tarzan the terrible-第9章

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zan　of　the　Apes　and　quick　to　respond　were　the　trained　muscles。　In　the　time　that　you　or　I　might　give　to　debating　an　action　he　would　accomplish　it　and　now；　though　only　seconds　separated　his　nearest　antagonist　from　him；　in　the　brief　span　of　time　at　his　disposal　he　had　stepped　into　the　recess；　unslung　his　long　rope　and　leaning　far　out　shot　the　sinuous　noose；　with　the　precision　of　long　habitude；　toward　the　menacing　figure　wielding　its　heavy　club　above　Ta…den。　There　was　a　momentary　pause　of　the　rope…hand　as　the　noose　sped　toward　its　goal；　a　quick　movement　of　the　right　wrist　that　closed　it　upon　its　victim　as　it　settled　over　his　head　and　then　a　surging　tug　as；　seizing　the　rope　in　both　hands；　Tarzan　threw　back　upon　it　all　the　weight　of　his　great　frame。

Voicing　a　terrified　shriek；　the　Waz…don　lunged　headforemost　from　the　recess　above　Ta…den。　Tarzan　braced　himself　for　the　coming　shock　when　the　creature's　body　should　have　fallen　the　full　length　of　the　rope　and　as　it　did　there　was　a　snap　of　the　vertebrae　that　rose　sickeningly　in　the　momentary　silence　that　had　followed　the　doomed　man's　departing　scream。　Unshaken　by　the　stress　of　the　suddenly　arrested　weight　at　the　end　of　the　rope；　Tarzan　quickly　pulled　the　body　to　his　side　that　he　might　remove　the　noose　from　about　its　neck；　for　he　could　not　afford　to　lose　so　priceless　a　weapon。

During　the　several　seconds　that　had　elapsed　since　he　cast　the　rope　the　Waz…don　warriors　had　remained　inert　as　though　paralyzed　by　wonder　or　by　terror。　Now；　again；　one　of　them　found　his　voice　and　his　head　and　straightway；　shrieking　invectives　at　the　strange　intruder；　started　upward　for　the　ape…man；　urging　his　fellows　to　attack。　This　man　was　the　closest　to　Tarzan。　But　for　him　the　ape…man　could　easily　have　reached　Ta…den's　side　as　the　latter　was　urging　him　to　do。　Tarzan　raised　the　body　of　the　dead　Waz…don　above　his　head；　held　it　poised　there　for　a　moment　as　with　face　raised　to　the　heavens　he　screamed　forth　the　horrid　challenge　of　the　bull　apes　of　the　tribe　of　Kerchak；　and　with　all　the　strength　of　his　giant　sinews　he　hurled　the　corpse　heavily　upon　the　ascending　warrior。　So　great　was　the　force　of　the　impact　that　not　only　was　the　Waz…don　torn　from　his　hold　but　two　of　the　pegs　to　which　he　clung　were　broken　short　in　their　sockets。

As　the　two　bodies；　the　living　and　the　dead；　hurtled　downward　toward　the　foot　of　the　cliff　a　great　cry　arose　from　the　Waz…don。　〃Jad…guru…don！　Jad…guru…don！〃　they　screamed；　and　then：　〃Kill　him！　Kill　him！〃

And　now　Tarzan　stood　in　the　recess　beside　Ta…den。　Jad…guru…don！〃　repeated　the　latter；　smiling〃The　terrible　man！　Tarzan　the　Terrible！　They　may　kill　you；　but　they　will　never　forget　you。〃

〃They　shall　not　kiWhat　have　we　here？〃　Tarzan's　statement　as　to　what　〃they〃　should　not　do　was　interrupted　by　a　sudden　ejaculation　as　two　figures；　locked　in　deathlike　embrace；　stumbled　through　the　doorway　of　the　cave　to　the　outer　porch。　One　was　Om…at；　the　other　a　creature　of　his　own　kind　but　with　a　rough　coat；　the　hairs　of　which　seemed　to　grow　straight　outward　from　the　skin；　stiffly；　unlike　Om…at's　sleek　covering。　The　two　were　quite　evidently　well　matched　and　equally　evident　was　the　fact　that　each　was　bent　upon　murder。　They　fought　almost　in　silence　except　for　an　occasional　low　growl　as　one　or　the　other　acknowledged　thus　some　new　hurt。

Tarzan；　following　a　natural　impulse　to　aid　his　ally；　leaped　forward　to　enter　the　dispute　only　to　be　checked　by　a　grunted　admonition　from　Om…at。　〃Back！〃　he　said。　〃This　fight　is　mine；　alone。〃

The　ape…man　understood　and　stepped　aside。

〃It　is　a　gund…bar；〃　explained　Ta…den；　〃a　chief…battle。　This　fellow　must　be　Es…sat；　the　chief。　If　Om…at　kills　him　without　assistance　Om…at　may　become　chief。〃

Tarzan　smiled。　It　was　the　law　of　his　own　junglethe　law　of　the　tribe　of　Kerchak；　the　bull　apethe　ancient　law　of　primitive　man　that　needed　but　the　refining　influences　of　civilization　to　introduce　the　hired　dagger　and　the　poison　cup。　Then　his　attention　was　drawn　to　the　outer　edge　of　the　vestibule。　Above　it　appeared　the　shaggy　face　of　one　of　Es…sat's　warriors。　Tarzan　sprang　to　intercept　the　man；　but　Ta…den　was　there　ahead　of　him。　〃Back！〃　cried　the　Ho…don　to　the　newcomer。　〃It　is　gund…bar。〃　The　fellow　looked　scrutinizingly　at　the　two　fighters；　then　turned　his　face　downward　toward　his　fellows。　〃Back！〃　he　cried；　〃it　is　gund…bar　between　Es…sat　and　Om…at。〃　Then　he　looked　back　at　Ta…den　and　Tarzan。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。

〃We　are　Om…at's　friends；〃　replied　Ta…den。

The　fellow　nodded。　〃We　will　attend　to　you　later；〃　he　said　and　disappeared　below　the　edge　of　the　recess。

The　battle　upon　the　ledge　continued　with　unabated　ferocity；　Tarzan　and　Ta…den　having　difficulty　in　keeping　out　of　the　way　of　the　contestants　who　tore　and　beat　at　each　other　with　hands　and　feet　and　lashing　tails。　Es…sat　was　unarmedPan…at…lee　had　seen　to　thatbut　at　Om…at's　side　swung　a　sheathed　knife　which　he　made　no　effort　to　draw。　That　would　have　been　contrary　to　their　savage　and　primitive　code　for　the　chief…battle　must　be　fought　with　nature's　weapons。

Sometimes　they　separated　for　an　instant　only　to　rush　upon　each　other　again　with　all　the　ferocity　and　nearly　the　strength　of　mad　bulls。　Presently　one　of　them　tripped　the　other　but　in　that　viselike　embrace　one　could　not　fall　aloneEs…sat　dragged　Om…at　with　him；　toppling　upon　the　brink　of　the　niche。　Even　Tarzan　held　his　breath。　There　they　surged　to　and　fro　perilously　for　a　moment　and　then　the　inevitable　happenedthe　two；　locked　in　murderous　embrace；　rolled　over　the　edge　and　disappeared　from　the　ape…man's　view。

Tarzan　voiced　a　suppressed　sigh　for　he　had　liked　Om…at　and　then；　with　Ta…den；　approached　the　edge　and　looked　over。　Far　below；　in　the　dim　light　of　the　coming　dawn；　two　inert　forms　should　be　lying　stark　in　death；　but；　to　Tarzan's　amazement；　such　was　far　from　the　sight　that　met　his　eyes。　Instead；　there　were　the　two　figures　still　vibrant　with　life　and　still　battling　only　a　few　feet　below　him。　Clinging　always　to　the　pegs　with　two　holdsa　hand　and　a　foot；　or　a　foot　and　a　tail；　they　seemed　as　much　at　home　upon　the　perpendicular　wall　as　upon　the　level　surface　of　the　vestibule；　but　now　their　tactics　were　slightly　altered；　for　each　seemed　particularly　bent　upon　dislodging　his　antagonist　from　his　holds　and　precipitating　him　to　certain　death　below。　It　was　soon　evident　that　Om…at；　younger　and　with　greater　powers　of　endurance　than　Es…sat；　was　gaining　an　advantage。　Now　was　the　chief　almost　wholly　on　the　defensive。　Holding　him　by　the　cross　belt　with　one　mighty　hand　Om…at　was　forcing　his　foeman　straight　out　from　the　cliff；　and　with　the　other　hand　and　one　foot　was　rapidly　breaking　first　one　of　Es…sat's　holds　and　then　another；　alternating　his　efforts；　or　rather　punctuating　them；　with　vicious　blows　to　the　pit　of　his　adversary's　stomach。　Rapidly　was　Es…sat　weakening　and　with　the　knowledge　of　impending　death　there　came；　as　there　comes　to　every　coward　and　bully　under　similar　circumstances；　a　crumbling　of　the　veneer　of　bravado　which　had　long　masqueraded　as　courage　and　with　it　crumbled　his　code　of　ethics。　Now　was　Es…sat　no　longer　chief　of　Kor…ul…jainstead　he　was　a　whimpering　craven　battling　for　life。　Clutching　at　Om…at；　clutching　at　the　nearest　pegs　he　sought　any　support　that　would　save　him　from　that　awful　fall；　and　as　he　strove　to　push　aside　the　hand　of　death；　whose　cold　fingers　he　already　felt　upon　his　heart；　his　tail　sought　Om…at's　side　and　the　handle　of　the　knife　that　hung　there。

Tarzan　saw　and　even　as　Es…sat　drew　the　blade　from　its　sheath　he　dropped　catlike　to　the　pegs　beside　the　battling　men。　Es…sat's　tail　had　drawn　back　for　the　cowardly　fatal　thrust。　Now　many　others　saw　the　perfidious　act　and　a　great　cry　of　rage　and　disgust　arose　from　savage　throats；　but　as　the　blade　sped　toward　its　goal；　the　ape…man　seized　the　hairy　member　that　wielded　it；　and　at　the　same　instant　Om…at　thrust　the　body　of　Es…sat　from　him　with　such　force　that　its　weakened　holds　were　broken　and　it　hurtled　downward；　a　brief　meteor　of　screaming　fear；　to　death。



4

Tarzan…jad…guru

AS　TARZAN　and　Om…at　clambered　back　to　the　vestibule　of　Pan…at…lee's　cave　and　took　their　stand　beside　Ta…den　in　readiness　for　whatever　eventuality　might　follow　the　death　of　Es…sat；　the　sun　that　topped　the　eastern　hills　touched　also　the　figure