tarzan and the jewels of opar-第8章

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in　unfamiliar　surroundings。



Slowly　he　groped　his　way　along；　feeling　with　his　hands

upon　the　tunnel's　walls；　and　cautiously　with　his　feet

ahead　of　him　upon　the　floor　before　he　could　take　a

single　forward　step。　　How　long　he　crept　on　thus　he

could　not　guess；　but　at　last；　feeling　that　the　tunnel's

length　was　interminable；　and　exhausted　by　his　efforts；

by　terror；　and　loss　of　sleep；　he　determined　to　lie　down

and　rest　before　proceeding　farther。



When　he　awoke　there　was　no　change　in　the　surrounding

blackness。　　He　might　have　slept　a　second　or　a　dayhe

could　not　know；　but　that　he　had　slept　for　some　time　was

attested　by　the　fact　that　he　felt　refreshed　and　hungry。



Again　he　commenced　his　groping　advance；　but　this　time

he　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　when　he　emerged　into　a

room；　which　was　lighted　through　an　opening　in　the

ceiling；　from　which　a　flight　of　concrete　steps　led

downward　to　the　floor　of　the　chamber。



Above　him；　through　the　aperture；　Werper　could　see

sunlight　glancing　from　massive　columns；　which　were

twined　about　by　clinging　vines。　　He　listened；　but　he

heard　no　sound　other　than　the　soughing　of　the　wind

through　leafy　branches；　the　hoarse　cries　of　birds；

and　the　chattering　of　monkeys。



Boldly　he　ascended　the　stairway；　to　find　himself　in　a

circular　court。　　Just　before　him　stood　a　stone　altar；

stained　with　rusty…brown　discolorations。　　At　the　time

Werper　gave　no　thought　to　an　explanation　of　these

stainslater　their　origin　became　all　too　hideously

apparent　to　him。



Beside　the　opening　in　the　floor；　just　behind　the　altar；

through　which　he　had　entered　the　court　from　the

subterranean　chamber　below；　the　Belgian　discovered

several　doors　leading　from　the　enclosure　upon　the　level

of　the　floor。　　Above；　and　circling　the　courtyard；　was　a

series　of　open　balconies。　　Monkeys　scampered　about　the

deserted　ruins；　and　gaily　plumaged　birds　flitted　in　and

out　among　the　columns　and　the　galleries　far　above；　but

no　sign　of　human　presence　was　discernible。　　Werper　felt

relieved。　　He　sighed；　as　though　a　great　weight　had　been

lifted　from　his　shoulders。　　He　took　a　step　toward　one

of　the　exits；　and　then　he　halted；　wide…eyed　in

astonishment　and　terror；　for　almost　at　the　same　instant

a　dozen　doors　opened　in　the　courtyard　wall　and　a　horde

of　frightful　men　rushed　in　upon　him。



They　were　the　priests　of　the　Flaming　God　of　Oparthe

same；　shaggy；　knotted；　hideous　little　men　who　had

dragged　Jane　Clayton　to　the　sacrificial　altar　at　this

very　spot　years　before。　　Their　long　arms；　their　short

and　crooked　legs；　their　close…set；　evil　eyes；　and　their

low；　receding　foreheads　gave　them　a　bestial　appearance

that　sent　a　qualm　of　paralyzing　fright　through　the

shaken　nerves　of　the　Belgian。



With　a　scream　he　turned　to　flee　back　into　the　lesser

terrors　of　the　gloomy　corridors　and　apartments　from

which　he　had　just　emerged；　but　the　frightful　men

anticipated　his　intentions。　　They　blocked　the　way；

they　seized　him；　and　though　he　fell；　groveling　upon　his

knees　before　them；　begging　for　his　life；　they　bound　him

and　hurled　him　to　the　floor　of　the　inner　temple。



The　rest　was　but　a　repetition　of　what　Tarzan　and　Jane

Clayton　had　passed　through。　　The　priestesses　came；

and　with　them　La；　the　High　Priestess。　　Werper　was　raised

and　laid　across　the　altar。　　Cold　sweat　exuded　from　his

every　pore　as　La　raised　the　cruel；　sacrificial　knife

above　him。　　The　death　chant　fell　upon　his　tortured

ears。　　His　staring　eyes　wandered　to　the　golden　goblets

from　which　the　hideous　votaries　would　soon　quench　their

inhuman　thirst　in　his　own；　warm　life…blood。



He　wished　that　he　might　be　granted　the　brief　respite　of

unconsciousness　before　the　final　plunge　of　the　keen

bladeand　then　there　was　a　frightful　roar　that　sounded

almost　in　his　ears。　　The　High　Priestess　lowered　her

dagger。　　Her　eyes　went　wide　in　horror。　　The

priestesses；　her　votaresses；　screamed　and　fled　madly

toward　the　exits。　　The　priests　roared　out　their　rage

and　terror　according　to　the　temper　of　their　courage。

Werper　strained　his　neck　about　to　catch　a　sight　of　the

cause　of　their　panic；　and　when；　at　last　he　saw　it；　he

too　went　cold　in　dread；　for　what　his　eyes　beheld　was

the　figure　of　a　huge　lion　standing　in　the　center　of　the

temple；　and　already　a　single　victim　lay　mangled　beneath

his　cruel　paws。



Again　the　lord　of　the　wilderness　roared；　turning　his

baleful　gaze　upon　the　altar。　　La　staggered　forward；

reeled；　and　fell　across　Werper　in　a　swoon。







6



The　Arab　Raid





After　their　first　terror　had　subsided　subsequent　to　the

shock　of　the　earthquake；　Basuli　and　his　warriors

hastened　back　into　the　passageway　in　search　of　Tarzan

and　two　of　their　own　number　who　were　also　missing。



They　found　the　way　blocked　by　jammed　and　distorted

rock。　　For　two　days　they　labored　to　tear　a　way　through

to　their　imprisoned　friends；　but　when；　after　Herculean

efforts；　they　had　unearthed　but　a　few　yards　of　the

choked　passage；　and　discovered　the　mangled　remains　of

one　of　their　fellows　they　were　forced　to　the　conclusion

that　Tarzan　and　the　second　Waziri　also　lay　dead　beneath

the　rock　mass　farther　in；　beyond　human　aid；　and　no

longer　susceptible　of　it。



Again　and　again　as　they　labored　they　called　aloud　the

names　of　their　master　and　their　comrade；　but　no

answering　call　rewarded　their　listening　ears。　　At　last

they　gave　up　the　search。　　Tearfully　they　cast　a　last

look　at　the　shattered　tomb　of　their　master；　shouldered

the　heavy　burden　of　gold　that　would　at　least　furnish

comfort；　if　not　happiness；　to　their　bereaved　and

beloved　mistress；　and　made　their　mournful　way　back

across　the　desolate　valley　of　Opar；　and　downward

through　the　forests　beyond　toward　the　distant　bungalow。



And　as　they　marched　what　sorry　fate　was　already　drawing

down　upon　that　peaceful；　happy　home！



From　the　north　came　Achmet　Zek；　riding　to　the　summons

of　his　lieutenant's　letter。　　With　him　came　his　horde　of

renegade　Arabs；　outlawed　marauders；　these；　and　equally

degraded　blacks；　garnered　from　the　more　debased　and

ignorant　tribes　of　savage　cannibals　through　whose

countries　the　raider　passed　to　and　fro　with　perfect

impunity。



Mugambi；　the　ebon　Hercules；　who　had　shared　the　dangers

and　vicissitudes　of　his　beloved　Bwana；　from　Jungle

Island；　almost　to　the　headwaters　of　the　Ugambi；

was　the　first　to　note　the　bold　approach　of　the

sinister　caravan。



He　it　was　whom　Tarzan　had　left　in　charge　of　the

warriors　who　remained　to　guard　Lady　Greystoke；　nor

could　a　braver　or　more　loyal　guardian　have　been　found

in　any　clime　or　upon　any　soil。　　A　giant　in　stature；

a　savage；　fearless　warrior；　the　huge　black　possessed　also

soul　and　judgment　in　proportion　to　his　bulk　and　his　ferocity。



Not　once　since　his　master　had　departed　had　he　been

beyond　sight　or　sound　of　the　bungalow；　except　when　Lady

Greystoke　chose　to　canter　across　the　broad　plain；　or

relieve　the　monotony　of　her　loneliness　by　a　brief

hunting　excursion。　　On　such　occasions　Mugambi；　mounted

upon　a　wiry　Arab；　had　ridden　close　at　her　horse's

heels。



The　raiders　were　still　a　long　way　off　when　the

warrior's　keen　eyes　discovered　them。　　For　a　time　he

stood　scrutinizing　the　advancing　party　in　silence；

then　he　turned　and　ran　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the

native　huts　which　lay　a　few　hundred　yards　below　the　bungalow。



Here　he　called　out　to　the　lolling　warriors。　　He　issued

orders　rapidly。　　In　compliance　with　them　the　men　seized

upon　their　weapons　and　their　shields。　　Some　ran　to　call

in　the　workers　from　the　fields　and　to　warn　the　tenders

of　the　flocks　and　herds。　　The　majority　followed　Mugambi

back　toward　the　bungalow。



The　dust　of　the　raiders　was　still　a　long　distance　away。

Mugambi　could　not　know　positively　that　it　hid　an　enemy；

but　he　had　spent　a　lifetime　of　savage　life　in　savage

Africa；　and　he　had　seen　parties　before　come　thus

unheralded。　　Sometimes　they　had　come　in　peace　and

sometimes　they　had　come　in