tarzan the terrible-第14章
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est it was only better than nothing。 But Pan…at…lee was very tired。 She had not slept since two nights before and in the interval she had experienced many dangers and hardships。 What wonder then that despite the hard bed； she was asleep almost immediately she had composed herself for rest。
She slept and the moon rose； casting its silver light upon the cliff's white face and lessening the gloom of the dark forest and the dismal gorge。 In the distance a lion roared。 There was a long silence。 From the upper reaches of the gorge came a deep bellow。 There was a movement in the trees at the cliff's foot。 Again the bellow； low and ominous。 It was answered from below the deserted village。 Something dropped from the foliage of a tree directly below the cave in which Pan…at…lee sleptit dropped to the ground among the dense shadows。 Now it moved； cautiously。 It moved toward the foot of the cliff； taking form and shape in the moonlight。 It moved like the creature of a bad dreamslowly； sluggishly。 It might have been a huge slothit might have been a man； with so grotesque a brush does the moon paintmaster cubist。
Slowly it moved up the face of the clifflike a great grubworm it moved； but now the moon…brush touched it again and it had hands and feet and with them it clung to the stone pegs and raised itself laboriously aloft toward the cave where Pan…at…lee slept。 From the lower reaches of the gorge came again the sound of bellowing； and it was answered from above the village。
Tarzan of the Apes opened his eyes。 He was conscious of a pain in his head； and at first that was about all。 A moment later grotesque shadows； rising and falling； focused his arousing perceptions。 Presently he saw that he was in a cave。 A dozen Waz…don warriors squatted about； talking。 A rude stone cresset containing burning oil lighted the interior and as the flame rose and fell the exaggerated shadows of the warriors danced upon the walls behind them。
〃We brought him to you alive； Gund；〃 he heard one of them saying； 〃because never before was Ho…don like him seen。 He has no tailhe was born without one； for there is no scar to mark where a tail had been cut off。 The thumbs upon his hands and feet are unlike those of the races of Pal…ul…don。 He is more powerful than many men put together and he attacks with the fearlessness of ja。 We brought him alive； that you might see him before he is slain。〃
The chief rose and approached the ape…man； who closed his eyes and feigned unconsciousness。 He felt hairy hands upon him as he was turned over； none too gently。 The gund examined him from head to foot； making comments； especially upon the shape and size of his thumbs and great toes。
〃With these and with no tail；〃 he said； 〃it cannot climb。〃
〃No；〃 agreed one of the warriors； 〃it would surely fall even from the cliff pegs。〃
〃I have never seen a thing like it；〃 said the chief。 〃It is neither Waz…don nor Ho…don。 I wonder from whence it came and what it is called。〃
〃The Kor…ul…ja shouted aloud； 'Tarzan…jad…guru！' and we thought that they might be calling this one；〃 said a warrior。 〃Shall we kill it now？〃
〃No；〃 replied the chief； 〃we will wait until it's life returns into its head that I may question it。 Remain here； In…tan； and watch it。 When it can again hear and speak call me。〃
He turned and departed from the cave； the others； except In…tan； following him。 As they moved past him and out of the chamber Tarzan caught snatches of their conversation which indicated that the Kor…ul…ja reinforcements had fallen upon their little party in great numbers and driven them away。 Evidently the swift feet of Id…an had saved the day for the warriors of Om…at。 The ape…man smiled； then he partially opened an eye and cast it upon In…tan。 The warrior stood at the entrance to the cave looking outhis back was toward his prisoner。 Tarzan tested the bonds that secured his wrists。 They seemed none too stout and they had tied his hands in front of him！ Evidence indeed that the Waz…don took few prisonersif any。
Cautiously he raised his wrists until he could examine the thongs that confined them。 A grim smile lighted his features。 Instantly he was at work upon the bonds with his strong teeth； but ever a wary eye was upon In…tan； the warrior of Kor…ul…lul。 The last knot had been loosened and Tarzan's hands were free when In…tan turned to cast an appraising eye upon his ward。 He saw that the prisoner's position was changedhe no longer lay upon his back as they had left him； but upon his side and his hands were drawn up against his face。 In…tan came closer and bent down。 The bonds seemed very loose upon the prisoner's wrists。 He extended his hand to examine them with his fingers and instantly the two hands leaped from their bondsone to seize his own wrist； the other his throat。 So unexpected the catlike attack that In…tan had not even time to cry out before steel fingers silenced him。 The creature pulled him suddenly forward so that he lost his balance and rolled over upon the prisoner and to the floor beyond to stop with Tarzan upon his breast。 In…tan struggled to release himselfstruggled to draw his knife； but Tarzan found it before him。 The Waz…don's tail leaped to the other's throat； encircling ithe too could choke； but his own knife； in the hands of his antagonist； severed the beloved member close to its root。
The Waz…don's struggles became weakera film was obscuring his vision。 He knew that he was dying and he was right。 A moment later he was dead。 Tarzan rose to his feet and placed one foot upon the breast of his dead foe。 How the urge seized him to roar forth the victory cry of his kind！ But he dared not。 He discovered that they had not removed his rope from his shoulders and that they had replaced his knife in its sheath。 It had been in his hand when he was felled。 Strange creatures！ He did not know that they held a superstitious fear of the weapons of a dead enemy； believing that if buried without them he would forever haunt his slayers in search of them and that when he found them he would kill the man who killed him。 Against the wall leaned his bow and quiver of arrows。
Tarzan stepped toward the doorway of the cave and looked out。 Night had just fallen。 He could hear voices from the nearer caves and there floated to his nostrils the odor of cooking food。 He looked down and experienced a sensation of relief。 The cave in which he had been held was in the lowest tierscarce thirty feet from the base of the cliff。 He was about to chance an immediate descent when there occurred to him a thought that brought a grin to his savage lipsa thought that was born of the name the Waz…don had given him Tarzan…jad…guruTarzan the Terribleand a recollection of the days when he had delighted in baiting the blacks of the distant jungle of his birth。 He turned back into the cave where lay the dead body of In…tan。 With his knife he severed the warrior's head and carrying it to the outer edge of the recess tossed it to the ground below； then he dropped swiftly and silently down the ladder of pegs in a way that would have surprised the Kor…ul…lul who had been so sure that he could not climb。
At the bottom he picked up the head of In…tan and disappeared among the shadows of the trees carrying the grisly trophy by its shock of shaggy hair。 Horrible？ But you are judging a wild beast by the standards of civilization。 You may teach a lion tricks； but he is still a lion。 Tarzan looked well in a Tuxedo； but he was still a Tarmangani and beneath his pleated shirt beat a wild and savage heart。
Nor was his madness lacking in method。 He knew that the hearts of the Kor…ul…lul would be filled with rage when they discovered the thing that he had done and he knew too； that mixed with the rage would be a leaven of fear and it was fear of him that had made Tarzan master of many junglesone does not win the respect of the killers with bonbons。
Below the village Tarzan returned to the foot of the cliff searching for a point where he could make the ascent to the ridge and thus back to the village of Om…at； the Kor…ul…ja。 He came at last to a place where the river ran so close to the rocky wall that he was forced to swim it in search of a trail upon the opposite side and here it was that his keen nostri
