the beasts of tarzan-第28章

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She　would　have　liked　to　have　flaunted　the　fact　in　his　face；

but　she　dared　not。　　If　he　continued　to　believe　that　the　child

had　been　hers；　so　much　safer　would　be　the　real　Jack　wherever

he　might　be。　　She　had；　of　course；　no　knowledge　of　the　whereabouts

of　her　little　sonshe　did　not　know；　even；　that　he　still

lived；　and　yet　there　was　the　chance　that　he　might。



It　was　more　than　possible　that　without　Rokoff's　knowledge

this　child　had　been　substituted　for　hers　by　one　of　the　Russian's

confederates；　and　that　even　now　her　son　might　be　safe

with　friends　in　London；　where　there　were　many；　both　able

and　willing；　to　have　paid　any　ransom　which　the　traitorous

conspirator　might　have　asked　for　the　safe　release　of　Lord

Greystoke's　son。



She　had　thought　it　all　out　a　hundred　times　since　she　had

discovered　that　the　baby　which　Anderssen　had　placed　in　her

arms　that　night　upon　the　Kincaid　was　not　her　own；　and　it　had

been　a　constant　and　gnawing　source　of　happiness　to　her　to

dream　the　whole　fantasy　through　in　its　every　detail。



No；　the　Russian　must　never　know　that　this　was　not　her　baby。　　

She　realized　that　her　position　was　hopelesswith　Anderssen

and　her　husband　dead　there　was　no　one　in　all　the　world　with

a　desire　to　succour　her　who　knew　where　she　might　be　found。



Rokoff's　threat；　she　realized；　was　no　idle　one。　　That　he

would　do；　or　attempt　to　do；　all　that　he　had　promised；　she

was　perfectly　sure；　but　at　the　worst　it　meant　but　a　little　earlier

release　from　the　hideous　anguish　that　she　had　been　enduring。　　

She　must　find　some　way　to　take　her　own　life　before　the　Russian

could　harm　her　further。



Just　now　she　wanted　timetime　to　think　and　prepare　herself

for　the　end。　　She　felt　that　she　could　not　take　the　last；

awful　step　until　she　had　exhausted　every　possibility　of　escape。　　

She　did　not　care　to　live　unless　she　might　find　her　way

back　to　her　own　child；　but　slight　as　such　a　hope　appeared

she　would　not　admit　its　impossibility　until　the　last　moment

had　come；　and　she　faced　the　fearful　reality　of　choosing　between

the　final　alternativesNikolas　Rokoff　on　one　hand　and

self…destruction　upon　the　other。



〃Go　away！〃　she　said　to　the　Russian。　　〃Go　away　and　leave　me

in　peace　with　my　dead。　　Have　you　not　brought　sufficient　misery

and　anguish　upon　me　without　attempting　to　harm　me　further？　

What　wrong　have　I　ever　done　you　that　you　should　persist

in　persecuting　me？〃



〃You　are　suffering　for　the　sins　of　the　monkey　you　chose

when　you　might　have　had　the　love　of　a　gentlemanof　Nikolas

Rokoff；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　where　is　the　use　in　discussing

the　matter？　　We　shall　bury　the　child　here；　and　you　will

return　with　me　at　once　to　my　own　camp。　　Tomorrow　I　shall

bring　you　back　and　turn　you　over　to　your　new　husbandthe

lovely　M'ganwazam。　　Come！〃



He　reached　out　for　the　child。　　Jane；　who　was　on　her　feet

now；　turned　away　from　him。



〃I　shall　bury　the　body；〃　she　said。　　〃Send　some　men　to　dig

a　grave　outside　the　village。〃



Rokoff　was　anxious　to　have　the　thing　over　and　get　back　to

his　camp　with　his　victim。　　He　thought　he　saw　in　her　apathy　a

resignation　to　her　fate。　　Stepping　outside　the　hut；　he　motioned

her　to　follow　him；　and　a　moment　later；　with　his　men；　he

escorted　Jane　beyond　the　village；　where　beneath　a　great　tree

the　blacks　scooped　a　shallow　grave。



Wrapping　the　tiny　body　in　a　blanket；　Jane　laid　it　tenderly

in　the　black　hole；　and；　turning　her　head　that　she　might　not

see　the　mouldy　earth　falling　upon　the　pitiful　little　bundle；

she　breathed　a　prayer　beside　the　grave　of　the　nameless　waif

that　had　won　its　way　to　the　innermost　recesses　of　her　heart。



Then；　dry…eyed　but　suffering；　she　rose　and　followed　the　Russian

through　the　Stygian　blackness　of　the　jungle；　along　the　winding；

leafy　corridor　that　led　from　the　village　of　M'ganwazam；　the

black　cannibal；　to　the　camp　of　Nikolas　Rokoff；　the　white　fiend。



Beside　them；　in　the　impenetrable　thickets　that　fringed　the　path；

rising　to　arch　above　it　and　shut　out　the　moon；　the　girl　could

hear　the　stealthy；　muffled　footfalls　of　great　beasts；　and　ever

round　about　them　rose　the　deafening　roars　of　hunting　lions；

until　the　earth　trembled　to　the　mighty　sound。



The　porters　lighted　torches　now　and　waved　them　upon　either

hand　to　frighten　off　the　beasts　of　prey。　　Rokoff　urged

them　to　greater　speed；　and　from　the　quavering　note　in　his

voice　Jane　Clayton　knew　that　he　was　weak　from　terror。



The　sounds　of　the　jungle　night　recalled　most　vividly　the

days　and　nights　that　she　had　spent　in　a　similar　jungle　with

her　forest　godwith　the　fearless　and　unconquerable　Tarzan

of　the　Apes。　　Then　there　had　been　no　thoughts　of　terror；

though　the　jungle　noises　were　new　to　her；　and　the　roar　of　a

lion　had　seemed　the　most　awe…inspiring　sound　upon　the　great　earth。



How　different　would　it　be　now　if　she　knew　that　he　was

somewhere　there　in　the　wilderness；　seeking　her！　　Then；　indeed；

would　there　be　that　for　which　to　live；　and　every　reason

to　believe　that　succour　was　close　at　handbut　he　was　dead！　

It　was　incredible　that　it　should　be　so。



There　seemed　no　place　in　death　for　that　great　body　and

those　mighty　thews。　　Had　Rokoff　been　the　one　to　tell　her　of

her　lord's　passing　she　would　have　known　that　he　lied。　　

There　could　be　no　reason；　she　thought；　why　M'ganwazam　should

have　deceived　her。　　She　did　not　know　that　the　Russian　had

talked　with　the　savage　a　few　minutes　before　the　chief　had

come　to　her　with　his　tale。



At　last　they　reached　the　rude　boma　that　Rokoff's　porters

had　thrown　up　round　the　Russian's　camp。　　Here　they　found

all　in　turmoil。　　She　did　not　know　what　it　was　all　about；

but　she　saw　that　Rokoff　was　very　angry；　and　from　bits　of

conversation　which　she　could　translate　she　gleaned　that　there

had　been　further　desertions　while　he　had　been　absent；　and　that

the　deserters　had　taken　the　bulk　of　his　food　and　ammunition。



When　he　had　done　venting　his　rage　upon　those　who　remained

he　returned　to　where　Jane　stood　under　guard　of　a　couple

of　his　white　sailors。　　He　grasped　her　roughly　by　the　arm

and　started　to　drag　her　toward　his　tent。　　The　girl　struggled

and　fought　to　free　herself；　while　the　two　sailors　stood　by；

laughing　at　the　rare　treat。



Rokoff　did　not　hesitate　to　use　rough　methods　when　he　found

that　he　was　to　have　difficulty　in　carrying　out　his　designs。　　

Repeatedly　he　struck　Jane　Clayton　in　the　face；　until　at

last；　half…conscious；　she　was　dragged　within　his　tent。



Rokoff's　boy　had　lighted　the　Russian's　lamp；　and　now　at

a　word　from　his　master　he　made　himself　scarce。　　Jane　had

sunk　to　the　floor　in　the　middle　of　the　enclosure。　　Slowly　her

numbed　senses　were　returning　to　her　and　she　was　commencing

to　think　very　fast　indeed。　　Quickly　her　eyes　ran　round　the

interior　of　the　tent；　taking　in　every　detail　of　its　equipment

and　contents。



Now　the　Russian　was　lifting　her　to　her　feet　and　attempting

to　drag　her　to　the　camp　cot　that　stood　at　one　side　of　the　tent。　　

At　his　belt　hung　a　heavy　revolver。　　Jane　Clayton's　eyes　riveted

themselves　upon　it。　　Her　palm　itched　to　grasp　the　huge　butt。　　

She　feigned　again　to　swoon；　but　through　her　half…closed　lids

she　waited　her　opportunity。



It　came　just　as　Rokoff　was　lifting　her　upon　the　cot。　　A　noise

at　the　tent　door　behind　him　brought　his　head　quickly　about

and　away　from　the　girl。　　The　butt　of　the　gun　was　not　an　inch

from　her　hand。　　With　a　single；　lightning…like　move　she

snatched　the　weapon　from　its　holster；　and　at　the　same　instant

Rokoff　turned　back　toward　her；　realizing　his　peril。



She　did　not　dare　fire　for　fear　the　shot　would　bring　his

people　about　him；　and　with　Rokoff　dead　she　would　fall　into

hands　no　better　than　his　and　to　a　fate　probably　even　worse

than　he　alone　could　have　imagined。　　The　memory　of　the　two　brutes

who　stood　and　laughed　as　Rokoff　struck　her　was　still　vivid。



As　the　rage　and　fear…filled　countenance　of　the　Slav　turned

toward　her　Jane　Clayton　raised　the　heavy　revolver　high　above

the　pasty　face　and　with　all