tarzan the terrible-第15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！



Would　the　cry　be　answered　by　the　low　rumbling　of　the　beast　of　burden　or　the　horrid　bellow　of　the　man…eater？　Upon　the　answer　to　this　question　hung　the　fate　of　the　ape…man。

Pan…at…lee　was　listening　intently　to　the　sounds　of　the　departing　gryfs　as　Tarzan　led　them　cunningly　from　her；　and　when　she　was　sure　that　they　were　far　enough　away　to　insure　her　safe　retreat　she　dropped　swiftly　from　the　branches　to　the　ground　and　sped　like　a　frightened　deer　across　the　open　space　to　the　foot　of　the　cliff；　stepped　over　the　body　of　the　Tor…o…don　who　had　attacked　her　the　night　before　and　was　soon　climbing　rapidly　up　the　ancient　stone　pegs　of　the　deserted　cliff　village。　In　the　mouth　of　the　cave　near　that　which　she　had　occupied　she　kindled　a　fire　and　cooked　the　haunch　of　venison　that　Tarzan　had　left　her；　and　from　one　of　the　trickling　streams　that　ran　down　the　face　of　the　escarpment　she　obtained　water　to　satisfy　her　thirst。

All　day　she　waited；　hearing　in　the　distance；　and　sometimes　close　at　hand；　the　bellowing　of　the　gryfs　which　pursued　the　strange　creature　that　had　dropped　so　miraculously　into　her　life。　For　him　she　felt　the　same　keen；　almost　fanatical　loyalty　that　many　another　had　experienced　for　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　Beast　and　human；　he　had　held　them　to　him　with　bonds　that　were　stronger　than　steelthose　of　them　that　were　clean　and　courageous；　and　the　weak　and　the　helpless；　but　never　could　Tarzan　claim　among　his　admirers　the　coward；　the　ingrate　or　the　scoundrel；　from　such；　both　man　and　beast；　he　had　won　fear　and　hatred。

To　Pan…at…lee　he　was　all　that　was　brave　and　noble　and　heroic　and；　too；　he　was　Om…at's　friendthe　friend　of　the　man　she　loved。　For　any　one　of　these　reasons　Pan…at…lee　would　have　died　for　Tarzan；　for　such　is　the　loyalty　of　the　simple…minded　children　of　nature。　It　has　remained　for　civilization　to　teach　us　to　weigh　the　relative　rewards　of　loyalty　and　its　antithesis。　The　loyalty　of　the　primitive　is　spontaneous；　unreasoning；　unselfish　and　such　was　the　loyalty　of　Pan…at…lee　for　the　Tarmangani。

And　so　it　was　that　she　waited　that　day　and　night；　hoping　that　he　would　return　that　she　might　accompany　him　back　to　Om…at；　for　her　experience　had　taught　her　that　in　the　face　of　danger　two　have　a　better　chance　than　one。　But　Tarzan…jad…guru　had　not　come；　and　so　upon　the　following　morning　Pan…at…lee　set　out　upon　her　return　to　Kor…ul…ja。

She　knew　the　dangers　and　yet　she　faced　them　with　the　stolid　indifference　of　her　race。　When　they　directly　confronted　and　menaced　her　would　be　time　enough　to　experience　fear　or　excitement　or　confidence。　In　the　meantime　it　was　unnecessary　to　waste　nerve　energy　by　anticipating　them。　She　moved　therefore　through　her　savage　land　with　no　greater　show　of　concern　than　might　mark　your　sauntering　to　a　corner　drug…store　for　a　sundae。　But　this　is　your　life　and　that　is　Pan…at…lee's　and　even　now　as　you　read　this　Pan…at…lee　may　be　sitting　upon　the　edge　of　the　recess　of　Om…at's　cave　while　the　ja　and　jato　roar　from　the　gorge　below　and　from　the　ridge　above；　and　the　Kor…ul…lul　threaten　upon　the　south　and　the　Ho…don　from　the　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho　far　below；　for　Pan…at…lee　still　lives　and　preens　her　silky　coat　of　jet　beneath　the　tropical　moonlight　of　Pal…ul…don。

But　she　was　not　to　reach　Kor…ul…ja　this　day；　nor　the　next；　nor　for　many　days　after　though　the　danger　that　threatened　her　was　neither　Waz…don　enemy　nor　savage　beast。

She　came　without　misadventure　to　the　Kor…ul…lul　and　after　descending　its　rocky　southern　wall　without　catching　the　slightest　glimpse　of　the　hereditary　enemies　of　her　people；　she　experienced　a　renewal　of　confidence　that　was　little　short　of　practical　assurance　that　she　would　successfully　terminate　her　venture　and　be　restored　once　more　to　her　own　people　and　the　lover　she　had　not　seen　for　so　many　long　and　weary　moons。

She　was　almost　across　the　gorge　now　and　moving　with　an　extreme　caution　abated　no　wit　by　her　confidence；　for　wariness　is　an　instinctive　trait　of　the　primitive；　something　which　cannot　be　laid　aside　even　momentarily　if　one　would　survive。　And　so　she　came　to　the　trail　that　follows　the　windings　of　Kor…ul…lul　from　its　uppermost　reaches　down　into　the　broad　and　fertile　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho。

And　as　she　stepped　into　the　trail　there　arose　on　either　side　of　her　from　out　of　the　bushes　that　border　the　path；　as　though　materialized　from　thin　air；　a　score　of　tall；　white　warriors　of　the　Ho…don。　Like　a　frightened　deer　Pan…at…lee　cast　a　single　startled　look　at　these　menacers　of　her　freedom　and　leaped　quickly　toward　the　bushes　in　an　effort　to　escape；　but　the　warriors　were　too　close　at　hand。　They　closed　upon　her　from　every　side　and　then；　drawing　her　knife　she　turned　at　bay；　metamorphosed　by　the　fires　of　fear　and　hate　from　a　startled　deer　to　a　raging　tiger…cat。　They　did　not　try　to　kill　her；　but　only　to　subdue　and　capture　her；　and　so　it　was　that　more　than　a　single　Ho…don　warrior　felt　the　keen　edge　of　her　blade　in　his　flesh　before　they　had　succeeded　in　overpowering　her　by　numbers。　And　still　she　fought　and　scratched　and　bit　after　they　had　taken　the　knife　from　her　until　it　was　necessary　to　tie　her　hands　and　fasten　a　piece　of　wood　between　her　teeth　by　means　of　thongs　passed　behind　her　head。

At　first　she　refused　to　walk　when　they　started　off　in　the　direction　of　the　valley　but　after　two　of　them　had　seized　her　by　the　hair　and　dragged　her　for　a　number　of　yards　she　thought　better　of　her　original　decision　and　came　along　with　them；　though　still　as　defiant　as　her　bound　wrists　and　gagged　mouth　would　permit。

Near　the　entrance　to　Kor…ul…lul　they　came　upon　another　body　of　their　warriors　with　which　were　several　Waz…don　prisoners　from　the　tribe　of　Kor…ul…lul。　It　was　a　raiding　party　come　up　from　a　Ho…don　city　of　the　valley　after　slaves。　This　Pan…at…lee　knew　for　the　occurrence　was　by　no　means　unusual。　During　her　lifetime　the　tribe　to　which　she　belonged　had　been　sufficiently　fortunate；　or　powerful；　to　withstand　successfully　the　majority　of　such　raids　made　upon　them；　but　yet　Pan…at…lee　had　known　of　friends　and　relatives　who　had　been　carried　into　slavery　by　the　Ho…don　and　she　knew；　too；　another　thing　which　gave　her　hope；　as　doubtless　it　did　to　each　of　the　other　captivesthat　occasionally　the　prisoners　escaped　from　the　cities　of　the　hairless　whites。

After　they　had　joined　the　other　party　the　entire　band　set　forth　into　the　valley　and　presently；　from　the　conversation　of　her　captors；　Pan…at…lee　knew　that　she　was　headed　for　A…lur；　the　City　of　Light；　while　in　the　cave　of　his　ancestors；　Om…at；　chief　of　the　Kor…ul…ja；　bemoaned　the　loss　of　both　his　friend　and　she　that　was　to　have　been　his　mate。



8

A…lur

AS　THE　hissing　reptile　bore　down　upon　the　stranger　swimming　in　the　open　water　near　the　center　of　the　morass　on　the　frontier　of　Pal…ul…don　it　seemed　to　the　man　that　this　indeed　must　be　the　futile　termination　of　an　arduous　and　danger…filled　journey。　It　seemed；　too；　equally　futile　to　pit　his　puny　knife　against　this　frightful　creature。　Had　he　been　attacked　on　land　it　is　possible　that　he　might　as　a　last　resort　have　used　his　Enfield；　though　he　had　come　thus　far　through　all　these　weary；　danger…ridden　miles　without　recourse　to　it；　though　again　and　again　had　his　life　hung　in　the　balance　in　the　face　of　the　savage　denizens　of　forest；　jungle；　and　steppe。　For　whatever　it　may　have　been　for　which　he　was　preserving　his　precious　ammunition　he　evidently　held　it　more　sacred　even　than　his　life；　for　as　yet　he　had　not　used　a　single　round　and　now　the　decision　was　not　required　of　him；　since　it　would　have　been　impossible　for　him　to　have　unslung　his　Enfield；　loaded　and　fired　with　the　necessary　celerity　while　swimming。

Though　his　chance　for　survival　seemed　slender；　and　hope　at　its　lowest　ebb；　he　was　not　minded　therefore　to　give　up　without　a　struggle。　Instead　he　drew　his　blade　and　awaited　the　oncoming　reptile。　The　creature　was　like　no　living　thing　he　ever　before　had　seen　although　possibly　it　resembled　a　crocodile　in　some　respects　more　than　it　did　anything　with　which　he　was　familiar。

As　this　frightful　survivor　of　some　extinct　progenitor　charged　upon　him　with　distended　jaws　there　came　to　the　man　quickly　a　full　consciousness　of　the　futility　of　endeavoring　to　stay　the　mad　rush　or　pierce　the　armor…coated　hide　with　his　little　knife。　The　thing　was　almost　upon　him　now　and　whatever　form　of　defense　he　chose　must　be　made　quickly。　There　seemed　but　a　single　alternative　to　instant　death；　and　this　he　took　at　almost　the　instant　the　great　reptile　towered　directly　above　him。

With　the　celerity　of　a　seal　he　dove　headforemost　beneath　the　oncoming　body　and　at　the　same　instant；　turning　upon　his　back；　he　plunged　his　blade　into　the　soft；　cold　surface　of　the　slimy　belly　as　the　momentum　of　the　hurtling　reptile　carried　it　swiftly　over　him；　and　then　with　powerful　strokes　he　swam　on　beneath　the　surface　for　a　dozen　yards　before　he　rose。　A　glance　showed　him　the　stricken　monster　plunging　madly　in　pain　and　rage　upon　the　surface　of　the　water　behind　him。　That　it　was　writhing　in　its　death　agonies　was　evidenced　by　the　fact　that　it　made　no　effort　to　pursue　him；　and　so；　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　shrill　screaming　of　the　dying　monster；　the　man　won　at　last　to　the　farther　edge　of　the　open　water　to　take　up　once　more　the　almost　superhuman　effort　of　crossing　the　last　stretch　of　clinging　mud　which　separated　him　from　the　solid　ground　of　Pal…ul…don。

A　good　two　hours　it　took　him　to　drag　his　now　weary　body　through　the　clinging；　stinking　muck；　but　at　last；　mud　covered　and　spent；　he　dragged　himself　out　upon　the　soft　grasses　of　the　bank。　A　hundred　yards　away　a　stream；　winding　its　way　down　from　the　distant　mountains；　emptied　into　the　morass；　and；　after　a　short　rest；　he　made　his　way　to　this　and　seeking　a　quiet　pool；　bathed　himself　and　washed　the　mud　and　slime　from　his　weapons；　accouterments；　and　loin　cloth。　Another　hour　was　spent　beneath　the　rays　of　the　hot　sun　in　wiping；　polishing；　and　oiling　his　Enfield　though　the　means　at　hand　for　drying　it　consisted　principally　of　dry　grasses。　It　was　afternoon　before　he　had　satisfied　himself　that　his　precious　weapon　was　safe　from　any　harm　by　dirt；　or　dampness；　and　then　he　arose　and　took　up　the　search　for　the　spoor　he　had　followed　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　swamp。

Would　he　find　again　the　trail　that　had　led　into　the　opposite　side　of　the　morass；　to　be　lost　there；　even　to　his　trained　senses？　If　he　found　it　not　again　upon　this　side　of　the　almost　impassable　barrier　he　might　assume　that　his　long　journey　had　ended　in　failure。　And　so　he　sought　up　and　down　the　verge　of　the　stagnant　water　for　traces　of　an　old　spoor　that　would　have　been　invisible　to　your　eyes　or　mine；　even　had　we　followed　directly　in　the　tracks　of　its　maker。

As　Tarzan　advanced　upon　the　gryfs　he　imitated　as　closely　as　he　could　recall　them　the　methods　and　mannerisms　of　the　Tor…o…don；　but　up　to　the　instant　that　he　stood　close　beside　one　of　the　huge　creatures　he　realized　that　his　fate　still　hung　in　the　balance；　for　the　thing　gave　forth　no　sign；　either　menacing　or　otherwise。　It　only　stood　there；　watching　him　out　of　its　cold；　reptilian　eyes　and　then　Tarzan　raised　his　staff　and　with　a　menacing　〃Whee…oo！〃　struck　the　gryf　a　vicious　blow　across　the　face。

The　creature　made　a　sudden　side　snap　in　his　direction；　a　snap　that　did　not　reach　him；　and　then　turned　sullenly　away；　precisely　as　it　had　when　the　Tor…o…don　commanded　it。　Wal