tarzan the terrible-第39章

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It　was　Obergatz；　the　curse　had　told　her　that。　From　below　came　no　further　sound。　Had　she；　then；　killed　him？　She　prayed　sowith　all　her　heart　she　prayed　it。　To　be　freed　from　the　menace　of　this　loathsome　creature　were　relief　indeed。　During　all　the　balance　of　the　night　she　lay　there　awake；　listening。　Below　her；　she　imagined；　she　could　see　the　dead　man　with　his　hideous　face　bathed　in　the　cold　light　of　the　moonlying　there　upon　his　back　staring　up　at　her。

She　prayed　that　ja　might　come　and　drag　it　away；　but　all　during　the　remainder　of　the　night　she　heard　never　another　sound　above　the　drowsy　hum　of　the　jungle。　She　was　glad　that　he　was　dead；　but　she　dreaded　the　gruesome　ordeal　that　awaited　her　on　the　morrow；　for　she　must　bury　the　thing　that　had　been　Erich　Obergatz　and　live　on　there　above　the　shallow　grave　of　the　man　she　had　slain。

She　reproached　herself　for　her　weakness；　repeating　over　and　over　that　she　had　killed　in　self…defense；　that　her　act　was　justified；　but　she　was　still　a　woman　of　today；　and　strong　upon　her　were　the　iron　mandates　of　the　social　order　from　which　she　had　sprung；　its　interdictions　and　its　superstitions。

At　last　came　the　tardy　dawn。　Slowly　the　sun　topped　the　distant　mountains　beyond　Jad…in…lul。　And　yet　she　hesitated　to　loosen　the　fastenings　of　her　door　and　look　out　upon　the　thing　below。　But　it　must　be　done。　She　steeled　herself　and　untied　the　rawhide　thong　that　secured　the　barrier。　She　looked　down　and　only　the　grass　and　the　flowers　looked　up　at　her。　She　came　from　her　shelter　and　examined　the　ground　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　treethere　was　no　dead　man　there；　nor　anywhere　as　far　as　she　could　see。　Slowly　she　descended；　keeping　a　wary　eye　and　an　alert　ear　ready　for　the　first　intimation　of　danger。

At　the　foot　of　the　tree　was　a　pool　of　blood　and　a　little　trail　of　crimson　drops　upon　the　grass；　leading　away　parallel　with　the　shore　of　Jad…ben…lul。　Then　she　had　not　slain　him！　She　was　vaguely　aware　of　a　peculiar；　double　sensation　of　relief　and　regret。　Now　she　would　be　always　in　doubt。　He　might　return；　but　at　least　she　would　not　have　to　live　above　his　grave。

She　thought　some　of　following　the　bloody　spoor　on　the　chance　that　he　might　have　crawled　away　to　die　later；　but　she　gave　up　the　idea　for　fear　that　she　might　find　him　dead　nearby；　or；　worse　yet　badly　wounded。　What　then　could　she　do？　She　could　not　finish　him　with　her　spearno；　she　knew　that　she　could　not　do　that；　nor　could　she　bring　him　back　and　nurse　him；　nor　could　she　leave　him　there　to　die　of　hunger　or　of　thirst；　or　to　become　the　prey　of　some　prowling　beast。　It　were　better　then　not　to　search　for　him　for　fear　that　she　might　find　him。

That　day　was　one　of　nervous　starting　to　every　sudden　sound。　The　day　before　she　would　have　said　that　her　nerves　were　of　iron；　but　not　today。　She　knew　now　the　shock　that　she　had　suffered　and　that　this　was　the　reaction。　Tomorrow　it　might　be　different；　but　something　told　her　that　never　again　would　her　little　shelter　and　the　patch　of　forest　and　jungle　that　she　called　her　own　be　the　same。　There　would　hang　over　them　always　the　menace　of　this　man。　No　longer　would　she　pass　restful　nights　of　deep　slumber。　The　peace　of　her　little　world　was　shattered　forever。

That　night　she　made　her　door　doubly　secure　with　additional　thongs　of　rawhide　cut　from　the　pelt　of　the　buck　she　had　slain　the　day　that　she　met　Obergatz。　She　was　very　tired　for　she　had　lost　much　sleep　the　night　before；　but　for　a　long　time　she　lay　with　wide…open　eyes　staring　into　the　darkness。　What　saw　she　there？　Visions　that　brought　tears　to　those　brave　and　beautiful　eyesvisions　of　a　rambling　bungalow　that　had　been　home　to　her　and　that　was　no　more；　destroyed　by　the　same　cruel　force　that　haunted　her　even　now　in　this　remote；　uncharted　corner　of　the　earth；　visions　of　a　strong　man　whose　protecting　arm　would　never　press　her　close　again；　visions　of　a　tall；　straight　son　who　looked　at　her　adoringly　out　of　brave；　smiling　eyes　that　were　like　his　father's。　Always　the　vision　of　the　crude　simple　bungalow　rather　than　of　the　stately　halls　that　had　been　as　much　a　part　of　her　life　as　the　other。　But　he　had　loved　the　bungalow　and　the　broad；　free　acres　best　and　so　she　had　come　to　love　them　best；　too。

At　last　she　slept；　the　sleep　of　utter　exhaustion。　How　long　it　lasted　she　did　not　know；　but　suddenly　she　was　wide　awake　and　once　again　she　heard　the　scuffing　of　a　body　against　the　bark　of　her　tree　and　again　the　limb　bent　to　a　heavy　weight。　He　had　returned！　She　went　cold；　trembling　as　with　ague。　Was　it　he；　or；　O　God！　had　she　killed　him　then　and　was　this？　She　tried　to　drive　the　horrid　thought　from　her　mind；　for　this　way；　she　knew；　lay　madness。

And　once　again　she　crept　to　the　door；　for　the　thing　was　outside　just　as　it　had　been　last　night。　Her　hands　trembled　as　she　placed　the　point　of　her　weapon　to　the　opening。　She　wondered　if　it　would　scream　as　it　fell。



21

The　Maniac

THE　last　bar　that　would　make　the　opening　large　enough　to　permit　his　body　to　pass　had　been　removed　as　Tarzan　heard　the　warriors　whispering　beyond　the　stone　door　of　his　prison。　Long　since　had　the　rope　of　hide　been　braided。　To　secure　one　end　to　the　remaining　bar　that　he　had　left　for　this　purpose　was　the　work　of　but　a　moment；　and　while　the　warriors　whispered　without；　the　brown　body　of　the　ape…man　slipped　through　the　small　aperture　and　disappeared　below　the　sill。

Tarzan's　escape　from　the　cell　left　him　still　within　the　walled　area　that　comprised　the　palace　and　temple　grounds　and　buildings。　He　had　reconnoitered　as　best　he　might　from　the　window　after　he　had　removed　enough　bars　to　permit　him　to　pass　his　head　through　the　opening；　so　that　he　knew　what　lay　immediately　before　hima　winding　and　usually　deserted　alleyway　leading　in　the　direction　of　the　outer　gate　that　opened　from　the　palace　grounds　into　the　city。

The　darkness　would　facilitate　his　escape。　He　might　even　pass　out　of　the　palace　and　the　city　without　detection。　If　he　could　elude　the　guard　at　the　palace　gate　the　rest　would　be　easy。　He　strode　along　confidently；　exhibiting　no　fear　of　detection；　for　he　reasoned　that　thus　would　he　disarm　suspicion。　In　the　darkness　he　easily　could　pass　for　a　Ho…don　and　in　truth；　though　he　passed　several　after　leaving　the　deserted　alley；　no　one　accosted　or　detained　him；　and　thus　he　came　at　last　to　the　guard　of　a　half…dozen　warriors　before　the　palace　gate。　These　he　attempted　to　pass　in　the　same　unconcerned　fashion　and　he　might　have　succeeded　had　it　not　been　for　one　who　came　running　rapidly　from　the　direction　of　the　temple　shouting：　〃Let　no　one　pass　the　gates！　The　prisoner　has　escaped　from　the　pal…ul…ja！〃

Instantly　a　warrior　barred　his　way　and　simultaneously　the　fellow　recognized　him。　〃Xot　tor！〃　he　exclaimed：　〃Here　he　is　now。　Fall　upon　him！　Fall　upon　him！　Back！　Back　before　I　kill　you。〃

The　others　came　forward。　It　cannot　be　said　that　they　rushed　forward。　If　it　was　their　wish　to　fall　upon　him　there　was　a　noticeable　lack　of　enthusiasm　other　than　that　which　directed　their　efforts　to　persuade　someone　else　to　fall　upon　him。　His　fame　as　a　fighter　had　been　too　long　a　topic　of　conversation　for　the　good　of　the　morale　of　Mo…sar's　warriors。　It　were　safer　to　stand　at　a　distance　and　hurl　their　clubs　and　this　they　did；　but　the　ape…man　had　learned　something　of　the　use　of　this　weapon　since　he　had　arrived　in　Pal…ul…don。　And　as　he　learned　great　had　grown　his　respect　for　this　most　primitive　of　arms。　He　had　come　to　realize　that　the　black　savages　he　had　known　had　never　appreciated　the　possibilities　of　their　knob　sticks；　nor　had　he；　and　he　had　discovered；　too；　why　the　Pal…ul…donians　had　turned　their　ancient　spears　into　plowshares　and　pinned　their　faith　to　the　heavy…ended　club　alone。　In　deadly　execution　it　was　far　more　effective　than　a　spear　and　it　answered；　too；　every　purpose　of　a　shield；　combining　the　two　in　one　and　thus　reducing　the　burden　of　the　warrior。　Thrown　as　they　throw　it；　after　the　manner　of　the　hammer…throwers　of　the　Olympian　games；　an　ordinary　shield　would　prove　more　a　weakness　than　a　strength　while　one　that　would　be　strong　enough　to　prove　a　protection　would　be　too　heavy　to　carry。　Only　another　club；　deftly　wielded　to　deflect　the　course　of　an　enemy　missile；　is　in　any　way　effective　against　these　formidable　weapons　and；　too；　the　war　club　of　Pal…ul…don　can　be　thrown　with　accuracy　a　far　greater　distance　than　any　spear。

And　now　was　put　to　the　test　that　which　Tarzan　had　learned　from　Om…at　and　Ta…den。　His　eyes　and　his　muscles　trained　by　a　lifetime　of　necessity　moved　with　the　rapidity　of　light　and　his　brain　functioned　with　an　uncanny　celerity　that　suggested　nothing　less　than　prescience；　and　these　things　more　than　compensated　for　his　lack　of　experience　with　the　war　club　he　handled　so　dexterously。　Weapon　after　weapon　he　warded　off　and　always　he　moved　with　a　single　idea　in　mindto　place　himself　within　reach　of　one　of　his　antagonists。　But　they　were　wary　for　they　feared　this　strange　creature　to　whom　the　superstitious　fears　of　many　of　them　attributed　the　miraculous　powers　of　deity。　They　managed　to　keep　between　Tarzan　and　the　gateway　and　all　the　time　they　bawled　lustily　for　reinforcements。　Should　these　come　before　he　had　made　his　escape　the　ape…man　realized　that　the　odds　against　him　would　be　unsurmountable；　and　so　he　redoubled　his　efforts　to　carry　out　his　design。

Following　their　usual　tactics　two　or　three　of　the　warriors　were　always　circling　behind　him　collecting　the　thrown　clubs　when　Tarzan's　attention　was　directed　elsewhere。　He　himself　retrieved　several　of　them　which　he　hurled　with　such　deadly　effect　as　to　dispose　of　two　of　his　antagonists；　but　now　he　heard　the　approach　of　hurrying　warriors；　the　patter　of　their　bare　feet　upon　the　stone　pavement　and　then　the　savage　cries　which　were　to　bolster　the　courage　of　their　fellows　and　fill　the　enemy　with　fear。

There　was　no　time　to　lose。　Tarzan　held　a　club　in　either　hand　and；　swinging　one　he　hurled　it　at　a　warrior　before　him　and　as　the　man　dodged　he　rushed　in　and　seized　him；　at　the　same　time　casting　his　second　club　at　another　of　his　opponents。　The　Ho…don　with　whom　he　grappled　reached　instantly　for　his　knife　but　the　ape…man　grasped　his　wrist。　There　was　a　sudden　twist；　the　snapping　of　a　bone　and　an　agonized　scream；　then　the　warrior　was　lifted　bodily　from　his　feet　and　held　as　a　shield　between　his　fellows　and　the　fugitive　as　the　latter　backed　through　the　gateway。　Beside　Tarzan　stood　the　single　torch　that　lighted　the　entrance　to　the　palace　grounds。　The　warriors　were　advancing　to　the　succor　of　their　fellow　when　the　ape…man　raised　his　captive　high　above　his　head　and　flung　him　full　in　the　face　of　the　foremost　attacker。　The　fellow　went　down　and　two　directly　behind　him　sprawled　headlong　over　their　companion　as　the　ape…man　seized　the　torch　and　cast　it　back　into　the　palace　grounds　to　be　extinguished　as　it　struck　the　bodies　of　those　who　led　the　charging　reinforcements。

In　the　ensuing　darkness　Tarzan　disappeared　in　the　streets　of　Tu…lur　beyond　the　palace　gate。　For　a　time　he　was　aware　of　sounds　of　pursuit　but　the　fact　that　they　trailed　away　and　died　in　the　direction　of　Jad…in…lul　informed　him　that　they　were　searching　in　the　wrong　direction；　for　he　had　turned　south　out　of　Tu…lur　purposely　to　throw　them　off　his　track。　Beyond　the　outskirts　of　the　city　he　turned　directly　toward　the　northwest；　in　which　direction　lay　A…lur。

In　his　path　he　knew　lay　Jad…bal…lul；　t