the return of tarzan-第42章

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of　the　frightful　men。　　Long　before　they　reached　their

journey's　end　her　shoes　had　been　discardedthe　soles

entirely　gone。　　Her　clothes　were　torn　to　mere　shreds　and

tatters；　and　through　the　pitiful　rags　her　once　white　and

tender　skin　showed　raw　and　bleeding　from　contact　with　the

thousand　pitiless　thorns　and　brambles　through　which　she

had　been　dragged。



The　last　two　days　of　the　journey　found　her　in　such　utter

exhaustion　that　no　amount　of　kicking　and　abuse　could　force

her　to　her　poor；　bleeding　feet。　　Outraged　nature　had　reached

the　limit　of　endurance；　and　the　girl　was　physically　powerless

to　raise　herself　even　to　her　knees。



As　the　beasts　surrounded　her；　chattering　threateningly　the

while　they　goaded　her　with　their　cudgels　and　beat　and　kicked

her　with　their　fists　and　feet；　she　lay　with　closed　eyes；

praying　for　the　merciful　death　that　she　knew　alone　could

give　her　surcease　from　suffering；　but　it　did　not　come；　and

presently　the　fifty　frightful　men　realized　that　their　victim

was　no　longer　able　to　walk；　and　so　they　picked　her　up　and

carried　her　the　balance　of　the　journey。



Late　one　afternoon　she　saw　the　ruined　walls　of　a　mighty

city　looming　before　them；　but　so　weak　and　sick　was　she

that　it　inspired　not　the　faintest　shadow　of　interest。

Wherever　they　were　bearing　her；　there　could　be　but　one

end　to　her　captivity　among　these　fierce　half　brutes。



At　last　they　passed　through　two　great　walls　and　came

to　the　ruined　city　within。　　Into　a　crumbling　pile　they　bore

her；　and　here　she　was　surrounded　by　hundreds　more　of　the

same　creatures　that　had　brought　her；　but　among　them　were

females　who　looked　less　horrible。　　At　sight　of　them　the

first　faint　hope　that　she　had　entertained　came　to　mitigate

her　misery。　　But　it　was　short…lived；　for　the　women　offered

her　no　sympathy；　though；　on　the　other　hand；　neither　did

they　abuse　her。



After　she　had　been　inspected　to　the　entire　satisfaction

of　the　inmates　of　the　building　she　was　borne　to　a　dark

chamber　in　the　vaults　beneath；　and　here　upon　the　bare　floor

she　was　left；　with　a　metal　bowl　of　water　and　another　of　food。



For　a　week　she　saw　only　some　of　the　women　whose　duty

it　was　to　bring　her　food　and　water。　　Slowly　her　strength　was

returningsoon　she　would　be　in　fit　condition　to　offer　as

a　sacrifice　to　The　Flaming　God。　　Fortunate　indeed　it　was　that

she　could　not　know　the　fate　for　which　she　was　destined。





As　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　moved　slowly　through　the　jungle

after　casting　the　spear　that　saved　Clayton　and　Jane　Porter

from　the　fangs　of　Numa；　his　mind　was　filled　with　all　the

sorrow　that　belongs　to　a　freshly　opened　heart　wound。



He　was　glad　that　he　had　stayed　his　hand　in　time　to

prevent　the　consummation　of　the　thing　that　in　the　first　mad

wave　of　jealous　wrath　he　had　contemplated。　　Only　the　fraction

of　a　second　had　stood　between　Clayton　and　death　at　the

hands　of　the　ape…man。　　In　the　short　moment　that　had

elapsed　after　he　had　recognized　the　girl　and　her　companion

and　the　relaxing　of　the　taut　muscles　that　held　the　poisoned

shaft　directed　at　the　Englishman's　heart；　Tarzan　had　been

swayed　by　the　swift　and　savage　impulses　of　brute　life。



He　had　seen　the　woman　he　cravedhis　womanhis　mate

in　the　arms　of　another。　　There　had　been　but　one　course

open　to　him；　according　to　the　fierce　jungle　code　that　guided

him　in　this　other　existence；　but　just　before　it　had　become

too　late　the　softer　sentiments　of　his　inherent　chivalry　had

risen　above　the　flaming　fires　of　his　passion　and　saved　him。

A　thousand　times　he　gave　thanks　that　they　had　triumphed

before　his　fingers　had　released　that　polished　arrow。



As　he　contemplated　his　return　to　the　Waziri　the　idea　became

repugnant。　　He　did　not　wish　to　see　a　human　being　again。

At　least　he　would　range　alone　through　the　jungle　for　a　time；

until　the　sharp　edge　of　his　sorrow　had　become　blunted。　　Like　his

fellow　beasts；　he　preferred　to　suffer　in　silence　and　alone。



That　night　he　slept　again　in　the　amphitheater　of　the　apes；

and　for　several　days　he　hunted　from　there；　returning　at　night。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day　he　returned　early。

He　had　lain　stretched　upon　the　soft　grass　of　the　circular

clearing　for　but　a　few　moments　when　he　heard　far　to　the

south　a　familiar　sound。　　It　was　the　passing　through　the

jungle　of　a　band　of　great　apeshe　could　not　mistake　that。

For　several　minutes　he　lay　listening。　　They　were　coming

in　the　direction　of　the　amphitheater。



Tarzan　arose　lazily　and　stretched　himself。　　His　keen　ears

followed　every　movement　of　the　advancing　tribe。　　They　were

upwind；　and　presently　he　caught　their　scent；　though　he　had

not　needed　this　added　evidence　to　assure　him　that　he　was　right。



As　they　came　closer　to　the　amphitheater　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

melted　into　the　branches　upon　the　other　side　of　the　arena。

There　he　waited　to　inspect　the　newcomers。　　Nor　had　he　long

to　wait。



Presently　a　fierce；　hairy　face　appeared　among　the　lower

branches　opposite　him。　　The　cruel　little　eyes　took　in　the

clearing　at　a　glance；　then　there　was　a　chattered　report

returned　to　those　behind。　　Tarzan　could　hear　the　words。

The　scout　was　telling　the　other　members　of　the　tribe　that　the

coast　was　clear　and　that　they　might　enter　the　amphitheater

in　safety。



First　the　leader　dropped　lightly　upon　the　soft　carpet　of

the　grassy　floor；　and　then；　one　by　one；　nearly　a　hundred

anthropoids　followed　him。　　There　were　the　huge　adults　and

several　young。　　A　few　nursing　babes　clung　close　to　the

shaggy　necks　of　their　savage　mothers。



Tarzan　recognized　many　members　of　the　tribe。　　It　was

the　same　into　which　he　had　come　as　a　tiny　babe。　　Many　of

the　adults　had　been　little　apes　during　his　boyhood。　　He　had

frolicked　and　played　about　this　very　jungle　with　them

during　their　brief　childhood。　　He　wondered　if　they　would

remember　himthe　memory　of　some　apes　is　not　overlong；　and

two　years　may　be　an　eternity　to　them。



From　the　talk　which　he　overheard　he　learned　that　they

had　come　to　choose　a　new　kingtheir　late　chief　had　fallen　a

hundred　feet　beneath　a　broken　limb　to　an　untimely　end。



Tarzan　walked　to　the　end　of　an　overhanging　limb　in

plain　view　of　them。　　The　quick　eyes　of　a　female　caught

sight　of　him　first。　　With　a　barking　guttural　she　called

the　attention　of　the　others。　　Several　huge　bulls　stood

erect　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　intruder。　　With　bared

fangs　and　bristling　necks　they　advanced　slowly　toward　him；

with　deep…throated；　ominous　growls。



〃Karnath；　I　am　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　said　the　ape…man　in

the　vernacular　of　the　tribe。　　〃You　remember　me。　　Together　we

teased　Numa　when　we　were　still　little　apes；　throwing　sticks

and　nuts　at　him　from　the　safety　of　high　branches。〃



The　brute　he　had　addressed　stopped　with　a　look　of　half…

comprehending；　dull　wonderment　upon　his　savage　face。



〃And　Magor；〃　continued　Tarzan；　addressing　another；　〃do　you

not　recall　your　former　kinghe　who　slew　the　mighty　Kerchak？

Look　at　me！　　Am　I　not　the　same　Tarzanmighty　hunterinvincible

fighterthat　you　all　knew　for　many　seasons？〃



The　apes　all　crowded　forward　now；　but　more　in　curiosity

than　threatening。　　They　muttered　among　themselves　for

a　few　moments。



〃What　do　you　want　among　us　now？〃　asked　Karnath。



〃Only　peace；〃　answered　the　ape…man。



Again　the　apes　conferred。　　At　length　Karnath　spoke　again。



〃Come　in　peace；　then；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　he　said。



And　so　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　dropped　lightly　to　the　turf

into　the　midst　of　the　fierce　and　hideous　hordehe　had

completed　the　cycle　of　evolution；　and　had　returned　to　be　once

again　a　brute　among　brutes。



There　were　no　greetings　such　as　would　have　taken　place

among　men　after　a　separation　of　two　years。　　The　majority

of　the　apes　went　on　about　the　little　activities　that　the

advent　of　the　ape…man　had　interrupted；　paying　no　further

attention　to　him　than　as　though　he　had　not　been　gone　from

the　tribe　at　all。



One　or　two　young　bulls　who　had　not　been　old　enough

to　remember　him　sidled　up　on　all　fours　to　sniff　at　him；　and

one　bared　his　fangs　and　growled　threateninglyhe　wished

to　put　Tarzan　immediately　into　his　proper　place。　　Had　Tarzan

backed　off；　growling；　the　young　bull　would　quite　probably

have　been　satisfied；　but　always　after　Tarzan's　station　among

his　fellow　apes　would　have　been　beneath　that　of　the　bull

which　had　made　him　step　aside。



But　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　did　not　back　off。　　Instead；　he　swung

his　giant　palm　with　all　the　force　of　his　mighty　muscles；　and；

catching　the　young　bull　alongside　the　head；　sent　him

sprawling　across　the　turf。　　The　ape　was　up　and　at　him　again

in　a　second；　and　this　time　they　closed　with　tearing　fingers

and　rending　fangsor　at　least　that　had　been　the　intention　of

the　young　bull；　but　scarcely　had　they　gone　down；　growling

and　snapping；　than　the　ape…man's　fingers　found　the　throat

of　his　antagonist。



Presently　the　young　bull　ceased　to　struggle；　and　lay　quite　still。

Then　Tarzan　released　his　hold　and　arosehe　did　not　wish　to　kill；

only　to　teach　the　young　ape；　and　others　who　might　be　watching；

that　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　still　master。



The　lesson　served　its　purposethe　young　apes　kept　out

of　his　way；　as　young　apes　should　when　their　betters　were

about；　and　the　old　bulls　made　no　attempt　to　encroach　upon

his　prerogatives。　　For　several　days　the　she…apes　with　young

remained　suspicious　of　him；　and　when　he　ventured　too　near

rushed　upon　him　with　wide　mouths　and　hideous　roars。

Then　Tarzan　discreetly　skipped　out　of　harm's　way；　for

that　also　is　a　custom　among　the　apesonly　mad　bulls　will

attack　a　mother。　　But　after　a　while　even　they　became

accustomed　to　him。



He　hunted　with　them　as　in　days　gone　by；　and　when　they

found　that　his　superior　reason　guided　him　to　the　best　food

sources；　and　that　his　cunning　rope　ensnared　toothsome　game

that　they　seldom　if　ever　tasted；　they　came　again　to　look　up

to　him　as　they　had　in　the　past　after　he　had　become　their　king。

And　so　it　was　that　before　they　left　the　amphitheater　to　return

to　their　wanderings　they　had　once　more　chosen　him　as　their　leader。



The　ape…man　felt　quite　contented　with　his　new　lot。　　He　was

not　happythat　he　never　could　be　again；　but　he　was　at

least　as　far　from　everything　that　might　remind　him　of　his

past　misery　as　he　could　be。　　Long　since　he　had　given　up　every

intention　of　returning　to　civilization；　and　now　he　had　decided

to　see　no　more　his　black　friends　of　the　Waziri。　　He　had

foresworn　humanity　forever。　　He　had　started　life　an　apeas

an　ape　he　would　die。



He　could　not；　however；　erase　from　his　memory　the　fact

that　the　woman　he　loved　was　within　a　short　journey　of　the

stamping…ground　of　his　tribe；　nor　could　he　banish　the

haunting　fear　that　she　might　be　constantly　in　danger。

That　she　was　illy　protected　he　had　seen　in　the　brief

instant　that　had　witnessed　Clayton's　inefficiency。

The　more　Tarzan　thought　of　it；　the　more　keenly　his

conscience　pricked　him。



Finally　he　came　to　loa