tarzan and the jewels of opar-第18章

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hopelessly；　and　presently　sank　to　the　earth；　her　heart

pierced。　　The　ape…man　placed　a　foot　upon　her　carcass

and　raised　his　voice　in　the　victory　call　of　the

Mangani。　　In　the　distance；　Basuli　halted　as　the　faint

notes　of　the　hideous　scream　broke　upon　his　ears。



〃The　great　apes；〃　he　said　to　his　companion。　　〃It　has

been　long　since　I　have　heard　them　in　the　country　of　the

Waziri。　　What　could　have　brought　them　back？〃



Tarzan　grasped　his　kill　and　dragged　it　to　the　partial

seclusion　of　the　bush　which　had　hidden　his　own　near

approach；　and　there　he　squatted　upon　it；　cut　a　huge

hunk　of　flesh　from　the　loin　and　proceeded　to　satisfy

his　hunger　with　the　warm　and　dripping　meat。



Attracted　by　the　shrill　screams　of　the　mare；　a　pair　of

hyenas　slunk　presently　into　view。　　They　trotted　to　a

point　a　few　yards　from　the　gorging　ape…man；　and　halted。

Tarzan　looked　up；　bared　his　fighting　fangs　and　growled。

The　hyenas　returned　the　compliment；　and　withdrew　a

couple　of　paces。　　They　made　no　move　to　attack；　but

continued　to　sit　at　a　respectful　distance　until　Tarzan

had　concluded　his　meal。　　After　the　ape…man　had　cut　a

few　strips　from　the　carcass　to　carry　with　him；　he

walked　slowly　off　in　the　direction　of　the　river　to

quench　his　thirst。　　His　way　lay　directly　toward　the

hyenas；　nor　did　he　alter　his　course　because　of　them。



With　all　the　lordly　majesty　of　Numa；　the　lion；

he　strode　straight　toward　the　growling　beasts。　　For　a

moment　they　held　their　ground；　bristling　and　defiant；

but　only　for　a　moment；　and　then　slunk　away　to　one　side

while　the　indifferent　ape…man　passed　them　on　his　lordly

way。　　A　moment　later　they　were　tearing　at　the　remains

of　the　zebra。



Back　to　the　reeds　went　Tarzan；　and　through　them　toward

the　river。　　A　herd　of　buffalo；　startled　by　his

approach；　rose　ready　to　charge　or　to　fly。　　A　great　bull

pawed　the　ground　and　bellowed　as　his　bloodshot　eyes

discovered　the　intruder；　but　the　ape…man　passed　across

their　front　as　though　ignorant　of　their　existence。

The　bull's　bellowing　lessened　to　a　low　rumbling；　he　turned

and　scraped　a　horde　of　flies　from　his　side　with　his

muzzle；　cast　a　final　glance　at　the　ape…man　and　resumed

his　feeding。　　His　numerous　family　either　followed　his

example　or　stood　gazing　after　Tarzan　in　mild…eyed

curiosity；　until　the　opposite　reeds　swallowed　him　from

view。



At　the　river；　Tarzan　drank　his　fill　and　bathed。　　During

the　heat　of　the　day　he　lay　up　under　the　shade　of　a　tree

near　the　ruins　of　his　burned　barns。　　His　eyes　wandered

out　across　the　plain　toward　the　forest；　and　a　longing

for　the　pleasures　of　its　mysterious　depths　possessed

his　thoughts　for　a　considerable　time。　　With　the　next

sun　he　would　cross　the　open　and　enter　the　forest！　　There

was　no　hurrythere　lay　before　him　an　endless　vista　of

tomorrows　with　naught　to　fill　them　but　the　satisfying

of　the　appetites　and　caprices　of　the　moment。



The　ape…man's　mind　was　untroubled　by　regret　for　the

past；　or　aspiration　for　the　future。　　He　could　lie　at

full　length　along　a　swaying　branch；　stretching　his

giant　limbs；　and　luxuriating　in　the　blessed　peace　of

utter　thoughtlessness；　without　an　apprehension　or　a

worry　to　sap　his　nervous　energy　and　rob　him　of　his

peace　of　mind。　　Recalling　only　dimly　any　other

existence；　the　ape…man　was　happy。　　Lord　Greystoke　had

ceased　to　exist。



For　several　hours　Tarzan　lolled　upon　his　swaying；　leafy

couch　until　once　again　hunger　and　thirst　suggested　an

excursion。　　Stretching　lazily　he　dropped　to　the　ground

and　moved　slowly　toward　the　river。　　The　game　trail　down

which　he　walked　had　become　by　ages　of　use　a　deep；

narrow　trench；　its　walls　topped　on　either　side　by

impenetrable　thicket　and　dense…growing　trees　closely

interwoven　with　thick…stemmed　creepers　and　lesser　vines

inextricably　matted　into　two　solid　ramparts　of

vegetation。　　Tarzan　had　almost　reached　the　point　where

the　trail　debouched　upon　the　open　river　bottom　when　he

saw　a　family　of　lions　approaching　along　the　path　from

the　direction　of　the　river。　　The　ape…man　counted　seven

a　male　and　two　lionesses；　full　grown；　and　four　young

lions　as　large　and　quite　as　formidable　as　their

parents。　　Tarzan　halted；　growling；　and　the　lions

paused；　the　great　male　in　the　lead　baring　his　fangs　and

rumbling　forth　a　warning　roar。　　In　his　hand　the　ape…man

held　his　heavy　spear；　but　he　had　no　intention　of

pitting　his　puny　weapon　against　seven　lions；　yet　he

stood　there　growling　and　roaring　and　the　lions　did

likewise。　　It　was　purely　an　exhibition　of　jungle　bluff。

Each　was　trying　to　frighten　off　the　other。　　Neither

wished　to　turn　back　and　give　way；　nor　did　either　at

first　desire　to　precipitate　an　encounter。　　The　lions

were　fed　sufficiently　so　as　not　to　be　goaded　by　pangs

of　hunger　and　as　for　Tarzan　he　seldom　ate　the　meat　of

the　carnivores；　but　a　point　of　ethics　was　at　stake　and

neither　side　wished　to　back　down。　　So　they　stood　there

facing　one　another；　making　all　sorts　of　hideous　noises

the　while　they　hurled　jungle　invective　back　and　forth。

How　long　this　bloodless　duel　would　have　persisted　it　is

difficult　to　say；　though　eventually　Tarzan　would　have

been　forced　to　yield　to　superior　numbers。



There　came；　however；　an　interruption　which　put　an　end

to　the　deadlock　and　it　came　from　Tarzan's　rear。　　He　and

the　lions　had　been　making　so　much　noise　that　neither

could　hear　anything　above　their　concerted　bedlam；　and

so　it　was　that　Tarzan　did　not　hear　the　great　bulk

bearing　down　upon　him　from　behind　until　an　instant

before　it　was　upon　him；　and　then　he　turned　to　see　Buto；

the　rhinoceros；　his　little；　pig　eyes　blazing；　charging

madly　toward　him　and　already　so　close　that　escape

seemed　impossible；　yet　so　perfectly　were　mind　and

muscles　coordinated　in　this　unspoiled；　primitive　man

that　almost　simultaneously　with　the　sense　perception　of

the　threatened　danger　he　wheeled　and　hurled　his　spear

at　Buto's　chest。　　It　was　a　heavy　spear　shod　with　iron；

and　behind　it　were　the　giant　muscles　of　the　ape…man；

while　coming　to　meet　it　was　the　enormous　weight　of　Buto

and　the　momentum　of　his　rapid　rush。　　All　that　happened

in　the　instant　that　Tarzan　turned　to　meet　the　charge　of

the　irascible　rhinoceros　might　take　long　to　tell；　and

yet　would　have　taxed　the　swiftest　lens　to　record。

As　his　spear　left　his　hand　the　ape…man　was　looking　down

upon　the　mighty　horn　lowered　to　toss　him；　so　close　was

Buto　to　him。　　The　spear　entered　the　rhinoceros'　neck　at

its　junction　with　the　left　shoulder　and　passed　almost

entirely　through　the　beast's　body；　and　at　the　instant

that　he　launched　it；　Tarzan　leaped　straight　into　the

air　alighting　upon　Buto's　back　but　escaping　the　mighty

horn。



Then　Buto　espied　the　lions　and　bore　madly　down　upon

them　while　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　leaped　nimbly　into　the

tangled　creepers　at　one　side　of　the　trail。　　The　first

lion　met　Buto's　charge　and　was　tossed　high　over　the

back　of　the　maddened　brute；　torn　and　dying；　and　then

the　six　remaining　lions　were　upon　the　rhinoceros；

rending　and　tearing　the　while　they　were　being　gored　or

trampled。　　From　the　safety　of　his　perch　Tarzan　watched

the　royal　battle　with　the　keenest　interest；　for　the

more　intelligent　of　the　jungle　folk　are　interested　in

such　encounters。　　They　are　to　them　what　the　racetrack

and　the　prize　ring；　the　theater　and　the　movies　are　to

us。　They　see　them　often；　but　always　they　enjoy　them　for

no　two　are　precisely　alike。



For　a　time　it　seemed　to　Tarzan　that　Buto；　the

rhinoceros；　would　prove　victor　in　the　gory　battle。

Already　had　he　accounted　for　four　of　the　seven　lions

and　badly　wounded　the　three　remaining　when　in　a

momentary　lull　in　the　encounter　he　sank　limply　to　his

knees　and　rolled　over　upon　his　side。　　Tarzan's　spear

had　done　its　work。　　It　was　the　man…made　weapon　which

killed　the　great　beast　that　might　easily　have　survived

the　assault　of　seven　mighty　lions；　for　Tarzan's　spear

had　pierced　the　great　lungs；　and　Buto；　with　victory

almost　in　sight；　succumbed　to　internal　he