the beasts of tarzan-第19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！



than　that　of　the　jungle…beast　that　had　roused　it。



For　several　minutes　the　blacks　hesitated；　then；　at　the　urging

of　Rokoff　and　their　chief；　they　leaped　in　to　finish　the

dance　and　the　victim；　but　ere　ever　another　spear　touched　the

brown　hide　a　tawny　streak　of　green…eyed　hate　and　ferocity

bounded　from　the　door　of　the　hut　in　which　Tarzan　had　been

imprisoned；　and　Sheeta；　the　panther；　stood　snarling　beside

his　master。



For　an　instant　the　blacks　and　the　whites　stood　transfixed

with　terror。　　Their　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　bared　fangs　of

the　jungle　cat。



Only　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　saw　what　else　there　was　emerging

from　the　dark　interior　of　the　hut。









Chapter　9





Chivalry　or　Villainy





From　her　cabin　port　upon　the　Kincaid；　Jane　Clayton　had

seen　her　husband　rowed　to　the　verdure…clad　shore　of　Jungle

Island；　and　then　the　ship　once　more　proceeded　upon　its　way。



For　several　days　she　saw　no　one　other　than　Sven　Anderssen；

the　Kincaid's　taciturn　and　repellent　cook。　　She　asked　him

the　name　of　the　shore　upon　which　her　husband　had　been　set。



〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard；〃　replied　the

Swede；　and　that　was　all　that　she　could　get　out　of　him。



She　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　he　spoke　no　other

English；　and　so　she　ceased　to　importune　him　for　information；

but　never　did　she　forget　to　greet　him　pleasantly　or　to　thank

him　for　the　hideous；　nauseating　meals　he　brought　her。



Three　days　from　the　spot　where　Tarzan　had　been　marooned

the　Kincaid　came　to　anchor　in　the　mouth　of　a　great

river；　and　presently　Rokoff　came　to　Jane　Clayton's　cabin。



〃We　have　arrived；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　with　a　sickening　leer。　　

〃I　have　come　to　offer　you　safety；　liberty；　and　ease。　　My　heart

has　been　softened　toward　you　in　your　suffering；　and　I　would

make　amends　as　best　I　may。



〃Your　husband　was　a　bruteyou　know　that　best　who　found

him　naked　in　his　native　jungle；　roaming　wild　with　the　savage

beasts　that　were　his　fellows。　　Now　I　am　a　gentleman；　not　only

born　of　noble　blood；　but　raised　gently　as　befits　a　man　of　quality。



〃To　you；　dear　Jane；　I　offer　the　love　of　a　cultured　man　and

association　with　one　of　culture　and　refinement；　which　you

must　have　sorely　missed　in　your　relations　with　the　poor　ape　that

through　your　girlish　infatuation　you　married　so　thoughtlessly。　　

I　love　you；　Jane。　　You　have　but　to　say　the　word　and　no

further　sorrows　shall　afflict　youeven　your　baby　shall　be

returned　to　you　unharmed。〃



Outside　the　door　Sven　Anderssen　paused　with　the　noonday

meal　he　had　been　carrying　to　Lady　Greystoke。　　Upon　the　end

of　his　long；　stringy　neck　his　little　head　was　cocked　to　one

side；　his　close…set　eyes　were　half　closed；　his　ears；　so

expressive　was　his　whole　attitude　of　stealthy　eavesdropping；

seemed　truly　to　be　cocked　forwardeven　his　long；　yellow；

straggly　moustache　appeared　to　assume　a　sly　droop。



As　Rokoff　closed　his　appeal；　awaiting　the　reply　he　invited；

the　look　of　surprise　upon　Jane　Clayton's　face　turned　to　one

of　disgust。　　She　fairly　shuddered　in　the　fellow's　face。



〃I　would　not　have　been　surprised；　M。　　Rokoff；〃　she　said；

had　you　attempted　to　force　me　to　submit　to　your　evil　desires；

but　that　you　should　be　so　fatuous　as　to　believe　that　I；

wife　of　John　Clayton；　would　come　to　you　willingly；　even　to

save　my　life；　I　should　never　have　imagined。　　I　have　known

you　for　a　scoundrel；　M。　　Rokoff；　but　until　now　I　had　not　taken

you　for　a　fool。〃



Rokoff's　eyes　narrowed；　and　the　red　of　mortification　flushed　out

the　pallor　of　his　face。　　He　took　a　step　toward　the　girl；　threateningly。



〃We　shall　see　who　is　the　fool　at　last；〃　he　hissed；　〃when　I　have

broken　you　to　my　will　and　your　plebeian　Yankee　stubbornness　has

cost　you　all　that　you　hold　deareven　the　life　of　your　babyfor；

by　the　bones　of　St。　　Peter；　I'll　forego　all　that　I　had　planned

for　the　brat　and　cut　its　heart　out　before　your　very　eyes。

You'll　learn　what　it　means　to　insult　Nikolas　Rokoff。〃



Jane　Clayton　turned　wearily　away。



〃What　is　the　use；〃　she　said；　〃of　expatiating　upon　the

depths　to　which　your　vengeful　nature　can　sink？　　You　cannot

move　me　either　by　threats　or　deeds。　　My　baby　cannot　judge

yet　for　himself；　but　I；　his　mother；　can　foresee　that　should　it

have　been　given　him　to　survive　to　man's　estate　he　would

willingly　sacrifice　his　life　for　the　honour　of　his　mother。　　

Love　him　as　I　do；　I　would　not　purchase　his　life　at　such　a　price。　　

Did　I；　he　would　execrate　my　memory　to　the　day　of　his　death。〃



Rokoff　was　now　thoroughly　angered　because　of　his　failure

to　reduce　the　girl　to　terror。　　He　felt　only　hate　for　her；　but　it

had　come　to　his　diseased　mind　that　if　he　could　force　her　to

accede　to　his　demands　as　the　price　of　her　life　and　her　child's；

the　cup　of　his　revenge　would　be　filled　to　brimming　when　he

could　flaunt　the　wife　of　Lord　Greystoke　in　the　capitals　of

Europe　as　his　mistress。



Again　he　stepped　closer　to　her。　　His　evil　face　was　convulsed

with　rage　and　desire。　　Like　a　wild　beast　he　sprang　upon

her；　and　with　his　strong　fingers　at　her　throat　forced　her

backward　upon　the　berth。



At　the　same　instant　the　door　of　the　cabin　opened　noisily。　　

Rokoff　leaped　to　his　feet；　and；　turning；　faced　the　Swede　cook。



Into　the　fellow's　usually　foxy　eyes　had　come　an　expression

of　utter　stupidity。　　His　lower　jaw　drooped　in　vacuous　harmony。　　

He　busied　himself　in　arranging　Lady　Greystoke's　meal

upon　the　tiny　table　at　one　side　of　her　cabin。



The　Russian　glared　at　him。



〃What　do　you　mean；〃　he　cried；　〃by　entering　here

without　permission？　　Get　out！〃



The　cook　turned　his　watery　blue　eyes　upon　Rokoff　and

smiled　vacuously。



〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard；〃　he　said；　and

then　he　began　rearranging　the　few　dishes　upon　the　little　table。



〃Get　out　of　here；　or　I'll　throw　you　out；　you　miserable　blockhead！〃

roared　Rokoff；　taking　a　threatening　step　toward　the　Swede。



Anderssen　continued　to　smile　foolishly　in　his　direction；

but　one　ham…like　paw　slid　stealthily　to　the　handle　of　the

long；　slim　knife　that　protruded　from　the　greasy　cord

supporting　his　soiled　apron。



Rokoff　saw　the　move　and　stopped　short　in　his　advance。　　

Then　he　turned　toward　Jane　Clayton。



〃I　will　give　you　until　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　〃to　reconsider　your

answer　to　my　offer。　　All　will　be　sent　ashore　upon　one　pretext

or　another　except　you　and　the　child；　Paulvitch　and　myself。　　

Then　without　interruption　you　will　be　able　to　witness　the

death　of　the　baby。〃



He　spoke　in　French　that　the　cook　might　not　understand

the　sinister　portent　of　his　words。　　When　he　had　done　he　banged

out　of　the　cabin　without　another　look　at　the　man　who　had

interrupted　him　in　his　sorry　work。



When　he　had　gone；　Sven　Anderssen　turned　toward　Lady

Greystokethe　idiotic　expression　that　had　masked　his

thoughts　had　fallen　away；　and　in　its　place　was　one　of

craft　and　cunning。



〃Hay　tank　Ay　ban　a　fool；〃　he　said。　　〃Hay　ben　the　fool。

Ay　savvy　Franch。〃



Jane　Clayton　looked　at　him　in　surprise。



〃You　understood　all　that　he　said；　then？〃



Anderssen　grinned。



〃You　bat；〃　he　said。



〃And　you　heard　what　was　going　on　in　here　and　came　to　protect　me？〃



〃You　bane　good　to　me；〃　explained　the　Swede。　　〃Hay　treat　me　like

darty　dog。　　Ay　help　you；　lady。　　You　yust　vaitAy　help　you。

Ay　ban　Vast　Coast　lots　times。〃



〃But　how　can　you　help　me；　Sven；〃　she　asked；　〃when　all

these　men　will　be　against　us？〃



〃Ay　tank；〃　said　Sven　Anderssen；　〃it　blow　purty　soon

purty　hard；〃　and　then　he　turned　and　left　the　cabin。



Though　Jane　Clayton　doubted　the　cook's　ability　to　be　of

any　material　service　to　her；　she　was　nevertheless　deeply

grateful　to　him　for　what　he　already　had　done。　　The　feeling

that　among　these　enemies　she　had　one　friend　brought　the

first　ray　of　comfort　that　had　come　to　lighten　the　burden　of

her　miserable　apprehensions　throughout　the　long　voyage　of

the　Kincaid。



She　saw　no　more　of　Rokoff　that　day；　nor　of　any　other　until

Sven　ca