the beasts of tarzan-µÚ34ÕÂ
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¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
Staggering¡¡to¡¡his¡¡feet£»¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡groped¡¡about¡¡the¡¡reeking£»
oozy¡¡den¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡found¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡imprisoned¡¡in¡¡a¡¡subterranean
chamber¡¡amply¡¡large¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡have¡¡accommodated¡¡a¡¡dozen¡¡or
more¡¡of¡¡the¡¡huge¡¡animals¡¡such¡¡as¡¡the¡¡one¡¡that¡¡had
dragged¡¡him¡¡thither¡£
He¡¡realized¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡creature's¡¡hidden¡¡nest¡¡far
under¡¡the¡¡bank¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stream£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡doubtless¡¡the¡¡only
means¡¡of¡¡ingress¡¡or¡¡egress¡¡lay¡¡through¡¡the¡¡submerged¡¡opening
through¡¡which¡¡the¡¡crocodile¡¡had¡¡brought¡¡him¡£
His¡¡first¡¡thought£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡was¡¡of¡¡escape£»¡¡but¡¡that¡¡he
could¡¡make¡¡his¡¡way¡¡to¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡of¡¡the¡¡river¡¡beyond¡¡and
then¡¡to¡¡the¡¡shore¡¡seemed¡¡highly¡¡improbable¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡might¡¡be
turns¡¡and¡¡windings¡¡in¡¡the¡¡neck¡¡of¡¡the¡¡passage£»¡¡or£»¡¡most¡¡to
be¡¡feared£»¡¡he¡¡might¡¡meet¡¡another¡¡of¡¡the¡¡slimy¡¡inhabitants¡¡of
the¡¡retreat¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡journey¡¡outward¡£
Even¡¡should¡¡he¡¡reach¡¡the¡¡river¡¡in¡¡safety£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡still¡¡the
danger¡¡of¡¡his¡¡being¡¡again¡¡attacked¡¡before¡¡he¡¡could¡¡effect¡¡a
safe¡¡landing¡£¡¡¡¡Still¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡alternative£»¡¡and£»¡¡filling¡¡his
lungs¡¡with¡¡the¡¡close¡¡and¡¡reeking¡¡air¡¡of¡¡the¡¡chamber£»¡¡Tarzan
of¡¡the¡¡Apes¡¡dived¡¡into¡¡the¡¡dark¡¡and¡¡watery¡¡hole¡¡which¡¡he
could¡¡not¡¡see¡¡but¡¡had¡¡felt¡¡out¡¡and¡¡found¡¡with¡¡his¡¡feet¡¡and¡¡legs¡£
The¡¡leg¡¡which¡¡had¡¡been¡¡held¡¡within¡¡the¡¡jaws¡¡of¡¡the¡¡crocodile
was¡¡badly¡¡lacerated£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡bone¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡broken£»
nor¡¡were¡¡the¡¡muscles¡¡or¡¡tendons¡¡sufficiently¡¡injured¡¡to¡¡render
it¡¡useless¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡gave¡¡him¡¡excruciating¡¡pain£»¡¡that¡¡was¡¡all¡£
But¡¡Tarzan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Apes¡¡was¡¡accustomed¡¡to¡¡pain£»¡¡and¡¡gave
it¡¡no¡¡further¡¡thought¡¡when¡¡he¡¡found¡¡that¡¡the¡¡use¡¡of¡¡his¡¡legs
was¡¡not¡¡greatly¡¡impaired¡¡by¡¡the¡¡sharp¡¡teeth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡monster¡£
Rapidly¡¡he¡¡crawled¡¡and¡¡swam¡¡through¡¡the¡¡passage¡¡which
inclined¡¡downward¡¡and¡¡finally¡¡upward¡¡to¡¡open¡¡at¡¡last¡¡into
the¡¡river¡¡bottom¡¡but¡¡a¡¡few¡¡feet¡¡from¡¡the¡¡shore¡¡line¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡the
ape¡man¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡heads¡¡of¡¡two¡¡great
crocodiles¡¡but¡¡a¡¡short¡¡distance¡¡from¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡They¡¡were¡¡making
rapidly¡¡in¡¡his¡¡direction£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡a¡¡superhuman¡¡effort¡¡the
man¡¡struck¡¡out¡¡for¡¡the¡¡overhanging¡¡branches¡¡of¡¡a¡¡near¡by¡¡tree¡£
Nor¡¡was¡¡he¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡too¡¡soon£»¡¡for¡¡scarcely¡¡had¡¡he¡¡drawn
himself¡¡to¡¡the¡¡safety¡¡of¡¡the¡¡limb¡¡than¡¡two¡¡gaping¡¡mouths
snapped¡¡venomously¡¡below¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡a¡¡few¡¡minutes¡¡Tarzan
rested¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tree¡¡that¡¡had¡¡proved¡¡the¡¡means¡¡of¡¡his¡¡salvation¡£¡¡¡¡
His¡¡eyes¡¡scanned¡¡the¡¡river¡¡as¡¡far¡¡down¡stream¡¡as¡¡the¡¡tortuous
channel¡¡would¡¡permit£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian
or¡¡his¡¡dugout¡£
When¡¡he¡¡had¡¡rested¡¡and¡¡bound¡¡up¡¡his¡¡wounded¡¡leg¡¡he¡¡started
on¡¡in¡¡pursuit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡drifting¡¡canoe¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡found¡¡himself
upon¡¡the¡¡opposite¡¡of¡¡the¡¡river¡¡to¡¡that¡¡at¡¡which¡¡he¡¡had
entered¡¡the¡¡stream£»¡¡but¡¡as¡¡his¡¡quarry¡¡was¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡bosom
of¡¡the¡¡water¡¡it¡¡made¡¡little¡¡difference¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ape¡man
upon¡¡which¡¡side¡¡he¡¡took¡¡up¡¡the¡¡pursuit¡£
To¡¡his¡¡intense¡¡chagrin¡¡he¡¡soon¡¡found¡¡that¡¡his¡¡leg¡¡was¡¡more
badly¡¡injured¡¡than¡¡he¡¡had¡¡thought£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡its¡¡condition
seriously¡¡impeded¡¡his¡¡progress¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡only¡¡with¡¡the¡¡greatest
difficulty¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡proceed¡¡faster¡¡than¡¡a¡¡walk¡¡upon¡¡the
ground£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡he¡¡discovered¡¡that¡¡it¡¡not¡¡only¡¡impeded
his¡¡progress£»¡¡but¡¡rendered¡¡travelling¡¡distinctly¡¡dangerous¡£
From¡¡the¡¡old¡¡negress£»¡¡Tambudza£»¡¡Tarzan¡¡had¡¡gathered¡¡a¡¡suggestion
that¡¡now¡¡filled¡¡his¡¡mind¡¡with¡¡doubts¡¡and¡¡misgivings¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡the
old¡¡woman¡¡had¡¡told¡¡him¡¡of¡¡the¡¡child's¡¡death¡¡she¡¡had¡¡also¡¡added
that¡¡the¡¡white¡¡woman£»¡¡though¡¡grief¡stricken£»¡¡had¡¡confided¡¡to¡¡her
that¡¡the¡¡baby¡¡was¡¡not¡¡hers¡£
Tarzan¡¡could¡¡see¡¡no¡¡reason¡¡for¡¡believing¡¡that¡¡Jane¡¡could
have¡¡found¡¡it¡¡advisable¡¡to¡¡deny¡¡her¡¡identity¡¡or¡¡that¡¡of¡¡the
child£»¡¡the¡¡only¡¡explanation¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡put¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡matter
was¡¡that£»¡¡after¡¡all£»¡¡the¡¡white¡¡woman¡¡who¡¡had¡¡accompanied
his¡¡son¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Swede¡¡into¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡fastness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡interior
had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡Jane¡¡at¡¡all¡£
The¡¡more¡¡he¡¡gave¡¡thought¡¡to¡¡the¡¡problem£»¡¡the¡¡more¡¡firmly
convinced¡¡he¡¡became¡¡that¡¡his¡¡son¡¡was¡¡dead¡¡and¡¡his¡¡wife¡¡still
safe¡¡in¡¡London£»¡¡and¡¡in¡¡ignorance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡terrible¡¡fate¡¡that¡¡had
overtaken¡¡her¡¡first¡born¡£
After¡¡all£»¡¡then£»¡¡his¡¡interpretation¡¡of¡¡Rokoff's¡¡sinister¡¡taunt
had¡¡been¡¡erroneous£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡bearing¡¡the¡¡burden¡¡of¡¡a
double¡¡apprehension¡¡needlesslyat¡¡least¡¡so¡¡thought¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡£¡¡¡¡
From¡¡this¡¡belief¡¡he¡¡garnered¡¡some¡¡slight¡¡surcease¡¡from¡¡the
numbing¡¡grief¡¡that¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡his¡¡little¡¡son¡¡had¡¡thrust¡¡upon¡¡him¡£
And¡¡such¡¡a¡¡death£¡¡¡¡¡Even¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡beast¡¡that¡¡was¡¡the¡¡real
Tarzan£»¡¡inured¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sufferings¡¡and¡¡horrors¡¡of¡¡the¡¡grim¡¡jungle£»
shuddered¡¡as¡¡he¡¡contemplated¡¡the¡¡hideous¡¡fate¡¡that¡¡had
overtaken¡¡the¡¡innocent¡¡child¡£
As¡¡he¡¡made¡¡his¡¡way¡¡painfully¡¡towards¡¡the¡¡coast£»¡¡he¡¡let¡¡his
mind¡¡dwell¡¡so¡¡constantly¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡frightful¡¡crimes¡¡which¡¡the
Russian¡¡had¡¡perpetrated¡¡against¡¡his¡¡loved¡¡ones¡¡that¡¡the¡¡great
scar¡¡upon¡¡his¡¡forehead¡¡stood¡¡out¡¡almost¡¡continuously¡¡in¡¡the
vivid¡¡scarlet¡¡that¡¡marked¡¡the¡¡man's¡¡most¡¡relentless¡¡and¡¡bestial
moods¡¡of¡¡rage¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡times¡¡he¡¡startled¡¡even¡¡himself¡¡and¡¡sent¡¡the
lesser¡¡creatures¡¡of¡¡the¡¡wild¡¡jungle¡¡scampering¡¡to¡¡their¡¡hiding
places¡¡as¡¡involuntary¡¡roars¡¡and¡¡growls¡¡rumbled¡¡from¡¡his¡¡throat¡£
Could¡¡he¡¡but¡¡lay¡¡his¡¡hand¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡Russian£¡
Twice¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡way¡¡to¡¡the¡¡coast¡¡bellicose¡¡natives¡¡ran
threateningly¡¡from¡¡their¡¡villages¡¡to¡¡bar¡¡his¡¡further¡¡progress£»
but¡¡when¡¡the¡¡awful¡¡cry¡¡of¡¡the¡¡bull¡ape¡¡thundered¡¡upon¡¡their
affrighted¡¡ears£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡great¡¡white¡¡giant¡¡charged¡¡bellowing
upon¡¡them£»¡¡they¡¡had¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡fled¡¡into¡¡the¡¡bush£»¡¡nor¡¡ventured
thence¡¡until¡¡he¡¡had¡¡safely¡¡passed¡£
Though¡¡his¡¡progress¡¡seemed¡¡tantalizingly¡¡slow¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ape¡man
whose¡¡idea¡¡of¡¡speed¡¡had¡¡been¡¡gained¡¡by¡¡such¡¡standards¡¡as¡¡the
lesser¡¡apes¡¡attain£»¡¡he¡¡made£»¡¡as¡¡a¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡fact£»¡¡almost¡¡as
rapid¡¡progress¡¡as¡¡the¡¡drifting¡¡canoe¡¡that¡¡bore¡¡Rokoff¡¡on
ahead¡¡of¡¡him£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡he¡¡came¡¡to¡¡the¡¡bay¡¡and¡¡within¡¡sight¡¡of
the¡¡ocean¡¡just¡¡after¡¡darkness¡¡had¡¡fallen¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡same¡¡day¡¡that
Jane¡¡Clayton¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡ended¡¡their¡¡flights¡¡from¡¡the¡¡interior¡£
The¡¡darkness¡¡lowered¡¡so¡¡heavily¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡black¡¡river¡¡and
the¡¡encircling¡¡jungle¡¡that¡¡Tarzan£»¡¡even¡¡with¡¡eyes¡¡accustomed
to¡¡much¡¡use¡¡after¡¡dark£»¡¡could¡¡make¡¡out¡¡nothing¡¡a¡¡few¡¡yards
from¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡His¡¡idea¡¡was¡¡to¡¡search¡¡the¡¡shore¡¡that¡¡night¡¡for
signs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡and¡¡the¡¡woman¡¡who¡¡he¡¡was¡¡certain¡¡must
have¡¡preceded¡¡Rokoff¡¡down¡¡the¡¡Ugambi¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡the¡¡Kincaid
or¡¡other¡¡ship¡¡lay¡¡at¡¡anchor¡¡but¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡yards¡¡from¡¡him¡¡he
did¡¡not¡¡dream£»¡¡for¡¡no¡¡light¡¡showed¡¡on¡¡board¡¡the¡¡steamer¡£
Even¡¡as¡¡he¡¡commenced¡¡his¡¡search¡¡his¡¡attention¡¡was¡¡suddenly
attracted¡¡by¡¡a¡¡noise¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡at¡¡first¡¡perceived
the¡¡stealthy¡¡dip¡¡of¡¡paddles¡¡in¡¡the¡¡water¡¡some¡¡distance¡¡from
the¡¡shore£»¡¡and¡¡about¡¡opposite¡¡the¡¡point¡¡at¡¡which¡¡he¡¡stood¡£¡¡¡¡
Motionless¡¡as¡¡a¡¡statue¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡listening¡¡to¡¡the¡¡faint¡¡sound¡£
Presently¡¡it¡¡ceased£»¡¡to¡¡be¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡shuffling¡¡noise¡¡that
the¡¡ape¡man's¡¡trained¡¡ears¡¡could¡¡interpret¡¡as¡¡resulting¡¡from
but¡¡a¡¡single¡¡causethe¡¡scraping¡¡of¡¡leather¡shod¡¡feet¡¡upon¡¡the
rounds¡¡of¡¡a¡¡ship's¡¡monkey¡ladder¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡yet£»¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡he¡¡could
see£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡ship¡¡therenor¡¡might¡¡there¡¡be¡¡one¡¡within
a¡¡thousand¡¡miles¡£
As¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡thus£»¡¡peering¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡darkness¡¡of¡¡the
cloud¡enshrouded¡¡night£»¡¡there¡¡came¡¡to¡¡him¡¡from¡¡across¡¡the
water£»¡¡like¡¡a¡¡slap¡¡in¡¡the¡¡face£»¡¡so¡¡sudden¡¡and¡¡unexpected¡¡was
it£»¡¡the¡¡sharp¡¡staccato¡¡of¡¡an¡¡exchange¡¡of¡¡shots¡¡and¡¡then¡¡the
scream¡¡of¡¡a¡¡woman¡£
Wounded¡¡though¡¡he¡¡was£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡the¡¡memory¡¡of¡¡his¡¡recent
horrible¡¡experience¡¡still¡¡strong¡¡upon¡¡him£»¡¡Tarzan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Apes
did¡¡not¡¡hesitate¡¡as¡¡the¡¡notes¡¡of¡¡that¡¡frightened¡¡cry¡¡rose¡¡shrill
and¡¡piercing¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡still¡¡night¡¡air¡£¡¡¡¡With¡¡a¡¡bound¡¡he¡¡cleared
the¡¡intervening¡¡bushthere¡¡was¡¡a¡¡splash¡¡as¡¡the¡¡water¡¡closed
about¡¡himand¡¡then£»¡¡with¡¡powerful¡¡strokes£»¡¡he¡¡swam¡¡out
into¡¡the¡¡impenetrable¡¡night¡¡with¡¡no¡¡guide¡¡save¡¡the¡¡memory
of¡¡an¡¡illusive¡¡cry£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡company¡¡the¡¡hideous¡¡denizens
of¡¡an¡¡equatorial¡¡river¡£
The¡¡boat¡¡that¡¡had¡¡attracted¡¡Jane's¡¡attention¡¡as¡¡she¡¡stood
guard¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡deck¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Kincaid¡¡had¡¡been¡¡perceived¡¡by
Rokoff¡¡upon¡¡one¡¡bank¡¡and¡¡Mugambi¡¡and¡¡the¡¡horde¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡other¡£¡¡¡¡
The¡¡cries¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Russian¡¡had¡¡brought¡¡the¡¡dugout¡¡f