been

persecuting。　　Tarzan　wondered　in　a　lazy　sort　of　way　whom

she　might　be；　and　what　relations　one　so　lovely　could　have

with　the　surly；　bearded　Russian。



After　dinner　that　evening　Tarzan　strolled　forward；　where

he　remained　until　after　dark；　in　conversation　with　the　second

officer；　and　when　that　gentleman's　duties　called　him　elsewhere

Tarzan　lolled　lazily　by　the　rail　watching　the　play　of

the　moonlight　upon　the　gently　rolling　waters。　　He　was

half　hidden　by　a　davit；　so　that　two　men　who　approached

along　the　deck　did　not　see　him；　and　as　they　passed　Tarzan

caught　enough　of　their　conversation　to　cause　him　to　fall　in

behind　them；　to　follow　and　learn　what　deviltry　they　were　up

to。　　He　had　recognized　the　voice　as　that　of　Rokoff；　and　had

seen　that　his　companion　was　Paulvitch。



Tarzan　had　overheard　but　a　few　words：　　〃And　if　she　screams

you　may　choke　her　until〃　　But　those　had　been　enough　to

arouse　the　spirit　of　adventure　within　him；　and　so　he　kept　the

two　men　in　sight　as　they　walked；　briskly　now；　along　the　deck。

To　the　smoking…room　he　followed　them；　but　they　merely

halted　at　the　doorway　long　enough；　apparently；　to　assure

themselves　that　one　whose　whereabouts　they　wished　to

establish　was　within。



Then　they　proceeded　directly　to　the　first…class　cabins　upon

the　promenade　deck。　　Here　Tarzan　found　greater　difficulty

in　escaping　detection；　but　he　managed　to　do　so　successfully。

As　they　halted　before　one　of　the　polished　hardwood　doors；

Tarzan　slipped　into　the　shadow　of　a　passageway　not　a　dozen

feet　from　them。



To　their　knock　a　woman's　voice　asked　in　French：　　〃Who　is　it？〃



〃It　is　I；　OlgaNikolas；〃　was　the　answer；　in　Rokoff's　now

familiar　guttural。　　〃May　I　come　in？〃



〃Why　do　you　not　cease　persecuting　me；　Nikolas？〃　came

the　voice　of　the　woman　from　beyond　the　thin　panel。

〃I　have　never　harmed　you。〃



〃Come；　come；　Olga；〃　urged　the　man；　in　propitiary　tones；

〃I　but　ask　a　half　dozen　words　with　you。　　I　shall　not　harm　you；

nor　shall　I　enter　your　cabin；　but　I　cannot　shout　my　message

through　the　door。〃



Tarzan　heard　the　catch　click　as　it　was　released　from　the

inside。　　He　stepped　out　from　his　hiding…place　far　enough　to

see　what　transpired　when　the　door　was　opened；　for　he　could

not　but　recall　the　sinister　words　he　had　heard　a　few　moments

before　upon　the　deck；　〃And　if　she　screams　you　may　choke　her。〃



Rokoff　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　the　door。　　Paulvitch

had　flattened　himself　against　the　paneled　wall　of　the　corridor

beyond。　　The　door　opened。　　Rokoff　half　entered　the　room；　and

stood　with　his　back　against　the　door；　speaking　in　a　low　whisper

to　the　woman；　whom　Tarzan　could　not　see。　　Then　Tarzan　heard　the

woman's　voice；　level；　but　loud　enough　to　distinguish　her　words。



〃No；　Nikolas；〃　she　was　saying；　〃it　is　useless。　　Threaten　as　you

will；　I　shall　never　accede　to　your　demands。　　Leave　the　room；

please；　you　have　no　right　here。　　You　promised　not　to　enter。〃



〃Very　well；　Olga；　I　shall　not　enter；　but　before　I　am　done

with　you；　you　shall　wish　a　thousand　times　that　you　had

done　at　once　the　favor　I　have　asked。　　In　the　end　I　shall　win

anyway；　so　you　might　as　well　save　trouble　and　time　for　me；

and　disgrace　for　yourself　and　your〃



〃Never；　Nikolas！〃　interrupted　the　woman；　and　then　Tarzan

saw　Rokoff　turn　and　nod　to　Paulvitch；　who　sprang　quickly

toward　the　doorway　of　the　cabin；　rushing　in　past　Rokoff；　who

held　the　door　open　for　him。　　Then　the　latter　stepped　quickly　out。

The　door　closed。　　Tarzan　heard　the　click　of　the　lock　as

Paulvitch　turned　it　from　the　inside。　　Rokoff　remained　standing

before　the　door；　with　head　bent；　as　though　to　catch　the　words

of　the　two　within。　　A　nasty　smile　curled　his　bearded　lip。



Tarzan　could　hear　the　woman's　voice　commanding　the　fellow　to

leave　her　cabin。　　〃I　shall　send　for　my　husband；〃　she　cried。

〃He　will　show　you　no　mercy。〃



Paulvitch's　sneering　laugh　came　through　the　polished　panels。



〃The　purser　will　fetch　your　husband；　madame；〃　said　the　man。

〃In　fact；　that　officer　has　already　been　notified　that　you

are　entertaining　a　man　other　than　your　husband　behind　the

locked　door　of　your　cabin。〃



〃Bah！〃　cried　the　woman。　　〃My　husband　will　know！〃



〃Most　assuredly　your　husband　will　know；　but　the　purser

will　not；　nor　will　the　newspaper　men　who　shall　in　some

mysterious　way　hear　of　it　on　our　landing。　　But　they　will

think　it　a　fine　story；　and　so　will　all　your　friends　when　they

read　of　it　at　breakfast　onlet　me　see；　this　is　Tuesdayyes；

when　they　read　of　it　at　breakfast　next　Friday　morning。

Nor　will　it　detract　from　the　interest　they　will　all　feel　when

they　learn　that　the　man　whom　madame　entertained　is　a　Russian

servanther　brother's　valet；　to　be　quite　exact。〃



〃Alexis　Paulvitch；〃　came　the　woman's　voice；　cold　and　fearless；

〃you　are　a　coward；　and　when　I　whisper　a　certain　name

in　your　ear　you　will　think　better　of　your　demands　upon　me

and　your　threats　against　me；　and　then　you　will　leave　my

cabin　quickly；　nor　do　I　think　that　ever　again　will　you；　at

least；　annoy　me；〃　and　there　came　a　moment's　silence　in

which　Tarzan　could　imagine　the　woman　leaning　toward　the

scoundrel　and　whispering　the　thing　she　had　hinted　at　into

his　ear。　　Only　a　moment　of　silence；　and　then　a　startled　oath

from　the　manthe　scuffling　of　feeta　woman's　scream

and　silence。



But　scarcely　had　the　cry　ceased　before　the　ape…man　had

leaped　from　his　hiding…place。　　Rokoff　started　to　run；　but

Tarzan　grasped　him　by　the　collar　and　dragged　him　back。

Neither　spoke；　for　both　felt　instinctively　that　murder　was

being　done　in　that　room；　and　Tarzan　was　confident　that　Rokoff

had　had　no　intention　that　his　confederate　should　go　that

farhe　felt　that　the　man's　aims　were　deeper　than　thatdeeper

and　even　more　sinister　than　brutal；　cold…blooded　murder。

Without　hesitating　to　question　those　within；　the　ape…man

threw　his　giant　shoulder　against　the　frail　panel；　and　in　a

shower　of　splintered　wood　he　entered　the　cabin；　dragging

Rokoff　after　him。　　Before　him；　on　a　couch；　the　woman　lay；

and　on　top　of　her　was　Paulvitch；　his　fingers　gripping　the

fair　throat；　while　his　victim's　hands　beat　futilely　at　his　face；

tearing　desperately　at　the　cruel　fingers　that　were　forcing　the

life　from　her。



The　noise　of　his　entrance　brought　Paulvitch　to　his　feet；

where　he　stood　glowering　menacingly　at　Tarzan。　　The　girl

rose　falteringly　to　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　couch。

One　hand　was　at　her　throat；　and　her　breath　came　in　little　gasps。

Although　disheveled　and　very　pale；　Tarzan　recognized　her

as　the　young　woman　whom　he　had　caught　staring　at　him　on

deck　earlier　in　the　day。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　Tarzan；　turning　to　Rokoff；

whom　he　intuitively　singled　out　as　the　instigator　of　the　outrage。

The　man　remained　silen