tarzan the terrible-第5章

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ing　him　earnestly　as　though　endeavoring　to　convey　to　him　some　important　information。　Presently；　however；　they　gave　it　up　as　an　unprofitable　job　and；　resorting　to　sign　language；　conveyed　to　Tarzan　that　they　were　proceeding　upon　their　way　together　and　were　urging　him　to　accompany　them。

As　the　direction　they　indicated　was　a　route　which　Tarzan　had　not　previously　traversed　he　was　extremely　willing　to　accede　to　their　request；　as　he　had　determined　thoroughly　to　explore　this　unknown　land　before　definitely　abandoning　search　for　Lady　Jane　therein。

For　several　days　their　way　led　through　the　foothills　parallel　to　the　lofty　range　towering　above。　Often　were　they　menaced　by　the　savage　denizens　of　this　remote　fastness；　and　occasionally　Tarzan　glimpsed　weird　forms　of　gigantic　proportions　amidst　the　shadows　of　the　nights。

On　the　third　day　they　came　upon　a　large　natural　cave　in　the　face　of　a　low　cliff　at　the　foot　of　which　tumbled　one　of　the　numerous　mountain　brooks　that　watered　the　plain　below　and　fed　the　morasses　in　the　lowlands　at　the　country's　edge。　Here　the　three　took　up　their　temporary　abode　where　Tarzan's　instruction　in　the　language　of　his　companions　progressed　more　rapidly　than　while　on　the　march。

The　cave　gave　evidence　of　having　harbored　other　manlike　forms　in　the　past。　Remnants　of　a　crude；　rock　fireplace　remained　and　the　walls　and　ceiling　were　blackened　with　the　smoke　of　many　fires。　Scratched　in　the　soot；　and　sometimes　deeply　into　the　rock　beneath；　were　strange　hieroglyphics　and　the　outlines　of　beasts　and　birds　and　reptiles；　some　of　the　latter　of　weird　form　suggesting　the　extinct　creatures　of　Jurassic　times。　Some　of　the　more　recently　made　hieroglyphics　Tarzan's　companions　read　with　interest　and　commented　upon；　and　then　with　the　points　of　their　knives　they　too　added　to　the　possibly　age…old　record　of　the　blackened　walls。

Tarzan's　curiosity　was　aroused；　but　the　only　explanation　at　which　he　could　arrive　was　that　he　was　looking　upon　possibly　the　world's　most　primitive　hotel　register。　At　least　it　gave　him　a　further　insight　into　the　development　of　the　strange　creatures　with　which　Fate　had　thrown　him。　Here　were　men　with　the　tails　of　monkeys；　one　of　them　as　hair　covered　as　any　fur…bearing　brute　of　the　lower　orders；　and　yet　it　was　evident　that　they　possessed　not　only　a　spoken；　but　a　written　language。　The　former　he　was　slowly　mastering　and　at　this　new　evidence　of　unlooked…for　civilization　in　creatures　possessing　so　many　of　the　physical　attributes　of　beasts；　Tarzan's　curiosity　was　still　further　piqued　and　his　desire　quickly　to　master　their　tongue　strengthened；　with　the　result　that　he　fell　to　with　even　greater　assiduity　to　the　task　he　had　set　himself。　Already　he　knew　the　names　of　his　companions　and　the　common　names　of　the　fauna　and　flora　with　which　they　had　most　often　come　in　contact。

Ta…den；　he　of　the　hairless；　white　skin；　having　assumed　the　role　of　tutor；　prosecuted　his　task　with　a　singleness　of　purpose　that　was　reflected　in　his　pupil's　rapid　mastery　of　Ta…den's　mother　tongue。　Om…at；　the　hairy　black；　also　seemed　to　feel　that　there　rested　upon　his　broad　shoulders　a　portion　of　the　burden　of　responsibility　for　Tarzan's　education；　with　the　result　that　either　one　or　the　other　of　them　was　almost　constantly　coaching　the　ape…man　during　his　waking　hours。　The　result　was　only　what　might　have　been　expecteda　rapid　assimilation　of　the　teachings　to　the　end　that　before　any　of　them　realized　it；　communication　by　word　of　mouth　became　an　accomplished　fact。

Tarzan　explained　to　his　companions　the　purpose　of　his　mission　but　neither　could　give　him　any　slightest　thread　of　hope　to　weave　into　the　fabric　of　his　longing。　Never　had　there　been　in　their　country　a　woman　such　as　he　described；　nor　any　tailless　man　other　than　himself　that　they　ever　had　seen。

〃I　have　been　gone　from　A…lur　while　Bu；　the　moon；　has　eaten　seven　times；〃　said　Ta…den。　〃Many　things　may　happen　in　seven　times　twenty…eight　days；　but　I　doubt　that　your　woman　could　have　entered　our　country　across　the　terrible　morasses　which　even　you　found　an　almost　insurmountable　obstacle；　and　if　she　had；　could　she　have　survived　the　perils　that　you　already　have　encountered　beside　those　of　which　you　have　yet　to　learn？　Not　even　our　own　women　venture　into　the　savage　lands　beyond　the　cities。〃

〃'A…lur；'　Light…city；　City　of　Light；〃　mused　Tarzan；　translating　the　word　into　his　own　tongue。　〃And　where　is　A…lur？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　it　your　city；　Ta…den；　and　Om…at's？〃

〃It　is　mine；〃　replied　the　hairless　one；　〃but　not　Om…at's。　The　Waz…don　have　no　citiesthey　live　in　the　trees　of　the　forests　and　the　caves　of　the　hillsis　it　not　so；　black　man？〃　he　concluded；　turning　toward　the　hairy　giant　beside　him。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Om…at；　〃We　Waz…don　are　freeonly　the　Hodon　imprison　themselves　in　cities。　I　would　not　be　a　white　man！〃

Tarzan　smiled。　Even　here　was　the　racial　distinction　between　white　man　and　black　manHo…don　and　Waz…don。　Not　even　the　fact　that　they　appeared　to　be　equals　in　the　matter　of　intelligence　made　any　differenceone　was　white　and　one　was　black；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　the　white　considered　himself　superior　to　the　otherone　could　see　it　in　his　quiet　smile。

〃Where　is　A…lur？〃　Tarzan　asked　again。　〃You　are　returning　to　it？〃

〃It　is　beyond　the　mountains；〃　replied　Ta…den。　〃I　do　not　return　to　itnot　yet。　Not　until　Ko…tan　is　no　more。〃

〃Ko…tan？〃　queried　Tarzan。

〃Ko…tan　is　king；〃　explained　the　pithecanthropus。　〃He　rules　this　land。　I　was　one　of　his　warriors。　I　lived　in　the　palace　of　Ko…tan　and　there　I　met　O…lo…a；　his　daughter。　We　loved；　Likestar…light；　and　I；　but　Ko…tan　would　have　none　of　me。　He　sent　me　away　to　fight　with　the　men　of　the　village　of　Dak…at；　who　had　refused　to　pay　his　tribute　to　the　king；　thinking　that　I　would　be　killed；　for　Dak…at　is　famous　for　his　many　fine　warriors。　And　I　was　not　killed。　Instead　I　returned　victorious　with　the　tribute　and　with　Dak…at　himself　my　prisoner；　but　Ko…tan　was　not　pleased　because　he　saw　that　O…lo…a　loved　me　even　more　than　before；　her　love　being　strengthened　and　fortified　by　pride　in　my　achievement。

〃Powerful　is　my　father；　Ja…don；　the　Lion…man；　chief　of　the　largest　village　outside　of　A…lur。　Him　Ko…tan　hesitated　to　affront　and　so　he　could　not　but　praise　me　for　my　success；　though　he　did　it　with　half　a　smile。　But　you　do　not　understand！　It　is　what　we　call　a　smile　that　moves　only　the　muscles　of　the　face　and　affects　not　the　light　of　the　eyesit　means　hypocrisy　and　duplicity。　I　must　be　praised　and　rewarded。　What　better　than　that　he　reward　me　with　the　hand　of　O…lo…a；　his　daughter？　But　no；　he　saves　O…lo…a　for　Bu…lot；　son　of　Mo…sar；　the　chief　whose　great…grandfather　was　king　and　who　thinks　that　he　should　be　king。　Thus　would　Ko…tan　appease　the　wrath　of　Mo…sar　and　win　the　friendship　of　those　who　think　with　Mo…sar　that　Mo…sar　should　be　king。

〃But　what　reward　shall　repay　the　faithful　Ta…den？　Greatly　do　we　honor　our　priests。　Within　the　temples　even　the　chiefs　and　the　king　himself　bow　down　to　them。　No　greater　honor　could　Ko…tan　confer　upon　a　subjectwho　wished　to　be　a　priest；　but　I　did　not　so　wish。　Priests　other　than　the　high　priest　must　become　eunuchs　for　they　may　never　marry。

〃It　was　O…lo…a　herself　who　brought　word　to　me　that　her　father　had　given　the　commands　that　would　set　in　motion　the　machinery　of　the　temple。　A　messenger　was　on　his　way　in　search　of　me　to　summon　me　to　Ko…tan's　presence。　To　have　refused　the　priesthood　once　it　was　offered　me　by　the　king　would　have　been　to　have　affronted　the　temple　and　the　godsthat　would　have　meant　death；　but　if　I　did　not　appear　before　Ko…tan　I　would　not　have　to　refuse　anything。　O…lo…a　and　I　decided　that　I　must　not　appear。　It　was　better　to　fly；　carrying　in　my　bosom　a　shred　of　hope；　than　to　remain　and；　with　my　priesthood；　abandon　hope　forever。

〃Beneath　the　shadows　of　the　great　trees　that　grow　within　the　palace　grounds　I　pressed　her　to　me　for；　perhaps；　the　last　time　and　then；　lest　by　ill…fate　I　meet　the　messenger；　I　scaled　the　great　wall　that　guards　the　palace　and　passed　through　the　darkened　city。　My　name　and　rank　carried　me　beyond　the　city　gate。　Since　then　I　have　wandered　far　from　the　haunts　of　the　Ho…don　but　strong　within　me　is　the　urge　to　return　if　even　but　to　look　from　without　her　walls　upon　the　city　that　holds　her　most　dear　to　me　and　again　to　visit　the　v