tarzan the terrible-第24章

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ay　leading　into　another　apartment　of　the　palace。

Here　Tarzan　beheld　a　considerable　concourse　of　warriors　in　an　enormous　apartment；　the　domed　ceiling　of　which　was　fully　fifty　feet　above　the　floor。　Almost　filling　the　chamber　was　a　great　pyramid　ascending　in　broad　steps　well　up　under　the　dome　in　which　were　a　number　of　round　apertures　which　let　in　the　light。　The　steps　of　the　pyramid　were　occupied　by　warriors　to　the　very　pinnacle；　upon　which　sat　a　large；　imposing　figure　of　a　man　whose　golden　trappings　shone　brightly　in　the　light　of　the　afternoon　sun；　a　shaft　of　which　poured　through　one　of　the　tiny　apertures　of　the　dome。

〃Ko…tan！〃　cried　Dak…lot；　addressing　the　resplendent　figure　at　the　pinnacle　of　the　pyramid。　〃Ko…tan　and　warriors　of　Pal…ul…don！　Behold　the　honor　that　Jad…ben…Otho　has　done　you　in　sending　as　his　messenger　his　own　son；〃　and　Dak…lot；　stepping　aside；　indicated　Tarzan　with　a　dramatic　sweep　of　his　hand。

Ko…tan　rose　to　his　feet　and　every　warrior　within　sight　craned　his　neck　to　have　a　better　view　of　the　newcomer。　Those　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　pyramid　crowded　to　the　front　as　the　words　of　the　old　warrior　reached　them。　Skeptical　were　the　expressions　on　most　of　the　faces；　but　theirs　was　a　skepticism　marked　with　caution。　No　matter　which　way　fortune　jumped　they　wished　to　be　upon　the　right　side　of　the　fence。　For　a　moment　all　eyes　were　centered　upon　Tarzan　and　then　gradually　they　drifted　to　Ko…tan；　for　from　his　attitude　would　they　receive　the　cue　that　would　determine　theirs。　But　Ko…tan　was　evidently　in　the　same　quandary　as　theythe　very　attitude　of　his　body　indicated　itit　was　one　of　indecision　and　of　doubt。

The　ape…man　stood　erect；　his　arms　folded　upon　his　broad　breast；　an　expression　of　haughty　disdain　upon　his　handsome　face；　but　to　Dak…lot　there　seemed　to　be　indications　also　of　growing　anger。　The　situation　was　becoming　strained。　Dak…lot　fidgeted；　casting　apprehensive　glances　at　Tarzan　and　appealing　ones　at　Ko…tan。　The　silence　of　the　tomb　wrapped　the　great　chamber　of　the　throneroom　of　Pal…ul…don。

At　last　Ko…tan　spoke。　〃Who　says　that　he　is　Dor…ul…Otho？〃　he　asked；　casting　a　terrible　look　at　Dak…lot。

〃He　does！〃　almost　shouted　that　terrified　noble。

〃And　so　it　must　be　true？〃　queried　Ko…tan。

Could　it　be　that　there　was　a　trace　of　irony　in　the　chief's　tone？　Otho　forbid！　Dak…lot　cast　a　side　glance　at　Tarzana　glance　that　he　intended　should　carry　the　assurance　of　his　own　faith；　but　that　succeeded　only　in　impressing　the　ape…man　with　the　other's　pitiable　terror。

〃O　Ko…tan！〃　pleaded　Dak…lot；　〃your　own　eyes　must　convince　you　that　indeed　he　is　the　son　of　Otho。　Behold　his　godlike　figure；　his　hands；　and　his　feet；　that　are　not　as　ours；　and　that　he　is　entirely　tailless　as　is　his　mighty　father。〃

Ko…tan　appeared　to　be　perceiving　these　facts　for　the　first　time　and　there　was　an　indication　that　his　skepticism　was　faltering。　At　that　moment　a　young　warrior　who　had　pushed　his　way　forward　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　pyramid　to　where　he　could　obtain　a　good　look　at　Tarzan　raised　his　voice。

〃Ko…tan；〃　he　cried；　〃it　must　be　even　as　Dak…lot　says；　for　I　am　sure　now　that　I　have　seen　Dor…ul…Otho　before。　Yesterday　as　we　were　returning　with　the　Kor…ul…lul　prisoners　we　beheld　him　seated　upon　the　back　of　a　great　gryf。　We　hid　in　the　woods　before　he　came　too　near；　but　I　saw　enough　to　make　sure　that　he　who　rode　upon　the　great　beast　was　none　other　than　the　messenger　who　stands　here　now。〃

This　evidence　seemed　to　be　quite　enough　to　convince　the　majority　of　the　warriors　that　they　indeed　stood　in　the　presence　of　deitytheir　faces　showed　it　only　too　plainly；　and　a　sudden　modesty　that　caused　them　to　shrink　behind　their　neighbors。　As　their　neighbors　were　attempting　to　do　the　same　thing；　the　result　was　a　sudden　melting　away　of　those　who　stood　nearest　the　ape…man；　until　the　steps　of　the　pyramid　directly　before　him　lay　vacant　to　the　very　apex　and　to　Ko…tan。　The　latter；　possibly　influenced　as　much　by　the　fearful　attitude　of　his　followers　as　by　the　evidence　adduced；　now　altered　his　tone　and　his　manner　in　such　a　degree　as　might　comport　with　the　requirements　if　the　stranger　was　indeed　the　Dor…ul…Otho　while　leaving　his　dignity　a　loophole　of　escape　should　it　appear　that　he　had　entertained　an　impostor。

〃If　indeed　you　are　the　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　he　said；　addressing　Tarzan；　〃you　will　know　that　our　doubts　were　but　natural　since　we　have　received　no　sign　from　Jad…ben…Otho　that　he　intended　honoring　us　so　greatly；　nor　how　could　we　know；　even；　that　the　Great　God　had　a　son？　If　you　are　he；　all　Pal…ul…don　rejoices　to　honor　you；　if　you　are　not　he；　swift　and　terrible　shall　be　the　punishment　of　your　temerity。　I；　Ko…tan；　King　of　Pal…ul…don；　have　spoken。〃

〃And　spoken　well；　as　a　king　should　speak；〃　said　Tarzan；　breaking　his　long　silence；　〃who　fears　and　honors　the　god　of　his　people。　It　is　well　that　you　insist　that　I　indeed　be　the　Dor…ul…Otho　before　you　accord　me　the　homage　that　is　my　due。　Jad…ben…Otho　charged　me　specially　to　ascertain　if　you　were　fit　to　rule　his　people。　My　first　experience　of　you　indicates　that　Jad…ben…Otho　chose　well　when　he　breathed　the　spirit　of　a　king　into　the　babe　at　your　mother's　breast。〃

The　effect　of　this　statement；　made　so　casually；　was　marked　in　the　expressions　and　excited　whispers　of　the　now　awe…struck　assemblage。　At　last　they　knew　how　kings　were　made！　It　was　decided　by　Jad…ben…Otho　while　the　candidate　was　still　a　suckling　babe！　Wonderful！　A　miracle！　and　this　divine　creature　in　whose　presence　they　stood　knew　all　about　it。　Doubtless　he　even　discussed　such　matters　with　their　god　daily。　If　there　had　been　an　atheist　among　them　before；　or　an　agnostic；　there　was　none　now；　for　had　they　not　looked　with　their　own　eyes　upon　the　son　of　god？

〃It　is　well　then；〃　continued　the　ape…man；　〃that　you　should　assure　yourself　that　I　am　no　impostor。　Come　closer　that　you　may　see　that　I　am　not　as　are　men。　Furthermore　it　is　not　meet　that　you　stand　upon　a　higher　level　than　the　son　of　your　god。〃　There　was　a　sudden　scramble　to　reach　the　floor　of　the　throne…room；　nor　was　Ko…tan　far　behind　his　warriors；　though　he　managed　to　maintain　a　certain　majestic　dignity　as　he　descended　the　broad　stairs　that　countless　naked　feet　had　polished　to　a　gleaming　smoothness　through　the　ages。　〃And　now；〃　said　Tarzan　as　the　king　stood　before　him；　〃you　can　have　no　doubt　that　I　am　not　of　the　same　race　as　you。　Your　priests　have　told　you　that　Jad…ben…Otho　is　tailless。　Tailless；　therefore；　must　be　the　race　of　gods　that　spring　from　his　loins。　But　enough　of　such　proofs　as　these！　You　know　the　power　of　Jad…ben…Otho；　how　his　lightnings　gleaming　out　of　the　sky　carry　death　as　he　wills　it；　how　the　rains　come　at　his　bidding；　and　the　fruits　and　the　berries　and　the　grains；　the　grasses；　the　trees　and　the　flowers　spring　to　life　at　his　divine　direction；　you　have　witnessed　birth　and　death；　and　those　who　honor　their　god　honor　him　because　he　controls　these　things。　How　would　it　fare　then　with　an　impostor　who　claimed　to　be　the　son　of　this　all…powerful　god？　This　then　is　all　the　proof　that　you　require；　for　as　he　would　strike　you　down　should　you　deny　me；　so　would　he　strike　down　one　who　wrongfully　claimed　kinship　with　him。〃

This　line　of　argument　being　unanswerable　must　needs　be　convincing。　There　could　be　no　questioning　of　this　creature's　statements　without　the　tacit　admission　of　lack　of　faith　in　the　omnipotence　of　Jad…ben…Otho。　Ko…tan　was　satisfied　that　he　was　entertaining　deity；　but　as　to　just　what　form　his　entertainment　should　take　he　was　rather　at　a　loss　to　know。　His　conception　of　god　had　been　rather　a　vague　and　hazy　affair；　though　in　common　with　all　primitive　people　his　god　was　a　personal　one　as　were　his　devils　and　demons。　The　pleasures　of　Jad…ben…Otho　he　had　assumed　to　be　the　excesses　which　he　himself　enjoyed；　but　devoid　of　any　unpleasant　reaction。　It　therefore　occurred　to　him　that　the　Dor…ul…Otho　would　be　greatly　entertained　by　eatingeating　large　quantities　of　everything　that　Ko…tan　liked　best　and　that　he　had　found　most　injurious；　and　there　was　also　a　drink　that　the　women　of　the　Ho…don　made　by　allowing　corn　to　soak　in　the　juices　of　succulent　fruits；　to　which　they　had　added　certain　other　ingredients　best　known　to　themselves。　Ko…tan　knew　by　experience　that　a　single　draught　of　this　potent　liquor　would　bring　happiness　and