the beasts of tarzan-第24章

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as　apes　and　panthers。



In　this　Tarzan　saw　the　cunning　hand　of　Rokoff。　　The　Russian

was　attempting　to　make　travel　as　difficult　as　possible　for

him　by　turning　the　natives　against　him　in　superstitious　fear。



The　native　further　told　Tarzan　that　the　white　man　who　had

led　the　recent　expedition　had　promised　them　a　fabulous　reward

if　they　would　kill　the　white　devil。　　This　they　had　fully

intended　doing　should　the　opportunity　present　itself；　but　the

moment　they　had　seen　Tarzan　their　blood　had　turned　to　water；

as　the　porters　of　the　white　men　had　told　them　would　be　the　case。



Finding　the　ape…man　made　no　attempt　to　harm　him；　the　native

at　last　recovered　his　grasp　upon　his　courage；　and；　at　Tarzan's

suggestion；　accompanied　the　white　devil　back　to　the　village；

calling　as　he　went　for　his　fellows　to　return　also；　as　〃the

white　devil　has　promised　to　do　you　no　harm　if　you　come　back

right　away　and　answer　his　questions。〃



One　by　one　the　blacks　straggled　into　the　village；　but　that

their　fears　were　not　entirely　allayed　was　evident　from　the

amount　of　white　that　showed　about　the　eyes　of　the　majority

of　them　as　they　cast　constant　and　apprehensive　sidelong

glances　at　the　ape…man。



The　chief　was　among　the　first　to　return　to　the　village；　and

as　it　was　he　that　Tarzan　was　most　anxious　to　interview；　he

lost　no　time　in　entering　into　a　palaver　with　the　black。



The　fellow　was　short　and　stout；　with　an　unusually　low　and

degraded　countenance　and　apelike　arms。　　His　whole　expression

denoted　deceitfulness。



Only　the　superstitious　terror　engendered　in　him　by　the

stories　poured　into　his　ears　by　the　whites　and　blacks　of　the

Russian's　party　kept　him　from　leaping　upon　Tarzan　with　his

warriors　and　slaying　him　forthwith；　for　he　and　his　people

were　inveterate　maneaters。　　But　the　fear　that　he　might　indeed

be　a　devil；　and　that　out　there　in　the　jungle　behind　him　his

fierce　demons　waited　to　do　his　bidding；　kept　M'ganwazam

from　putting　his　desires　into　action。



Tarzan　questioned　the　fellow　closely；　and　by　comparing

his　statements　with　those　of　the　young　warrior　he　had　first

talked　with　he　learned　that　Rokoff　and　his　safari　were　in

terror…stricken　retreat　in　the　direction　of　the　far　East　Coast。



Many　of　the　Russian's　porters　had　already　deserted　him。　　

In　that　very　village　he　had　hanged　five　for　theft　and

attempted　desertion。　　Judging；　however；　from　what　the　Waganwazam

had　learned　from　those　of　the　Russian's　blacks　who　were　not

too　far　gone　in　terror　of　the　brutal　Rokoff　to　fear　even　to

speak　of　their　plans；　it　was　apparent　that　he　would　not　travel

any　great　distance　before　the　last　of　his　porters；　cooks；

tent…boys；　gun…bearers；　askari；　and　even　his　headman；

would　have　turned　back　into　the　bush；　leaving　him　to

the　mercy　of　the　merciless　jungle。



M'ganwazam　denied　that　there　had　been　any　white　woman

or　child　with　the　party　of　whites；　but　even　as　he　spoke　Tarzan

was　convinced　that　he　lied。　　Several　times　the　ape…man　approached

the　subject　from　different　angles；　but　never　was　he　successful

in　surprising　the　wily　cannibal　into　a　direct　contradiction　of

his　original　statement　that　there　had　been　no　women　or　children

with　the　party。



Tarzan　demanded　food　of　the　chief；　and　after　considerable　haggling

on　the　part　of　the　monarch　succeeded　in　obtaining　a　meal。

He　then　tried　to　draw　out　others　of　the　tribe；　especially　the

young　man　whom　he　had　captured　in　the　bush；　but　M'ganwazam's

presence　sealed　their　lips。



At　last；　convinced　that　these　people　knew　a　great　deal

more　than　they　had　told　him　concerning　the　whereabouts　of

the　Russian　and　the　fate　of　Jane　and　the　child；　Tarzan

determined　to　remain　overnight　among　them　in　the　hope　of

discovering　something　further　of　importance。



When　he　had　stated　his　decision　to　the　chief　he　was　rather

surprised　to　note　the　sudden　change　in　the　fellow's　attitude

toward　him。　　From　apparent　dislike　and　suspicion　M'ganwazam

became　a　most　eager　and　solicitous　host。



Nothing　would　do　but　that　the　ape…man　should　occupy　the

best　hut　in　the　village；　from　which　M'ganwazam's　oldest

wife　was　forthwith　summarily　ejected；　while　the　chief　took　up

his　temporary　abode　in　the　hut　of　one　of　his　younger　consorts。



Had　Tarzan　chanced　to　recall　the　fact　that　a　princely　reward　had

been　offered　the　blacks　if　they　should　succeed　in　killing　him；

he　might　have　more　quickly　interpreted　M'ganwazam's　sudden

change　in　front。



To　have　the　white　giant　sleeping　peacefully　in　one　of　his　own

huts　would　greatly　facilitate　the　matter　of　earning　the　reward；

and　so　the　chief　was　urgent　in　his　suggestions　that　Tarzan；

doubtless　being　very　much　fatigued　after　his　travels；

should　retire　early　to　the　comforts　of　the　anything　but

inviting　palace。



As　much　as　the　ape…man　detested　the　thought　of　sleeping

within　a　native　hut；　he　had　determined　to　do　so　this　night；

on　the　chance　that　he　might　be　able　to　induce　one　of　the

younger　men　to　sit　and　chat　with　him　before　the　fire　that

burned　in　the　centre　of　the　smoke…filled　dwelling；　and　from

him　draw　the　truths　he　sought。　　So　Tarzan　accepted　the

invitation　of　old　M'ganwazam；　insisting；　however；　that　he　much

preferred　sharing　a　hut　with　some　of　the　younger　men　rather

than　driving　the　chief's　old　wife　out　in　the　cold。



The　toothless　old　hag　grinned　her　appreciation　of　this　suggestion；

and　as　the　plan　still　better　suited　the　chief's　scheme；

in　that　it　would　permit　him　to　surround　Tarzan　with　a　gang

of　picked　assassins；　he　readily　assented；　so　that　presently

Tarzan　had　been　installed　in　a　hut　close　to　the　village　gate。



As　there　was　to　be　a　dance　that　night　in　honour　of　a　band

of　recently　returned　hunters；　Tarzan　was　left　alone　in　the　hut；

the　young　men；　as　M'ganwazam　explained；　having　to　take　part

in　the　festivities。



As　soon　as　the　ape…man　was　safely　installed　in　the　trap；

M'Ganwazam　called　about　him　the　young　warriors　whom　he

had　selected　to　spend　the　night　with　the　white　devil！



None　of　them　was　overly　enthusiastic　about　the　plan；　since

deep　in　their　superstitious　hearts　lay　an　exaggerated　fear

of　the　strange　white　giant；　but　the　word　of　M'ganwazam　was

law　among　his　people；　so　not　one　dared　refuse　the　duty　he

was　called　upon　to　perform。



As　M'ganwazam　unfolded　his　plan　in　whispers　to　the　savages

squatting　about　him　the　old；　toothless　hag；　to　whom　Tarzan

had　saved　her　hut　for　the　night；　hovered　about　the　conspirators

ostensibly　to　replenish　the　supply　of　firewood　for　the　blaze

about　which　the　men　sat；　but　really　to　drink　in　as　much　of

their　conversation　as　possible。



Tarzan　had　slept　for　perhaps　an　hour　or　two　despite　the

savage　din　of　the　revellers　when　his　keen　senses　came　suddenly

alert　to　a　suspiciously　stealthy　movement　in　the　hut　in

which　he　lay。　　The　fire　had　died　down　to　a　little　heap　of

glowing　embers；　which　accentuated　rather　than　relieved　the

darkness　that　shrouded　the　interior　of　the　evil…smelling

dwelling；　yet　the　trained　senses　of　the　ape…man　warned　him

of　another　presence　creeping　almost　silently　toward　him

through　the　gloom。



He　doubted　that　it　was　one　of　his　hut　mates　returning　from

the　festivities；　for　he　still　heard　the　wild　cries　of　the　dancers

and　the　din　of　the　tom…toms　in　the　village　street　without。　　

Who　could　it　be　that　took　such　pains　to　conceal　his　approach？



As　the　presence　came　within　reach　of　him　the　ape…man　bounded

lightly　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　hut；　his　spear　poised

ready　at　his　side。



〃Who　is　it；〃　he　asked；　〃that　creeps　upon　Tarzan　of　the

Apes；　like　a　hungry　lion　out　of　the　darkness？〃



〃Silence；　bwana！〃　replied　an　old　cracked　voice。　　〃It　is

Tambudzashe　whose　hut　you　would　not　take；　and　thus　drive

an　old　woman　out　into　the　cold　night。〃



〃What　does　Tambudza　want　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes？〃　asked　the　ape…man。



〃You　were　kind　to　me　to　whom　none　is　now　kind；　and　I　have　come

to　warn　you　in　payment　of　your　kindness；〃　answered　the　old　hag。



〃War