tarzan the terrible-第30章

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woman；　chancing　an　encounter　with　the　fierce　chief；　or　bide　his　time　until　treachery　and　intrigue　should　accomplish　his　design？　He　chose　the　latter　solution；　as　might　have　been　expected　of　such　as　he。

Going　to　his　quarters　he　summoned　several　of　his　prieststhose　who　were　most　in　his　confidence　and　who　shared　his　ambitions　for　absolute　power　of　the　temple　over　the　palaceall　men　who　hated　Ko…tan。

〃The　time　has　come；〃　he　told　them；　〃when　the　authority　of　the　temple　must　be　placed　definitely　above　that　of　the　palace。　Ko…tan　must　make　way　for　Mo…sar；　for　Ko…tan　has　defied　your　high　priest。　Go　then；　Pan…sat；　and　summon　Mo…sar　secretly　to　the　temple；　and　you　others　go　to　the　city　and　prepare　the　faithful　warriors　that　they　may　be　in　readiness　when　the　time　comes。〃

For　another　hour　they　discussed　the　details　of　the　coup　d'etat　that　was　to　overthrow　the　government　of　Pal…ul…don。　One　knew　a　slave　who；　as　the　signal　sounded　from　the　temple　gong；　would　thrust　a　knife　into　the　heart　of　Ko…tan；　for　the　price　of　liberty。　Another　held　personal　knowledge　of　an　officer　of　the　palace　that　he　could　use　to　compel　the　latter　to　admit　a　number　of　Lu…don's　warriors　to　various　parts　of　the　palace。　With　Mo…sar　as　the　cat's　paw；　the　plan　seemed　scarce　possible　of　failure　and　so　they　separated；　going　upon　their　immediate　errands　to　palace　and　to　city。

As　Pan…sat　entered　the　palace　grounds　he　was　aware　of　a　sudden　commotion　in　the　direction　of　the　pal…e…don…so　and　a　few　minutes　later　Lu…don　was　surprised　to　see　him　return　to　the　apartments　of　the　high　priest；　breathless　and　excited。

〃What　now；　Pan…sat？〃　cried　Lu…don。　〃Are　you　pursued　by　demons？〃

〃O　master；　our　time　has　come　and　gone　while　we　sat　here　planning。　Ko…tan　is　already　dead　and　Mo…sar　fled。　His　friends　are　fighting　with　the　warriors　of　the　palace　but　they　have　no　head；　while　Ja…don　leads　the　others。　I　could　learn　but　little　from　frightened　slaves　who　had　fled　at　the　outburst　of　the　quarrel。　One　told　me　that　Bu…lot　had　slain　the　king　and　that　he　had　seen　Mo…sar　and　the　assassin　hurrying　from　the　palace。〃

〃Ja…don；〃　muttered　the　high　priest。　〃The　fools　will　make　him　king　if　we　do　not　act　and　act　quickly。　Get　into　the　city；　Pan…satlet　your　feet　fly　and　raise　the　cry　that　Ja…don　has　killed　the　king　and　is　seeking　to　wrest　the　throne　from　O…lo…a。　Spread　the　word　as　you　know　best　how　to　spread　it　that　Ja…don　has　threatened　to　destroy　the　priests　and　hurl　the　altars　of　the　temple　into　Jad…ben…lul。　Rouse　the　warriors　of　the　city　and　urge　them　to　attack　at　once。　Lead　them　into　the　temple　by　the　secret　way　that　only　the　priests　know　and　from　here　we　may　spew　them　out　upon　the　palace　before　they　learn　the　truth。　Go；　Pan…sat；　immediatelydelay　not　an　instant。〃

〃But　stay；〃　he　called　as　the　under　priest　turned　to　leave　the　apartment；　〃saw　or　heard　you　anything　of　the　strange　white　woman　that　Ja…don　stole　from　the　Temple　of　the　Gryf　where　we　have　had　her　imprisoned？〃

〃Only　that　Ja…don　took　her　into　the　palace　where　he　threatened　the　priests　with　violence　if　they　did　not　permit　him　to　pass；〃　replied　Pan…sat。　〃This　they　told　me；　but　where　within　the　palace　she　is　hidden　I　know　not。〃

〃Ko…tan　ordered　her　to　the　Forbidden　Garden；〃　said　Lu…don；　〃doubtless　we　shall　find　her　there。　And　now；　Pan…sat；　be　upon　your　errand。〃

In　a　corridor　by　Lu…don's　chamber　a　hideously　masked　priest　leaned　close　to　the　curtained　aperture　that　led　within。　Were　he　listening　he　must　have　heard　all　that　passed　between　Pan…sat　and　the　high　priest；　and　that　he　had　listened　was　evidenced　by　his　hasty　withdrawal　to　the　shadows　of　a　nearby　passage　as　the　lesser　priest　moved　across　the　chamber　toward　the　doorway。　Pan…sat　went　his　way　in　ignorance　of　the　near　presence　that　he　almost　brushed　against　as　he　hurried　toward　the　secret　passage　that　leads　from　the　temple　of　Jad…ben…Otho；　far　beneath　the　palace；　to　the　city　beyond；　nor　did　he　sense　the　silent　creature　following　in　his　footsteps。



16

The　Secret　Way

IT　WAS　a　baffled　gryf　that　bellowed　in　angry　rage　as　Tarzan's　sleek　brown　body　cutting　the　moonlit　waters　shot　through　the　aperture　in　the　wall　of　the　gryf　pool　and　out　into　the　lake　beyond。　The　ape…man　smiled　as　he　thought　of　the　comparative　ease　with　which　he　had　defeated　the　purpose　of　the　high　priest　but　his　face　clouded　again　at　the　ensuing　remembrance　of　the　grave　danger　that　threatened　his　mate。　His　sole　object　now　must　be　to　return　as　quickly　as　he　might　to　the　chamber　where　he　had　last　seen　her　on　the　third　floor　of　the　Temple　of　the　Gryf；　but　how　he　was　to　find　his　way　again　into　the　temple　grounds　was　a　question　not　easy　of　solution。

In　the　moonlight　he　could　see　the　sheer　cliff　rising　from　the　water　for　a　great　distance　along　the　shorefar　beyond　the　precincts　of　the　temple　and　the　palacetowering　high　above　him；　a　seemingly　impregnable　barrier　against　his　return。　Swimming　close　in；　he　skirted　the　wall　searching　diligently　for　some　foothold；　however　slight；　upon　its　smooth；　forbidding　surface。　Above　him　and　quite　out　of　reach　were　numerous　apertures；　but　there　were　no　means　at　hand　by　which　he　could　reach　them。　Presently；　however；　his　hopes　were　raised　by　the　sight　of　an　opening　level　with　the　surface　of　the　water。　It　lay　just　ahead　and　a　few　strokes　brought　him　to　itcautious　strokes　that　brought　forth　no　sound　from　the　yielding　waters。　At　the　nearer　side　of　the　opening　he　stopped　and　reconnoitered。　There　was　no　one　in　sight。　Carefully　he　raised　his　body　to　the　threshold　of　the　entrance…way；　his　smooth　brown　hide　glistening　in　the　moonlight　as　it　shed　the　water　in　tiny　sparkling　rivulets。

Before　him　stretched　a　gloomy　corridor；　unlighted　save　for　the　faint　illumination　of　the　diffused　moonlight　that　penetrated　it　for　but　a　short　distance　from　the　opening。　Moving　as　rapidly　as　reasonable　caution　warranted；　Tarzan　followed　the　corridor　into　the　bowels　of　the　cave。　There　was　an　abrupt　turn　and　then　a　flight　of　steps　at　the　top　of　which　lay　another　corridor　running　parallel　with　the　face　of　the　cliff。　This　passage　was　dimly　lighted　by　flickering　cressets　set　in　niches　in　the　walls　at　considerable　distances　apart。　A　quick　survey　showed　the　ape…man　numerous　openings　upon　each　side　of　the　corridor　and　his　quick　ears　caught　sounds　that　indicated　that　there　were　other　beings　not　far　distantpriests；　he　concluded；　in　some　of　the　apartments　letting　upon　the　passageway。

To　pass　undetected　through　this　hive　of　enemies　appeared　quite　beyond　the　range　of　possibility。　He　must　again　seek　disguise　and　knowing　from　experience　how　best　to　secure　such　he　crept　stealthily　along　the　corridor　toward　the　nearest　doorway。　Like　Numa；　the　lion；　stalking　a　wary　prey　he　crept　with　quivering　nostrils　to　the　hangings　that　shut　off　his　view　from　the　interior　of　the　apartment　beyond。　A　moment　later　his　head　disappeared　within；　then　his　shoulders；　and　his　lithe　body；　and　the　hangings　dropped　quietly　into　place　again。　A　moment　later　there　filtered　to　the　vacant　corridor　without　a　brief；　gasping　gurgle　and　again　silence。　A　minute　passed；　a　second；　and　a　third；　and　then　the　hangings　were　thrust　aside　and　a　grimly　masked　priest　of　the　temple　of　Jad…ben…Otho　strode　into　the　passageway。

With　bold　steps　he　moved　along　and　was　about　to　turn　into　a　diverging　gallery　when　his　attention　was　aroused　by　voices　coming　from　a　room　upon　his　left。　Instantly　the　figure　halted　and　crossing　the　corridor　stood　with　an　ear　close　to　the　skins　that　concealed　the　occupants　of　the　room　from　him；　and　him　from　them。　Presently　he　leaped　back　into　the　concealing　shadows　of　the　diverging　gallery　and　immediately　thereafter　the　hangings　by　which　he　had　been　listening　parted　and　a　priest　emerged　to　turn　quickly　down　the　main　corridor。　The　eavesdropper　waited　until　the　other　had　gained　a　little　distance　and　then　stepping　from　his　place　of　concealment　followed　silently　behind。

The　way　led　along　the　corridor　which　ran　parallel　with　the　face　of　the　cliff　for　some　little　distance　and　then　Pan…sat；　taking　a　cresset　from　one　of　the　wall　niches；　turned　abruptly　into　a　small　apartment　at　his　left。　The　tracker　followed　cautiously　in　time　to　see　the　rays　of　the　flickering　light　dimly　visible　from　an　aperture　in　the　floor　before　him。　Here　he　found　a　series　of　steps；　similar　to　those　used　by　the　Waz…don　in　scaling　the　cliff　to　their　caves；　leading　to　a　lower　level。

First　satisfying　himself　that　his　guide　was　continuing　upon　his　way　unsuspecting；　the　other　descended　after　him　and　continued　his　stealthy　stalking。　The　passageway　was　now　both　narrow　and　low；　giving　but　bare　headroom　to　a　tall　man；　and　it　was　broken　often　by　flights　of　steps　leading　always　downward。　The　steps　in　each　unit　seldom　numbered　more　than　six　and　sometimes　there　was　only　one　or　two　but　in　the　aggregate　the　tracker　imagined　that　they　had　descended　between　fifty　and　seventy…five　feet　from　the　level　of　the　upper　corridor　when　the　passageway　terminated　in　a　small　apartment　at　one　side　of　which　was　a　little　pile　of　rubble。

Setting　his　cresset　upon　the　ground；　Pan…sat　commenced　hurriedly　to　toss　the　bits　of　broken　stone　aside；　presently　revealing　a　small　aperture　at　the　base　of　the　wall　upon　the　opposite　side　of　which　there　appeared　to　be　a　further　accumulation　of　rubble。　This　he　also　removed　until　he　had　a　hole　of　sufficient　size　to　permit　the　passage　of　his　body；　and　leaving　the　cresset　still　burning　upon　the　floor　the　priest　crawled　through　the　opening　he　had　made　and　disappeared　from　the　sight　of　the　watcher　hiding　in　the　shadows　of　the　narrow　passageway　behind　him。

No　sooner；　however；　was　he　safely　gone　than　the　other　followed；　finding　himself；　after　passing　through　the　hole；　on　a　little　ledge　about　halfway　between　the　surface　of　the　lake　and　the　top　of　the　cliff　above。　The　ledge　inclined　steeply　upward；　ending　at　the　rear　of　a　building　which　stood　upon　the　edge　of　the　cliff　and　which　the　second　priest　entered　just　in　time　to　see　Pan…sat　pass　out　into　the　city　beyond。

As　the　latter　turned　a　nearby　corner　the　other　emerged　from　the　doorway　and　quickly　surveyed　his　surroundings。　He　was　satisfied　the　priest　who　had　led　him　hither　had　served　his　purpose　in　so　far　as　the　tracker　was　concerned。　Above　him；　and　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　away；　the　white　walls　of　the　palace　gleamed　against　the　northern　sky。　The　time　that　it　had　taken　him　to　acquire　definite　knowledge　concerning　the　secret　passageway　between　the　temple　and　the　city　he　did　not　count　as　lost；　though　he　begrudged　every　instant　that　kept　him　from　the　prosecution　of　his　main　objective。　It　had　seemed　to　him；　however；　necessary　to　the　success　of　a　bold　plan　that　he　had　formulated　upon　overhearing　the　conversation　between　Lu…don　and　Pan…sat　as　he　stood　without　the　hangings　of　the　apartment　of　the　high　priest。

Alone　against　a　nation　of　suspicious　and　half…savage　enemies　he　could　scarce　hope　for　a　successful　outcome　to　the　one　great　issue　upon　which　hung　the　life　and　happiness　of　the　creature　he　loved　best。　For　her　sake　he　must　win　allies　and　it　was　for　this　purpose　that　he　had　sacrificed　these　precious　moments；　but　now　he　lost　no　further　time　in　seeking　to　regain　entrance　to　the　palace　grounds　that　he　might　search　out　whatever　new　prison　they　had　found　in　which　to　incarcerate　his　lost　love。

He　found　no　difficulty　in　passing　the　guards　at　the　entranc