the return of tarzan-第37章

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With　foam…flecked　lips　and　bared　fangs　the　mad　sun…worshiper

battled　with　the　tenfold　power　of　the　maniac。　　In　the

blood　lust　of　his　fury　the　creature　had　undergone　a　sudden

reversion　to　type；　which　left　him　a　wild　beast；　forgetful　of

the　dagger　that　projected　from　his　beltthinking　only　of

nature's　weapons　with　which　his　brute　prototype　had　battled。



But　if　he　could　use　his　teeth　and　hands　to　advantage；　he

found　one　even　better　versed　in　the　school　of　savage　warfare

to　which　he　had　reverted；　for　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　closed

with　him；　and　they　fell　to　the　floor　tearing　and　rending　at　one

another　like　two　bull　apes；　while　the　primitive　priestess

stood　flattened　against　the　wall；　watching　with　wide；　fear…

fascinated　eyes　the　growing；　snapping　beasts　at　her　feet。



At　last　she　saw　the　stranger　close　one　mighty　hand　upon

the　throat　of　his　antagonist；　and　as　he　forced　the　bruteman's

head　far　back　rain　blow　after　blow　upon　the　upturned　face。

A　moment　later　he　threw　the　still　thing　from　him；　and；

arising；　shook　himself　like　a　lion。　　He　placed　a　foot

upon　the　carcass　before　him；　and　raised　his　head　to　give　the

victory　cry　of　his　kind；　but　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　opening

above　him　leading　into　the　temple　of　human　sacrifice　he

thought　better　of　his　intended　act。



The　girl；　who　had　been　half　paralyzed　by　fear　as　the　two

men　fought；　had　just　commenced　to　give　thought　to　her

probable　fate　now　that；　though　released　from　the　clutches　of

a　madman；　she　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　one　whom　but　a

moment　before　she　had　been　upon　the　point　of　killing。

She　looked　about　for　some　means　of　escape。　　The　black　mouth

of　a　diverging　corridor　was　near　at　hand；　but　as　she

turned　to　dart　into　it　the　ape…man's　eyes　fell　upon　her；　and

with　a　quick　leap　he　was　at　her　side；　and　a　restraining　hand

was　laid　upon　her　arm。



〃Wait！〃　said　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　in　the　language　of　the

tribe　of　Kerchak。



The　girl　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。



〃Who　are　you；〃　she　whispered；　〃who　speaks　the　language

of　the　first　man？〃



〃I　am　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　he　answered　in　the　vernacular

of　the　anthropoids。



〃What　do　you　want　of　me？〃　she　continued。　　〃For　what

purpose　did　you　save　me　from　Tha？〃



〃I　could　not　see　a　woman　murdered？〃　　It　was　a　half　question

that　answered　her。



〃But　what　do　you　intend　to　do　with　me　now？〃　she　continued。



〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　〃but　you　can　do　something　for　meyou

can　lead　me　out　of　this　place　to　freedom。〃　　He　made　the

suggestion　without　the　slightest　thought　that　she　would　accede。

He　felt　quite　sure　that　the　sacrifice　would　go　on　from　the

point　where　it　had　been　interrupted　if　the　high　priestess

had　her　way；　though　he　was　equally　positive　that　they　would

find　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　unbound　and　with　a　long　dagger

in　his　hand　a　much　less　tractable　victim　than　Tarzan

disarmed　and　bound。



The　girl　stood　looking　at　him　for　a　long　moment　before

she　spoke。



〃You　are　a　very　wonderful　man；〃　she　said。　　〃You　are

such　a　man　as　I　have　seen　in　my　daydreams　ever　since　I

was　a　little　girl。　　You　are　such　a　man　as　I　imagine　the

forbears　of　my　people　must　have　beenthe　great　race　of　people

who　built　this　mighty　city　in　the　heart　of　a　savage　world　that

they　might　wrest　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth　the　fabulous

wealth　for　which　they　had　sacrificed　their　far…distant　civilization。



〃I　cannot　understand　why　you　came　to　my　rescue　in　the

first　place；　and　now　I　cannot　understand　why；　having　me

within　your　power；　you　do　not　wish　to　be　revenged　upon

me　for　having　sentenced　you　to　deathfor　having　almost

put　you　to　death　with　my　own　hand。〃



〃I　presume；〃　replied　the　ape…man；　〃that　you　but　followed

the　teachings　of　your　religion。　　I　cannot　blame　YOU　for　that；

no　matter　what　I　may　think　of　your　creed。　　But　who　are　you

what　people　have　I　fallen　among？〃



〃I　am　La；　high　priestess　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　in　the

city　of　Opar。　　We　are　descendants　of　a　people　who　came　to

this　savage　world　more　than　ten　thousand　years　ago　in　search

of　gold。　　Their　cities　stretched　from　a　great　sea　under　the

rising　sun　to　a　great　sea　into　which　the　sun　descends　at　night

to　cool　his　flaming　brow。　　They　were　very　rich　and　very

powerful；　but　they　lived　only　a　few　months　of　the　year　in

their　magnificent　palaces　here；　the　rest　of　the　time　they

spent　in　their　native　land；　far；　far　to　the　north。



〃Many　ships　went　back　and　forth　between　this　new　world

and　the　old。　　During　the　rainy　season　there　were　but　few

of　the　inhabitants　remained　here；　only　those　who

superintended　the　working　of　the　mines　by　the　black　slaves；

and　the　merchants　who　had　to　stay　to　supply　their　wants；

and　the　soldiers　who　guarded　the　cities　and　the　mines。



〃It　was　at　one　of　these　times　that　the　great　calamity　occurred。

When　the　time　came　for　the　teeming　thousands　to　return　none　came。

For　weeks　the　people　waited。　　Then　they　sent　out　a　great　galley

to　learn　why　no　one　came　from　the　mother　country；　but　though

they　sailed　about　for　many　months；　they　were　unable　to　find

any　trace　of　the　mighty　land　that　had　for　countless　ages

borne　their　ancient　civilizationit　had　sunk　into　the　sea。



〃From　that　day　dated　the　downfall　of　my　people。

Disheartened　and　unhappy；　they　soon　became　a　prey　to　the

black　hordes　of　the　north　and　the　black　hordes　of　the　south。

One　by　one　the　cities　were　deserted　or　overcome。　　The　last

remnant　was　finally　forced　to　take　shelter　within　this　mighty

mountain　fortress。　　Slowly　we　have　dwindled　in　power；　in

civilization；　in　intellect；　in　numbers；　until　now　we　are　no

more　than　a　small　tribe　of　savage　apes。



〃In　fact；　the　apes　live　with　us；　and　have　for　many　ages。

We　call　them　the　first　menwe　speak　their　language　quite

as　much　as　we　do　our　own；　only　in　the　rituals　of　the　temple

do　we　make　any　attempt　to　retain　our　mother　tongue。　　In　time

it　will　be　forgotten；　and　we　will　speak　only　the　language

of　the　apes；　in　time　we　will　no　longer　banish　those　of　our

people　who　mate　with　apes；　and　so　in　time　we　shall　descend

to　the　very　beasts　from　which　ages　ago　our　progenitors　may

have　sprung。〃



〃But　why　are　you　more　human　than　the　others？〃　asked

the　man。



〃For　some　reason　the　women　have　not　reverted　to　savagery

so　rapidly　as　the　men。　　It　may　be　because　only　the

lower　types　of　men　remained　here　at　the　time　of　the　great

catastrophe；　while　the　temples　were　filled　with　the　noblest

daughters　of　the　race。　　My　strain　has　remained　clearer

than　the　rest　because　for　countless　ages　my　foremothers　were

high　priestessesthe　sacred　office　descends　from　mother

to　daughter。　　Our　husbands　are　chosen　for　us　from　the　noblest

in　the　land。　　The　most　perfect　man；　mentally　and　physically；

is　selected　to　be　the　husband　of　the　high　priestess。〃



〃From　what　I　saw　of　the　gentlemen　above；〃　said　Tarzan；

with　a　grin；　〃there　should　be　little　trouble　in　choosing　from

among　them。〃



The　girl　looked　at　him　quizzically　for　a　moment。



〃Do　not　be　sacrilegious；〃　she　said。　　〃They　are　very　holy

menthey　are　priests。〃



〃Then　there　are　others　who　are　better　to　look　upon？〃　he　asked。



〃The　others　are　all　more　ugly　than　the　priests；〃　she　replied。



Tarzan　shuddered　at　her　fate；　for　even　in　the　dim　light　of

the　vault　he　was　impressed　by　her　beauty。



〃But　how　about　myself？〃　he　asked　suddenly。　　〃Are　you

going　to　lead　me　to　liberty？〃



〃You　have　been　chosen　by　The　Flaming　God　as　his　own；〃

she　answered　solemnly。　　〃Not　even　I　have　the　power　to

save　youshould　they　find　you　again。　　But　I　do　not　intend

that　they　shall　find　you。　　You　risked　your　life　to　save　mine。

I　may　do　no　less　for　you。　　It　will　be　no　easy　matterit　may

require　days；　but　in　the　end　I　think　that　I　can　lead　you　beyond

the　walls。　　Come；　they　will　look　here　for　me　presently；　and

if　they　find　us　together　we　shall　both　be　lostthey　would

kill　me　did　they　think　that　I　had　proved　false　to　my　god。〃



〃You　must　not　take　the　risk；　then；〃　he　said　quickly。　　〃I　will

return　to　the　temple；　and　if　I　can　fight　my　way　to　freedom

there　will　be　no　suspicion　thrown　upon　you。〃



But　she　would　not　have　it　so；　and　finally　persuaded　him

to　follow　her；　saying　that　they　had　already　remained　in　the

vault　too　long　to　prevent　suspicion　from　falling　upon　her

even　if　they　returned　to　the　temple。



〃I　will　hide　you；　and　then　return　alone；〃　she　said；　〃telling

them　that　I　was　long　unconscious　after　you　killed　Tha；　and

that　I　do　not　know　whither　you　escaped。〃



And　so　she　led　him　through　winding　corridors　of　gloom；

until　finally　they　came　to　a　small　chamber　into　which　a　little

light　filtered　through　a　stone　grating　in　the　ceiling。



〃This　is　the　Chamber　of　the　Dead；〃　she　said。　　〃None　will

think　of　searching　here　for　youthey　would　not　dare。　　I　will

return　after　it　is　dark。　　By　that　time　I　may　have　found　a

plan　to　effect　your　escape。〃



She　was　gone；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　left　alone　in

the　Chamber　of　the　Dead；　beneath　the　long…dead　city　of　Opar。







Chapter　21





The　Castaways





Clayton　dreamed　that　he　was　drinking　his　fill　of　water；

pure；　delightful　drafts　of　fresh　water。　　With　a　start　he

gained　consciousness　to　find　himself　wet　through　by

torrents　of　rain　that　were　falling　upon　his　body　and　his

upturned　face。　　A　heavy　tropical　shower　was　beating　down

upon　them。　　He　opened　his　mouth　and　drank。　　Presently　he

was　so　revived　and　strengthened　that　he　was　enabled　to

raise　himself　upon　his　hands。　　Across　his　legs　lay

Monsieur　Thuran。　　A　few　feet　aft　Jane　Porter　was　huddled

in　a　pitiful　little　heap　in　the　bottom　of　the　boatshe

was　quite　still。　　Clayton　knew　that　she　was　dead。



After　infinite　labor　he　released　himself　from　Thuran's

pinioning　body；　and　with　renewed　strength　crawled　toward　the　girl。

He　raised　her　head　from　the　rough　boards　of　the　boat's　bottom。

There　might　be　life　in　that　poor；　starved　frame　even　yet。

He　could　not　quite　abandon　all　hope；　and　so　he　seized　a

water…soaked　rag　and　squeezed　the　precious　drops　between

the　swollen　lips　of　the　hideous　thing　that　had　but　a　few

short　days　before　glowed　with　the　resplendent　life　of

happy　youth　and　glorious　beauty。



For　some　time　there　was　no　sign　of　returning　animation；

but　at　last　his　efforts　were　rewarded　by　a　slight　tremor　of

the　half…closed　lids。　　He　chafed　the　thin　hands；　and　forced　a

few　more　drops　of　water　into　the　parched　throat。　　The　girl

opened　her　eyes；　looking　up　at　him　for　a　long　time　before

she　could　recall　her　surroundings。



〃Water？〃　she　whispered。　　〃Are　we　saved？〃



〃It　is　raining；〃　he　explained。　　〃We　may　at　least　drink。

Already　it　has　revived　us　both。〃



〃Monsieur　Thuran？〃　she　asked。　　〃He　did　not　kill　you。　　Is　he　dead？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Clayton。　　〃If　he　lives　and　this

rain　revives　him〃　　But　he　stopped　there；　remembering　too

late　that　he　must　not　add　further　to　the　horrors　which　the

girl　already　had　endured。



But　she　gu