the beasts of tarzan-第16章

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easily　have　entered　their　village　without　recourse　to　the

gates；　but　he　believed　that　a　sudden　and　unaccountable

disappearance　when　he　was　ready　to　leave　them　would　result

in　a　more　lasting　impression　upon　their　childlike　minds；　and

so　as　soon　as　the　village　was　quiet　in　sleep　he　rose；　and；

leaping　into　the　branches　of　the　tree　above　him；　faded　silently

into　the　black　mystery　of　the　jungle　night。



All　the　balance　of　that　night　the　ape…man　swung　rapidly

through　the　upper　and　middle　terraces　of　the　forest。　　When　the

going　was　good　there　he　preferred　the　upper　branches　of　the

giant　trees；　for　then　his　way　was　better　lighted　by　the　moon；

but　so　accustomed　were　all　his　senses　to　the　grim　world　of

his　birth　that　it　was　possible　for　him；　even　in　the　dense；

black　shadows　near　the　ground；　to　move　with　ease　and　rapidity。　　

You　or　I　walking　beneath　the　arcs　of　Main　Street；　or　Broadway；

or　State　Street；　could　not　have　moved　more　surely　or　with

a　tenth　the　speed　of　the　agile　ape…man　through　the

gloomy　mazes　that　would　have　baffled　us　entirely。



At　dawn　he　stopped　to　feed；　and　then　he　slept　for　several

hours；　taking　up　the　pursuit　again　toward　noon。



Twice　he　came　upon　natives；　and；　though　he　had　considerable

difficulty　in　approaching　them；　he　succeeded　in　each

instance　in　quieting　both　their　fears　and　bellicose　intentions

toward　him；　and　learned　from　them　that　he　was　upon　the　trail

of　the　Russian。



Two　days　later；　still　following　up　the　Ugambi；　he　came

upon　a　large　village。　　The　chief；　a　wicked…looking　fellow　with

the　sharp…filed　teeth　that　often　denote　the　cannibal；　received

him　with　apparent　friendliness。



The　ape…man　was　now　thoroughly　fatigued；　and　had　determined

to　rest　for　eight　or　ten　hours　that　he　might　be　fresh

and　strong　when　he　caught　up　with　Rokoff；　as　he　was　sure

he　must　do　within　a　very　short　time。



The　chief　told　him　that　the　bearded　white　man　had　left　his

village　only　the　morning　before；　and　that　doubtless　he　would

be　able　to　overtake　him　in　a　short　time。　　The　other　party　the

chief　had　not　seen　or　heard　of；　so　he　said。



Tarzan　did　not　like　the　appearance　or　manner　of　the　fellow；

who　seemed；　though　friendly　enough；　to　harbour　a　certain

contempt　for　this　half…naked　white　man　who　came　with　no

followers　and　offered　no　presents；　but　he　needed　the　rest　and

food　that　the　village　would　afford　him　with　less　effort　than

the　jungle；　and　so；　as　he　knew　no　fear　of　man；　beast；　or

devil；　he　curled　himself　up　in　the　shadow　of　a　hut　and　was

soon　asleep。



Scarcely　had　he　left　the　chief　than　the　latter　called　two　of

his　warriors；　to　whom　he　whispered　a　few　instructions。　　

A　moment　later　the　sleek；　black　bodies　were　racing　along　the

river　path；　up…stream；　toward　the　east。



In　the　village　the　chief　maintained　perfect　quiet。　　He　would

permit　no　one　to　approach　the　sleeping　visitor；　nor　any

singing；　nor　loud　talking。　　He　was　remarkably　solicitous

lest　his　guest　be　disturbed。



Three　hours　later　several　canoes　came　silently　into　view

from　up　the　Ugambi。　　They　were　being　pushed　ahead　rapidly

by　the　brawny　muscles　of　their　black　crews。　　Upon　the　bank

before　the　river　stood　the　chief；　his　spear　raised　in　a

horizontal　position　above　his　head；　as　though　in　some

manner　of　predetermined　signal　to　those　within　the　boats。



And　such　indeed　was　the　purpose　of　his　attitudewhich

meant　that　the　white　stranger　within　his　village　still

slept　peacefully。



In　the　bows　of　two　of　the　canoes　were　the　runners　that　the

chief　had　sent　forth　three　hours　earlier。　　It　was　evident　that

they　had　been　dispatched　to　follow　and　bring　back　this　party；

and　that　the　signal　from　the　bank　was　one　that　had　been

determined　upon　before　they　left　the　village。



In　a　few　moments　the　dugouts　drew　up　to　the　verdure…clad　bank。　　

The　native　warriors　filed　out；　and　with　them　a　half…dozen

white　men。　　Sullen；　ugly…looking　customers　they　were；

and　none　more　so　than　the　evil…faced；　black…bearded　man

who　commanded　them。



〃Where　is　the　white　man　your　messengers　report　to　be

with　you？〃　he　asked　of　the　chief。



〃This　way；　bwana；〃　replied　the　native。　　〃Carefully　have

I　kept　silence　in　the　village　that　he　might　be　still　asleep　when

you　returned。　　I　do　not　know　that　he　is　one　who　seeks　you　to

do　you　harm；　but　he　questioned　me　closely　about　your　coming

and　your　going；　and　his　appearance　is　as　that　of　the　one

you　described；　but　whom　you　believed　safe　in　the　country

which　you　called　Jungle　Island。



〃Had　you　not　told　me　this　tale　I　should　not　have　recognized

him；　and　then　he　might　have　gone　after　and　slain　you。　　

If　he　is　a　friend　and　no　enemy；　then　no　harm　has　been　done；

bwana；　but　if　he　proves　to　be　an　enemy；　I　should　like　very

much　to　have　a　rifle　and　some　ammunition。〃



〃You　have　done　well；〃　replied　the　white　man；　〃and　you

shall　have　the　rifle　and　ammunition　whether　he　be　a　friend

or　enemy；　provided　that　you　stand　with　me。〃



〃I　shall　stand　with　you；　bwana；〃　said　the　chief；

〃and　now　come　and　look　upon　the　stranger；　who　sleeps

within　my　village。〃



So　saying；　he　turned　and　led　the　way　toward　the　hut；　in　the

shadow　of　which　the　unconscious　Tarzan　slept　peacefully。



Behind　the　two　men　came　the　remaining　whites　and　a　score

of　warriors；　but　the　raised　forefingers　of　the　chief　and

his　companion　held　them　all　to　perfect　silence。



As　they　turned　the　corner　of　the　hut；　cautiously　and　upon

tiptoe；　an　ugly　smile　touched　the　lips　of　the　white　as　his　eyes

fell　upon　the　giant　figure　of　the　sleeping　ape…man。



The　chief　looked　at　the　other　inquiringly。　　The　latter　nodded

his　head；　to　signify　that　the　chief　had　made　no　mistake

in　his　suspicions。　　Then　he　turned　to　those　behind　him　and；

pointing　to　the　sleeping　man；　motioned　for　them　to　seize

and　bind　him。



A　moment　later　a　dozen　brutes　had　leaped　upon　the　surprised

Tarzan；　and　so　quickly　did　they　work　that　he　was　securely

bound　before　he　could　make　half　an　effort　to　escape。



Then　they　threw　him　down　upon　his　back；　and　as　his　eyes

turned　toward　the　crowd　that　stood　near；　they　fell　upon　the

malign　face　of　Nikolas　Rokoff。



A　sneer　curled　the　Russian's　lips。　　He　stepped　quite　close

to　Tarzan。



〃Pig！〃　he　cried。　　〃Have　you　not　learned　sufficient

wisdom　to　keep　away　from　Nikolas　Rokoff？〃



Then　he　kicked　the　prostrate　man　full　in　the　face。



〃That　for　your　welcome；〃　he　said。



〃Tonight；　before　my　Ethiop　friends　eat　you；　I　shall　tell

you　what　has　already　befallen　your　wife　and　child；　and　what

further　plans　I　have　for　their　futures。〃









Chapter　8





The　Dance　of　Death





Through　the　luxuriant；　tangled　vegetation　of　the　Stygian

jungle　night　a　great　lithe　body　made　its　way　sinuously

and　in　utter　silence　upon　its　soft　padded　feet。　　Only　two

blazing　points　of　yellow…green　flame　shone　occasionally　with

the　reflected　light　of　the　equatorial　moon　that　now　and　again

pierced　the　softly　sighing　roof　rustling　in　the　night　wind。



Occasionally　the　beast　would　stop　with　high…held　nose；

sniffing　searchingly。　　At　other　times　a　quick；　brief　incursion

into　the　branches　above　delayed　it　momentarily　in　its　steady

journey　toward　the　east。　　To　its　sensitive　nostrils　came　the

subtle　unseen　spoor　of　many　a　tender　four…footed　creature；

bringing　the　slaver　of　hunger　to　the　cruel；　drooping　jowl。



But　steadfastly　it　kept　on　its　way；　strangely　ignoring　the

cravings　of　appetite　that　at　another　time　would　have　sent

the　rolling；　fur…clad　muscles　flying　at　some　soft　throat。



All　that　night　the　creature　pursued　its　lonely　way；　and　the

next　day　it　halted　only　to　make　a　single　kill；　which　it　tore

to　fragments　and　devoured　with　sullen；　grumbling　rumbles　as

though　half　famished　for　lack　of　food。



It　was　dusk　when　it　approached　the　palisade　that　surrounded

a　large　native　village。　　Like　the　shadow　of　a　swift　and　silent

death　it　circled　the　village；　nose　to　ground；　halting　at　last

close　to　t