the return of tarzan-第38章

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

girl　already　had　endured。



But　she　guessed　what　he　would　have　said。



〃Where　is　he？〃　she　asked。



Clayton　nodded　his　head　toward　the　prostrate　form　of

the　Russian。　　For　a　time　neither　spoke。



〃I　will　see　if　I　can　revive　him；〃　said　Clayton　at　length。



〃No；〃　she　whispered；　extending　a　detaining　hand　toward　him。

〃Do　not　do　thathe　will　kill　you　when　the　water　has

given　him　strength。　　If　he　is　dying；　let　him　die。　　Do　not　leave

me　alone　in　this　boat　with　that　beast。〃



Clayton　hesitated。　　His　honor　demanded　that　he　attempt

to　revive　Thuran；　and　there　was　the　possibility；　too；　that　the

Russian　was　beyond　human　aid。　　It　was　not　dishonorable　to

hope　so。　　As　he　sat　fighting　out　his　battle　he　presently　raised

his　eyes　from　the　body　of　the　man；　and　as　they　passed　above

the　gunwale　of　the　boat　he　staggered　weakly　to　his　feet　with

a　little　cry　of　joy。



〃Land；　Jane！〃　he　almost　shouted　through　his　cracked　lips。

〃Thank　God；　land！〃



The　girl　looked；　too；　and　there；　not　a　hundred　yards　away；

she　saw　a　yellow　beach；　and；　beyond；　the　luxurious　foliage

of　a　tropical　jungle。



〃Now　you　may　revive　him；〃　said　Jane　Porter；　for　she；　too；

had　been　haunted　with　the　pangs　of　conscience　which　had

resulted　from　her　decision　to　prevent　Clayton　from　offering

succor　to　their　companion。



It　required　the　better　part　of　half　an　hour　before　the

Russian　evinced　sufficient　symptoms　of　returning　consciousness

to　open　his　eyes；　and　it　was　some　time　later　before

they　could　bring　him　to　a　realization　of　their　good　fortune。

By　this　time　the　boat　was　scraping　gently　upon　the　sandy　bottom。



Between　the　refreshing　water　that　he　had　drunk　and　the

stimulus　of　renewed　hope；　Clayton　found　strength　to　stagger

through　the　shallow　water　to　the　shore　with　a　line　made

fast　to　the　boat's　bow。　　This　he　fastened　to　a　small　tree　which

grew　at　the　top　of　a　low　bank；　for　the　tide　was　at　flood；　and

he　feared　that　the　boat　might　carry　them　all　out　to　sea　again

with　the　ebb；　since　it　was　quite　likely　that　it　would　be　beyond

his　strength　to　get　Jane　Porter　to　the　shore　for　several　hours。

Next　he　managed　to　stagger　and　crawl　toward　the　near…

by　jungle；　where　he　had　seen　evidences　of　profusion　of

tropical　fruit。　　His　former　experience　in　the　jungle　of

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　taught　him　which　of　the　many　growing

things　were　edible；　and　after　nearly　an　hour　of　absence　he

returned　to　the　beach　with　a　little　armful　of　food。



The　rain　had　ceased；　and　the　hot　sun　was　beating　down　so

mercilessly　upon　her　that　Jane　Porter　insisted　on　making　an

immediate　attempt　to　gain　the　land。　　Still　further　invigorated

by　the　food　Clayton　had　brought；　the　three　were　able　to　reach

the　half　shade　of　the　small　tree　to　which　their　boat　was　moored。

Here；　thoroughly　exhausted；　they　threw　themselves　down　to　rest；

sleeping　until　dark。



For　a　month　they　lived　upon　the　beach　in　comparative　safety。

As　their　strength　returned　the　two　men　constructed　a　rude

shelter　in　the　branches　of　a　tree；　high　enough　from　the

ground　to　insure　safety　from　the　larger　beasts　of　prey。

By　day　they　gathered　fruits　and　trapped　small　rodents；　at　night

they　lay　cowering　within　their　frail　shelter　while　savage

denizens　of　the　jungle　made　hideous　the　hours　of　darkness。



They　slept　upon　litters　of　jungle　grasses；　and　for　covering

at　night　Jane　Porter　had　only　an　old　ulster　that　belonged

to　Clayton；　the　same　garment　that　he　had　worn　upon　that

memorable　trip　to　the　Wisconsin　woods。　　Clayton　had　erected

a　frail　partition　of　boughs　to　divide　their　arboreal　shelter

into　two　roomsone　for　the　girl　and　the　other　for　Monsieur

Thuran　and　himself。



From　the　first　the　Russian　had　exhibited　every　trait　of　his

true　characterselfishness；　boorishness；　arrogance；

cowardice；　and　lust。　　Twice　had　he　and　Clayton　come　to

blows　because　of　Thuran's　attitude　toward　the　girl。

Clayton　dared　not　leave　her　alone　with　him　for　an　instant。

The　existence　of　the　Englishman　and　his　fiancee　was　one

continual　nightmare　of　horror；　and　yet　they　lived　on　in

hope　of　ultimate　rescue。



Jane　Porter's　thoughts　often　reverted　to　her　other　experience

on　this　savage　shore。　　Ah；　if　the　invincible　forest　god

of　that　dead　past　were　but　with　them　now。　　No　longer　would

there　be　aught　to　fear　from　prowling　beasts；　or　from　the

bestial　Russian。　　She　could　not　well　refrain　from　comparing

the　scant　protection　afforded　her　by　Clayton　with　what　she

might　have　expected　had　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　been　for　a

single　instant　confronted　by　the　sinister　and　menacing

attitude　of　Monsieur　Thuran。　　Once；　when　Clayton　had　gone

to　the　little　stream　for　water；　and　Thuran　had　spoken　coarsely

to　her；　she　voiced　her　thoughts。



〃It　is　well　for　you；　Monsieur　Thuran；〃　she　said；　〃that　the

poor　Monsieur　Tarzan　who　was　lost　from　the　ship　that　brought

you　and　Miss　Strong　to　Cape　Town　is　not　here　now。〃



〃You　knew　the　pig？〃　asked　Thuran；　with　a　sneer。



〃I　knew　the　man；〃　she　replied。　　〃The　only　real　man；　I

think；　that　I　have　ever　known。〃



There　was　something　in　her　tone　of　voice　that　led　the　Russian

to　attribute　to　her　a　deeper　feeling　for　his　enemy　than

friendship；　and　he　grasped　at　the　suggestion　to　be　further

revenged　upon　the　man　whom　he　supposed　dead　by　besmirching

his　memory　to　the　girl。



〃He　was　worse　than　a　pig；〃　he　cried。　　〃He　was　a　poltroon

and　a　coward。　　To　save　himself　from　the　righteous　wrath　of

the　husband　of　a　woman　he　had　wronged；　he　perjured　his

soul　in　an　attempt　to　place　the　blame　entirely　upon　her。

Not　succeeding　in　this；　he　ran　away　from　France　to　escape

meeting　the　husband　upon　the　field　of　honor。　　That　is　why

he　was　on　board　the　ship　that　bore　Miss　Strong　and　myself　to

Cape　Town。　　I　know　whereof　I　speak；　for　the　woman　in　the

case　is　my　sister。　　Something　more　I　know　that　I　have　never

told　anotheryour　brave　Monsieur　Tarzan　leaped　overboard

in　an　agony　of　fear　because　I　recognized　him；　and　insisted

that　he　make　reparation　to　me　the　following　morningwe

could　have　fought　with　knives　in　my　stateroom。〃



Jane　Porter　laughed。　　〃You　do　not　for　a　moment　imagine

that　one　who　has　known　both　Monsieur　Tarzan　and　you

could　ever　believe　such　an　impossible　tale？〃



〃Then　why　did　he　travel　under　an　assumed　name？〃　asked

Monsieur　Thuran。



〃I　do　not　believe　you；〃　she　cried；　but　nevertheless　the

seed　of　suspicion　was　sown；　for　she　knew　that　Hazel　Strong

had　known　her　forest　god　only　as　John　Caldwell；　of　London。



A　scant　five　miles　north　of　their　rude　shelter；　all　unknown

to　them；　and　practically　as　remote　as　though　separated　by

thousands　of　miles　of　impenetrable　jungle；　lay　the　snug

little　cabin　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　　While　farther　up　the

coast；　a　few　miles　beyond　the　cabin；　in　crude　but　well…built

shelters；　lived　a　little　party　of　eighteen　soulsthe　occupants

of　the　three　boats　from　the　LADY　ALICE　from　which　Clayton's

boat　had　become　separated。



Over　a　smooth　sea　they　had　rowed　to　the　mainland　in　less

than　three　days。　　None　of　the　horrors　of　shipwreck　had　been

theirs；　and　though　depressed　by　sorrow；　and　suffering　from

the　shock　of　the　catastrophe　and　the　unaccustomed　hardships

of　their　new　existence　there　was　none　much　the　worse

for　the　experience。



All　were　buoyed　by　the　hope　that　the　fourth　boat　had

been　picked　up；　and　that　a　thorough　search　of　the　coast

would　be　quickly　made。　　As　all　the　firearms　and　ammunition

on　the　yacht　had　been　placed　in　Lord　Tennington's　boat；

the　party　was　well　equipped　for　defense；　and　for　hunting

the　larger　game　for　food。



Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　was　their　only　immediate　anxiety。

Fully　assured　in　his　own　mind　that　his　daughter　had　been

picked　up　by　a　passing　steamer；　he　gave　over　the　last

vestige　of　apprehension　concerning　her　welfare；　and

devoted　his　giant　intellect　solely　to　the　consideration　of

those　momentous　and　abstruse　scientific　problems　which　he

considered　the　only　proper　food　for　thought　in　one　of

his　erudition。　　His　mind　appeared　blank　to　the　influence

of　all　extraneous　matters。



〃Never；〃　said　the　exhausted　Mr。　Samuel　T。　Philander；　to

Lord　Tennington；　〃never　has　Professor　Porter　been　more

difficulterI　might　say；　impossible。　　Why；　only　this

morning；　after　I　had　been　forced　to　relinquish　my　surveillance

for　a　brief　half　hour　he　was　entirely　missing　upon　my　return。

And；　bless　me；　sir；　where　do　you　imagine　I　discovered　him？

A　half　mile　out　in　the　ocean；　sir；　in　one　of　the　lifeboats；

rowing　away　for　dear　life。　　I　do　not　know　how　he　attained

even　that　magnificent　distance　from　shore；　for　he　had　but　a

single　oar；　with　which　he　was　blissfully　rowing　about　in　circles。



〃When　one　of　the　sailors　had　taken　me　out　to　him　in

another　boat　the　professor　became　quite　indignant　at　my

suggestion　that　we　return　at　once　to　land。　　‘Why；　Mr。　Philander；'

he　said；　‘I　am　surprised　that　you；　sir；　a　man　of　letters

yourself；　should　have　the　temerity　so　to　interrupt　the

progress　of　science。　　I　had　about　deduced　from　certain　astronomic

phenomena　I　have　had　under　minute　observation　during　the

past　several　tropic　nights　an　entirely　new　nebular　hypothesis

which　will　unquestionably　startle　the　scientific　world。　　I　wish

to　consult　a　very　excellent　monograph　on　Laplace's　hypothesis；

which　I　understand　is　in　a　certain　private　collection　in

New　York　City。　　Your　interference；　Mr。　Philander；　will　result

in　an　irreparable　delay；　for　I　was　just　rowing　over　to　obtain

this　pamphlet。'　　And　it　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　I

persuaded　him　to　return　to　shore；　without　resorting　to　force；〃

concluded　Mr。　Philander。



Miss　Strong　and　her　mother　were　very　brave　under　the

strain　of　almost　constant　apprehension　of　the　attacks　of

savage　beasts。　　Nor　were　they　quite　able　to　accept　so　readily

as　the　others　the　theory　that　Jane；　Clayton；　and　Monsieur　Thuran

had　been　picked　up　safely。



Jane　Porter's　Esmeralda　was　in　a　constant　state　of　tears　at　the

cruel　fate　which　had　separated　her　from　her　〃po；　li'le　honey。〃



Lord　Tennington's　great…hearted　good　nature　never　deserted

him　for　a　moment。　　He　was　still　the　jovial　host；　seeking

always　for　the　comfort　and　pleasure　of　his　guests。　　With　the

men　of　his　yacht　he　remained　the　just　but　firm　commander

there　was　never　any　more　question　in　the　jungle　than　there

had　been　on　board　the　LADY　ALICE　as　to　who　was　the　final

authority　in　all　questions　of　importance；　and　in　all

emergencies　requiring　cool　and　intelligent　leadership。



Could　this　well…organized　and　comparatively　secure　party

of　castaways　have　seen　the　ragged；　fear…haunted　trio　a　few

miles　south　of　them　they　would　scarcely　have　recognized　in

them　the　formerly　immaculate　members　of　the　little　company

that　had　laughed　and　played　upon　the　LADY　ALICE。

Clayton　and　Monsieur　Thuran　were　almost　naked；　so　torn

had　their　clothes　been　by　the　thorn　bushes　and　ta