the return of tarzan-第43章

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The　more　Tarzan　thought　of　it；　the　more　keenly　his

conscience　pricked　him。



Finally　he　came　to　loathe　himself　for　permitting　his　own　selfish

sorrow　and　jealousy　to　stand　between　Jane　Porter　and　safety。

As　the　days　passed　the　thing　preyed　more　and　more　upon

his　mind；　and　he　had　about　determined　to　return　to　the

coast　and　place　himself　on　guard　over　Jane　Porter　and

Clayton；　when　news　reached　him　that　altered　all　his　plans

and　sent　him　dashing　madly　toward　the　east　in　reckless

disregard　of　accident　and　death。



Before　Tarzan　had　returned　to　the　tribe；　a　certain　young

bull；　not　being　able　to　secure　a　mate　from　among　his　own

people；　had；　according　to　custom；　fared　forth　through　the

wild　jungle；　like　some　knight…errant　of　old；　to　win　a　fair

lady　from　some　neighboring　community。



He　had　but　just　returned　with　his　bride；　and　was　narrating　his

adventures　quickly　before　he　should　forget　them。　　Among　other

things　he　told　of　seeing　a　great　tribe　of　strange…looking　apes。



〃They　were　all　hairy…faced　bulls　but　one；〃　he　said；　〃and

that　one　was　a　she；　lighter　in　color　even　than　this　stranger；〃

and　he　chucked　a　thumb　at　Tarzan。



The　ape…man　was　all　attention　in　an　instant。　　He　asked

questions　as　rapidly　as　the　slow…witted　anthropoid　could

answer　them。



〃Were　the　bulls　short；　with　crooked　legs？〃



〃They　were。〃



〃Did　they　wear　the　skins　of　Numa　and　Sheeta　about　their

loins；　and　carry　sticks　and　knives？〃



〃They　did。〃



〃And　were　there　many　yellow　rings　about　their　arms　and　legs？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　the　she　onewas　she　small　and　slender；　and　very　white？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Did　she　seem　to　be　one　of　the　tribe；　or　was　she　a　prisoner？〃



〃They　dragged　her　alongsometimes　by　an　armsometimes

by　the　long　hair　that　grew　upon　her　head；　and　always　they

kicked　and　beat　her。　　Oh；　but　it　was　great　fun　to　watch　them。〃



〃God！〃　muttered　Tarzan。



〃Where　were　they　when　you　saw　them；　and　which　way

were　they　going？〃　continued　the　ape…man。



〃They　were　beside　the　second　water　back　there；〃　and　he

pointed　to　the　south。　　〃When　they　passed　me　they　were　going

toward　the　morning；　upward　along　the　edge　of　the　water。〃



〃When　was　this？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Half　a　moon　since。〃



Without　another　word　the　ape…man　sprang　into　the　trees

and　fled　like　a　disembodied　spirit　eastward　in　the　direction

of　the　forgotten　city　of　Opar。







Chapter　24





How　Tarzan　Came　Again　to　Opar





When　Clayton　returned　to　the　shelter　and　found　Jane　Porter

was　missing；　he　became　frantic　with　fear　and　grief。

He　found　Monsieur　Thuran　quite　rational；　the　fever　having

left　him　with　the　surprising　suddenness　which　is　one

of　its　peculiarities。　　The　Russian；　weak　and　exhausted；

still　lay　upon　his　bed　of　grasses　within　the　shelter。



When　Clayton　asked　him　about　the　girl　he　seemed　surprised

to　know　that　she　was　not　there。



〃I　have　heard　nothing　unusual；〃　he　said。　　〃But　then　I　have

been　unconscious　much　of　the　time。〃



Had　it　not　been　for　the　man's　very　evident　weakness；

Clayton　should　have　suspected　him　of　having　sinister

knowledge　of　the　girl's　whereabouts；　but　he　could　see　that

Thuran　lacked　sufficient　vitality　even　to　descend；　unaided；

from　the　shelter。　　He　could　not；　in　his　present　physical

condition；　have　harmed　the　girl；　nor　could　he　have　climbed

the　rude　ladder　back　to　the　shelter。



Until　dark　the　Englishman　searched　the　nearby　jungle　for　a

trace　of　the　missing　one　or　a　sign　of　the　trail　of　her　abductor。

But　though　the　spoor　left　by　the　fifty　frightful　men；

unversed　in　woodcraft　as　they　were；　would　have　been

as　plain　to　the　densest　denizen　of　the　jungle　as　a　city　street

to　the　Englishman；　yet　he　crossed　and　recrossed　it　twenty

times　without　observing　the　slightest　indication　that　many

men　had　passed　that　way　but　a　few　short　hours　since。



As　he　searched；　Clayton　continued　to　call　the　girl's　name

aloud；　but　the　only　result　of　this　was　to　attract　Numa；

the　lion。　　Fortunately　the　man　saw　the　shadowy　form　worming

its　way　toward　him　in　time　to　climb　into　the　branches　of　a　tree

before　the　beast　was　close　enough　to　reach　him。　　This　put　an

end　to　his　search　for　the　balance　of　the　afternoon；　as　the

lion　paced　back　and　forth　beneath　him　until　dark。



Even　after　the　beast　had　left；　Clayton　dared　not　descend

into　the　awful　blackness　beneath　him；　and　so　he　spent　a

terrifying　and　hideous　night　in　the　tree。　　The　next　morning

he　returned　to　the　beach；　relinquishing　the　last　hope　of

succoring　Jane　Porter。



During　the　week　that　followed；　Monsieur　Thuran　rapidly

regained　his　strength；　lying　in　the　shelter　while　Clayton

hunted　food　for　both。　　The　men　never　spoke　except　as

necessity　demanded。　　Clayton　now　occupied　the　section　of

the　shelter　which　had　been　reserved　for　Jane　Porter；　and

only　saw　the　Russian　when　he　took　food　or　water　to　him；　or

performed　the　other　kindly　offices　which　common　humanity　required。



When　Thuran　was　again　able　to　descend　in　search　of　food；

Clayton　was　stricken　with　fever。　　For　days　he　lay　tossing

in　delirium　and　suffering；　but　not　once　did　the　Russian

come　near　him。　　Food　the　Englishman　could　not　have　eaten；

but　his　craving　for　water　amounted　practically　to　torture。

Between　the　recurrent　attacks　of　delirium；　weak　though　he

was；　he　managed　to　reach　the　brook　once　a　day　and　fill　a　tiny

can　that　had　been　among　the　few　appointments　of　the　lifeboat。



Thuran　watched　him　on　these　occasions　with　an　expression

of　malignant　pleasurehe　seemed　really　to　enjoy　the

suffering　of　the　man　who；　despite　the　just　contempt　in　which

he　held　him；　had　ministered　to　him　to　the　best　of　his

ability　while　he　lay　suffering　the　same　agonies。

At　last　Clayton　became　so　weak　that　he　was　no　longer

able　to　descend　from　the　shelter。　　For　a　day　he　suffered　for

water　without　appealing　to　the　Russian；　but　finally；　unable

to　endure　it　longer；　he　asked　Thuran　to　fetch　him　a　drink。

The　Russian　came　to　the　entrance　to　Clayton's　room；　a

dish　of　water　in　his　hand。　　A　nasty　grin　contorted　his　features。



〃Here　is　water；〃　he　said。　　〃But　first　let　me　remind　you　that

you　maligned　me　before　the　girlthat　you　kept　her　to

yourself；　and　would　not　share　her　with　me〃



Clayton　interrupted　him。　　〃Stop！〃　he　cried。　　Stop！

What　manner　of　cur　are　you　that　you　traduce　the　character

of　a　good　woman　whom　we　believe　dead！　　God！　　I　was　a　fool

ever　to　let　you　liveyou　are　not　fit　to　live　even　in

this　vile　land。〃



〃Here　is　your　water；〃　said　the　Russian。　　〃All　you　will

get；〃　and　he　raised　the　basin　to　his　lips　and　drank；　what

was　left　he　threw　out　upon　the　ground　below。　　Then　he　turned

and　left　the　sick　man。



Clayton　rolled　over；　and；　burying　his　face　in　his　arms；　gave

up　the　battle。



The　next　day　Thuran　determined　to　set　out　toward　the

north　along　the　coast；　for　he　knew　that　eventually　he　must

come　to　the　habitations　of　civilized　menat　least　he　could

be　no　worse　off　than　he　was　here；　and；　furthermore；　the

ravings　of　the　dying　Englishman　were　getting　on　his　nerves。

So　he　stole　Clayton's　spear　and　set　off　upon　his　journey。

He　would　have　killed　the　sick　man　before　he　left　had　it　not

occurred　to　him　that　it　would　really　have　been　a　kindness

to　do　so。



That　same　day　he　came　to　a　little　cabin　by　the　beach；

and　his　heart　filled　with　renewed　hope　as　he　saw　this

evidence　of　the　proximity　of　civilization；　for　he　thought　it

but　the　outpost　of　a　nearby　settlement。　　Had　he　known　to

whom　it　belonged；　and　that　its　owner　was　at　that　very　moment

but　a　few　miles　inland；　Nikolas　Rokoff　would　have

fled　the　place　as　he　would　a　pestilence。　　But　he　did　not

know；　and　so　he　remained　for　a　few　days　to　enjoy　the

security　and　comparative　comforts　of　the　cabin。　　Then　he

took　up　his　northward　journey　once　more。



In　Lord　Tennington's　camp　preparations　were　going　forward

to　build　permanent　quarters；　and　then　to　send　out　an

expedition　of　a　few　men　to　the　north　in　search　of　relief。



As　the　days　had　passed　without　bringing　the　longed…for

succor；　hope　that　Jane　Porter；　Clayton；　and　Monsieur　Thuran

had　been　rescued　began　to　die。　　No　one　spoke　of　the　matter

longer　to　Professor　Porter；　and　he　was　so　immersed　in　his

scientific　dreaming　that　he　was　not　aware　of　the　elapse　of　time。



Occasionally　he　would　remark　that　within　a　few　days

they　should　certainly　see　a　steamer　drop　anchor　off　their

shore；　and　that　then　they　should　all　be　reunited　happily。

Sometimes　he　spoke　of　it　as　a　train；　and　wondered　if　it　were

being　delayed　by　snowstorms。



〃If　I　didn't　know　the　dear　old　fellow　so　well　by　now；〃

Tennington　remarked　to　Miss　Strong；　〃I　should　be　quite

certain　that　he　wasernot　quite　right；　don't　you　know。〃

〃If　it　were　not　so　pathetic　it　would　be　ridiculous；〃　said

the　girl；　sadly。　　〃I；　who　have　known　him　all　my　life；　know

how　he　worships　Jane；　but　to　others　it　must　seem　that　he　is

perfectly　callous　to　her　fate。　　It　is　only　that　he　is　so

absolutely　impractical　that　he　cannot　conceive　of　so　real　a

thing　as　death　unless　nearly　certain　proof　of　it　is　thrust

upon　him。〃



〃You'd　never　guess　what　he　was　about　yesterday；〃

continued　Tennington。　　〃I　was　coming　in　alone　from

a　little　hunt　when　I　met　him　walking　rapidly　along　the

game　trail　that　I　was　following　back　to　camp。　　His　hands

were　clasped　beneath　the　tails　of　his　long　black　coat；

and　his　top　hat　was　set　firmly　down　upon　his　head；

as　with　eyes　bent　upon　the　ground　he　hastened　on；

probably　to　some　sudden　death　had　I　not　intercepted　him。



〃‘Why；　where　in　the　world　are　you　bound；　professor？'　I

asked　him。　　‘I　am　going　into　town；　Lord　Tennington；'　he　said；

as　seriously　as　possible；　‘to　complain　to　the　postmaster　about

the　rural　free　delivery　service　we　are　suffering　from　here。

Why；　sir；　I　haven't　had　a　piece　of　mail　in　weeks。　　There　should

be　several　letters　for　me　from　Jane。　　The　matter　must　be

reported　to　Washington　at　once。'



〃And　would　you　believe　it；　Miss　Strong；〃　continued　Tennington；

〃I　had　the　very　deuce　of　a　job　to　convince　the　old

fellow　that　there　was　not　only　no　rural　free　delivery；　but

no　town；　and　that　he　was　not　even　on　the　same　continent　as

Washington；　nor　in　the　same　hemisphere。



〃When　he　did　realize　he　commenced　to　worry　about　his

daughterI　think　it　is　the　first　time　that　he　really

has　appreciated　our　position　here；　or　the　fact　that　Miss

Porter　may　not　have　been　rescued。〃



〃I　hate　to　think　about　it；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　yet　I　can

think　of　nothing　else　than　the　absent　members　of　our　party。〃



〃Let　us　hope　for　the　best；〃　replied　Tennington。　　〃You　yourself

have　set　us　each　a　splendid　example　of　bravery；　for　in　a

way　your　loss　has　been　the　greatest。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃I　could　have　loved　Jane　Porter　no　more

had　she　been　my　own　sister。〃



Tennington　did　not　show　the　surprise　he　felt。　　That　was　not

at　all　what　he　meant。　　He　had　been　much　with　this　fair

daught