tarzan the terrible-第3章

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Casting　aside　his　loin　cloth　and　weapons　Tarzan　entered　the　little　pool　beneath　the　tree　and　after　a　moment　emerged；　greatly　refreshed　and　filled　with　a　keen　desire　to　breakfast。　As　he　came　out　of　the　pool　he　noticed　his　companion　examining　him　with　a　puzzled　expression　upon　his　face。　Taking　the　ape…man　by　the　shoulder　he　turned　him　around　so　that　Tarzan's　back　was　toward　him　and　then；　touching　the　end　of　Tarzan's　spine　with　his　forefinger；　he　curled　his　own　tail　up　over　his　shoulder　and；　wheeling　the　ape…man　about　again；　pointed　first　at　Tarzan　and　then　at　his　own　caudal　appendage；　a　look　of　puzzlement　upon　his　face；　the　while　he　jabbered　excitedly　in　his　strange　tongue。

The　ape…man　realized　that　probably　for　the　first　time　his　companion　had　discovered　that　he　was　tailless　by　nature　rather　than　by　accident；　and　so　he　called　attention　to　his　own　great　toes　and　thumbs　to　further　impress　upon　the　creature　that　they　were　of　different　species。

The　fellow　shook　his　head　dubiously　as　though　entirely　unable　to　comprehend　why　Tarzan　should　differ　so　from　him　but　at　last；　apparently　giving　the　problem　up　with　a　shrug；　he　laid　aside　his　own　harness；　skin；　and　weapons　and　entered　the　pool。

His　ablutions　completed　and　his　meager　apparel　redonned　he　seated　himself　at　the　foot　of　the　tree　and　motioning　Tarzan　to　a　place　beside　him；　opened　the　pouch　that　hung　at　his　right　side　taking　from　it　strips　of　dried　flesh　and　a　couple　of　handfuls　of　thin…shelled　nuts　with　which　Tarzan　was　unfamiliar。　Seeing　the　other　break　them　with　his　teeth　and　eat　the　kernel；　Tarzan　followed　the　example　thus　set　him；　discovering　the　meat　to　be　rich　and　well　flavored。　The　dried　flesh　also　was　far　from　unpalatable；　though　it　had　evidently　been　jerked　without　salt；　a　commodity　which　Tarzan　imagined　might　be　rather　difficult　to　obtain　in　this　locality。

As　they　ate　Tarzan's　companion　pointed　to　the　nuts；　the　dried　meat；　and　various　other　nearby　objects；　in　each　instance　repeating　what　Tarzan　readily　discovered　must　be　the　names　of　these　things　in　the　creature's　native　language。　The　ape…man　could　but　smile　at　this　evident　desire　upon　the　part　of　his　new…found　acquaintance　to　impart　to　him　instructions　that　eventually　might　lead　to　an　exchange　of　thoughts　between　them。　Having　already　mastered　several　languages　and　a　multitude　of　dialects　the　ape…man　felt　that　he　could　readily　assimilate　another　even　though　this　appeared　one　entirely　unrelated　to　any　with　which　he　was　familiar。

So　occupied　were　they　with　their　breakfast　and　the　lesson　that　neither　was　aware　of　the　beady　eyes　glittering　down　upon　them　from　above；　nor　was　Tarzan　cognizant　of　any　impending　danger　until　the　instant　that　a　huge；　hairy　body　leaped　full　upon　his　companion　from　the　branches　above　them。



2

〃To　the　Death！〃

IN　THE　moment　of　discovery　Tarzan　saw　that　the　creature　was　almost　a　counterpart　of　his　companion　in　size　and　conformation；　with　the　exception　that　his　body　was　entirely　clothed　with　a　coat　of　shaggy　black　hair　which　almost　concealed　his　features；　while　his　harness　and　weapons　were　similar　to　those　of　the　creature　he　had　attacked。　Ere　Tarzan　could　prevent　the　creature　had　struck　the　ape…man's　companion　a　blow　upon　the　head　with　his　knotted　club　that　felled　him；　unconscious；　to　the　earth；　but　before　he　could　inflict　further　injury　upon　his　defenseless　prey　the　ape…man　had　closed　with　him。

Instantly　Tarzan　realized　that　he　was　locked　with　a　creature　of　almost　superhuman　strength。　The　sinewy　fingers　of　a　powerful　hand　sought　his　throat　while　the　other　lifted　the　bludgeon　above　his　head。　But　if　the　strength　of　the　hairy　attacker　was　great；　great　too　was　that　of　his　smooth…skinned　antagonist。　Swinging　a　single　terrific　blow　with　clenched　fist　to　the　point　of　the　other's　chin；　Tarzan　momentarily　staggered　his　assailant　and　then　his　own　fingers　closed　upon　the　shaggy　throat；　as　with　the　other　hand　he　seized　the　wrist　of　the　arm　that　swung　the　club。　With　equal　celerity　he　shot　his　right　leg　behind　the　shaggy　brute　and　throwing　his　weight　forward　hurled　the　thing　over　his　hip　heavily　to　the　ground；　at　the　same　time　precipitating　his　own　body　upon　the　other's　chest。

With　the　shock　of　the　impact　the　club　fell　from　the　brute's　hand　and　Tarzan's　hold　was　wrenched　from　its　throat。　Instantly　the　two　were　locked　in　a　deathlike　embrace。　Though　the　creature　bit　at　Tarzan　the　latter　was　quickly　aware　that　this　was　not　a　particularly　formidable　method　of　offense　or　defense；　since　its　canines　were　scarcely　more　developed　than　his　own。　The　thing　that　he　had　principally　to　guard　against　was　the　sinuous　tail　which　sought　steadily　to　wrap　itself　about　his　throat　and　against　which　experience　had　afforded　him　no　defense。

Struggling　and　snarling　the　two　rolled　growling　about　the　sward　at　the　foot　of　the　tree；　first　one　on　top　and　then　the　other　but　each　more　occupied　at　present　in　defending　his　throat　from　the　other's　choking　grasp　than　in　aggressive；　offensive　tactics。　But　presently　the　ape…man　saw　his　opportunity　and　as　they　rolled　about　he　forced　the　creature　closer　and　closer　to　the　pool；　upon　the　banks　of　which　the　battle　was　progressing。　At　last　they　lay　upon　the　very　verge　of　the　water　and　now　it　remained　for　Tarzan　to　precipitate　them　both　beneath　the　surface　but　in　such　a　way　that　he　might　remain　on　top。

At　the　same　instant　there　came　within　range　of　Tarzan's　vision；　just　behind　the　prostrate　form　of　his　companion；　the　crouching；　devil…faced　figure　of　the　striped　saber…tooth　hybrid；　eyeing　him　with　snarling；　malevolent　face。

Almost　simultaneously　Tarzan's　shaggy　antagonist　discovered　the　menacing　figure　of　the　great　cat。　Immediately　he　ceased　his　belligerent　activities　against　Tarzan　and；　jabbering　and　chattering　to　the　ape…man；　he　tried　to　disengage　himself　from　Tarzan's　hold　but　in　such　a　way　that　indicated　that　as　far　as　he　was　concerned　their　battle　was　over。　Appreciating　the　danger　to　his　unconscious　companion　and　being　anxious　to　protect　him　from　the　saber…tooth　the　ape…man　relinquished　his　hold　upon　his　adversary　and　together　the　two　rose　to　their　feet。

Drawing　his　knife　Tarzan　moved　slowly　toward　the　body　of　his　companion；　expecting　that　his　recent　antagonist　would　grasp　the　opportunity　for　escape。　To　his　surprise；　however；　the　beast；　after　regaining　its　club；　advanced　at　his　side。

The　great　cat；　flattened　upon　its　belly；　remained　motionless　except　for　twitching　tail　and　snarling　lips　where　it　lay　perhaps　fifty　feet　beyond　the　body　of　the　pithecanthropus。　As　Tarzan　stepped　over　the　body　of　the　latter　he　saw　the　eyelids　quiver　and　open；　and　in　his　heart　he　felt　a　strange　sense　of　relief　that　the　creature　was　not　dead　and　a　realization　that　without　his　suspecting　it　there　had　arisen　within　his　savage　bosom　a　bond　of　attachment　for　this　strange　new　friend。

Tarzan　continued　to　approach　the　saber…tooth；　nor　did　the　shaggy　beast　at　his　right　lag　behind。　Closer　and　closer　they　came　until　at　a　distance　of　about　twenty　feet　the　hybrid　charged。　Its　rush　was　directed　toward　the　shaggy　manlike　ape　who　halted　in　his　tracks　with　upraised　bludgeon　to　meet　the　assault。　Tarzan；　on　the　contrary；　leaped　forward　and　with　a　celerity　second　not　even　to　that　of　the　swift…moving　cat；　he　threw　himself　headlong　upon　him　as　might　a　Rugby　tackler　on　an　American　gridiron。　His　right　arm　circled　the　beast's　neck　in　front　of　the　right　shoulder；　his　left　behind　the　left　foreleg；　and　so　great　was　the　force　of　the　impact　that　the　two　rolled　over　and　over　several　times　upon　the　ground；　the　cat　screaming　and　clawing　to　liberate　itself　that　it　might　turn　upon　its　attacker；　the　man　clinging　desperately　to　his　hold。

Seemingly　the　attack　was　one　of　mad；　senseless　ferocity　unguided　by　either　reason　or　skill。　Nothing；　however；　could　have　been　farther　from　the　truth　than　such　an　assumption　since　every　muscle　in　the　ape…man's　giant　frame　obeyed　the　dictates　of　the　cunning　mind　that　long　experience　had　trained　to　meet　every　exigency　of　such　an　encounter。　The　long；　powerful　legs；　though　seemingly　inextricably　entangled　with　the　hind　feet　of　the　clawing　cat；　ever　as　by　a　miracle；　escaped　the　raking　talons　and　yet　at　just　the　proper　instant　in　the　midst　of　all　the　rolling　and　tossing　they　were　where　they　should　be　to　carry　out　the　ape…man's　plan　of　offense。　So　that　on　the　instant　that　the　cat　believed　it　had　won　the　mastery　of　its　antagonist　it　was　jerked　suddenly　upward　as　the　ape…man　rose　to　his　feet；　holding　the　striped　back　close　against　his　body　as　he　rose　and　forcing　it　backward　until　it　could　but　claw　the　air　helplessly。

Instantly　the　shaggy　black　rushed　in　with　drawn　knife　which　it　buried　in　the　beast's　heart。　For　a　few　moments　Tarzan　retained　his　hold　but　when　the　body　had　relaxed　in　final　dissolution　he　pushed　it　from　him　and　the　two　who　had　formerly　been　locked　in　mortal　combat　stood　facing　each　other　across　the　body　of　the　common　foe。

Tarzan　waited；　ready　either　for　peace　or　war。　Presently　two　shaggy　black　hands　were　raised；　the　left　was　laid　upon　its　own　heart　and　the　right　extended　until　the　palm　touched　Tarzan's　breast。　It　was　the　same　form　of　friendly　salutation　with　which　the　pithecanthropus　had　sealed　his　alliance　with　the　ape…man　and　Tarzan；　glad　of　every　ally　he　could　win　in　this　strange　and　savage　world；　quickly　accepted　the　proffered　friendship。

At　the　conclusion　of　the　brief　ceremony　Tarzan；　glancing　in　the　direction　of　the　hairless　pithecanthropus；　discovered　that　the　latter　had　recovered　consciousness　and　was　sitting　erect　watching　them　intently。　He　now　rose　slowly　and　at　the　same　time　the　shaggy　black　turned　in　his　direction　and　addressed　him　in　what　evidently　was　their　common　language。　The　hairless　one　replied　and　the　two　approached　each　other　slowly。　Tarzan　watched　interestedly　the　outcome　of　their　meeting。　They　halted　a　few　paces　apart；　first　one　and　then　the　other　speaking　rapidly　but　without　apparent　excitement；　each　occasionally　glancing　or　nodding　toward　Tarzan；　indicating　that　he　was　to　some　extent　the　subject　of　their　conversation。

Presently　they　advanced　again　until　they　met；　whereupon　was　repeated　the　brief　ceremony　of　alliance　which　had　previously　marked　the　cessation　of　hostilities　between　Tarzan　and　the　black。　They　then　advanced　toward　the　ape…man　addressing　him　earnestly　as　though　endeavoring　to　convey　to　him　some　important　information。　Presently；　however；　they　gave　it　up　as　an　unprofitable　job　and；　resorting　to　sign　language；　conveyed　to　Tarzan　that　they　were　proceeding　upon　their　way　together　and　were　urging　him　to　accompany　them。

As　the　direction　they　indicated　was　a　route　which　Tarzan　had　not　previously　traversed　he　was　extremely　willing　to　accede　to　their　request；　as　he　had　determined　thoroughly　to　explore　this　unknown　land　before　definitely　abandoning　search　for　Lady　Jane　therein。

For　several　days　their　way　led　through　the　foothills　parallel　to　the　lofty　range　towering　above。　Often　were　they　menaced　by　the　savage　denizens　of　this　remote　fastness；　and　occasionally　Tarzan　glimpsed　weird　forms　of　gigantic　proportions　amidst　the　shadows　of　the　nights。

On　the　third　day　they　came　upon　a　large　natural　cave　in　the　face　of　a　low　cliff　at　the　foot　of　which　tumbled　one　of　the　numerous　mountain　brooks　that　watered　the　plain　below　and　fed　the　morasses　in　the　lowland