tarzan the terrible-第40章

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northwest；　in　which　direction　lay　A…lur。

In　his　path　he　knew　lay　Jad…bal…lul；　the　shore　of　which　he　was　compelled　to　skirt；　and　there　would　be　a　river　to　cross　at　the　lower　end　of　the　great　lake　upon　the　shores　of　which　lay　A…lur。　What　other　obstacles　lay　in　his　way　he　did　not　know　but　he　believed　that　he　could　make　better　time　on　foot　than　by　attempting　to　steal　a　canoe　and　force　his　way　up　stream　with　a　single　paddle。　It　was　his　intention　to　put　as　much　distance　as　possible　between　himself　and　Tu…lur　before　he　slept　for　he　was　sure　that　Mo…sar　would　not　lightly　accept　his　loss；　but　that　with　the　coming　of　day；　or　possibly　even　before；　he　would　dispatch　warriors　in　search　of　him。

A　mile　or　two　from　the　city　he　entered　a　forest　and　here　at　last　he　felt　such　a　measure　of　safety　as　he　never　knew　in　open　spaces　or　in　cities。　The　forest　and　the　jungle　were　his　birthright。　No　creature　that　went　upon　the　ground　upon　four　feet；　or　climbed　among　the　trees；　or　crawled　upon　its　belly　had　any　advantage　over　the　ape…man　in　his　native　heath。　As　myrrh　and　frankincense　were　the　dank　odors　of　rotting　vegetation　in　the　nostrils　of　the　great　Tarmangani。　He　squared　his　broad　shoulders　and　lifting　his　head　filled　his　lungs　with　the　air　that　he　loved　best。　The　heavy　fragrance　of　tropical　blooms；　the　commingled　odors　of　the　myriad…scented　life　of　the　jungle　went　to　his　head　with　a　pleasurable　intoxication　far　more　potent　than　aught　contained　in　the　oldest　vintages　of　civilization。

He　took　to　the　trees　now；　not　from　necessity　but　from　pure　love　of　the　wild　freedom　that　had　been　denied　him　so　long。　Though　it　was　dark　and　the　forest　strange　yet　he　moved　with　a　surety　and　ease　that　bespoke　more　a　strange　uncanny　sense　than　wondrous　skill。　He　heard　ja　moaning　somewhere　ahead　and　an　owl　hooted　mournfully　to　the　right　of　himlong　familiar　sounds　that　imparted　to　him　no　sense　of　loneliness　as　they　might　to　you　or　to　me；　but　on　the　contrary　one　of　companionship　for　they　betokened　the　presence　of　his　fellows　of　the　jungle；　and　whether　friend　or　foe　it　was　all　the　same　to　the　ape…man。

He　came　at　last　to　a　little　stream　at　a　spot　where　the　trees　did　not　meet　above　it　so　he　was　forced　to　descend　to　the　ground　and　wade　through　the　water　and　upon　the　opposite　shore　he　stopped　as　though　suddenly　his　godlike　figure　had　been　transmuted　from　flesh　to　marble。　Only　his　dilating　nostrils　bespoke　his　pulsing　vitality。　For　a　long　moment　he　stood　there　thus　and　then　swiftly；　but　with　a　caution　and　silence　that　were　inherent　in　him　he　moved　forward　again；　but　now　his　whole　attitude　bespoke　a　new　urge。　There　was　a　definite　and　masterful　purpose　in　every　movement　of　those　steel　muscles　rolling　softly　beneath　the　smooth　brown　hide。　He　moved　now　toward　a　certain　goal　that　quite　evidently　filled　him　with　far　greater　enthusiasm　than　had　the　possible　event　of　his　return　to　A…lur。

And　so　he　came　at　last　to　the　foot　of　a　great　tree　and　there　he　stopped　and　looked　up　above　him　among　the　foliage　where　the　dim　outlines　of　a　roughly　rectangular　bulk　loomed　darkly。　There　was　a　choking　sensation　in　Tarzan's　throat　as　he　raised　himself　gently　into　the　branches。　It　was　as　though　his　heart　were　swelling　either　to　a　great　happiness　or　a　great　fear。

Before　the　rude　shelter　built　among　the　branches　he　paused　listening。　From　within　there　came　to　his　sensitive　nostrils　the　same　delicate　aroma　that　had　arrested　his　eager　attention　at　the　little　stream　a　mile　away。　He　crouched　upon　the　branch　close　to　the　little　door。

〃Jane；〃　he　called；　〃heart　of　my　heart；　it　is　I。〃

The　only　answer　from　within　was　as　the　sudden　indrawing　of　a　breath　that　was　half　gasp　and　half　sigh；　and　the　sound　of　a　body　falling　to　the　floor。　Hurriedly　Tarzan　sought　to　release　the　thongs　which　held　the　door　but　they　were　fastened　from　the　inside；　and　at　last；　impatient　with　further　delay；　he　seized　the　frail　barrier　in　one　giant　hand　and　with　a　single　effort　tore　it　completely　away。　And　then　he　entered　to　find　the　seemingly　lifeless　body　of　his　mate　stretched　upon　the　floor。

He　gathered　her　in　his　arms；　her　heart　beat；　she　still　breathed；　and　presently　he　realized　that　she　had　but　swooned。

When　Jane　Clayton　regained　consciousness　it　was　to　find　herself　held　tightly　in　two　strong　arms；　her　head　pillowed　upon　the　broad　shoulder　where　so　often　before　her　fears　had　been　soothed　and　her　sorrows　comforted。　At　first　she　was　not　sure　but　that　it　was　all　a　dream。　Timidly　her　hand　stole　to　his　cheek。

〃John；〃　she　murmured；　〃tell　me；　is　it　really　you？〃

In　reply　he　drew　her　more　closely　to　him。　〃It　is　I；〃　he　replied。　〃But　there　is　something　in　my　throat；〃　he　said　haltingly；　〃that　makes　it　hard　for　me　to　speak。〃

She　smiled　and　snuggled　closer　to　him。　〃God　has　been　good　to　us；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　she　said。

For　some　time　neither　spoke。　It　was　enough　that　they　were　reunited　and　that　each　knew　that　the　other　was　alive　and　safe。　But　at　last　they　found　their　voices　and　when　the　sun　rose　they　were　still　talking；　so　much　had　each　to　tell　the　other；　so　many　questions　there　were　to　be　asked　and　answered。

〃And　Jack；〃　she　asked；　〃where　is　he？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Tarzan。　〃The　last　I　heard　of　him　he　was　on　the　Argonne　Front。〃

〃Ah；　then　our　happiness　is　not　quite　complete；〃　she　said；　a　little　note　of　sadness　creeping　into　her　voice。

〃No；〃　he　replied；　〃but　the　same　is　true　in　countless　other　English　homes　today；　and　pride　is　learning　to　take　the　place　of　happiness　in　these。〃

She　shook　her　head；　〃I　want　my　boy；〃　she　said。

〃And　I　too；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃and　we　may　have　him　yet。　He　was　safe　and　unwounded　the　last　word　I　had。　And　now；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　plan　upon　our　return。　Would　you　like　to　rebuild　the　bungalow　and　gather　together　the　remnants　of　our　Waziri　or　would　you　rather　return　to　London？〃

〃Only　to　find　Jack；〃　she　said。　〃I　dream　always　of　the　bungalow　and　never　of　the　city；　but　John；　we　can　only　dream；　for　Obergatz　told　me　that　he　had　circled　this　whole　country　and　found　no　place　where　he　might　cross　the　morass。〃

〃I　am　not　Obergatz；〃　Tarzan　reminded　her；　smiling。　〃We　will　rest　today　and　tomorrow　we　will　set　out　toward　the　north。　It　is　a　savage　country；　but　we　have　crossed　it　once　and　we　can　cross　it　again。〃

And　so；　upon　the　following　morning；　the　Tarmangani　and　his　mate　went　forth　upon　their　journey　across　the　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho；　and　ahead　of　them　were　fierce　men　and　savage　beasts；　and　the　lofty　mountains　of　Pal…ul…don；　and　beyond　the　mountains　the　reptiles　and　the　morass；　and　beyond　that　the　arid；　thorn…covered　steppe；　and　other　savage　beasts　and　men　and　weary；　hostile　miles　of　untracked　wilderness　between　them　and　the　charred　ruins　of　their　home。

Lieutenant　Erich　Obergatz　crawled　through　the　grass　upon　all　fours；　leaving　a　trail　of　blood　behind　him　after　Jane's　spear　had　sent　him　crashing　to　the　ground　beneath　her　tree。　He　made　no　sound　after　the　one　piercing　scream　that　had　acknowledged　the　severity　of　his　wound。　He　was　quiet　because　of　a　great　fear　that　had　crept　into　his　warped　brain　that　the　devil　woman　would　pursue　and　slay　him。　And　so　he　crawled　away　like　some　filthy　beast　of　prey；　seeking　a　thicket　where　he　might　lie　down　and　hide。

He　thought　that　he　was　going　to　die；　but　he　did　not；　and　with　the　coming　of　the　new　day　he　discovered　that　his　wound　was　superficial。　The　rough　obsidian…shod　spear　had　entered　the　muscles　of　his　side　beneath　his　right　arm　inflicting　a　painful；　but　not　a　fatal　wound。　With　the　realization　of　this　fact　came　a　renewed　desire　to　put　as　much　distance　as　possible　between　himself　and　Jane　Clayton。　And　so　he　moved　on；　still　going　upon　all　fours　because　of　a　persistent　hallucination　that　in　this　way　he　might　escape　observation。　Yet　though　he　fled　his　mind　still　revolved　muddily　about　a　central　desirewhile　he　fled　from　her　he　still　planned　to　pursue　her；　and　to　his　lust　of　possession　was　added　a　desire　for　revenge。　She　should　pay　for　the　suffering　she　had　inflicted　upon　him。　She　should　pay　for　rebuffing　him；　but　for　some　reason　which　he　did　not　try　to　explain　to　himself　he　would　crawl　away　and　hide。　He　would　come　back　though。　He　would　come　back　and　when　he　had　finished　with　her；　he　would　take　that　smooth　throat　in　his　two　hands　and　crush　the　life　from　her。

He　kept　repeating　this　over　and　over　to　himself　and　then　he　fell　to　laughing　out　loud；　the　cackling；　hideous　laughter　that　had　terrified　Jane。　Presently　he　realized　his　knees　were　bleeding　and　that　they　hurt　him。　He　looked　cautiously　behind。　No　one　was　in　sight。　He　listened。　He　could　hear　no　indications　of　pursuit　and　so　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　continued　upon　his　way　a　sorry　sightcovered　with　filth　and　blood；　his　beard　and　hair　tangled　and　matted　and　filled　with　burrs　and　dried　mud　and　unspeakable　filth。　He　kept　no　track　of　time。　He　ate　fruits　and　berries　and　tubers　that　he　dug　from　the　earth　with　his　fingers。　He　followed　the　shore　of　the　lake　and　the　river　that　he　might　be　near　water；　and　when　ja　roared　or　moaned　he　climbed　a　tree　and　hid　there；　shivering。

And　so　after　a　time　he　came　up　the　southern　shore　of　Jad…ben…lul　until　a　wide　river　stopped　his　progress。　Across　the　blue　water　a　white　city　glimmered　in　the　sun。　He　looked　at　it　for　a　long　time；　blinking　his　eyes　like　an　owl。　Slowly　a　recollection　forced　itself　through　his　tangled　brain。　This　was　A…lur；　the　City　of　Light。　The　association　of　ideas　recalled　Bu…lur　and　the　Waz…ho…don。　They　had　called　him　Jad…ben…Otho。　He　commenced　to　laugh　aloud　and　stood　up　very　straight　and　strode　back　and　forth　along　the　shore。　〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　he　cried；　〃I　am　the　Great　God。　In　A…lur　is　my　temple　and　my　high　priests。　What　is　Jad…ben…Otho　doing　here　alone　in　the　jungle？〃

He　stepped　out　into　the　water　and　raising　his　voice　shrieked　loudly　across　toward　A…lur。　〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho！〃　he　screamed。　〃Come　hither　slaves　and　take　your　god　to　his　temple。〃　But　the　distance　was　great　and　they　did　not　hear　him　and　no　one　came；　and　the　feeble　mind　was　distracted　by　other　thingsa　bird　flying　in　the　air；　a　school　of　minnows　swimming　around　his　feet。　He　lunged　at　them　trying　to　catch　them；　and　falling　upon　his　hands　and　knees　he　crawled　through　the　water　grasping　futilely　at　the　elusive　fish。

Presently　it　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　a　sea　lion　and　he　forgot　the　fish　and　lay　down　and　tried　to　swim　by　wriggling　his　feet　in　the　water　as　though　they　were　a　tail。　The　hardships；　the　privations；　the　terrors；　and　for　the　past　few　weeks　the　lack　of　proper　nourishment　had　reduced　Erich　Obergatz　to　little　more　than　a　gibbering　idiot。

A　water　snake　swam　out　upon　the　surface　of　the　lake　and　the　man　pursued　it；　crawling　upon　his　hands　and　knees。　The　snake　swam　toward　the　shore　just　within　the　mouth　of　the　river　where　tall　reeds　grew　thickly　and　Obergatz　followed；　making　grunting　noises　like　a　pig。　He　lost　the　snake　within　the　reeds　but　he　came　upon　something　elsea　canoe　hidden　there　close　to　the　bank。　He　examined　it　with　cackling　laughter。　There　were　two　paddles　within　it　which　he　took　and　threw　out　into　the　current　of　the　river。　He　watched　them　for　a　while　and　then　he　sat　down　beside　the　canoe　and　commenced　to　splash　his　hands　up　and　down　upon　the　water。　He　liked　to　hear　the　noise　and　see　the　little　splashes　of　spray。　He　rubbed　his　left　forearm　with　his　right　palm　and　the　dirt　came　off　and