tarzan the terrible-第12章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
last came in sight of them they appeared to be in full rout。 The natural result was that the others turned and fled。
Encouraged by this first success Om…at followed them into the brush； his little company charging valiantly upon his either side； and loud and terrifying were the savage yells with which they pursued the fleeing enemy。 The brush； while not growing so closely together as to impede progress； was of such height as to hide the members of the party from one another when they became separated by even a few yards。 The result was that Tarzan； always swift and always keen for battle； was soon pursuing the enemy far in the lead of the othersa lack of prudence which was to prove his undoing。
The warriors of Kor…ul…lul； doubtless as valorous as their foemen； retreated only to a more strategic position in the brush； nor were they long in guessing that the number of their pursuers was fewer than their own。 They made a stand then where the brush was densestan ambush it was； and into this ran Tarzan of the Apes。 They tricked him neatly。 Yes； sad as is the narration of it； they tricked the wily jungle lord。 But then they were fighting on their own ground； every foot of which they knew as you know your front parlor； and they were following their own tactics； of which Tarzan knew nothing。
A single black warrior appeared to Tarzan a laggard in the rear of the retreating enemy and thus retreating he lured Tarzan on。 At last he turned at bay confronting the ape…man with bludgeon and drawn knife and as Tarzan charged him a score of burly Waz…don leaped from the surrounding brush。 Instantly； but too late； the giant Tarmangani realized his peril。 There flashed before him a vision of his lost mate and a great and sickening regret surged through him with the realization that if she still lived she might no longer hope； for though she might never know of the passing of her lord the fact of it must inevitably seal her doom。
And consequent to this thought there enveloped him a blind frenzy of hatred for these creatures who dared thwart his purpose and menace the welfare of his wife。 With a savage growl he threw himself upon the warrior before him twisting the heavy club from the creature's hand as if he had been a little child； and with his left fist backed by the weight and sinew of his giant frame； he crashed a shattering blow to the center of the Waz…don's facea blow that crushed the bones and dropped the fellow in his tracks。 Then he swung upon the others with their fallen comrade's bludgeon striking to right and left mighty； unmerciful blows that drove down their own weapons until that wielded by the ape…man was splintered and shattered。 On either hand they fell before his cudgel； so rapid the delivery of his blows； so catlike his recovery that in the first few moments of the battle he seemed invulnerable to their attack； but it could not lasthe was outnumbered twenty to one and his undoing came from a thrown club。 It struck him upon the back of the head。 For a moment he stood swaying and then like a great pine beneath the woodsman's ax he crashed to earth。
Others of the Kor…ul…lul had rushed to engage the balance of Om…at's party。 They could be heard fighting at a short distance and it was evident that the Kor…ul…ja were falling slowly back and as they fell Om…at called to the missing one： 〃Tarzan the Terrible！ Tarzan the Terrible！〃
〃Jad…guru； indeed；〃 repeated one of the Kor…ul…lul rising from where Tarzan had dropped him。 〃Tarzan…jad…guru！ He was worse than that。〃
5
In the Kor…ul…gryf
AS TARZAN fell among his enemies a man halted many miles away upon the outer verge of the morass that encircles Pal…ul…don。 Naked he was except for a loin cloth and three belts of cartridges； two of which passed over his shoulders； crossing upon his chest and back； while the third encircled his waist。 Slung to his back by its leathern sling…strap was an Enfield； and he carried too a long knife； a bow and a quiver of arrows。 He had come far； through wild and savage lands； menaced by fierce beasts and fiercer men； yet intact to the last cartridge was the ammunition that had filled his belts the day that he set out。
The bow and the arrows and the long knife had brought him thus far safely； yet often in the face of great risks that could have been minimized by a single shot from the well…kept rifle at his back。 What purpose might he have for conserving this precious ammunition？ in risking his life to bring the last bright shining missile to his unknown goal？ For what； for whom were these death…dealing bits of metal preserved？ In all the world only he knew。
When Pan…at…lee stepped over the edge of the cliff above Kor…ul…lul she expected to be dashed to instant death upon the rocks below； but she had chosen this in preference to the rending fangs of ja。 Instead； chance had ordained that she make the frightful plunge at a point where the tumbling river swung close beneath the overhanging cliff to eddy for a slow moment in a deep pool before plunging madly downward again in a cataract of boiling foam； and water thundering against rocks。
Into this icy pool the girl shot； and down and down beneath the watery surface until； half choked； yet fighting bravely； she battled her way once more to air。 Swimming strongly she made the opposite shore and there dragged herself out upon the bank to lie panting and spent until the approaching dawn warned her to seek concealment； for she was in the country of her people's enemies。
Rising； she moved into the concealment of the rank vegetation that grows so riotously in the well…watered kors（1） of Pal…ul…don。
_______________________________________________________________
（1） I have used the Pal…ul… don word for gorge with the English plural； which is not the correct native plural form。 The latter； it seems to me； is awkward for us and so I have generally ignored it throughout my manuscript； permitting； for example； Kor…ul…ja to answer for both singular and plural。 However； for the benefit of those who may be interested in such things I may say that the plurals are formed simply for all words in the Pal…ul…don language by doubling the initial letter of the word； as k'kor； gorges； pronounced as though written kakor； the a having the sound of a in sofa。 Lions； then； would be j'ja； or men d' don。 _______________________________________________________________
Hidden amidst the plant life from the sight of any who might chance to pass along the well…beaten trail that skirted the river Pan…at…lee sought rest and food； the latter growing in abundance all about her in the form of fruits and berries and succulent tubers which she scooped from the earth with the knife of the dead Es…sat。
Ah！ if she had but known that he was dead！ What trials and risks and terrors she might have been saved； but she thought that he still lived and so she dared not return to Kor…ul…ja。 At least not yet while his rage was at white heat。 Later； perhaps； her father and brothers returned to their cave； she might risk it； but not nownot now。 Nor could she for long remain here in the neighborhood of the hostile Kor…ul…lul and somewhere she must find safety from beasts before the night set in。
As she sat upon the bole of a fallen tree seeking some solution of the problem of existence that confronted her； there broke upon her ears from up the gorge the voices of shouting mena sound that she recognized all too well。 It was the war cry of the Kor…ul…lul。 Closer and closer it approached her hiding place。 Then； through the veil of foliage she caught glimpses of three figures fleeing along the trail； and behind them the shouting of the pursuers rose louder and louder as they neared her。 Again she caught sight of the fugitives crossing the river below the cataract and again they were lost to sight。 And now the pursuers came into viewshouting Kor…ul…lul warriors； fierce and implacable。 Forty； perhaps fifty of them。 She waited breathless； but they did not swerve from the trail and passed her； unguessing that an enemy she lay hid within a few yards of them。
Once again she caught sight of the pursuedthree Waz…don warriors clambering the cliff face at a point where portions of the summit had fallen away presenting a steep sl
