the return of tarzan-第34章

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Horrible　days　of　increasing　weakness　and　hopelessness。

At　length　Monsieur　Thuran　crawled　to　where　Clayton　lay。



〃We　must　draw　once　more　before　we　are　too　weak　even　to　eat；〃

he　whispered。



Clayton　was　in　such　a　state　that　he　was　scarcely　master　of

his　own　will。　　Jane　Porter　had　not　spoken　for　three　days。

He　knew　that　she　was　dying。　　Horrible　as　the　thought　was；

he　hoped　that　the　sacrifice　of　either　Thuran　or　himself　might

be　the　means　of　giving　her　renewed　strength；　and　so　he

immediately　agreed　to　the　Russian's　proposal。



They　drew　under　the　same　plan　as　before；　but　there

could　be　but　one　resultClayton　drew　the　1875　piece。



〃When　shall　it　be？〃　he　asked　Thuran。



The　Russian　had　already　drawn　a　pocketknife　from　his　trousers；

and　was　weakly　attempting　to　open　it。



〃Now；〃　he　muttered；　and　his　greedy　eyes　gloated　upon　the　Englishman。



〃Can't　you　wait　until　dark？〃　asked　Clayton。　　〃Miss　Porter

must　not　see　this　thing　done。　　We　were　to　have　been　married；

you　know。〃



A　look　of　disappointment　came　over　Monsieur　Thuran's　face。



〃Very　well；〃　he　replied　hesitatingly。　　〃It　will　not　be　long

until　night。　　I　have　waited　for　many　daysI　can　wait　a　few

hours　longer。〃



〃Thank　you；　my　friend；〃　murmured　Clayton。　　〃Now　I　shall　go

to　her　side　and　remain　with　her　until　it　is　time。　　I　would

like　to　have　an　hour　or　two　with　her　before　I　die。〃



When　Clayton　reached　the　girl's　side　she　was　unconscious

he　knew　that　she　was　dying；　and　he　was　glad　that　she

should　not　have　to　see　or　know　the　awful　tragedy　that　was

shortly　to　be　enacted。　　He　took　her　hand　and　raised　it　to　his

cracked　and　swollen　lips。　　For　a　long　time　he　lay　caressing　the

emaciated；　clawlike　thing　that　had　once　been　the　beautiful；

shapely　white　hand　of　the　young　Baltimore　belle。



It　was　quite　dark　before　he　knew　it；　but　he　was　recalled

to　himself　by　a　voice　out　of　the　night。　　It　was　the　Russian

calling　him　to　his　doom。



〃I　am　coming；　Monsieur　Thuran；〃　he　hastened　to　reply。



Thrice　he　attempted　to　turn　himself　upon　his　hands　and

knees；　that　he　might　crawl　back　to　his　death；　but　in　the

few　hours　that　he　had　lain　there　he　had　become　too

weak　to　return　to　Thuran's　side。



〃You　will　have　to　come　to　me；　monsieur；〃　he　called　weakly。

〃I　have　not　sufficient　strength　to　gain　my　hands　and　knees。〃



〃SAPRISTI！〃　muttered　Monsieur　Thuran。　　〃You　are　attempting

to　cheat　me　out　of　my　winnings。〃



Clayton　heard　the　man　shuffling　about　in　the　bottom　of

the　boat。　　Finally　there　was　a　despairing　groan。　　〃I　cannot

crawl；〃　he　heard　the　Russian　wail。　　〃It　is　too　late。　　You　have

tricked　me；　you　dirty　English　dog。〃



〃I　have　not　tricked　you；　monsieur；〃　replied　Clayton。

〃I　have　done　my　best　to　rise；　but　I　shall　try　again；

and　if　you　will　try　possibly　each　of　us　can　crawl　halfway；

and　then　you　shall　have　your　‘winnings。'〃



Again　Clayton　exerted　his　remaining　strength　to　the　utmost；

and　he　heard　Thuran　apparently　doing　the　same。　　Nearly　an　hour

later　the　Englishman　succeeded　in　raising　himself　to　his

hands　and　knees；　but　at　the　first　forward　movement

he　pitched　upon　his　face。



A　moment　later　he　heard　an　exclamation　of　relief　from

Monsieur　Thuran。



〃I　am　coming；〃　whispered　the　Russian。



Again　Clayton　essayed　to　stagger　on　to　meet　his　fate；　but

once　more　he　pitched　headlong　to　the　boat's　bottom；　nor；

try　as　he　would；　could　he　again　rise。　　His　last　effort　caused

him　to　roll　over　on　his　back；　and　there　he　lay　looking　up　at

the　stars；　while　behind　him；　coming　ever　nearer　and　nearer；

he　could　hear　the　laborious　shuffling；　and　the　stertorous

breathing　of　the　Russian。



It　seemed　that　he　must　have　lain　thus　an　hour　waiting　for　the

thing　to　crawl　out　of　the　dark　and　end　his　misery。　　It　was　quite

close　now；　but　there　were　longer　and　longer　pauses　between

its　efforts　to　advance；　and　each　forward　movement　seemed

to　the　waiting　Englishman　to　be　almost　imperceptible。



Finally　he　knew　that　Thuran　was　quite　close　beside　him。

He　heard　a　cackling　laugh；　something　touched　his　face；　and

he　lost　consciousness。







Chapter　19





The　City　of　Gold





The　very　night　that　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　became　chief　of

the　Waziri　the　woman　he　loved　lay　dying　in　a　tiny　boat

two　hundred　miles　west　of　him　upon　the　Atlantic。

As　he　danced　among　his　naked　fellow　savages；　the　firelight

gleaming　against　his　great；　rolling　muscles；　the

personification　of　physical　perfection　and　strength；

the　woman　who　loved　him　lay　thin　and　emaciated　in　the

last　coma　that　precedes　death　by　thirst　and　starvation。



The　week　following　the　induction　of　Tarzan　into　the　kingship

of　the　Waziri　was　occupied　in　escorting　the　Manyuema　of

the　Arab　raiders　to　the　northern　boundary　of　Waziri　in

accordance　with　the　promise　which　Tarzan　had　made　them。

Before　he　left　them　he　exacted　a　pledge　from　them　that　they

would　not　lead　any　expeditions　against　the　Waziri　in　the

future；　nor　was　it　a　difficult　promise　to　obtain。　　They　had　had

sufficient　experience　with　the　fighting　tactics　of　the　new

Waziri　chief　not　to　have　the　slightest　desire　to　accompany

another　predatory　force　within　the　boundaries　of　his　domain。



Almost　immediately　upon　his　return　to　the　village　Tarzan

commenced　making　preparations　for　leading　an　expedition

in　search　of　the　ruined　city　of　gold　which　old　Waziri　had

described　to　him。　　He　selected　fifty　of　the　sturdiest

warriors　of　his　tribe；　choosing　only　men　who　seemed　anxious

to　accompany　him　on　the　arduous　march；　and　share　the　dangers

of　a　new　and　hostile　country。



The　fabulous　wealth　of　the　fabled　city　had　been　almost

constantly　in　his　mind　since　Waziri　had　recounted　the

strange　adventures　of　the　former　expedition　which　had

stumbled　upon　the　vast　ruins　by　chance。　　The　lure　of

adventure　may　have　been　quite　as　powerful　a　factor　in　urging

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　to　undertake　the　journey　as　the　lure　of

gold；　but　the　lure　of　gold　was　there；　too；　for　he　had　learned

among　civilized　men　something　of　the　miracles　that　may

be　wrought　by　the　possessor　of　the　magic　yellow　metal。　　What

he　would　do　with　a　golden　fortune　in　the　heart　of　savage

Africa　it　had　not　occurred　to　him　to　considerit　would　be

enough　to　possess　the　power　to　work　wonders；　even　though　he

never　had　an　opportunity　to　employ　it。



So　one　glorious　tropical　morning　Waziri；　chief　of　the　Waziri；

set　out　at　the　head　of　fifty　clean…limbed　ebon　warriors

in　quest　of　adventure　and　of　riches。　　They　followed　the　course

which　old　Waziri　had　described　to　Tarzan。　　For　days　they

marchedup　one　river；　across　a　low　divide；　down　another

river；　up　a　third；　until　at　the　end　of　the　twenty…fifth　day

they　camped　upon　a　mountainside；　from　the　summit　of

which　they　hoped　to　catch　their　first　view　of　the　marvelous

city　of　treasure。



Early　the　next　morning　they　were　climbing　the　almost

perpendicular　crags　which　formed　the　last；　but　greatest；

natural　barrier　between　them　and　their　destination。

It　was　nearly　noon　before　Tarzan；　who　headed　the　thin

line　of　climbing　warriors；　scrambled　over　the　top　of

the　last　cliff　and　stood　upon　the　little　flat　table…land

of　the　mountaintop。



On　either　hand　towered　mighty　peaks　thousands　of　feet

higher　than　the　pass　through　which　they　were　entering　the

forbidden　valley。　　Behind　him　stretched　the　wooded　valley

across　which　they　had　marched　for　many　days；　and　at　the

opposite　side　the　low　range　which　marked　the　boundary　of

their　own　country。



But　before　him　was　the　view　that　centered　his　attention。

Here　lay　a　desolate　valleya　shallow；　narrow　valley　dotted

with　stunted　trees　and　covered　with　many　great　bowlders。　

And　on　the　far　side　of　the　valley　lay　what　appeared　to　be

a　mighty　city；　its　great　walls；　its　lofty　spires；　its　turrets；

minarets；　and　domes　showing　red　and　yellow　in　the　sunlight。

Tarzan　was　yet　too　far　away　to　note　the　marks　of　ruinto

him　it　appeared　a　wonderful　city　of　magnificent　beauty；

and　in　imagination　he　peopled　its　broad　avenues　and　its　huge

temples　with　a　throng　of　happy；　active　people。



For　an　hour　the　little　expedition　rested　upon　the　mountain…

top；　and　then　Tarzan　led　them　down　into　the　valley　below。

There　was　no　trail；　but　the　way　was　less　arduous　than　the

ascent　of　the　opposite　face　of　the　mountain　had　been。

Once　in　the　valley　their　progress　was　rapid；　so　that　it

was　still　light　when　they　halted　before　the　towering　walls

of　the　ancient　city。



The　outer　wall　was　fifty　feet　in　height　where　it　had　not

fallen　into　ruin；　but　nowhere　as　far　as　they　could　see　had

more　than　ten　or　twenty　feet　of　the　upper　courses　fallen　away。

It　was　still　a　formidable　defense。　　On　several　occasions

Tarzan　had　thought　that　he　discerned　things　moving　behind

the　ruined　portions　of　the　wall　near　to　them；　as　though

creatures　were　watching　them　from　behind　the　bulwarks　of

the　ancient　pile。　　And　often　he　felt　the　sensation　of　unseen

eyes　upon　him；　but　not　once　could　he　be　sure　that　it　was　more

than　imagination。



That　night　they　camped　outside　the　city。　　Once；　at　midnight；

they　were　awakened　by　a　shrill　scream　from　beyond　the　great　wall。

It　was　very　high　at　first；　descending　gradually　until　it

ended　in　a　series　of　dismal　moans。　　It　had　a　strange　effect

upon　the　blacks；　almost　paralyzing　them　with　terror　while

it　lasted；　and　it　was　an　hour　before　the　camp　settled

down　to　sleep　once　more。　　In　the　morning　the　effects　of　it

were　still　visible　in　the　fearful；　sidelong　glances　that　the

Waziri　continually　cast　at　the　massive　and　forbidding　structure

which　loomed　above　them。



It　required　considerable　encouragement　and　urging　on

Tarzan's　part　to　prevent　the　blacks　from　abandoning　the

venture　on　the　spot　and　hastening　back　across　the　valley

toward　the　cliffs　they　had　scaled　the　day　before。　　But　at　length；

by　dint　of　commands；　and　threats　that　he　would　enter　the

city　alone；　they　agreed　to　accompany　him。



For　fifteen　minutes　they　marched　along　the　face　of　the

wall　before　they　discovered　a　means　of　ingress。　　Then　they

came　to　a　narrow　cleft　about　twenty　inches　wide。　　Within；　a

flight　of　concrete　steps；　worn　hollow　by　centuries　of　use；

rose　before　them；　to　disappear　at　a　sharp　turning　of　the

passage　a　few　yards　ahead。



Into　this　narrow　alley　Tarzan　made　his　way；　turning　his

giant　shoulders　sideways　that　they　might　enter　at　all。

Behind　him　trailed　his　black　warriors。　　At　the　turn　in　the

cleft　the　stairs　ended；　and　the　path　was　level；　but　it　wound

and　twisted　in　a　serpentine　fashion；　until　suddenly　at　a　sharp

angle　it　debouched　upon　a　narrow　court；　across　which

loomed　an　inner　wall　equally　as　high　as　the　outer。　　This　inner

wall　was　set　with　little　round　towers　alternating　along　its

entire　summit　with　pointed　monoliths。　　In　places　these　had

fallen；　and　the　wall　was　ruined；　but　it　was　in　a　much　better

state　of　preservation　than　the　outer　wall。



Another　narrow　passage　led　through　th