tarzan the terrible-第37章

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　shiver　through　the　woman's　frame。

As　Obergatz　talked　Jane　had　recovered　her　spear　from　the　carcass　of　the　antelope　and　commenced　busying　herself　with　the　removal　of　the　hide。　The　man　made　no　attempt　to　assist　her；　but　stood　by　talking　and　watching　her；　the　while　he　continually　ran　his　filthy　fingers　through　his　matted　hair　and　beard。　His　face　and　body　were　caked　with　dirt　and　he　was　naked　except　for　a　torn　greasy　hide　about　his　loins。　His　weapons　consisted　of　a　club　and　knife　of　Waz…don　pattern；　that　he　had　stolen　from　the　city　of　Bu…lur；　but　what　more　greatly　concerned　the　woman　than　his　filth　or　his　armament　were　his　cackling　laughter　and　the　strange　expression　in　his　eyes。

She　went　on　with　her　work；　however；　removing　those　parts　of　the　buck　she　wanted；　taking　only　as　much　meat　as　she　might　consume　before　it　spoiled；　as　she　was　not　sufficiently　a　true　jungle　creature　to　relish　it　beyond　that　stage；　and　then　she　straightened　up　and　faced　the　man。

〃Lieutenant　Obergatz；〃　she　said；　〃by　a　chance　of　accident　we　have　met　again。　Certainly　you　would　not　have　sought　the　meeting　any　more　than　I。　We　have　nothing　in　common　other　than　those　sentiments　which　may　have　been　engendered　by　my　natural　dislike　and　suspicion　of　you；　one　of　the　authors　of　all　the　misery　and　sorrow　that　I　have　endured　for　endless　months。　This　little　corner　of　the　world　is　mine　by　right　of　discovery　and　occupation。　Go　away　and　leave　me　to　enjoy　here　what　peace　I　may。　It　is　the　least　that　you　can　do　to　amend　the　wrong　that　you　have　done　me　and　mine。〃

The　man　stared　at　her　through　his　fishy　eyes　for　a　moment　in　silence；　then　there　broke　from　his　lips　a　peal　of　mirthless；　uncanny　laughter。

〃Go　away！　Leave　you　alone！〃　he　cried。　〃I　have　found　you。　We　are　going　to　be　good　friends。　There　is　no　one　else　in　the　world　but　us。　No　one　will　ever　know　what　we　do　or　what　becomes　of　us　and　now　you　ask　me　to　go　away　and　live　alone　in　this　hellish　solitude。〃　Again　he　laughed；　though　neither　the　muscles　of　his　eyes　or　his　mouth　reflected　any　mirthit　was　just　a　hollow　sound　that　imitated　laughter。

〃Remember　your　promise；〃　she　said。

〃Promise！　Promise！　What　are　promises？　They　are　made　to　be　brokenwe　taught　the　world　that　at　Liege　and　Louvain。　No；　no！　I　will　not　go　away。　I　shall　stay　and　protect　you。〃

〃I　do　not　need　your　protection；〃　she　insisted。　〃You　have　already　seen　that　I　can　use　a　spear。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　would　not　be　right　to　leave　you　here　aloneyou　are　but　a　woman。　No；　no；　I　am　an　officer　of　the　Kaiser　and　I　cannot　abandon　you。〃

Once　more　he　laughed。　〃We　could　be　very　happy　here　together；〃　he　added。

The　woman　could　not　repress　a　shudder；　nor；　in　fact；　did　she　attempt　to　hide　her　aversion。

〃You　do　not　like　me？〃　he　asked。　〃Ah；　well；　it　is　too　sad。　But　some　day　you　will　love　me；〃　and　again　the　hideous　laughter。

The　woman　had　wrapped　the　pieces　of　the　buck　in　the　hide　and　this　she　now　raised　and　threw　across　her　shoulder。　In　her　other　hand　she　held　her　spear　and　faced　the　German。

〃Go！〃　she　commanded。　〃We　have　wasted　enough　words。　This　is　my　country　and　I　shall　defend　it。　If　I　see　you　about　again　I　shall　kill　you。　Do　you　understand？〃

An　expression　of　rage　contorted　Obergatz'　features。　He　raised　his　club　and　started　toward　her。

〃Stop！〃　she　commanded；　throwing　her　spear…hand　backward　for　a　cast。　〃You　saw　me　kill　this　buck　and　you　have　said　truthfully　that　no　one　will　ever　know　what　we　do　here。　Put　these　two　facts　together；　German；　and　draw　your　own　conclusions　before　you　take　another　step　in　my　direction。〃

The　man　halted　and　his　club…hand　dropped　to　his　side。　〃Come；〃　he　begged　in　what　he　intended　as　a　conciliatory　tone。　〃Let　us　be　friends；　Lady　Greystoke。　We　can　be　of　great　assistance　to　each　other　and　I　promise　not　to　harm　you。〃

〃Remember　Liege　and　Louvain；〃　she　reminded　him　with　a　sneer。　〃I　am　going　nowbe　sure　that　you　do　not　follow　me。　As　far　as　you　can　walk　in　a　day　from　this　spot　in　any　direction　you　may　consider　the　limits　of　my　domain。　If　ever　again　I　see　you　within　these　limits　I　shall　kill　you。〃

There　could　be　no　question　that　she　meant　what　she　said　and　the　man　seemed　convinced　for　he　but　stood　sullenly　eyeing　her　as　she　backed　from　sight　beyond　a　turn　in　the　game　trail　that　crossed　the　ford　where　they　had　met；　and　disappeared　in　the　forest。



20

Silently　in　the　Night

IN　A…LUR　the　fortunes　of　the　city　had　been　tossed　from　hand　to　hand。　The　party　of　Ko…tan's　loyal　warriors　that　Tarzan　had　led　to　the　rendezvous　at　the　entrance　to　the　secret　passage　below　the　palace　gates　had　met　with　disaster。　Their　first　rush　had　been　met　with　soft　words　from　the　priests。　They　had　been　exhorted　to　defend　the　faith　of　their　fathers　from　blasphemers。　Ja…don　was　painted　to　them　as　a　defiler　of　temples；　and　the　wrath　of　Jad…ben…Otho　was　prophesied　for　those　who　embraced　his　cause。　The　priests　insisted　that　Lu…don's　only　wish　was　to　prevent　the　seizure　of　the　throne　by　Ja…don　until　a　new　king　could　be　chosen　according　to　the　laws　of　the　Ho…don。

The　result　was　that　many　of　the　palace　warriors　joined　their　fellows　of　the　city；　and　when　the　priests　saw　that　those　whom　they　could　influence　outnumbered　those　who　remained　loyal　to　the　palace；　they　caused　the　former　to　fall　upon　the　latter　with　the　result　that　many　were　killed　and　only　a　handful　succeeded　in　reaching　the　safety　of　the　palace　gates；　which　they　quickly　barred。

The　priests　led　their　own　forces　through　the　secret　passageway　into　the　temple；　while　some　of　the　loyal　ones　sought　out　Ja…don　and　told　him　all　that　had　happened。　The　fight　in　the　banquet　hall　had　spread　over　a　considerable　portion　of　the　palace　grounds　and　had　at　last　resulted　in　the　temporary　defeat　of　those　who　had　opposed　Ja…don。　This　force；　counseled　by　under　priests　sent　for　the　purpose　by　Lu…don；　had　withdrawn　within　the　temple　grounds　so　that　now　the　issue　was　plainly　marked　as　between　Ja…don　on　the　one　side　and　Lu…don　on　the　other。

The　former　had　been　told　of　all　that　had　occurred　in　the　apartments　of　O…lo…a　to　whose　safety　he　had　attended　at　the　first　opportunity　and　he　had　also　learned　of　Tarzan's　part　in　leading　his　men　to　the　gathering　of　Lu…don's　warriors。

These　things　had　naturally　increased　the　old　warrior's　former　inclinations　of　friendliness　toward　the　ape…man；　and　now　he　regretted　that　the　other　had　departed　from　the　city。

The　testimony　of　O…lo…a　and　Pan…at…lee　was　such　as　to　strengthen　whatever　belief　in　the　godliness　of　the　stranger　Ja…don　and　others　of　the　warriors　had　previously　entertained；　until　presently　there　appeared　a　strong　tendency　upon　the　part　of　this　palace　faction　to　make　the　Dor…ul…otho　an　issue　of　their　original　quarrel　with　Lu…don。　Whether　this　occurred　as　the　natural　sequence　to　repeated　narrations　of　the　ape…man's　exploits；　which　lost　nothing　by　repetition；　in　conjunction　with　Lu…don's　enmity　toward　him；　or　whether　it　was　the　shrewd　design　of　some　wily　old　warrior　such　as　Ja…don；　who　realized　the　value　of　adding　a　religious　cause　to　their　temporal　one；　it　were　difficult　to　determine；　but　the　fact　remained　that　Ja…don's　followers　developed　bitter　hatred　for　the　followers　of　Lu…don　because　of　the　high　priest's　antagonism　to　Tarzan。

Unfortunately　however　Tarzan　was　not　there　to　inspire　the　followers　of　Ja…don　with　the　holy　zeal　that　might　have　quickly　settled　the　dispute　in　the　old　chieftain's　favor。　Instead；　he　was　miles　away　and　because　their　repeated　prayers　for　his　presence　were　unanswered；　the　weaker　spirits　among　them　commenced　to　suspect　that　their　cause　did　not　have　divine　favor。　There　was　also　another　and　a　potent　cause　for　defection　from　the　ranks　of　Ja…don。　It　emanated　from　the　city　where　the　friends　and　relatives　of　the　palace　warriors；　who　were　largely　also　the　friends　and　relatives　of　Lu…don's　forces；　found　the　means；　urged　on　by　the　priesthood；　to　circulate　throughout　the　palace　pernicious　propaganda　aimed　at　Ja…don's　cause。

The　result　was　that　Lu…don's　power　increased　while　that　of　Ja…don　waned。　Then　followed　a　sortie　from　the　temple　which　resulted　in　the　defeat　of　the　palace　forces；　and　though　they　were　able　to　withdraw　in　decent　order　withdraw　they　did；　leaving　the　palace　to　Lu…don；　who　was　now　virtually　ruler　of　Pal…ul…don。

Ja…don；　taking　with　him　the　princess；　her　women；　and　their　slaves；　including　Pan…at…lee；　as　well　as　the　women　and　children　of　his　faithful　followers；　retreated　not　only　from　the　palace　but　from　the　city　of　A…lur　as　well　and　fell　back　upon　his　own　city　of　Ja…lur。　Here　he　remained；　recruiting　his　forces　from　the　surrounding　villages　of　the　north　which；　being　far　removed　from　the　influence　of　the　priesthood　of　A…lur；　were　enthusiastic　partisans　in　any　cause　that　the　old　chieftain　espoused；　since　for　years　he　had　been　revered　as　their　friend　and　protector。

And　while　these　events　were　transpiring　in　the　north；　Tarzan…jad…guru　lay　in　the　lion　pit　at　Tu…lur　while　messengers　passed　back　and　forth　between　Mo…sar　and　Lu…don　as　the　two　dickered　for　the　throne　of　Pal…ul…don。　Mo…sar　was　cunning　enough　to　guess　that　should　an　open　breach　occur　between　himself　and　the　high　priest　he　might　use　his　prisoner　to　his　own　advantage；　for　he　had　heard　whisperings　among　even　his　own　people　that　suggested　that　there　were　those　who　were　more　than　a　trifle　inclined　to　belief　in　the　divinity　of　the　stranger　and　that　he　might　indeed　be　the　Dor…ul…Otho。　Lu…don　wanted　Tarzan　himself。　He　wanted　to　sacrifice　him　upon　the　eastern　altar　with　his　own　hands　before　a　multitude　of　people；　since　he　was　not　without　evidence　that　his　own　standing　and　authority　had　been　lessened　by　the　claims　of　the　bold　and　heroic　figure　of　the　stranger。

The　method　that　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　had　employed　to　trap　Tarzan　had　left　the　ape…man　in　possession　of　his　weapons　though　there　seemed　little　likelihood　of　their　being　of　any　service　to　him。　He　also　had　his　pouch；　in　which　were　the　various　odds　and　ends　which　are　the　natural　accumulation　of　all　receptacles　from　a　gold　meshbag　to　an　attic。　There　were　bits　of　obsidian　and　choice　feathers　for　arrows；　some　pieces　of　flint　and　a　couple　of　steel；　an　old　knife；　a　heavy　bone　needle；　and　strips　of　dried　gut。　Nothing　very　useful　to　you　or　me；　perhaps；　but　nothing　useless　to　the　savage　life　of　the　ape…man。

When　Tarzan　realized　the　trick　that　had　been　so　neatly　played　upon　him　he　had　awaited　expectantly　the　coming　of　the　lion；　for　though　the　scent　of　ja　was　old　he　was　sure　that　sooner　or　later　they　would　let　one　of　the　beasts　in　upon　him。　His　first　consideration　was　a　thorough　exploration　of　his　prison。　He　had　noticed　the　hide…covered　windows　and　these　he　immediately　uncovered；　letting　in　the　light；　and　revealing　the　fact　that　though　the　chamber　was　far　below　the　level　of　the　temple　courts　it　was　yet　many　feet　above　the　base　of　the　hill　from　which　the　temple　was　hewn。　The　windows　were　so　closely　barred　that　he　could　not　see　over　the　edge　of　the　thick　wall　in　which　they　were　cut　to　determine　what　lay　close　in　below　him。　At　a　little　distance　were　the　blue　waters　of　Jad…in…lul　and　beyond；　the　verdure…clad　farther　shore；　and　beyond　that　the　mountains。　It　was　a　beautiful　picture　upon　which　he　lookeda　picture　of　peace　and　harmony　and　quiet。　Nor　anywhere　a　slightest　suggestion　of　the　savage　men　and　beasts　that　claimed　this　lovely　landscape　as　the