the return of tarzan-第40章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　method　of　construction　above　ground。　　Small　pieces　of

granite　of　various　sizes　were　ingeniously　laid　together

without　mortar　to　construct　these　ancient　foundations。



The　first　time　around　the　walls　Tarzan　thought　he　detected

a　strange　phenomenon　for　a　room　with　no　windows　but　a

single　door。　　Again　he　crept　carefully　around　close　to

the　wall。　　No；　he　could　not　be　mistaken！　　He　paused　before

the　center　of　the　wall　opposite　the　door。　　For　a　moment　he

stood　quite　motionless；　then　he　moved　a　few　feet　to　one　side。

Again　he　returned；　only　to　move　a　few　feet　to　the　other　side。



Once　more　he　made　the　entire　circuit　of　the　room；　feeling

carefully　every　foot　of　the　walls。　　Finally　he　stopped　again

before　the　particular　section　that　had　aroused　his　curiosity。

There　was　no　doubt　of　it！　　A　distinct　draft　of　fresh　air　was

blowing　into　the　chamber　through　the　intersection　of　the

masonry　at　that　particular　pointand　nowhere　else。



Tarzan　tested　several　pieces　of　the　granite　which　made　up

the　wall　at　this　spot；　and　finally　was　rewarded　by　finding

one　which　lifted　out　readily。　　It　was　about　ten　inches　wide；

with　a　face　some　three　by　six　inches　showing　within　the　chamber。

One　by　one　the　ape…man　lifted　out　similarly　shaped　stones。

The　wall　at　this　point　was　constructed　entirely；　it　seemed；

of　these　almost　perfect　slabs。　　In　a　short　time　he　had

removed　some　dozen；　when　he　reached　in　to　test　the　next

layer　of　masonry。　　To　his　surprise；　he　felt　nothing　behind　the

masonry　he　had　removed　as　far　as　his　long　arm　could　reach。



It　was　a　matter　of　but　a　few　minutes　to　remove　enough

of　the　wall　to　permit　his　body　to　pass　through　the　aperture。

Directly　ahead　of　him　he　thought　he　discerned　a　faint　glow

scarcely　more　than　a　less　impenetrable　darkness。

Cautiously　he　moved　forward　on　hands　and　knees；　until　at　about

fifteen　feet；　or　the　average　thickness　of　the　foundation

walls；　the　floor　ended　abruptly　in　a　sudden　drop。　　As　far　out

as　he　could　reach　he　felt　nothing；　nor　could　he　find　the

bottom　of　the　black　abyss　that　yawned　before　him；　though；

clinging　to　the　edge　of　the　floor；　he　lowered　his　body　into

the　darkness　to　its　full　length。

Finally　it　occurred　to　him　to　look　up；　and　there　above　him

he　saw　through　a　round　opening　a　tiny　circular　patch　of

starry　sky。　　Feeling　up　along　the　sides　of　the　shaft　as　far

as　he　could　reach；　the　ape…man　discovered　that　so　much　of

the　wall　as　he　could　feel　converged　toward　the　center　of

the　shaft　as　it　rose。　　This　fact　precluded　possibility　of

escape　in　that　direction。



As　he　sat　speculating　on　the　nature　and　uses　of　this

strange　passage　and　its　terminal　shaft；　the　moon　topped

the　opening　above；　letting　a　flood　of　soft；　silvery　light　into

the　shadowy　place。　　Instantly　the　nature　of　the　shaft　became

apparent　to　Tarzan；　for　far　below　him　he　saw　the　shimmering

surface　of　water。　　He　had　come　upon　an　ancient　wellbut

what　was　the　purpose　of　the　connection　between　the　well

and　the　dungeon　in　which　he　had　been　hidden？



As　the　moon　crossed　the　opening　of　the　shaft　its　light

flooded　the　whole　interior；　and　then　Tarzan　saw　directly

across　from　him　another　opening　in　the　opposite　wall。

He　wondered　if　this　might　not　be　the　mouth　of　a　passage

leading　to　possible　escape。　　It　would　be　worth　investigating；

at　least；　and　this　he　determined　to　do。



Quickly　returning　to　the　wall　he　had　demolished　to

explore　what　lay　beyond　it；　he　carried　the　stones　into　the

passageway　and　replaced　them　from　that　side。　　The　deep　deposit

of　dust　which　he　had　noticed　upon　the　blocks　as　he

had　first　removed　them　from　the　wall　had　convinced　him

that　even　if　the　present　occupants　of　the　ancient　pile　had

knowledge　of　this　hidden　passage　they　had　made　no　use　of

it　for　perhaps　generations。



The　wall　replaced；　Tarzan　turned　to　the　shaft；　which　was

some　fifteen　feet　wide　at　this　point。　　To　leap　across　the

intervening　space　was　a　small　matter　to　the　ape…man；　and　a

moment　later　he　was　proceeding　along　a　narrow　tunnel；

moving　cautiously　for　fear　of　being　precipitated　into　another

shaft　such　as　he　had　just　crossed。



He　had　advanced　some　hundred　feet　when　he　came　to　a

flight　of　steps　leading　downward　into　Stygian　gloom。

Some　twenty　feet　below；　the　level　floor　of　the　tunnel

recommenced；　and　shortly　afterward　his　progress　was　stopped

by　a　heavy　wooden　door　which　was　secured　by　massive　wooden

bars　upon　the　side　of　Tarzan's　approach。　　This　fact　suggested

to　the　ape…man　that　he　might　surely　be　in　a　passageway

leading　to　the　outer　world；　for　the　bolts；　barring　progress

from　the　opposite　side；　tended　to　substantiate　this　hypothesis；

unless　it　were　merely　a　prison　to　which　it　led。



Along　the　tops　of　the　bars　were　deep　layers　of　dusta　further

indication　that　the　passage　had　lain　long　unused。　　As　he

pushed　the　massive　obstacle　aside；　its　great　hinges　shrieked

out　in　weird　protest　against　this　unaccustomed　disturbance。

For　a　moment　Tarzan　paused　to　listen　for　any　responsive

note　which　might　indicate　that　the　unusual　night

noise　had　alarmed　the　inmates　of　the　temple；　but　as　he　heard

nothing　he　advanced　beyond　the　doorway。



Carefully　feeling　about；　he　found　himself　within　a　large

chamber；　along　the　walls　of　which；　and　down　the　length　of

the　floor；　were　piled　many　tiers　of　metal　ingots　of　an　odd

though　uniform　shape。　　To　his　groping　hands　they　felt　not

unlike　double…headed　bootjacks。　　The　ingots　were　quite

heavy；　and　but　for　the　enormous　number　of　them　he　would

have　been　positive　that　they　were　gold；　but　the　thought　of

the　fabulous　wealth　these　thousands　of　pounds　of　metal

would　have　represented　were　they　in　reality　gold；　almost

convinced　him　that　they　must　be　of　some　baser　metal。



At　the　far　end　of　the　chamber　he　discovered　another

barred　door；　and　again　the　bars　upon　the　inside　renewed

the　hope　that　he　was　traversing　an　ancient　and　forgotten

passageway　to　liberty。　　Beyond　the　door　the　passage　ran

straight　as　a　war　spear；　and　it　soon　became　evident　to

the　ape…man　that　it　had　already　led　him　beyond　the　outer

walls　of　the　temple。　　If　he　but　knew　the　direction　it　was

leading　him！　　If　toward　the　west；　then　he　must　also　be

beyond　the　city's　outer　walls。



With　increasing　hopes　he　forged　ahead　as　rapidly　as　he

dared；　until　at　the　end　of　half　an　hour　he　came　to　another

flight　of　steps　leading　upward。　　At　the　bottom　this

flight　was　of　concrete；　but　as　he　ascended　his　naked　feet

felt　a　sudden　change　in　the　substance　they　were　treading。

The　steps　of　concrete　had　given　place　to　steps　of　granite。

Feeling　with　his　hands；　the　ape…man　discovered　that　these

latter　were　evidently　hewed　from　rock；　for　there　was　no

crack　to　indicate　a　joint。



For　a　hundred　feet　the　steps　wound　spirally　up；　until　at　a

sudden　turning　Tarzan　came　into　a　narrow　cleft　between

two　rocky　walls。　　Above　him　shone　the　starry　sky；　and　before

him　a　steep　incline　replaced　the　steps　that　had　terminated

at　its　foot。　　Up　this　pathway　Tarzan　hastened；　and　at

its　upper　end　came　out　upon　the　rough　top　of　a　huge

granite　bowlder。



A　mile　away　lay　the　ruined　city　of　Opar；　its　domes　and

turrets　bathed　in　the　soft　light　of　the　equatorial　moon。

Tarzan　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　ingot　he　had　brought　away

with　him。　　For　a　moment　he　examined　it　by　the　moon's　bright

rays；　then　he　raised　his　head　to　look　out　upon　the　ancient

piles　of　crumbling　grandeur　in　the　distance。



〃Opar；〃　he　mused；　〃Opar；　the　enchanted　city　of　a　dead

and　forgotten　past。　　The　city　of　the　beauties　and　the　beasts。

City　of　horrors　and　death；　butcity　of　fabulous　riches。〃

The　ingot　was　of　virgin　gold。



The　bowlder　on　which　Tarzan　found　himself　lay　well　out

in　the　plain　between　the　city　and　the　distant　cliffs　he　and　his

black　warriors　had　scaled　the　morning　previous。　　To　descend

its　rough　and　precipitous　face　was　a　task　of　infinite　labor

and　considerable　peril　even　to　the　ape…man；　but　at　last　he

felt　the　soft　soil　of　the　valley　beneath　his　feet；　and　without

a　backward　glance　at　Opar　he　turned　his　face　toward　the

guardian　cliffs；　and　at　a　rapid　trot　set　off　across　the　valley。



The　sun　was　just　rising　as　he　gained　the　summit　of　the

flat　mountain　at　the　valley's　western　boundary。　　Far　beneath

him　he　saw　smoke　arising　above　the　tree…tops　of　the　forest

at　the　base　of　the　foothills。



〃Man；〃　he　murmured。　　〃And　there　were　fifty　who　went

forth　to　track　me　down。　　Can　it　be　they？〃



Swiftly　he　descended　the　face　of　the　cliff；　and；　dropping

into　a　narrow　ravine　which　led　down　to　the　far　forest；　he

hastened　onward　in　the　direction　of　the　smoke。　　Striking　the

forest's　edge　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　point　at

which　the　slender　column　arose　into　the　still　air；　he　took　to

the　trees。　　Cautiously　he　approached　until　there　suddenly

burst　upon　his　view　a　rude　BOMA；　in　the　center　of　which；

squatted　about　their　tiny　fires；　sat　his　fifty　black　Waziri。

He　called　to　them　in　their　own　tongue：



〃Arise；　my　children；　and　greet　thy　king！〃



With　exclamations　of　surprise　and　fear　the　warriors　leaped

to　their　feet；　scarcely　knowing　whether　to　flee　or　not。

Then　Tarzan　dropped　lightly　from　an　overhanging　branch　into

their　midst。　　When　they　realized　that　it　was　indeed　their

chief　in　the　flesh；　and　no　materialized　spirit；　they　went　mad

with　joy。



〃We　were　cowards；　oh；　Waziri；〃　cried　Busuli。　　〃We　ran

away　and　left　you　to　your　fate；　but　when　our　panic　was

over　we　swore　to　return　and　save　you；　or　at　least　take

revenge　upon　your　murderers。　　We　were　but　now　preparing　to

scale　the　heights　once　more　and　cross　the　desolate　valley　to

the　terrible　city。〃



〃Have　you　seen　fifty　frightful　men　pass　down　from　the

cliffs　into　this　forest；　my　children？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Yes；　Waziri；〃　replied　Busuli。　　〃They　passed　us　late　yesterday；

as　we　were　about　to　turn　back　after　you。　　They　had　no　woodcraft。

We　heard　them　coming　for　a　mile　before　we　saw　them；　and　as　we

had　other　business　in　hand　we　withdrew　into　the　forest　and　let

them　pass。　　They　were　waddling　rapidly　along　upon　short　legs；

and　now　and　then　one　would　go　upon　all　fours　like　Bolgani；

the　gorilla。　　They　were　indeed　fifty　frightful　men；　Waziri。〃



When　Tarzan　had　related　his　adventures　and　told　them

of　the　yellow　metal　he　had　found；　not　one　demurred　when

he　outlined　a　plan　to　return　by　night　and　bring　away　what

they　could　carry　of　the　vast　treasure；　and　so　it　was　that　as

dusk　fell　across　the　desolate　valley　of　Opar　fifty　ebon

warriors　trailed　at　a　smart　trot　over　the　dry　and　dusty

ground　toward　the　giant　bowlder　that　loomed　before　the　city。



If　it　had　seemed　a　difficult　task　to　descend　the　face　of

the　bowlder；　Tarzan　soon　found　that　it　would　be　next　to

impossible　to　get　his　fifty　warriors　to　the　summit。　　Finally　the

feat　was　accomplished　by　dint　of　herculean　efforts　upon　the

part　of　the　ape…man。　　Ten　spears　were　fastened　end　to　end；

and　with　one　end　of　this　remarkab