tarzan the terrible-第35章

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elf　to　Lu…don's　priests　it　would　more　than　satisfy　him　and　if　they　should　conspire　to　harm　him；　then　Mo…sar　would　be　safe　in　the　eyes　of　Jad…ben…Otho　if　it　finally　developed　that　the　stranger　was　in　reality　the　son　of　god。　He　felt　uncomfortable　in　Tarzan's　presence　and　this　fact　rather　accentuated　his　doubt；　for　thus　indeed　would　mortal　feel　in　the　presence　of　a　god。　Now　he　saw　a　way　to　escape；　at　least　temporarily。

〃I　will　fetch　them　myself；　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　he　said；　and　turning；　left　the　apartment。　His　hurried　steps　brought　him　quickly　to　the　temple；　for　the　palace　grounds　of　Tu…lur；　which　also　included　the　temple　as　in　all　of　the　Ho…don　cities；　covered　a　much　smaller　area　than　those　of　the　larger　city　of　A…lur。　He　found　Lu…don's　messengers　with　the　high　priest　of　his　own　temple　and　quickly　transmitted　to　them　the　commands　of　the　ape…man。

〃What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　him？〃　asked　one　of　the　priests。

〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　him；〃　replied　Mo…sar。　〃He　came　in　peace　and　he　may　depart　in　peace；　for　who　knows　but　that　he　is　indeed　the　Dor…ul…Otho？〃

〃We　know　that　he　is　not；〃　replied　Lu…don's　emissary。　〃We　have　every　proof　that　he　is　only　mortal；　a　strange　creature　from　another　country。　Already　has　Lu…don　offered　his　life　to　Jad…ben…Otho　if　he　is　wrong　in　his　belief　that　this　creature　is　not　the　son　of　god。　If　the　high　priest　of　A…lur；　who　is　the　highest　priest　of　all　the　high　priests　of　Pal…ul…don　is　thus　so　sure　that　the　creature　in　an　impostor　as　to　stake　his　life　upon　his　judgment　then　who　are　we　to　give　credence　to　the　claims　of　this　stranger？　No；　Mo…sar；　you　need　not　fear　him。　He　is　only　a　warrior　who　may　be　overcome　with　the　same　weapons　that　subdue　your　own　fighting　men。　Were　it　not　for　Lu…don's　command　that　he　be　taken　alive　I　would　urge　you　to　set　your　warriors　upon　him　and　slay　him；　but　the　commands　of　Lu…don　are　the　commands　of　Jad…ben…Otho　himself；　and　those　we　may　not　disobey。〃

But　still　the　remnant　of　a　doubt　stirred　within　the　cowardly　breast　of　Mo…sar；　urging　him　to　let　another　take　the　initiative　against　the　stranger。

〃He　is　yours　then；〃　he　replied；　〃to　do　with　as　you　will。　I　have　no　quarrel　with　him。　What　you　may　command　shall　be　the　command　of　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　and　further　than　that　I　shall　have　nothing　to　do　in　the　matter。〃

The　priests　turned　to　him　who　guided　the　destinies　of　the　temple　at　Tu…lur。　〃Have　you　no　plan？〃　they　asked。　〃High　indeed　will　he　stand　in　the　counsels　of　Lu…don　and　in　the　eyes　of　Jad…ben…Otho　who　finds　the　means　to　capture　this　impostor　alive。〃

〃There　is　the　lion　pit；〃　whispered　the　high　priest。　〃It　is　now　vacant　and　what　will　hold　ja　and　jato　will　hold　this　stranger　if　he　is　not　the　Dor…ul…Otho。〃

〃It　will　hold　him；〃　said　Mo…sar；　〃doubtless　too　it　would　hold　a　gryf；　but　first　you　would　have　to　get　the　gryf　into　it。〃

The　priests　pondered　this　bit　of　wisdom　thoughtfully　and　then　one　of　those　from　A…lur　spoke。　〃It　should　not　be　difficult；〃　he　said；　〃if　we　use　the　wits　that　Jad…ben…Otho　gave　us　instead　of　the　worldly　muscles　which　were　handed　down　to　us　from　our　fathers　and　our　mothers　and　which　have　not　even　the　power　possessed　by　those　of　the　beasts　that　run　about　on　four　feet。〃

〃Lu…don　matched　his　wits　with　the　stranger　and　lost；〃　suggested　Mo…sar。　〃But　this　is　your　own　affair。　Carry　it　out　as　you　see　best。〃

〃At　A…lur；　Ko…tan　made　much　of　this　Dor…ul…Otho　and　the　priests　conducted　him　through　the　temple。　It　would　arouse　in　his　mind　no　suspicion　were　you　to　do　the　same；　and　let　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　invite　him　to　the　temple　and　gathering　all　the　priests　make　a　great　show　of　belief　in　his　kinship　to　Jad…ben…Otho。　And　what　more　natural　then　than　that　the　high　priest　should　wish　to　show　him　through　the　temple　as　did　Lu…don　at　A…lur　when　Ko…tan　commanded　it；　and　if　by　chance　he　should　be　led　through　the　lion　pit　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　for　those　who　bear　the　torches　to　extinguish　them　suddenly　and　before　the　stranger　was　aware　of　what　had　happened；　the　stone　gates　could　be　dropped；　thus　safely　securing　him。〃

〃But　there　are　windows　in　the　pit　that　let　in　light；〃　interposed　the　high　priest；　〃and　even　though　the　torches　were　extinguished　he　could　still　see　and　might　escape　before　the　stone　door　could　be　lowered。〃

〃Send　one　who　will　cover　the　windows　tightly　with　hides；〃　said　the　priest　from　A…lur。

〃The　plan　is　a　good　one；〃　said　Mo…sar；　seeing　an　opportunity　for　entirely　eliminating　himself　from　any　suspicion　of　complicity；　〃for　it　will　require　the　presence　of　no　warriors；　and　thus　with　only　priests　about　him　his　mind　will　entertain　no　suspicion　of　harm。〃

They　were　interrupted　at　this　point　by　a　messenger　from　the　palace　who　brought　word　that　the　Dor…ul…Otho　was　becoming　impatient　and　if　the　priests　from　A…lur　were　not　brought　to　him　at　once　he　would　come　himself　to　the　temple　and　get　them。　Mo…sar　shook　his　head。　He　could　not　conceive　of　such　brazen　courage　in　mortal　breast　and　glad　he　was　that　the　plan　evolved　for　Tarzan's　undoing　did　not　necessitate　his　active　participation。

And　so；　while　Mo…sar　left　for　a　secret　corner　of　the　palace　by　a　roundabout　way；　three　priests　were　dispatched　to　Tarzan　and　with　whining　words　that　did　not　entirely　deceive　him；　they　acknowledged　his　kinship　to　Jad…ben…Otho　and　begged　him　in　the　name　of　the　high　priest　to　honor　the　temple　with　a　visit；　when　the　priests　from　A…lur　would　be　brought　to　him　and　would　answer　any　questions　that　he　put　to　them。

Confident　that　a　continuation　of　his　bravado　would　best　serve　his　purpose；　and　also　that　if　suspicion　against　him　should　crystallize　into　conviction　on　the　part　of　Mo…sar　and　his　followers　that　he　would　be　no　worse　off　in　the　temple　than　in　the　palace；　the　ape…man　haughtily　accepted　the　invitation　of　the　high　priest。

And　so　he　came　into　the　temple　and　was　received　in　a　manner　befitting　his　high　claims。　He　questioned　the　two　priests　of　A…lur　from　whom　he　obtained　only　a　repetition　of　the　story　that　Mo…sar　had　told　him；　and　then　the　high　priest　invited　him　to　inspect　the　temple。

They　took　him　first　to　the　altar　court；　of　which　there　was　only　one　in　Tu…lur。　It　was　almost　identical　in　every　respect　with　those　at　A…lur。　There　was　a　bloody　altar　at　the　east　end　and　the　drowning　basin　at　the　west；　and　the　grizzly　fringes　upon　the　headdresses　of　the　priests　attested　the　fact　that　the　eastern　altar　was　an　active　force　in　the　rites　of　the　temple。　Through　the　chambers　and　corridors　beneath　they　led　him；　and　finally；　with　torch　bearers　to　light　their　steps；　into　a　damp　and　gloomy　labyrinth　at　a　low　level　and　here　in　a　large　chamber；　the　air　of　which　was　still　heavy　with　the　odor　of　lions；　the　crafty　priests　of　Tu…lur　encompassed　their　shrewd　design。

The　torches　were　suddenly　extinguished。　There　was　a　hurried　confusion　of　bare　feet　moving　rapidly　across　the　stone　floor。　There　was　a　loud　crash　as　of　a　heavy　weight　of　stone　falling　upon　stone；　and　then　surrounding　the　ape…man　naught　but　the　darkness　and　the　silence　of　the　tomb。



19

Diana　of　the　Jungle

JANE　had　made　her　first　kill　and　she　was　very　proud　of　it。　It　was　not　a　very　formidable　animalonly　a　hare；　but　it　marked　an　epoch　in　her　existence。　Just　as　in　the　dim　past　the　first　hunter　had　shaped　the　destinies　of　mankind　so　it　seemed　that　this　event　might　shape　hers　in　some　new　mold。　No　longer　was　she　dependent　upon　the　wild　fruits　and　vegetables　for　sustenance。　Now　she　might　command　meat；　the　giver　of　the　strength　and　endurance　she　would　require　successfully　to　cope　with　the　necessities　of　her　primitive　existence。

The　next　step　was　fire。　She　might　learn　to　eat　raw　flesh　as　had　her　lord　and　master；　but　she　shrank　from　that。　The　thought　even　was　repulsive。　She　had；　however；　a　plan　for　fire。　She　had　given　the　matter　thought；　but　had　been　too　busy　to　put　it　into　execution　so　long　as　fire　could　be　of　no　immediate　use　to　her。　Now　it　was　differentshe　had　something　to　cook　and　her　mouth　watered　for　the　flesh　of　her　kill。　She　would　grill　it　above　glowing　embers。　Jane　hastened　to　her　tree。　Among　the　treasures　she　had　gathered　in　the　bed　of　the　stream　were　several　pieces　of　volcanic　glass；　clear　as　crystal。　She　sought　until　she　had　found　the　one　in　mind；　which　was　convex。　Then　she　hurried　to　the　ground　and　gathered　a　little　pile　of　powdered　bark　that　was　very　dry；　and　some　dead　leaves　and　grasses　that　had　lain　long　in　the　hot　sun。　Near　at　hand　she　arranged　a　supply　of　dead　twigs　and　branchessmall　and　large。

Vibrant　with　suppressed　excitement　she　held　the　bit　of　glass　above　the　tinder；　moving　it　slowly　until　she　had　focused　the　sun's　rays　upon　a　tiny　spot。　She　waited　breathlessly。　How　slow　it　was！　Were　her　high　hopes　to　be　dashed　in　spite　of　all　her　clever　planning？　No！　A　thin　thread　of　smoke　rose　gracefully　into　the　quiet　air。　Presently　the　tinder　glowed　and　broke　suddenly　into　flame。　Jane　clasped　her　hands　beneath　her　chin　with　a　little　gurgling　exclamation　of　delight。　She　had　achieved　fire！

She　piled　on　twigs　and　then　larger　branches　and　at　last　dragged　a　small　log　to　the　flames　and　pushed　an　end　of　it　into　the　fire　which　was　crackling　merrily。　It　was　the　sweetest　sound　that　she　had　heard　for　many　a　month。　But　she　could　not　wait　for　the　mass　of　embers　that　would　be　required　to　cook　her　hare。　As　quickly　as　might　be　she　skinned　and　cleaned　her　kill；　burying　the　hide　and　entrails。　That　she　had　learned　from　Tarzan。　It　served　two　purposes。　One　was　the　necessity　for　keeping　a　sanitary　camp　and　the　other　the　obliteration　of　the　scent　that　most　quickly　attracts　the　man…eaters。

Then　she　ran　a　stick　through　the　carcass　and　held　it　above　the　flames。　By　turning　it　often　she　prevented　burning　and　at　the　same　time　permitted　the　meat　to　cook　thoroughly　all　the　way　through。　When　it　was　done　she　scampered　high　into　the　safety　of　her　tree　to　enjoy　her　meal　in　quiet　and　peace。　Never；　thought　Lady　Greystoke；　had　aught　more　delicious　passed　her　lips。　She　patted　her　spear　affectionately。　It　had　brought　her　this　toothsome　dainty　and　with　it　a　feeling　of　greater　confidence　and　safety　than　she　had　enjoyed　since　that　frightful　day　that　she　and　Obergatz　had　spent　their　last　cartridge。　She　would　never　forget　that　dayit　had　seemed　one　hideous　succession　of　frightful　beast　after　frightful　beast。　They　had　not　been　long　in　this　strange　country；　yet　they　thought　that　they　were　hardened　to　dangers；　for　daily　they　had　had　encounters　with　ferocious　creatures；　but　this　dayshe　shuddered　when　she　thought　of　it。　And　with　her　last　cartridge　she　had　killed　a　black　and　yellow　striped　lion…thing　with　great　saber　teeth　just　as　it　was　about　to　spring　upon　Obergatz　who　had　futilely　emptied　his　rifle　into　itthe　last　shothis　final　cartridge。　For　another　day　they　had　carried　the　now　useless　rifles；　but　at　last　they　had　discarded　them　and　thrown　away　the　cumbersome　bandoleers；　as　well。　How　they　had　managed　to　survive　during　the　ensuing　week　she　could　never　quite　understand；　and　then　the　Ho…don　had　come　upon　them　and　captured　her。　Obergatz　had　escapedshe　was　living　it　all　over　again。　Doubtless　he　was　dead　unless　he　had　been　able　to　reach　this　side　of　the　valley　which　was　quite　evidently　less　overrun　with　savage　beasts。

Jane's　days　were　very　full　ones　now；　and　the　daylight　hours　seemed　all　too　short　in　which　to　accomplish　the　many　things　she　had　determined　upon；　since　s