the return of tarzan-第6章

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whose　business　it　was；　separate　the　innocent　from　the　guilty。



But　they　found　that　it　was　one　thing　to　tell　this　well…

dressed　young　man　that　he　was　under　arrest；　but　quite

another　to　enforce　it。



〃I　am　guilty　of　no　offense；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃I　have　but

sought　to　defend　myself。　　I　do　not　know　why　the　woman　has

told　you　what　she　has。　　She　can　have　no　enmity　against　me；

for　never　until　I　came　to　this　room　in　response　to　her　cries

for　help　had　I　seen　her。〃



〃Come；　come；〃　said　one　of　the　officers；　〃there　are　judges

to　listen　to　all　that；〃　and　he　advanced　to　lay　his　hand　upon

Tarzan's　shoulder。　　An　instant　later　he　lay　crumpled　in　a

corner　of　the　room；　and　then；　as　his　comrades　rushed　in　upon

the　ape…man；　they　experienced　a　taste　of　what　the　apaches

had　but　recently　gone　through。　　So　quickly　and　so　roughly

did　he　handle　them　that　they　had　not　even　an　opportunity

to　draw　their　revolvers。



During　the　brief　fight　Tarzan　had　noted　the　open　window

and；　beyond；　the　stem　of　a　tree；　or　a　telegraph　polehe

could　not　tell　which。　　As　the　last　officer　went　down；　one　of

his　fellows　succeeded　in　drawing　his　revolver　and；　from

where　he　lay　on　the　floor；　fired　at　Tarzan。　　The　shot　missed；

and　before　the　man　could　fire　again　Tarzan　had　swept　the

lamp　from　the　mantel　and　plunged　the　room　into　darkness。



The　next　they　saw　was　a　lithe　form　spring　to　the　sill　of

the　open　window　and　leap；　panther…like；　onto　the　pole　across

the　walk。　　When　the　police　gathered　themselves　together　and

reached　the　street　their　prisoner　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。



They　did　not　handle　the　woman　and　the　men　who　had

not　escaped　any　too　gently　when　they　took　them　to　the

station；　they　were　a　very　sore　and　humiliated　detail　of　police。

It　galled　them　to　think　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　report

that　a　single　unarmed　man　had　wiped　the　floor　with　the

whole　lot　of　them；　and　then　escaped　them　as　easily　as

though　they　had　not　existed。



The　officer　who　had　remained　in　the　street　swore　that　no

one　had　leaped　from　the　window　or　left　the　building　from

the　time　they　entered　until　they　had　come　out。　　His　comrades

thought　that　he　lied；　but　they　could　not　prove　it。



When　Tarzan　found　himself　clinging　to　the　pole　outside　the

window；　he　followed　his　jungle　instinct　and　looked　below　for

enemies　before　he　ventured　down。　　It　was　well　he　did；　for

just　beneath　stood　a　policeman。　　Above；　Tarzan　saw　no　one；

so　he　went　up　instead　of　down。



The　top　of　the　pole　was　opposite　the　roof　of　the　building；

so　it　was　but　the　work　of　an　instant　for　the　muscles　that

had　for　years　sent　him　hurtling　through　the　treetops　of　his

primeval　forest　to　carry　him　across　the　little　space　between

the　pole　and　the　roof。　　From　one　building　he　went　to　another；

and　so　on；　with　much　climbing；　until　at　a　cross　street　he

discovered　another　pole；　down　which　he　ran　to　the　ground。



For　a　square　or　two　he　ran　swiftly；　then　he　turned　into　a

little　all…night　cafe　and　in　the　lavatory　removed　the

evidences　of　his　over…roof　promenade　from　hands　and　clothes。

When　he　emerged　a　few　moments　later　it　was　to　saunter

slowly　on　toward　his　apartments。



Not　far　from　them　he　came　to　a　well…lighted　boulevard　which

it　was　necessary　to　cross。　　As　he　stood　directly　beneath

a　brilliant　arc　light；　waiting　for　a　limousine　that　was

approaching　to　pass　him；　he　heard　his　name　called　in　a　sweet

feminine　voice。　　Looking　up；　he　met　the　smiling　eyes　of　Olga　de

Coude　as　she　leaned　forward　upon　the　back　seat　of　the　machine。

He　bowed　very　low　in　response　to　her　friendly　greeting。

When　he　straightened　up　the　machine　had　borne　her　away。



〃Rokoff　and　the　Countess　de　Coude　both　in　the　same

evening；〃　he　soliloquized；　〃Paris　is　not　so　large；　after　all。〃







Chapter　4





The　Countess　Explains





〃Your　Paris　is　more　dangerous　than　my　savage　jungles；

Paul；〃　concluded　Tarzan；　after　narrating　his　adventures

to　his　friend　the　morning　following　his　encounter　with

the　apaches　and　police　in　the　Rue　Maule。　　〃Why　did　they

lure　me　there？　　Were　they　hungry？〃



D'Arnot　feigned　a　horrified　shudder；　but　he　laughed　at　the

quaint　suggestion。



〃It　is　difficult　to　rise　above　the　jungle　standards　and　reason

by　the　light　of　civilized　ways；　is　it　not；　my　friend？〃　he

queried　banteringly。



〃Civilized　ways；　forsooth；〃　scoffed　Tarzan。　　〃Jungle　standards

do　not　countenance　wanton　atrocities。　　There　we　kill　for

food　and　for　self…preservation；　or　in　the　winning　of　mates

and　the　protection　of　the　young。　　Always；　you　see；　in

accordance　with　the　dictates　of　some　great　natural　law。

But　here！　　Faugh；　your　civilized　man　is　more　brutal　than

the　brutes。　　He　kills　wantonly；　and；　worse　than　that；　he

utilizes　a　noble　sentiment；　the　brotherhood　of　man；　as　a

lure　to　entice　his　unwary　victim　to　his　doom。　　It　was　in

answer　to　an　appeal　from　a　fellow　being　that　I　hastened

to　that　room　where　the　assassins　lay　in　wait　for　me。



〃I　did　not　realize；　I　could　not　realize　for　a　long　time

afterward；　that　any　woman　could　sink　to　such　moral　depravity

as　that　one　must　have　to　call　a　would…be　rescuer　to　death。

But　it　must　have　been　sothe　sight　of　Rokoff　there　and

the　woman's　later　repudiation　of　me　to　the　police　make

it　impossible　to　place　any　other　construction　upon　her　acts。

Rokoff　must　have　known　that　I　frequently　passed　through

the　Rue　Maule。　　He　lay　in　wait　for　mehis　entire　scheme

worked　out　to　the　last　detail；　even　to　the　woman's　story　in

case　a　hitch　should　occur　in　the　program　such　as　really　did

happen。　　It　is　all　perfectly　plain　to　me。〃



〃Well；〃　said　D'Arnot；　〃among　other　things；　it　has　taught

you　what　I　have　been　unable　to　impress　upon　youthat

the　Rue　Maule　is　a　good　place　to　avoid　after　dark。〃



〃On　the　contrary；〃　replied　Tarzan；　with　a　smile；　〃it　has

convinced　me　that　it　is　the　one　worth…while　street　in　all

Paris。　　Never　again　shall　I　miss　an　opportunity　to　traverse　it；

for　it　has　given　me　the　first　real　entertainment　I　have　had

since　I　left　Africa。〃



〃It　may　give　you　more　than　you　will　relish　even　without

another　visit；〃　said　D'Arnot。　　〃You　are　not　through　with　the

police　yet；　remember。　　I　know　the　Paris　police　well　enough

to　assure　you　that　they　will　not　soon　forget　what　you　did

to　them。　　Sooner　or　later　they　will　get　you；　my　dear　Tarzan；

and　then　they　will　lock　the　wild　man　of　the　woods　up　behind

iron　bars。　　How　will　you　like　that？〃



〃They　will　never　lock　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　behind　iron　bars；〃

replied　he；　grimly。



There　was　something　in　the　man's　voice　as　he　said　it　that

caused　D'Arnot　to　look　up　sharply　at　his　friend。　　What　he

saw　in　the　set　jaw　and　the　cold；　gray　eyes　made　the　young

Frenchman　very　apprehensive　for　this　great　child；　who　could

recognize　no　law　mightier　than　his　own　mighty　physical

prowess。　　He　saw　that　something　must　be　done　to　set　Tarzan

right　with　the　police　before　another　encounter　was　possible。



〃You　have　much　to　learn；　Tarzan；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃The

law　of　man　must　be　respected；　whether　you　relish　it　or　no。

Nothing　but　trouble　can　come　to　you　and　your　friends

should　you　persist　in　defying　the　police。　　I　can　explain　it　to

them　once　for　you；　and　that　I　shall　do　this　very　day；　but

hereafter　you　must　obey　the　law。　　If　its　representatives　say

‘Come；'　you　must　come；　if　they　say　‘Go；'　you　must　go。

Now　we　shall　go　to　my　great　friend　in　the　department　and

fix　up　this　matter　of　the　Rue　Maule。　　Come！〃



Together　they　entered　the　office　of　the　police　official　a　half

hour　later。　　He　was　very　cordial。　　He　remembered　Tarzan　from

the　visit　the　two　had　made　him　several　months　prior　in　the

matter　of　finger　prints。



When　D'Arnot　had　concluded　the　narration　of　the　events

which　had　transpired　the　previous　evening；　a　grim　smile　was

playing　about　the　lips　of　the　policeman。　　He　touched　a　button

near　his　hand；　and　as　he　waited　for　the　clerk　to　respond　to

its　summons　he　searched　through　the　papers　on　his　desk

for　one　which　he　finally　located。



〃Here；　Joubon；〃　he　said　as　the　clerk　entered。　　〃Summon　these

officershave　them　come　to　me　at　once；〃　and　he　handed　the

man　the　paper　he　had　sought。　　Then　he　turned　to　Tarzan。



〃You　have　committed　a　very　grave　offense；　monsieur；〃　he

said；　not　unkindly；　〃and　but　for　the　explanation　made　by

our　good　friend　here　I　should　be　inclined　to　judge　you　harshly。

I　am；　instead；　about　to　do　a　rather　unheard…of…thing。

I　have　summoned　the　officers　whom　you　maltreated　last　night。

They　shall　hear　Lieutenant　D'Arnot's　story；　and　then　I　shall

leave　it　to　their　discretion　to　say　whether　you　shall　be

prosecuted　or　not。



〃You　have　much　to　learn　about　the　ways　of　civilization。

Things　that　seem　strange　or　unnecessary　to　you；　you　must

learn　to　accept　until　you　are　able　to　judge　the　motives

behind　them。　　The　officers　whom　you　attacked　were　but　doing

their　duty。　　They　had　no　discretion　in　the　matter。　　Every　day

they　risk　their　lives　in　the　protection　of　the　lives　or

property　of　others。　　They　would　do　the　same　for　you。　　They　are

very　brave　men；　and　they　are　deeply　mortified　that　a　single

unarmed　man　bested　and　beat　them。



〃Make　it　easy　for　them　to　overlook　what　you　did。

Unless　I　am　gravely　in　error　you　are　yourself　a　very

brave　man；　and　brave　men　are　proverbially　magnanimous。〃



Further　conversation　was　interrupted　by　the　appearance

of　the　four　policemen。　　As　their　eyes　fell　on　Tarzan；

surprise　was　writ　large　on　each　countenance。



〃My　children；〃　said　the　official；　〃here　is　the　gentleman

whom　you　met　in　the　Rue　Maule　last　evening。　　He　has　come

voluntarily　to　give　himself　up。　　I　wish　you　to　listen

attentively　to　Lieutenant　D'Arnot；　who　will　tell　you　a　part

of　the　story　of　monsieur's　life。　　It　may　explain　his　attitude

toward　you　of　last　night。　　Proceed；　my　dear　lieutenant。〃



D'Arnot　spoke　to　the　policemen　for　half　an　hour。　　He　told

them　something　of　Tarzan's　wild　jungle　life。　　He　explained

the　savage　training　that　had　taught　him　to　battle　like　a

wild　beast　in　self…preservation。　　It　became　plain　to　them

that　the　man　had　been　guided　by　instinct　rather　than　reason　in

his　attack　upon　them。　　He　had　not　understood　their　intentions。

To　him　they　had　been　little　different　from　any　of　the　various

forms　of　life　he　had　been　accustomed　to　in　his　native　jungle；

where　practically　all　were　his　enemies。



〃Your　pride　has　been　wounded；〃　said　D'Arnot；　in　conclusion。

〃It　is　the　fact　that　this　man　overcame　you　that　hurts　the　most。

But　you　need　feel　no　shame。　　You　would　not　make　apologies

for　defeat　had　you　been　penned　in　that　small　room　with　an

African　lion；　or　with　the　great　Gorilla　of　the　jungles。



〃And　yet　you　were　battling　with　muscles　that　have　time

and　time　again　been　pitted；　and　always　victoriously；　against

these　terrors　of　the　dark　continent。　　It　is　no　disgrace　to

fall　beneath　the　superhuman　strength　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。〃



And　then；　as　the　men　stood　looking　first　at