tarzan and the jewels of opar-第10章

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corral；　and　drive　the　herds　in　from　the　fields。

She　saw　her　home　plundered　of　all　that　represented

intrinsic　worth　in　the　eyes　of　the　Arabs；　and　then　she　saw

the　torch　applied；　and　the　flames　lick　up　what　remained。



And　at　last；　when　the　raiders　assembled　after　glutting

their　fury　and　their　avarice；　and　rode　away　with　her

toward　the　north；　she　saw　the　smoke　and　the　flames

rising　far　into　the　heavens　until　the　winding　of　the　trail

into　the　thick　forests　hid　the　sad　view　from　her　eyes。



As　the　flames　ate　their　way　into　the　living…room；

reaching　out　forked　tongues　to　lick　up　the　bodies　of

the　dead；　one　of　that　gruesome　company　whose　bloody

welterings　had　long　since　been　stilled；　moved　again。

It　was　a　huge　black　who　rolled　over　upon　his　side　and

opened　blood…shot；　suffering　eyes。　　Mugambi；　whom　the

Arabs　had　left　for　dead；　still　lived。　　The　hot　flames

were　almost　upon　him　as　he　raised　himself　painfully

upon　his　hands　and　knees　and　crawled　slowly　toward　the

doorway。



Again　and　again　he　sank　weakly　to　the　floor；　but　each

time　he　rose　again　and　continued　his　pitiful　way　toward

safety。　　After　what　seemed　to　him　an　interminable　time；

during　which　the　flames　had　become　a　veritable　fiery

furnace　at　the　far　side　of　the　room；　the　great　black

managed　to　reach　the　veranda；　roll　down　the　steps；

and　crawl　off　into　the　cool　safety　of　some　nearby

shrubbery。



All　night　he　lay　there；　alternately　unconscious　and

painfully　sentient；　and　in　the　latter　state　watching

with　savage　hatred　the　lurid　flames　which　still　rose

from　burning　crib　and　hay　cock。　　A　prowling　lion　roared

close　at　hand；　but　the　giant　black　was　unafraid。　　There

was　place　for　but　a　single　thought　in　his　savage　mind

revenge！　　revenge！　　revenge！







7



The　Jewel…Room　of　Opar





For　some　time　Tarzan　lay　where　he　had　fallen　upon　the

floor　of　the　treasure　chamber　beneath　the　ruined　walls

of　Opar。　　He　lay　as　one　dead；　but　he　was　not　dead。

At　length　he　stirred。　　His　eyes　opened　upon　the　utter

darkness　of　the　room。　　He　raised　his　hand　to　his　head

and　brought　it　away　sticky　with　clotted　blood。　　He

sniffed　at　his　fingers；　as　a　wild　beast　might　sniff　at

the　life…blood　upon　a　wounded　paw。



Slowly　he　rose　to　a　sitting　posturelistening。

No　sound　reached　to　the　buried　depths　of　his　sepulcher。

He　staggered　to　his　feet；　and　groped　his　way　about

among　the　tiers　of　ingots。　　What　was　he？　　Where　was　he？

His　head　ached；　but　otherwise　he　felt　no　ill　effects

from　the　blow　that　had　felled　him。　　The　accident　he　did　not

recall；　nor　did　he　recall　aught　of　what　had　led　up　to　it。



He　let　his　hands　grope　unfamiliarly　over　his　limbs；

his　torso；　and　his　head。　　He　felt　of　the　quiver　at　his

back；　the　knife　in　his　loin　cloth。　　Something　struggled

for　recognition　within　his　brain。　　Ah！　　he　had　it。

There　was　something　missing。　　He　crawled　about　upon

the　floor；　feeling　with　his　hands　for　the　thing　that

instinct　warned　him　was　gone。　　At　last　he　found　itthe

heavy　war　spear　that　in　past　years　had　formed　so

important　a　feature　of　his　daily　life；　almost　of　his

very　existence；　so　inseparably　had　it　been　connected

with　his　every　action　since　the　long…gone　day　that　he

had　wrested　his　first　spear　from　the　body　of　a　black

victim　of　his　savage　training。



Tarzan　was　sure　that　there　was　another　and　more　lovely

world　than　that　which　was　confined　to　the　darkness　of

the　four　stone　walls　surrounding　him。　　He　continued　his

search　and　at　last　found　the　doorway　leading　inward

beneath　the　city　and　the　temple。　　This　he　followed；

most　incautiously。　　He　came　to　the　stone　steps　leading

upward　to　the　higher　level。　　He　ascended　them　and

continued　onward　toward　the　well。



Nothing　spurred　his　hurt　memory　to　a　recollection　of

past　familiarity　with　his　surroundings。　　He　blundered

on　through　the　darkness　as　though　he　were　traversing　an

open　plain　under　the　brilliance　of　a　noonday　sun；　and

suddenly　there　happened　that　which　had　to　happen　under

the　circumstances　of　his　rash　advance。



He　reached　the　brink　of　the　well；　stepped　outward　into

space；　lunged　forward；　and　shot　downward　into　the　inky

depths　below。　　Still　clutching　his　spear；　he　struck　the

water；　and　sank　beneath　its　surface；　plumbing　the

depths。



The　fall　had　not　injured　him；　and　when　he　rose　to　the

surface；　he　shook　the　water　from　his　eyes；　and　found

that　he　could　see。　　Daylight　was　filtering　into　the

well　from　the　orifice　far　above　his　head。　　It　illumined

the　inner　walls　faintly。　　Tarzan　gazed　about　him。

On　the　level　with　the　surface　of　the　water　he　saw　a

large　opening　in　the　dark　and　slimy　wall。　　He　swam　to　it；

and　drew　himself　out　upon　the　wet　floor　of　a　tunnel。



Along　this　he　passed；　but　now　he　went　warily；　for

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was　learning。　　The　unexpected　pit

had　taught　him　care　in　the　traversing　of　dark

passagewayshe　needed　no　second　lesson。



For　a　long　distance　the　passage　went　straight　as　an

arrow。　　The　floor　was　slippery；　as　though　at　times　the

rising　waters　of　the　well　overflowed　and　flooded　it。

This；　in　itself；　retarded　Tarzan's　pace；　for　it　was

with　difficulty　that　he　kept　his　footing。



The　foot　of　a　stairway　ended　the　passage。　　Up　this　he

made　his　way。　　It　turned　back　and　forth　many　times；

leading；　at　last；　into　a　small；　circular　chamber；

the　gloom　of　which　was　relieved　by　a　faint　light　which

found　ingress　through　a　tubular　shaft　several　feet　in

diameter　which　rose　from　the　center　of　the　room's

ceiling；　upward　to　a　distance　of　a　hundred　feet　or

more；　where　it　terminated　in　a　stone　grating　through

which　Tarzan　could　see　a　blue　and　sun…lit　sky。



Curiosity　prompted　the　ape…man　to　investigate　his

surroundings。　　Several　metal…bound；　copper…studded

chests　constituted　the　sole　furniture　of　the　round

room。　　Tarzan　let　his　hands　run　over　these。　　He　felt

of　the　copper　studs；　he　pulled　upon　the　hinges；　and　at

last；　by　chance；　he　raised　the　cover　of　one。



An　exclamation　of　delight　broke　from　his　lips　at　sight

of　the　pretty　contents。　　Gleaming　and　glistening　in　the

subdued　light　of　the　chamber；　lay　a　great　tray　full　of

brilliant　stones。　　Tarzan；　reverted　to　the　primitive　by

his　accident；　had　no　conception　of　the　fabulous　value

of　his　find。　　To　him　they　were　but　pretty　pebbles。

He　plunged　his　hands　into　them　and　let　the　priceless　gems

filter　through　his　fingers。　　He　went　to　others　of　the

chests；　only　to　find　still　further　stores　of　precious

stones。　　Nearly　all　were　cut；　and　from　these　he

gathered　a　handful　and　filled　the　pouch　which　dangled　at

his　sidethe　uncut　stones　he　tossed　back　into　the　chests。



Unwittingly；　the　ape…man　had　stumbled　upon　the

forgotten　jewel…room　of　Opar。　　For　ages　it　had　lain

buried　beneath　the　temple　of　the　Flaming　God；　midway　of

one　of　the　many　inky　passages　which　the　superstitious

descendants　of　the　ancient　Sun　Worshipers　had　either

dared　not　or　cared　not　to　explore。



Tiring　at　last　of　this　diversion；　Tarzan　took　up　his　way

along　the　corridor　which　led　upward　from　the　jewel…room

by　a　steep　incline。　　Winding　and　twisting；　but　always

tending　upward；　the　tunnel　led　him　nearer　and

nearer　to　the　surface；　ending　finally　in　a　low…ceiled

room；　lighter　than　any　that　he　had　as　yet　discovered。



Above　him　an　opening　in　the　ceiling　at　the　upper　end　of

a　flight　of　concrete　steps　revealed　a　brilliant　sunlit

scene。　　Tarzan　viewed　the　vine…covered　columns　in　mild

wonderment。　　He　puckered　his　brows　in　an　attempt　to

recall　some　recollection　of　similar　things。　　He　was　not

sure　of　himself。　　There　was　a　tantalizing　suggestion

always　present　in　his　mind　that　something　was　eluding

himthat　he　should　know　many　things　which　he　did　not　know。



His　earnest　cogitation　was　rudely　interrupted　by　a

thunderous　roar　from　the　opening　above　him。　　Following

the　roar　came　the　cries　and　screams　of　men　and　women。

Tarzan　grasped　his　spear　more　firmly　and　ascended　the

steps。　　A　strange　sight　met　his　eyes