the return of tarzan-第46章

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yet　when　he　stopped　she　put　her　arms　about　his　neck　and

drew　his　lips　down　to　hers　once　more。



〃Am　I　alive　and　a　reality；　or　am　I　but　a　dream？〃　he　asked。



〃If　you　are　not　alive；　my　man；〃　she　answered；　〃I　pray

that　I　may　die　thus　before　I　awaken　to　the　terrible

realities　of　my　last　waking　moments。〃



For　a　while　both　were　silentgazing　into　each　others'

eyes　as　though　each　still　questioned　the　reality　of　the

wonderful　happiness　that　had　come　to　them。　　The　past；　with　all

its　hideous　disappointments　and　horrors；　was　forgottenthe

future　did　not　belong　to　them；　but　the　presentah；　it　was

theirs；　none　could　take　it　from　them。　　It　was　the　girl　who

first　broke　the　sweet　silence。



〃Where　are　we　going；　dear？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　are　we

going　to　do？〃



〃Where　would　you　like　best　to　go？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　would

you　like　best　to　do？〃



〃To　go　where　you　go；　my　man；　to　do　whatever　seems

best　to　you；〃　she　answered。



〃But　Clayton？〃　he　asked。　　For　a　moment　he　had　forgotten

that　there　existed　upon　the　earth　other　than　they　two。

〃We　have　forgotten　your　husband。〃



〃I　am　not　married；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　she　cried。

〃Nor　am　I　longer　promised　in　marriage。　　The　day　before　those

awful　creatures　captured　me　I　spoke　to　Mr。　Clayton　of　my

love　for　you；　and　he　understood　then　that　I　could　not　keep

the　wicked　promise　that　I　had　made。　　It　was　after　we　had

been　miraculously　saved　from　an　attacking　lion。〃　　She　paused

suddenly　and　looked　up　at　him；　a　questioning　light　in　her　eyes。

〃Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　she　cried；　〃it　was　you　who　did

that　thing？　　It　could　have　been　no　other。〃



He　dropped　his　eyes；　for　he　was　ashamed。



〃How　could　you　have　gone　away　and　left　me？〃　she　cried　reproachfully。



〃Don't；　Jane！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃Please　don't！　　You　cannot

know　how　I　have　suffered　since　for　the　cruelty　of　that　act；

or　how　I　suffered　then；　first　in　jealous　rage；　and　then　in

bitter　resentment　against　the　fate　that　I　had　not　deserved。

I　went　back　to　the　apes　after　that；　Jane；　intending　never

again　to　see　a　human　being。〃　　He　told　her　then　of　his　life

since　he　had　returned　to　the　jungleof　how　he　had　dropped

like　a　plummet　from　a　civilized　Parisian　to　a　savage　Waziri

warrior；　and　from　there　back　to　the　brute　that　he　had　been　raised。



She　asked　him　many　questions；　and　at　last　fearfully　of　the

things　that　Monsieur　Thuran　had　told　herof　the　woman　in　Paris。

He　narrated　every　detail　of　his　civilized　life　to　her；

omitting　nothing；　for　he　felt　no　shame；　since　his　heart　always

had　been　true　to　her。　　When　he　had　finished　he　sat　looking　at

her；　as　though　waiting　for　her　judgment；　and　his　sentence。



〃I　knew　that　he　was　not　speaking　the　truth；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　what　a　horrible　creature　he　is！〃



〃You　are　not　angry　with　me；　then？〃　he　asked。



And　her　reply；　though　apparently　most　irrelevant；　was

truly　feminine。



〃Is　Olga　de　Coude　very　beautiful？〃　she　asked。



And　Tarzan　laughed　and　kissed　her　again。　　〃Not　one…tenth

so　beautiful　as　you；　dear；〃　he　said。



She　gave　a　contented　little　sigh；　and　let　her　head　rest

against　his　shoulder。　　He　knew　that　he　was　forgiven。



That　night　Tarzan　built　a　snug　little　bower　high　among

the　swaying　branches　of　a　giant　tree；　and　there　the　tired

girl　slept；　while　in　a　crotch　beneath　her　the　ape…man　curled；

ready；　even　in　sleep；　to　protect　her。



It　took　them　many　days　to　make　the　long　journey　to

the　coast。　　Where　the　way　was　easy　they　walked　hand　in　hand

beneath　the　arching　boughs　of　the　mighty　forest；　as　might

in　a　far…gone　past　have　walked　their　primeval　forbears。

When　the　underbrush　was　tangled　he　took　her　in　his　great　arms；

and　bore　her　lightly　through　the　trees；　and　the　days　were　all

too　short；　for　they　were　very　happy。　　Had　it　not　been　for

their　anxiety　to　reach　and　succor　Clayton　they　would　have　drawn

out　the　sweet　pleasure　of　that　wonderful　journey　indefinitely。



On　the　last　day　before　they　reached　the　coast　Tarzan　caught

the　scent　of　men　ahead　of　themthe　scent　of　black　men。

He　told　the　girl；　and　cautioned　her　to　maintain　silence。

〃There　are　few　friends　in　the　jungle；〃　he　remarked　dryly。



In　half　an　hour　they　came　stealthily　upon　a　small　party　of

black　warriors　filing　toward　the　west。　　As　Tarzan　saw　them

he　gave　a　cry　of　delightit　was　a　band　of　his　own　Waziri。

Busuli　was　there；　and　others　who　had　accompanied　him　to　Opar。

At　sight　of　him　they　danced　and　cried　out　in　exuberant　joy。

For　weeks　they　had　been　searching　for　him；　they　told　him。



The　blacks　exhibited　considerable　wonderment　at　the

presence　of　the　white　girl　with　him；　and　when　they　found　that

she　was　to　be　his　woman　they　vied　with　one　another　to　do

her　honor。　　With　the　happy　Waziri　laughing　and　dancing

about　them　they　came　to　the　rude　shelter　by　the　shore。



There　was　no　sign　of　life；　and　no　response　to　their　calls。

Tarzan　clambered　quickly　to　the　interior　of　the　little　tree

hut；　only　to　emerge　a　moment　later　with　an　empty　tin。

Throwing　it　down　to　Busuli；　he　told　him　to　fetch　water；　and

then　he　beckoned　Jane　Porter　to　come　up。



Together　they　leaned　over　the　emaciated　thing　that　once

had　been　an　English　nobleman。　　Tears　came　to　the　girl's　eyes

as　she　saw　the　poor；　sunken　cheeks　and　hollow　eyes；　and　the

lines　of　suffering　upon　the　once　young　and　handsome　face。



〃He　still　lives；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃We　will　do　all　that　can　be

done　for　him；　but　I　fear　that　we　are　too　late。〃



When　Busuli　had　brought　the　water　Tarzan　forced　a　few

drops　between　the　cracked　and　swollen　lips。　　He　wetted　the

hot　forehead　and　bathed　the　pitiful　limbs。



Presently　Clayton　opened　his　eyes。　　A　faint；　shadowy　smile

lighted　his　countenance　as　he　saw　the　girl　leaning　over　him。

At　sight　of　Tarzan　the　expression　changed　to　one　of　wonderment。



〃It's　all　right；　old　fellow；〃　said　the　ape…man。　　〃We've　found

you　in　time。　　Everything　will　be　all　right　now；　and　we'll

have　you　on　your　feet　again　before　you　know　it。〃



The　Englishman　shook　his　head　weakly。　　〃It's　too　late；〃

he　whispered。　　〃But　it's　just　as　well。　　I'd　rather　die。〃



〃Where　is　Monsieur　Thuran？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃He　left　me　after　the　fever　got　bad。　　He　is　a　devil。

When　I　begged　for　the　water　that　I　was　too　weak　to　get　he　drank

before　me；　threw　the　rest　out；　and　laughed　in　my　face。〃

At　the　thought　of　it　the　man　was　suddenly　animated　by　a　spark

of　vitality。　　He　raised　himself　upon　one　elbow。　　〃Yes；〃　he

almost　shouted；　〃I　will　live。　　I　will　live　long　enough　to　find

and　kill　that　beast！〃　　But　the　brief　effort　left　him　weaker　than

before；　and　he　sank　back　again　upon　the　rotting　grasses　that；

with　his　old　ulster；　had　been　the　bed　of　Jane　Porter。



〃Don't　worry　about　Thuran；〃　said　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；

laying　a　reassuring　hand　on　Clayton's　forehead。　　〃He　belongs

to　me；　and　I　shall　get　him　in　the　end；　never　fear。〃



For　a　long　time　Clayton　lay　very　still。　　Several　times

Tarzan　had　to　put　his　ear　quite　close　to　the　sunken　chest

to　catch　the　faint　beating　of　the　wornout　heart。

Toward　evening　he　aroused　again　for　a　brief　moment。



〃Jane；〃　he　whispered。　　The　girl　bent　her　head　closer　to　catch

the　faint　message。　　〃I　have　wronged　youand　him；〃　he　nodded

weakly　toward　the　ape…man。　　〃I　loved　you　soit　is　a　poor

excuse　to　offer　for　injuring　you；　but　I　could　not　bear　to

think　of　giving　you　up。　　I　do　not　ask　your　forgiveness。　　I　only

wish　to　do　now　the　thing　I　should　have　done　over　a　year　ago。〃

He　fumbled　in　the　pocket　of　the　ulster　beneath　him

for　something　that　he　had　discovered　there　while　he　lay

between　the　paroxysms　of　fever。　　Presently　he　found　ita

crumpled　bit　of　yellow　paper。　　He　handed　it　to　the　girl；

and　as　she　took　it　his　arm　fell　limply　across　his　chest；　his

head　dropped　back；　and　with　a　little　gasp　he　stiffened　and

was　still。　　Then　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　drew　a　fold　of　the　ulster

across　the　upturned　face。



For　a　moment　they　remained　kneeling　there；　the　girl's

lips　moving　in　silent　prayer；　and　as　they　rose　and　stood　on

either　side　of　the　now　peaceful　form；　tears　came　to　the　ape…

man's　eyes；　for　through　the　anguish　that　his　own　heart　had

suffered　he　had　learned　compassion　for　the　suffering　of　others。



Through　her　own　tears　the　girl　read　the　message　upon

the　bit　of　faded　yellow　paper；　and　as　she　read　her　eyes　went

very　wide。　　Twice　she　read　those　startling　words　before　she

could　fully　comprehend　their　meaning。





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She　handed　the　paper　to　Tarzan。　　〃And　he　has　known　it　all

this　time；〃　she　said；　〃and　did　not　tell　you？〃



〃I　knew　it　first；　Jane；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃I　did　not　know

that　he　knew　it　at　all。　　I　must　have　dropped　this　message

that　night　in　the　waiting　room。　　It　was　there　that　I　received　it。〃



〃And　afterward　you　told　us　that　your　mother　was　a　she…ape；

and　that　you　had　never　known　your　father？〃　she　asked　incredulously。



〃The　title　and　the　estates　meant　nothing　to　me　without　you；

dear；〃　he　replied。　　〃And　if　I　had　taken　them　away

from　him　I　should　have　been　robbing　the　woman　I　love

don't　you　understand；　Jane？〃　　It　was　as　though　he　attempted

to　excuse　a　fault。



She　extended　her　arms　toward　him　across　the　body　of　the

dead　man；　and　took　his　hands　in　hers。



〃And　I　would　have　thrown　away　a　love　like　that！〃　she　said。







Chapter　26





The　Passing　of　the　Ape…Man





The　next　morning　they　set　out　upon　the　short　journey　to

Tarzan's　cabin。　　Four　Waziri　bore　the　body　of　the　dead　Englishman。

It　had　been　the　ape…man's　suggestion　that　Clayton　be　buried

beside　the　former　Lord　Greystoke　near　the　edge　of　the

jungle　against　the　cabin　that　the　older　man　had　built。



Jane　Porter　was　glad　that　it　was　to　be　so；　and　in　her

heart　of　hearts　she　wondered　at　the　marvelous　fineness　of

character　of　this　wondrous　man；　who；　though　raised　by　brutes

and　among　brutes；　had　the　true　chivalry　and　tenderness　which

only　associates　with　the　refinements　of　the　highest　civilization。



They　had　proceeded　some　three　miles　of　the　five　that

had　separated　them　from　Tarzan's　own　beach　when　the

Waziri　who　were　ahead　stopped　suddenly；　pointing　in

amazement　at　a　strange　figure　approaching　them　along　the　beach。

It　was　a　man　with　a　shiny　silk　hat；　who　walked　slowly　with

bent　head；　and　hands　clasped　behind　him　underneath　the

tails　of　his　long；　black　coat。



At　sight　of　him　Jane　Porter　uttered　a　little　cry　of　surprise

and　joy；　and　ran　quickly　ahead　to　meet　him。　　At　the　sound　of

her　voice　the　old　man　looked　up；　and　when　he　saw　who　it　was

confronting　him　he；　too；　cried　out　in　relief　and　happiness。

As　Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　folded　his　daughter　in　his

arms　tears　streamed　down　his　seamed　old　face；　and　it　was　several

minutes　before　he　could　control　himself　sufficiently　to　speak。



When　a　moment　later　he　recognized　Tarzan　it　was　with

difficulty　that　they