tarzan the terrible-第31章
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n which to incarcerate his lost love。
He found no difficulty in passing the guards at the entrance to the palace for； as he had guessed； his priestly disguise disarmed all suspicion。 As he approached the warriors he kept his hands behind him and trusted to fate that the sickly light of the single torch which stood beside the doorway would not reveal his un…Pal…ul…donian feet。 As a matter of fact so accustomed were they to the comings and goings of the priesthood that they paid scant attention to him and he passed on into the palace grounds without even a moment's delay。
His goal now was the Forbidden Garden and this he had little difficulty in reaching though he elected to enter it over the wall rather than to chance arousing any suspicion on the part of the guards at the inner entrance； since he could imagine no reason why a priest should seek entrance there thus late at night。
He found the garden deserted； nor any sign of her he sought。 That she had been brought hither he had learned from the conversation he had overheard between Lu…don and Pan…sat； and he was sure that there had been no time or opportunity for the high priest to remove her from the palace grounds。 The garden he knew to be devoted exclusively to the uses of the princess and her women and it was only reasonable to assume therefore that if Jane had been brought to the garden it could only have been upon an order from Ko…tan。 This being the case the natural assumption would follow that he would find her in some other portion of O…lo…a's quarters。
Just where these lay he could only conjecture； but it seemed reasonable to believe that they must be adjacent to the garden； so once more he scaled the wall and passing around its end directed his steps toward an entrance…way which he judged must lead to that portion of the palace nearest the Forbidden Garden。
To his surprise he found the place unguarded and then there fell upon his ear from an interior apartment the sound of voices raised in anger and excitement。 Guided by the sound he quickly traversed several corridors and chambers until he stood before the hangings which separated him from the chamber from which issued the sounds of altercation。 Raising the skins slightly he looked within。 There were two women battling with a Ho…don warrior。 One was the daughter of Ko…tan and the other Pan…at…lee； the Kor…ul…ja。
At the moment that Tarzan lifted the hangings； the warrior threw O…lo…a viciously to the ground and seizing Pan…at…lee by the hair drew his knife and raised it above her head。 Casting the encumbering headdress of the dead priest from his shoulders the ape…man leaped across the intervening space and seizing the brute from behind struck him a single terrible blow。
As the man fell forward dead； the two women recognized Tarzan simultaneously。 Pan…at…lee fell upon her knees and would have bowed her head upon his feet had he not； with an impatient gesture； commanded her to rise。 He had no time to listen to their protestations of gratitude or answer the numerous questions which he knew would soon be flowing from those two feminine tongues。
〃Tell me；〃 he cried； 〃where is the woman of my own race whom Ja…don brought here from the temple？〃
〃She is but this moment gone；〃 cried O…lo…a。 〃Mo…sar； the father of this thing here；〃 and she indicated the body of Bu…lot with a scornful finger； 〃seized her and carried her away。〃
〃Which way？〃 he cried。 〃Tell me quickly； in what direction he took her。〃
〃That way；〃 cried Pan…at…lee； pointing to the doorway through which Mo…sar had passed。 〃They would have taken the princess and the stranger woman to Tu…lur； Mo…sar's city by the Dark Lake。〃
〃I go to find her；〃 he said to Pan…at…lee； 〃she is my mate。 And if I survive I shall find means to liberate you too and return you to Om…at。〃
Before the girl could reply he had disappeared behind the hangings of the door near the foot of the dais。 The corridor through which he ran was illy lighted and like nearly all its kind in the Ho…don city wound in and out and up and down； but at last it terminated at a sudden turn which brought him into a courtyard filled with warriors； a portion of the palace guard that had just been summoned by one of the lesser palace chiefs to join the warriors of Ko…tan in the battle that was raging in the banquet hall。
At sight of Tarzan； who in his haste had forgotten to recover his disguising headdress； a great shout arose。 〃Blasphemer！〃 〃Defiler of the temple！〃 burst hoarsely from savage throats； and mingling with these were a few who cried； 〃Dor…ul…Otho！〃 evidencing the fact that there were among them still some who clung to their belief in his divinity。
To cross the courtyard armed only with a knife； in the face of this great throng of savage fighting men seemed even to the giant ape…man a thing impossible of achievement。 He must use his wits now and quickly too； for they were closing upon him。 He might have turned and fled back through the corridor but flight now even in the face of dire necessity would but delay him in his pursuit of Mo…sar and his mate。
〃Stop！〃 he cried； raising his palm against them。 〃I am the Dor…ul…Otho and I come to you with a word from Ja…don； who it is my father's will shall be your king now that Ko…tan is slain。 Lu…don； the high priest； has planned to seize the palace and destroy the loyal warriors that Mo…sar may be made kingMo…sar who will be the tool and creature of Lu…don。 Follow me。 There is no time to lose if you would prevent the traitors whom Lu…don has organized in the city from entering the palace by a secret way and overpowering Ja…don and the faithful band within。〃
For a moment they hesitated。 At last one spoke。 〃What guarantee have we；〃 he demanded； 〃that it is not you who would betray us and by leading us now away from the fighting in the banquet hall cause those who fight at Ja…don's side to be defeated？〃
〃My life will be your guarantee；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃If you find that I have not spoken the truth you are sufficient in numbers to execute whatever penalty you choose。 But come； there is not time to lose。 Already are the lesser priests gathering their warriors in the city below；〃 and without waiting for any further parley he strode directly toward them in the direction of the gate upon the opposite side of the courtyard which led toward the principal entrance to the palace ground。
Slower in wit than he； they were swept away by his greater initiative and that compelling power which is inherent to all natural leaders。 And so they followed him； the giant ape…man with a dead tail dragging the ground behind hima demi…god where another would have been ridiculous。 Out into the city he led them and down toward the unpretentious building that hid Lu…don's secret passageway from the city to the temple； and as they rounded the last turn they saw before them a gathering of warriors which was being rapidly augmented from all directions as the traitors of A…lur mobilized at the call of the priesthood。
〃You spoke the truth； stranger；〃 said the chief who marched at Tarzan's side； 〃for there are the warriors with the priests among them； even as you told us。〃
〃And now；〃 replied the ape…man； 〃that I have fulfilled my promise I will go my way after Mo…sar； who has done me a great wrong。 Tell Ja…don that Jad…ben…Otho is upon his side； nor do you forget to tell him also that it was the Dor…ul…Otho who thwarted Lu…don's plan to seize the palace。〃
〃I will not forget；〃 replied the chief。 〃Go your way。 We are enough to overpower the traitors。〃
〃Tell me；〃 asked Tarzan； 〃how I may know this city of Tu…lur？〃
〃It lies upon the south shore of the second lake below A…lur；〃 replied the chief； 〃the lake that is called Jad…in…lul。〃
They were now approaching the band of traitors； who evidently thought that this was another contingent of their own party since they made no effort either toward defense or retreat。 Suddenly the chief raised his voice in a savage war cry that was immediately taken up by his followers； and simultaneously； as though the cry were a command； the entire party broke into a mad charge upon the surprised rebels。
Satisfied with the outcome of his suddenly conceived plan and sure that it would work to the disadvantage of Lu…don； Tarzan turned into a side street and pointed his steps toward the outskirts of the city in search of the trail that led southward toward Tu…lur。
17
By Jad…bal…lul
AS MO…SAR carried Jane Clayton from the palace of Ko…tan； the king； the woman struggled incessantly to regain her freedom。 He tried to compel her to walk； but despite his threats and his abuse she would not voluntarily take a single step in the direction in which he wished her to go。 Instead she threw herself to the ground each time he sought to place her upon her feet； and so of necessity he was compelled to carry her though at last he tied her hands and gagged her to save himself from further lacerations； for the beauty and slenderness of the woman belied her strength and courage。 When he came at last to where his men had gathered he was glad indeed to turn her over to a couple of stalwart warriors； but these too were forced to carry her since Mo…sar's fear of the vengeance of Ko…tan's retainers would brook no delays。
And thus they came down out of the hills from which A…lur is carved； to the meadows that skirt the lower end of Jad…ben…lul； with Jane Clayton carried between two of Mo…sar's men。 At the edge of the lake lay a fleet of strong canoes； hollowed from the trunks of trees； their bows and sterns carved in the semblance of grotesque beasts or birds and vividly colored by some master in that primitive school of art； which fortunately is not without its devotees today。
Into the stern of one of these canoes the warriors tossed their captive at a sign from Mo…sar； who came and stood beside her as the warriors were finding their places in the canoes and selecting their paddles。
〃Come； Beautiful One；〃 he said； 〃let us be friends and you shall not be harmed。 You will find Mo…sar a kind master if you do his bidding；〃 and thinking to make a good impression on her he removed the gag from her mouth and the thongs from her wrists； knowing well that she could not escape surrounded as she was by his warriors； and presently； when they were out on the lake； she would be as safely imprisoned as though he held her behind bars。
And so the fleet moved off to the accompaniment of the gentle splashing of a hundred paddles； to follow the windings of the rivers and lakes through which the waters of the Valley of Jad…ben…Otho empty into the great morass to the south。 The warriors； resting upon one knee； faced the bow and in the last canoe Mo…sar tiring of his fruitless attempts to win responses from his sullen captive； squatted in the bottom of the canoe with his back toward her and resting his head upon the gunwale sought sleep。
Thus they moved in silence between the verdure…clad banks of the little river through which the waters of Jad…ben…lul emptiednow in the moonlight； now in dense shadow where great trees overhung the stream； and at last out upon the waters of another lake； the black shores of which seemed far away under the weird influence of a moonlight night。
Jane Clayton sat alert in the stern of the last canoe。 For months
