tarzan the terrible-第38章

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om　above　and　then　Lu…don　smiled　and　with　another　signal　put　in　motion　whatever　machinery　it　was　that　raised　the　partition　again　to　its　place　in　the　ceiling。

Advancing　into　that　portion　of　the　room　that　the　partition　had　shut　off　from　them；　the　high　priest　knelt　upon　the　floor；　and　down　tilting　a　section　of　it；　revealed　the　dark　mouth　of　a　shaft　leading　below。　Laughing　loudly　he　shouted　into　the　hole：　〃Return　to　thy　father；　O　Dor…ul…Otho！〃

Making　fast　the　catch　that　prevented　the　trapdoor　from　opening　beneath　the　feet　of　the　unwary　until　such　time　as　Lu…don　chose　the　high　priest　rose　again　to　his　feet。

〃Now；　Beautiful　One！〃　he　cried；　and　then；　〃Ja…don！　what　do　you　here？〃

Jane　Clayton　turned　to　follow　the　direction　of　Lu…don's　eyes　and　there　she　saw　framed　in　the　entrance…way　to　the　apartment　the　mighty　figure　of　a　warrior；　upon　whose　massive　features　sat　an　expression　of　stern　and　uncompromising　authority。

〃I　come　from　Ko…tan；　the　king；〃　replied　Ja…don；　〃to　remove　the　beautiful　stranger　to　the　Forbidden　Garden。〃

〃The　king　defies　me；　the　high　priest　of　Jad…ben…Otho？〃　cried　Lu…don。

〃It　is　the　king's　commandI　have　spoken；〃　snapped　Ja…don；　in　whose　manner　was　no　sign　of　either　fear　or　respect　for　the　priest。

Lu…don　well　knew　why　the　king　had　chosen　this　messenger　whose　heresy　was　notorious；　but　whose　power　had　as　yet　protected　him　from　the　machinations　of　the　priest。　Lu…don　cast　a　surreptitious　glance　at　the　thongs　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　Why　not？　If　he　could　but　maneuver　to　entice　Ja…don　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　chamber！

〃Come；〃　he　said　in　a　conciliatory　tone；　〃let　us　discuss　the　matter；〃　and　moved　toward　the　spot　where　he　would　have　Ja…don　follow　him。

〃There　is　nothing　to　discuss；〃　replied　Ja…don；　yet　he　followed　the　priest；　fearing　treachery。

Jane　watched　them。　In　the　face　and　figure　of　the　warrior　she　found　reflected　those　admirable　traits　of　courage　and　honor　that　the　profession　of　arms　best　develops。　In　the　hypocritical　priest　there　was　no　redeeming　quality。　Of　the　two　then　she　might　best　choose　the　warrior。　With　him　there　was　a　chancewith　Lu…don；　none。　Even　the　very　process　of　exchange　from　one　prison　to　another　might　offer　some　possibility　of　escape。　She　weighed　all　these　things　and　decided；　for　Ludon's　quick　glance　at　the　thongs　had　not　gone　unnoticed　nor　uninterpreted　by　her。

〃Warrior；〃　she　said；　addressing　Ja…don；　〃if　you　would　live　enter　not　that　portion　of　the　room。〃

Lu…don　cast　an　angry　glance　upon　her。　〃Silence；　slave！〃　he　cried。

〃And　where　lies　the　danger？〃　Ja…don　asked　of　Jane；　ignoring　Lu…don。

The　woman　pointed　to　the　thongs。　〃Look；〃　she　said；　and　before　the　high　priest　could　prevent　she　had　seized　that　which　controlled　the　partition　which　shot　downward　separating　Lu…don　from　the　warrior　and　herself。

Ja…don　looked　inquiringly　at　her。　〃He　would　have　tricked　me　neatly　but　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃kept　me　imprisoned　there　while　he　secreted　you　elsewhere　in　the　mazes　of　his　temple。〃

〃He　would　have　done　more　than　that；〃　replied　Jane；　as　she　pulled　upon　the　other　thong。　〃This　releases　the　fastenings　of　a　trapdoor　in　the　floor　beyond　the　partition。　When　you　stepped　on　that　you　would　have　been　precipitated　into　a　pit　beneath　the　temple。　Lu…don　has　threatened　me　with　this　fate　often。　I　do　not　know　that　he　speaks　the　truth；　but　he　says　that　a　demon　of　the　temple　is　imprisoned　therea　huge　gryf。〃

〃There　is　a　gryf　within　the　temple；〃　said　Ja…don。　〃What　with　it　and　the　sacrifices；　the　priests　keep　us　busy　supplying　them　with　prisoners；　though　the　victims　are　sometimes　those　for　whom　Lu…don　has　conceived　hatred　among　our　own　people。　He　has　had　his　eyes　upon　me　for　a　long　time。　This　would　have　been　his　chance　but　for　you。　Tell　me；　woman；　why　you　warned　me。　Are　we　not　all　equally　your　jailers　and　your　enemies？〃

〃None　could　be　more　horrible　than　Lu…don；〃　she　replied；　〃and　you　have　the　appearance　of　a　brave　and　honorable　warrior。　I　could　not　hope；　for　hope　has　died　and　yet　there　is　the　possibility　that　among　so　many　fighting　men；　even　though　they　be　of　another　race　than　mine；　there　is　one　who　would　accord　honorable　treatment　to　a　stranger　within　his　gateseven　though　she　be　a　woman。〃

Ja…don　looked　at　her　for　a　long　minute。　〃Kg…tan　would　make　you　his　queen；〃　he　said。　〃That　he　told　me　himself　and　surely　that　were　honorable　treatment　from　one　who　might　make　you　a　slave。〃

〃Why；　then；　would　he　make　me　queen？〃　she　asked。

Ja…don　came　closer　as　though　in　fear　his　words　might　be　overheard。　〃He　believes；　although　he　did　not　tell　me　so　in　fact；　that　you　are　of　the　race　of　gods。　And　why　not？　Jad…ben…Otho　is　tailless；　therefore　it　is　not　strange　that　Ko…tan　should　suspect　that　only　the　gods　are　thus。　His　queen　is　dead　leaving　only　a　single　daughter。　He　craves　a　son　and　what　more　desirable　than　that　he　should　found　a　line　of　rulers　for　Pal…ul…don　descended　from　the　gods？〃

〃But　I　am　already　wed；〃　cried　Jane。　〃I　cannot　wed　another。　I　do　not　want　him　or　his　throne。〃

〃Ko…tan　is　king；〃　replied　Ja…don　simply　as　though　that　explained　and　simplified　everything。

〃You　will　not　save　me　then？〃　she　asked。

〃If　you　were　in　Ja…lur；〃　he　replied；　〃I　might　protect　you；　even　against　the　king。〃

〃What　and　where　is　Ja…lur？〃　she　asked；　grasping　at　any　straw。

〃It　is　the　city　where　I　rule；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　chief　there　and　of　all　the　valley　beyond。〃

〃Where　is　it？〃　she　insisted；　and　〃is　it　far？〃

〃No；〃　he　replied；　smiling；　〃it　is　not　far；　but　do　not　think　of　thatyou　could　never　reach　it。　There　are　too　many　to　pursue　and　capture　you。　If　you　wish　to　know；　however；　it　lies　up　the　river　that　empties　into　Jad…ben…lul　whose　waters　kiss　the　walls　of　A…lurup　the　western　fork　it　lies　with　water　upon　three　sides。　Impregnable　city　of　Pal…ul…donalone　of　all　the　cities　it　has　never　been　entered　by　a　foeman　since　it　was　built　there　while　Jad…ben…Otho　was　a　boy。〃

〃And　there　I　would　be　safe？〃　she　asked。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　replied。

Ah；　dead　Hope；　upon　what　slender　provocation　would　you　seek　to　glow　again！　She　sighed　and　shook　her　head；　realizing　the　inutility　of　Hopeyet　the　tempting　bait　dangled　before　her　mind's　eyeJa…lur！

〃You　are　wise；〃　commented　Ja…don　interpreting　her　sigh。　〃Come　now；　we　will　go　to　the　quarters　of　the　princess　beside　the　Forbidden　Garden。　There　you　will　remain　with　O…lo…a；　the　king's　daughter。　It　will　be　better　than　this　prison　you　have　occupied。〃

〃And　Ko…tan？〃　she　asked；　a　shudder　passing　through　her　slender　frame。

〃There　are　ceremonies；〃　explained　Ja…don；　〃that　may　occupy　several　days　before　you　become　queen；　and　one　of　them　may　be　difficult　of　arrangement。〃　He　laughed；　then。

〃What？〃　she　asked。

〃Only　the　high　priest　may　perform　the　marriage　ceremony　for　a　king；〃　he　explained。

〃Delay！〃　she　murmured；　〃blessed　delay！〃　Tenacious　indeed　of　life　is　Hope　even　though　it　be　reduced　to　cold　and　lifeless　chara　veritable　phoenix。



15

〃The　King　Is　Dead！〃

AS　THEY　conversed　Ja…don　had　led　her　down　the　stone　stairway　that　leads　from　the　upper　floors　of　the　Temple　of　the　Gryf　to　the　chambers　and　the　corridors　that　honeycomb　the　rocky　hills　from　which　the　temple　and　the　palace　are　hewn　and　now　they　passed　from　one　to　the　other　through　a　doorway　upon　one　side　of　which　two　priests　stood　guard　and　upon　the　other　two　warriors。　The　former　would　have　halted　Ja…don　when　they　saw　who　it　was　that　accompanied　him　for　well　known　throughout　the　temple　was　the　quarrel　between　king　and　high　priest　for　possession　of　this　beautiful　stranger。

〃Only　by　order　of　Lu…don　may　she　pass；〃　said　one；　placing　himself　directly　in　front　of　Jane　Clayton；　barring　her　progress。　Through　the　hollow　eyes　of　the　hideous　mask　the　woman　could　see　those　of　the　priest　beneath　gleaming　with　the　fires　of　fanaticism。　Ja…don　placed　an　arm　about　her　shoulders　and　laid　his　hand　upon　his　knife。

〃She　passes　by　order　of　Ko…tan；　the　king；〃　he　said；　〃and　by　virtue　of　the　fact　that　Ja…don；　the　chief；　is　her　guide。　Stand　aside！〃

The　two　warriors　upon　the　palace　side　pressed　forward。　〃We　are　here；　gund　of　Ja…lur；〃　said　one；　addressing　Ja…don；　〃to　receive　and　obey　your　commands。〃

The　second　priest　now　interposed。　〃Let　them　pass；〃　he　admonished　his　companion。　〃We　have　received　no　direct　commands　from　Lu…don　to　th