tarzan the terrible-第40章
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〃There is plenty of time；〃 insisted Mo…sar。 〃They are still fighting in the pal…e…don…so。 It will be long before they miss us and； with Ko…tan dead； long before any will think to look to the safety of the princess。 Our time is nowit was made for us by Jad…ben…Otho。 Come！〃
Reluctantly Bu…lot followed his father； who first instructed the warriors to await them just inside the gateway of the palace。 Rapidly the two approached the quarters of the princess。 Within the entrance…way only a handful of warriors were on guard。 The eunuchs had retired。
〃There is fighting in the pal…e…don…so；〃 Mo…sar announced in feigned excitement as they entered the presence of the guards。 〃The king desires you to come at once and has sent us to guard the apartments of the princess。 Make haste！〃 he commanded as the men hesitated。
The warriors knew him and that on the morrow the princess was to be betrothed to Bu…lot； his son。 If there was trouble what more natural than that Mo…sar and Bu…lot should be intrusted with the safety of the princess。 And then； too； was not Mo…sar a powerful chief to whose orders disobedience might prove a dangerous thing？ They were but common fighting men disciplined in the rough school of tribal warfare； but they had learned to obey a superior and so they departed for the banquet hallthe place…where…men…eat。
Barely waiting until they had disappeared Mo…sar crossed to the hangings at the opposite end of the entrance…hall and followed by Bu…lot made his way toward the sleeping apartment of O…lo…a and a moment later； without warning； the two men burst in upon the three occupants of the room。 At sight of them O…lo…a sprang to her feet。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃 she demanded angrily。
Mo…sar advanced and halted before her。 Into his cunning mind had entered a plan to trick her。 If it succeeded it would prove easier than taking her by force； and then his eyes fell upon Jane Clayton and he almost gasped in astonishment and admiration； but he caught himself and returned to the business of the moment。
〃O…lo…a；〃 he cried； 〃when you know the urgency of our mission you will forgive us。 We have sad news for you。 There has been an uprising in the palace and Ko…tan； the king； has been slain。 The rebels are drunk with liquor and now on their way here。 We must get you out of A…lur at oncethere is not a moment to lose。 Come； and quickly！〃
〃My father dead？〃 cried O…lo…a； and suddenly her eyes went wide。 〃Then my place is here with my people；〃 she cried。 〃If Ko…tan is dead I am queen until the warriors choose a new rulerthat is the law of Pal…ul…don。 And if I am queen none can make me wed whom I do not wish to wedand Jad…ben…Otho knows I never wished to wed thy cowardly son。 Go！〃 She pointed a slim forefinger imperiously toward the doorway。
Mo…sar saw that neither trickery nor persuasion would avail now and every precious minute counted。 He looked again at the beautiful woman who stood beside O…lo…a。 He had never before seen her but he well knew from palace gossip that she could be no other than the godlike stranger whom Ko…tan had planned to make his queen。
〃Bu…lot；〃 he cried to his son； 〃take you your own woman and I will takemine！〃 and with that he sprang suddenly forward and seizing Jane about the waist lifted her in his arms； so that before O…lo…a or Pan…at…lee might even guess his purpose he had disappeared through the hangings near the foot of the dais and was gone with the stranger woman struggling and fighting in his grasp。
And then Bu…lot sought to seize O…lo…a； but O…lo…a had her Pan…at…leefierce little tiger…girl of the savage Kor…ul…jaPan…at…lee whose name belied herand Bu…lot found that with the two of them his hands were full。 When he would have lifted O…lo…a and borne her away Pan…at…lee seized him around the legs and strove to drag him down。 Viciously he kicked her； but she would not desist； and finally； realizing that he might not only lose his princess but be so delayed as to invite capture if he did not rid himself of this clawing； scratching she…jato； he hurled O…lo…a to the floor and seizing Pan…at…lee by the hair drew his knife and
The curtains behind him suddenly parted。 In two swift bounds a lithe figure crossed the room and before ever the knife of Bu…lot reached its goal his wrist was seized from behind and a terrific blow crashing to the base of his brain dropped him； lifeless； to the floor。 Bu…lot； coward； traitor； and assassin； died without knowing who struck him down。
As Tarzan of the Apes leaped into the pool in the gryf pit of the temple at A…lur one might have accounted for his act on the hypothesis that it was the last blind urge of self…preservation to delay； even for a moment； the inevitable tragedy in which each some day must play the leading role upon his little stage； but nothose cool； gray eyes had caught the sole possibility for escape that the surroundings and the circumstances offereda tiny； moonlit patch of water glimmering through a small aperture in the cliff at the surface of the pool upon its farther side。 With swift； bold strokes he swam for speed alone knowing that the water would in no way deter his pursuer。 Nor did it。 Tarzan heard the great splash as the huge creature plunged into the pool behind him； he heard the churning waters as it forged rapidly onward in his wake。 He was nearing the openingwould it be large enough to permit the passage of his body？ That portion of it which showed above the surface of the water most certainly would not。 His life； then； depended upon how much of the aperture was submerged。 And now it was directly before him and the gryf directly behind。 There was no alternativethere was no other hope。 The ape…man threw all the resources of his great strength into the last few strokes； extended his hands before him as a cutwater； submerged to the water's level and shot forward toward the hole。
Frothing with rage was the baffled Lu…don as he realized how neatly the stranger she had turned his own tables upon him。 He could of course escape the Temple of the Gryf in which her quick wit had temporarily imprisoned him； but during the delay； however brief； Ja…don would find time to steal her from the temple and deliver her to Ko…tan。 But he would have her yetthat the high priest swore in the names of Jad…ben…Otho and all the demons of his faith。 He hated Ko…tan。 Secretly he had espoused the cause of Mo…sar； in whom he would have a willing tool。 Perhaps； then； this would give him the opportunity he had long awaiteda pretext for inciting the revolt that would dethrone Ko…tan and place Mo…sar in powerwith Lu…don the real ruler of Pal…ul…don。 He licked his thin lips as he sought the window through which Tarzan had entered and now Lu…don's only avenue of escape。 Cautiously he made his way across the floor； feeling before him with his hands； and when they discovered that the trap was set for him an ugly snarl broke from the priest's lips。 〃The she…devil！〃 he muttered； 〃but she shall pay； she shall payah； Jad…ben…Otho； how she shall pay for the trick she has played upon Lu…don！〃
He crawled through the window and climbed easily downward to the ground。 Should he pursue Ja…don and the woman； chancing an encounter with the fierce chief； or bide his time until treachery and intrigue should accomplish his design？ He chose the latter solution； as might have been expected of such as he。
Going to his quarters he summoned several of his prieststhose who were most in his confidence and who shared his ambitions for absolute power of the temple over the palaceall men who hated Ko…tan。
〃The time has come；〃 he told them； 〃when the authority of the temple must be placed definitely above that of the palace。 Ko…tan must make way for Mo…sar； for Ko…tan has defied your high priest。 Go then； Pan…sat； and summon Mo…sar secretly to the temple； and you others go to the city and prepare the faithful warriors that they may be in readiness when the time comes。〃
For another hour they discussed the details of the coup d'etat that was to overthrow the government of Pal…ul…don。 One knew a slave who； as the signal sounded from the temple gong； would thrust a knife into the heart of Ko…tan； for the price of liberty。 Another held personal knowledge of an officer of the
