tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第24章
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jungle。 No intimation of danger assailed the dormant faculties of the
ape…manhe saw no crouching hairy figures upon the ground beneath him
nor the three apes that swung quietly into the tree beside him。
The first intimation of danger that came to Tarzan was the impact of
three bodies as the three apes leaped upon him and hurled him to the
ground； where he alighted half stunned beneath their combined weight and
was immediately set upon by the fifty hairy men or as many of them as
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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
could swarm upon his person。 Instantly the ape…man became the center
of a whirling； striking； biting maelstrom of horror。 He fought nobly but
the odds against him were too great。 Slowly they overcame him though
there was scarce one of them that did not feel the weight of his mighty fist
or the rending of his fangs。
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13
Condemned To Torture and Death
La had followed her company and when she saw them clawing and
biting at Tarzan； she raised her voice and cautioned them not to kill him。
She saw that he was weakening and that soon the greater numbers would
prevail over him； nor had she long to wait before the mighty jungle
creature lay helpless and bound at her feet。
〃Bring him to the place at which we stopped；〃 she commanded and
they carried Tarzan back to the little clearing and threw him down beneath
a tree。
〃Build me a shelter！〃 ordered La。 〃We shall stop here tonight and
tomorrow in the face of the Flaming God； La will offer up the heart of this
defiler of the temple。 Where is the sacred knife？ Who took it from him？〃
But no one had seen it and each was positive in his assurance that the
sacrificial weapon had not been upon Tarzan's person when they captured
him。 The ape…man looked upon the menacing creatures which
surrounded him and snarled his defiance。 He looked upon La and smiled。
In the face of death he was unafraid。
〃Where is the knife？〃 La asked him。
〃I do not know；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃The man took it with him when he
slipped away during the night。 Since you are so desirous for its return I
would look for him and get it back for you； did you not hold me prisoner；
but now that I am to die I cannot get it back。 Of what good was your
knife； anyway？ You can make another。 Did you follow us all this way for
nothing more than a knife？ Let me go and find him and I will bring it
back to you。〃
La laughed a bitter laugh； for in her heart she knew that Tarzan's sin
was greater than the purloining of the sacrificial knife of Opar； yet as she
looked at him lying bound and helpless before her； tears rose to her eyes
so that she had to turn away to hide them； but she remained inflexible in
her determination to make him pay in frightful suffering and in eventual
death for daring to spurn the love of La。
When the shelter was completed La had Tarzan transferred to it。 〃All
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night I shall torture him；〃 she muttered to her priests； 〃and at the first
streak of dawn you may prepare the flaming altar upon which his heart
shall be offered up to the Flaming God。 Gather wood well filled with pitch；
lay it in the form and size of the altar at Opar in the center of the clearing
that the Flaming God may look down upon our handiwork and be
pleased。〃
During the balance of the day the priests of Opar were busy erecting
an altar in the center of the clearing； and while they worked they chanted
weird hymns in the ancient tongue of that lost continent that lies at the
bottom of the Atlantic。 They knew not the meanings of the words they
mouthed； they but repeated the ritual that had been handed down from
preceptor to neophyte since that long…gone day when the ancestors of the
Piltdown man still swung by their tails in the humid jungles that are
England now。
And in the shelter of the hut； La paced to and fro beside the stoic ape…
man。 Resigned to his fate was Tarzan。 No hope of succor gleamed
through the dead black of the death sentence hanging over him。 He knew
that his giant muscles could not part the many strands that bound his
wrists and ankles； for he had strained often； but ineffectually for release。
He had no hope of outside help and only enemies surrounded him within
the camp； and yet he smiled at La as she paced nervously back and forth
the length of the shelter。
And La？ She fingered her knife and looked down upon her captive。
She glared and muttered but she did not strike。 〃Tonight！〃 she thought。
〃Tonight； when it is dark I will torture him。〃 She looked upon his perfect；
godlike figure and upon his handsome； smiling face and then she steeled
her heart again by thoughts of her love spurned； by religious thoughts that
damned the infidel who had desecrated the holy of holies； who had taken
from the blood…stained altar of Opar the offering to the Flaming Godand
not once but thrice。 Three times had Tarzan cheated the god of her fathers。
At the thought La paused and knelt at his side。 In her hand was a sharp
knife。 She placed its point against the ape…man's side and pressed upon
the hilt； but Tarzan only smiled and shrugged his shoulders。
How beautiful he was！ La bent low over him； looking into his eyes。
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How perfect was his figure。 She compared it with those of the knurled
and knotted men from whom she must choose a mate； and La shuddered at
the thought。 Dusk came and after dusk came night。 A great fire blazed
within the little thorn boma about the camp。 The flames played upon the
new altar erected in the center of the clearing； arousing in the mind of the
High Priestess of the Flaming God a picture of the event of the coming
dawn。 She saw this giant and perfect form writhing amid the flames of
the burning pyre。 She saw those smiling lips； burned and blackened；
falling away from the strong； white teeth。 She saw the shock of black hair
tousled upon Tarzan's well…shaped head disappear in a spurt of flame。
She saw these and many other frightful pictures as she stood with closed
eyes and clenched fists above the object of her hateah！ was it hate that
La of Opar felt？
The darkness of the jungle night had settled down upon the camp；
relieved only by the fitful flarings of the fire that was kept up to warn off
the man…eaters。 Tarzan lay quietly in his bonds。 He suffered from thirst
and from the cutting of the tight strands about his wrists and ankles； but he
made no complaint。 A jungle beast was Tarzan with the stoicism of the
beast and the intelligence of man。 He knew that his doom was sealed
that no supplications would avail to temper the severity of his end and so
he wasted no breath in plea
