tarzan and the jewels of opar-第5章

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mighty　man…thing　clung　to　his　hold　and　repeatedly　the

long　knife　plunged　rapidly　into　his　side。　　Over　and

over　rolled　Numa；　the　lion；　clawing　and　biting　at　the

air；　roaring　and　growling　horribly　in　savage　attempt　to

reach　the　thing　upon　its　back。　　More　than　once　was

Tarzan　almost　brushed　from　his　hold。　　He　was　battered

and　bruised　and　covered　with　blood　from　Numa　and　dirt

from　the　trail；　yet　not　for　an　instant　did　he　lessen

the　ferocity　of　his　mad　attack　nor　his　grim　hold　upon

the　back　of　his　antagonist。　　To　have　loosened　for　an

instant　his　grip　there；　would　have　been　to　bring　him

within　reach　of　those　tearing　talons　or　rending　fangs；

and　have　ended　forever　the　grim　career　of　this　jungle…bred

English　lord。　　Where　he　had　fallen　beneath　the

spring　of　the　lion　the　witch…doctor　lay；　torn　and

bleeding；　unable　to　drag　himself　away　and　watched　the

terrific　battle　between　these　two　lords　of　the　jungle。

His　sunken　eyes　glittered　and　his　wrinkled　lips　moved

over　toothless　gums　as　he　mumbled　weird　incantations　to

the　demons　of　his　cult。



For　a　time　he　felt　no　doubt　as　to　the　outcomethe

strange　white　man　must　certainly　succumb　to　terrible

Simbawhoever　heard　of　a　lone　man　armed　only　with　a

knife　slaying　so　mighty　a　beast！　　Yet　presently　the　old

black　man's　eyes　went　wider　and　he　commenced　to　have

his　doubts　and　misgivings。　　What　wonderful　sort　of

creature　was　this　that　battled　with　Simba　and　held　his

own　despite　the　mighty　muscles　of　the　king　of　beasts

and　slowly　there　dawned　in　those　sunken　eyes；　gleaming

so　brightly　from　the　scarred　and　wrinkled　face；　the

light　of　a　dawning　recollection。　　Gropingly　backward

into　the　past　reached　the　fingers　of　memory；　until　at

last　they　seized　upon　a　faint　picture；　faded　and　yellow

with　the　passing　years。　　It　was　the　picture　of　a　lithe；

white…skinned　youth　swinging　through　the　trees　in

company　with　a　band　of　huge　apes；　and　the　old　eyes

blinked　and　a　great　fear　came　into　themthe

superstitious　fear　of　one　who　believes　in　ghosts　and

spirits　and　demons。



And　came　the　time　once　more　when　the　witch…doctor　no

longer　doubted　the　outcome　of　the　duel；　yet　his　first

judgment　was　reversed；　for　now　he　knew　that　the　jungle

god　would　slay　Simba　and　the　old　black　was　even　more

terrified　of　his　own　impending　fate　at　the　hands　of　the

victor　than　he　had　been　by　the　sure　and　sudden　death

which　the　triumphant　lion　would　have　meted　out　to　him。

He　saw　the　lion　weaken　from　loss　of　blood。　　He　saw　the

mighty　limbs　tremble　and　stagger　and　at　last　he　saw　the

beast　sink　down　to　rise　no　more。　　He　saw　the　forest　god

or　demon　rise　from　the　vanquished　foe；　and　placing　a

foot　upon　the　still　quivering　carcass；　raise　his　face

to　the　moon　and　bay　out　a　hideous　cry　that　froze　the

ebbing　blood　in　the　veins　of　the　witch…doctor。







4



Prophecy　and　Fulfillment





Then　Tarzan　turned　his　attention　to　the　man。　　He　had

not　slain　Numa　to　save　the　Negrohe　had　merely　done　it

in　revenge　upon　the　lion；　but　now　that　he　saw　the　old

man　lying　helpless　and　dying　before　him　something　akin

to　pity　touched　his　savage　heart。　　In　his　youth　he

would　have　slain　the　witch…doctor　without　the　slightest

compunction；　but　civilization　had　had　its　softening

effect　upon　him　even　as　it　does　upon　the　nations　and

races　which　it　touches；　though　it　had　not　yet　gone　far

enough　with　Tarzan　to　render　him　either　cowardly　or

effeminate。　　He　saw　an　old　man　suffering　and　dying；　and

he　stooped　and　felt　of　his　wounds　and　stanched　the　flow

of　blood。



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　old　man　in　a　trembling　voice。



〃I　am　TarzanTarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　replied　the　ape…man

and　not　without　a　greater　touch　of　pride　than　he　would

have　said；　〃I　am　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke。〃



The　witch…doctor　shook　convulsively　and　closed　his

eyes。　　When　he　opened　them　again　there　was　in　them　a

resignation　to　whatever　horrible　fate　awaited　him　at

the　hands　of　this　feared　demon　of　the　woods。　　〃Why　do

you　not　kill　me？〃　he　asked。



〃Why　should　I　kill　you？〃　inquired　Tarzan。

〃You　have　not　harmed　me；　and　anyway　you　are　already　dying。

Numa；　the　lion；　has　killed　you。〃



〃You　would　not　kill　me？〃　Surprise　and　incredulity　were

in　the　tones　of　the　quavering　old　voice。



〃I　would　save　you　if　I　could；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃but

that　cannot　be　done。　　Why　did　you　think　I　would　kill

you？〃



For　a　moment　the　old　man　was　silent。　　When　he　spoke　it

was　evidently　after　some　little　effort　to　muster　his

courage。　　〃I　knew　you　of　old；〃　he　said；　〃when　you

ranged　the　jungle　in　the　country　of　Mbonga；　the　chief。

I　was　already　a　witch…doctor　when　you　slew　Kulonga　and

the　others；　and　when　you　robbed　our　huts　and　our　poison

pot。　　At　first　I　did　not　remember　you；　but　at　last　I

didthe　white…skinned　ape　that　lived　with　the　hairy

apes　and　made　life　miserable　in　the　village　of　Mbonga；

the　chiefthe　forest　godthe　Munango…Keewati　for　whom

we　set　food　outside　our　gates　and　who　came　and　ate　it。

Tell　me　before　I　dieare　you　man　or　devil？〃



Tarzan　laughed。　　〃I　am　a　man；〃　he　said。



The　old　fellow　sighed　and　shook　his　head。　　〃You　have

tried　to　save　me　from　Simba；〃　he　said。　　〃For　that　I

shall　reward　you。　　I　am　a　great　witch…doctor。　　Listen

to　me；　white　man！　　I　see　bad　days　ahead　of　you。　　It　is

writ　in　my　own　blood　which　I　have　smeared　upon　my　palm。

A　god　greater　even　than　you　will　rise　up　and　strike　you

down。　　Turn　back；　Munango…Keewati！　　Turn　back　before　it

is　too　late。　　Danger　lies　ahead　of　you　and　danger　lurks

behind；　but　greater　is　the　danger　before。　　I　see〃

He　paused　and　drew　a　long；　gasping　breath。　　Then　he

crumpled　into　a　little；　wrinkled　heap　and　died。

Tarzan　wondered　what　else　he　had　seen。



It　was　very　late　when　the　ape…man　re…entered　the　boma

and　lay　down　among　his　black　warriors。　　None　had　seen

him　go　and　none　saw　him　return。　　He　thought　about　the

warning　of　the　old　witch…doctor　before　he　fell　asleep

and　he　thought　of　it　again　after　he　awoke；　but　he　did

not　turn　back　for　he　was　unafraid；　though　had　he　known

what　lay　in　store　for　one　he　loved　most　in　all　the

world　he　would　have　flown　through　the　trees　to　her　side

and　allowed　the　gold　of　Opar　to　remain　forever　hidden

in　its　forgotten　storehouse。



Behind　him　that　morning　another　white　man　pondered

something　he　had　heard　during　the　night　and　very　nearly

did　he　give　up　his　project　and　turn　back　upon　his

trail。　　It　was　Werper；　the　murderer；　who　in　the　still

of　the　night　had　heard　far　away　upon　the　trail　ahead　of

him　a　sound　that　had　filled　his　cowardly　soul　with

terrora　sound　such　as　he　never　before　had　heard　in

all　his　life；　nor　dreamed　that　such　a　frightful　thing

could　emanate　from　the　lungs　of　a　God…created　creature。

He　had　heard　the　victory　cry　of　the　bull　ape　as　Tarzan

had　screamed　it　forth　into　the　face　of　Goro；　the　moon；

and　he　had　trembled　then　and　hidden　his　face；　and　now

in　the　broad　light　of　a　new　day　he　trembled　again　as　he

recalled　it；　and　would　have　turned　back　from　the

nameless　danger　the　echo　of　that　frightful　sound　seemed

to　portend；　had　he　not　stood　in　even　greater　fear　of

Achmet　Zek；　his　master。



And　so　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　forged　steadily　ahead　toward

Opar's　ruined　ramparts　and　behind　him　slunk　Werper；

jackal…like；　and　only　God　knew　what　lay　in　store　for

each。



At　the　edge　of　the　desolate　valley；　overlooking　the

golden　domes　and　minarets　of　Opar；　Tarzan　halted。

By　night　he　would　go　alone　to　the　treasure　vault；

reconnoitering；　for　he　had　determined　that　caution

should　mark　his　every　move　upon　this　expedition。



With　the　coming　of　night　he　set　forth；　and　Werper；　who

had　scaled　the　cliffs　alone　behind　the　ape…man's　party；

and　hidden　through　the　day　among　the　rough　boulders　of

the　mountain　top；　slunk　stealthily　after　him。　　The

boulder…strewn　plain　between　the　valley's　edge　and　the

mighty　granite　kopje；　outside　the　city's　walls；　where

lay　the　entrance　to　the　passage…way　leading　to　the

treasure　vault；　ga