tarzan and the jewels of opar-第49章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



was　waning　there　came　faintly　to　the　ears　of　the

ape…man　the　murmuring　cadence　of　distant　voices。



〃We　are　nearing　the　Waziri；　Jane；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can

hear　them　ahead　of　us。　　They　are　going　into　camp　for

the　night；　I　imagine。〃



A　half　hour　later　the　two　came　upon　a　horde　of　ebon

warriors　which　Basuli　had　collected　for　his　war　of

vengeance　upon　the　raiders。　　With　them　were　the

captured　women　of　the　tribe　whom　they　had　found　in　the

village　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　tall；　even　among　the　giant

Waziri；　loomed　a　familiar　black　form　at　the　side　of

Basuli。　　It　was　Mugambi；　whom　Jane　had　thought　dead

amidst　the　charred　ruins　of　the　bungalow。



Ah；　such　a　reunion！　　Long　into　the　night　the　dancing　and

the　singing　and　the　laughter　awoke　the　echoes　of　the

somber　wood。　　Again　and　again　were　the　stories　of　their

various　adventures　retold。　　Again　and　once　again　they

fought　their　battles　with　savage　beast　and　savage　man；

and　dawn　was　already　breaking　when　Basuli；　for　the

fortieth　time；　narrated　how　he　and　a　handful　of　his

warriors　had　watched　the　battle　for　the　golden　ingots

which　the　Abyssinians　of　Abdul　Mourak　had　waged　against

the　Arab　raiders　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　how；　when　the

victors　had　ridden　away　they　had　sneaked　out　of　the

river　reeds　and　stolen　away　with　the　precious　ingots　to

hide　them　where　no　robber　eye　ever　could　discover　them。



Pieced　out　from　the　fragments　of　their　various

experiences　with　the　Belgian　the　truth　concerning　the

malign　activities　of　Albert　Werper　became　apparent。

Only　Lady　Greystoke　found　aught　to　praise　in　the

conduct　of　the　man；　and　it　was　difficult　even　for　her

to　reconcile　his　many　heinous　acts　with　this　one

evidence　of　chivalry　and　honor。



〃Deep　in　the　soul　of　every　man；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃must

lurk　the　germ　of　righteousness。　　It　was　your　own

virtue；　Jane；　rather　even　than　your　helplessness　which

awakened　for　an　instant　the　latent　decency　of　this

degraded　man。　　In　that　one　act　he　retrieved　himself；

and　when　he　is　called　to　face　his　Maker　may　it　outweigh

in　the　balance；　all　the　sins　he　has　committed。〃



And　Jane　Clayton　breathed　a　fervent；　〃Amen！〃



　Months　had　passed。　　The　labor　of　the　Waziri　and　the

gold　of　Opar　had　rebuilt　and　refurnished　the　wasted

homestead　of　the　Greystokes。　　Once　more　the　simple　life

of　the　great　African　farm　went　on　as　it　had　before　the

coming　of　the　Belgian　and　the　Arab。　　Forgotten　were　the

sorrows　and　dangers　of　yesterday。



For　the　first　time　in　months　Lord　Greystoke　felt　that

he　might　indulge　in　a　holiday；　and　so　a　great　hunt　was

organized　that　the　faithful　laborers　might　feast　in

celebration　of　the　completion　of　their　work。



In　itself　the　hunt　was　a　success；　and　ten　days　after

its　inauguration；　a　well…laden　safari　took　up　its

return　march　toward　the　Waziri　plain。　　Lord　and　Lady

Greystoke　with　Basuli　and　Mugambi　rode　together　at　the

head　of　the　column；　laughing　and　talking　together　in

that　easy　familiarity　which　common　interests　and　mutual

respect　breed　between　honest　and　intelligent　men　of　any

races。



Jane　Clayton's　horse　shied　suddenly　at　an　object　half

hidden　in　the　long　grasses　of　an　open　space　in　the

jungle。　　Tarzan's　keen　eyes　sought　quickly　for　an

explanation　of　the　animal's　action。



〃What　have　we　here？〃　he　cried；　swinging　from　his

saddle；　and　a　moment　later　the　four　were　grouped　about

a　human　skull　and　a　little　litter　of　whitened　human

bones。



Tarzan　stooped　and　lifted　a　leathern　pouch　from　the

grisly　relics　of　a　man。　　The　hard　outlines　of　the

contents　brought　an　exclamation　of　surprise　to　his

lips。



〃The　jewels　of　Opar！〃　he　cried；　holding　the　pouch

aloft；　〃and；〃　pointing　to　the　bones　at　his　feet；　〃all

that　remains　of　Werper；　the　Belgian。〃



Mugambi　laughed。　　〃Look　within；　Bwana；〃　he　cried；　〃and

you　will　see　what　are　the　jewels　of　Oparyou　will　see

what　the　Belgian　gave　his　life　for；〃　and　the　black

laughed　aloud。



〃Why　do　you　laugh？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Because；〃　replied　Mugambi；　〃I　filled　the　Belgian's

pouch　with　river　gravel　before　I　escaped　the　camp　of

the　Abyssinians　whose　prisoners　we　were。　　I　left　the

Belgian　only　worthless　stones；　while　I　brought　away

with　me　the　jewels　he　had　stolen　from　you。　　That　they

were　afterward　stolen　from　me　while　I　slept　in　the

jungle　is　my　shame　and　my　disgrace；　but　at　least　the

Belgian　lost　themopen　his　pouch　and　you　will　see。〃



Tarzan　untied　the　thong　which　held　the　mouth　of　the

leathern　bag　closed；　and　permitted　the　contents　to

trickle　slowly　forth　into　his　open　palm。　　Mugambi's

eyes　went　wide　at　the　sight；　and　the　others　uttered

exclamations　of　surprise　and　incredulity；　for　from　the

rusty　and　weatherworn　pouch　ran　a　stream　of　brilliant；

scintillating　gems。



〃The　jewels　of　Opar！〃　cried　Tarzan。　　〃But　how　did

Werper　come　by　them　again？〃



None　could　answer；　for　both　Chulk　and　Werper　were　dead；

and　no　other　knew。



〃Poor　devil！〃　said　the　ape…man；　as　he　swung　back　into

his　saddle。　　〃Even　in　death　he　has　made　restitution

let　his　sins　lie　with　his　bones。〃







End