the beasts of tarzan-µÚ8ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
nor¡¡had¡¡she¡¡had¡¡time¡¡to¡¡round¡¡the¡¡Cape¡¡of¡¡Good¡¡Hope¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡he¡¡was
quite¡¡at¡¡a¡¡loss¡¡to¡¡know¡¡where¡¡he¡¡might¡¡be¡£
Sometimes¡¡he¡¡wondered¡¡if¡¡the¡¡ship¡¡had¡¡crossed¡¡the¡¡broad
Atlantic¡¡to¡¡deposit¡¡him¡¡upon¡¡some¡¡wild¡¡South¡¡American
shore£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡presence¡¡of¡¡Numa£»¡¡the¡¡lion£»¡¡decided¡¡him¡¡that
such¡¡could¡¡not¡¡be¡¡the¡¡case¡£
As¡¡Tarzan¡¡made¡¡his¡¡lonely¡¡way¡¡through¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡paralleling
the¡¡shore£»¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡strong¡¡upon¡¡him¡¡a¡¡desire¡¡for¡¡companionship£»
so¡¡that¡¡gradually¡¡he¡¡commenced¡¡to¡¡regret¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡not¡¡cast
his¡¡lot¡¡with¡¡the¡¡apes¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡had¡¡seen¡¡nothing¡¡of¡¡them¡¡since¡¡that
first¡¡day£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡influences¡¡of¡¡civilization¡¡were¡¡still
paramount¡¡within¡¡him¡£
Now¡¡he¡¡was¡¡more¡¡nearly¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Tarzan¡¡of¡¡old£»
and¡¡though¡¡he¡¡appreciated¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡that¡¡there¡¡could¡¡be
little¡¡in¡¡common¡¡between¡¡himself¡¡and¡¡the¡¡great¡¡anthropoids£»
still¡¡they¡¡were¡¡better¡¡than¡¡no¡¡company¡¡at¡¡all¡£
Moving¡¡leisurely£»¡¡sometimes¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡ground¡¡and¡¡again
among¡¡the¡¡lower¡¡branches¡¡of¡¡the¡¡trees£»¡¡gathering¡¡an¡¡occasional
fruit¡¡or¡¡turning¡¡over¡¡a¡¡fallen¡¡log¡¡in¡¡search¡¡of¡¡the¡¡larger
bugs£»¡¡which¡¡he¡¡still¡¡found¡¡as¡¡palatable¡¡as¡¡of¡¡old£»¡¡Tarzan¡¡had
covered¡¡a¡¡mile¡¡or¡¡more¡¡when¡¡his¡¡attention¡¡was¡¡attracted¡¡by
the¡¡scent¡¡of¡¡Sheeta¡¡up¡wind¡¡ahead¡¡of¡¡him¡£
Now¡¡Sheeta£»¡¡the¡¡panther£»¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡whom¡¡Tarzan¡¡was¡¡exceptionally
glad¡¡to¡¡fall¡¡in¡¡with£»¡¡for¡¡he¡¡had¡¡it¡¡in¡¡mind¡¡not¡¡only¡¡to¡¡utilize
the¡¡great¡¡cat's¡¡strong¡¡gut¡¡for¡¡his¡¡bow£»¡¡but¡¡also¡¡to¡¡fashion
a¡¡new¡¡quiver¡¡and¡¡loin¡cloth¡¡from¡¡pieces¡¡of¡¡his¡¡hide¡£¡¡¡¡
So£»¡¡whereas¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡carelessly¡¡before£»
he¡¡now¡¡became¡¡the¡¡personification¡¡of¡¡noiseless¡¡stealth¡£
Swiftly¡¡and¡¡silently¡¡he¡¡glided¡¡through¡¡the¡¡forest¡¡in¡¡the¡¡wake
of¡¡the¡¡savage¡¡cat£»¡¡nor¡¡was¡¡the¡¡pursuer£»¡¡for¡¡all¡¡his¡¡noble¡¡birth£»
one¡¡whit¡¡less¡¡savage¡¡than¡¡the¡¡wild£»¡¡fierce¡¡thing¡¡he¡¡stalked¡£
As¡¡he¡¡came¡¡closer¡¡to¡¡Sheeta¡¡he¡¡became¡¡aware¡¡that¡¡the¡¡panther
on¡¡his¡¡part¡¡was¡¡stalking¡¡game¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own£»¡¡and¡¡even¡¡as¡¡he¡¡realized
this¡¡fact¡¡there¡¡came¡¡to¡¡his¡¡nostrils£»¡¡wafted¡¡from¡¡his¡¡right¡¡by¡¡a
vagrant¡¡breeze£»¡¡the¡¡strong¡¡odour¡¡of¡¡a¡¡company¡¡of¡¡great¡¡apes¡£
The¡¡panther¡¡had¡¡taken¡¡to¡¡a¡¡large¡¡tree¡¡as¡¡Tarzan¡¡came¡¡within
sight¡¡of¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡beyond¡¡and¡¡below¡¡him¡¡Tarzan¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡tribe
of¡¡Akut¡¡lolling¡¡in¡¡a¡¡little£»¡¡natural¡¡clearing¡£¡¡¡¡Some¡¡of¡¡them
were¡¡dozing¡¡against¡¡the¡¡boles¡¡of¡¡trees£»¡¡while¡¡others¡¡roamed
about¡¡turning¡¡over¡¡bits¡¡of¡¡bark¡¡from¡¡beneath¡¡which¡¡they
transferred¡¡the¡¡luscious¡¡grubs¡¡and¡¡beetles¡¡to¡¡their¡¡mouths¡£
Akut¡¡was¡¡the¡¡closest¡¡to¡¡Sheeta¡£
The¡¡great¡¡cat¡¡lay¡¡crouched¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡thick¡¡limb£»¡¡hidden¡¡from
the¡¡ape's¡¡view¡¡by¡¡dense¡¡foliage£»¡¡waiting¡¡patiently¡¡until¡¡the
anthropoid¡¡should¡¡come¡¡within¡¡range¡¡of¡¡his¡¡spring¡£
Tarzan¡¡cautiously¡¡gained¡¡a¡¡position¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡tree¡¡with¡¡the
panther¡¡and¡¡a¡¡little¡¡above¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡his¡¡left¡¡hand¡¡he¡¡grasped
his¡¡slim¡¡stone¡¡blade¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡would¡¡have¡¡preferred¡¡to¡¡use¡¡his¡¡noose£»
but¡¡the¡¡foliage¡¡surrounding¡¡the¡¡huge¡¡cat¡¡precluded¡¡the¡¡possibility
of¡¡an¡¡accurate¡¡throw¡¡with¡¡the¡¡rope¡£
Akut¡¡had¡¡now¡¡wandered¡¡quite¡¡close¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡tree¡¡wherein
lay¡¡the¡¡waiting¡¡death¡£¡¡¡¡Sheeta¡¡slowly¡¡edged¡¡his¡¡hind¡¡paws
along¡¡the¡¡branch¡¡still¡¡further¡¡beneath¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡with
a¡¡hideous¡¡shriek¡¡he¡¡launched¡¡himself¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡great¡¡ape¡£¡¡¡¡
The¡¡barest¡¡fraction¡¡of¡¡a¡¡second¡¡before¡¡his¡¡spring¡¡another
beast¡¡of¡¡prey¡¡above¡¡him¡¡leaped£»¡¡its¡¡weird¡¡and¡¡savage¡¡cry
mingling¡¡with¡¡his¡£
As¡¡the¡¡startled¡¡Akut¡¡looked¡¡up¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡panther¡¡almost
above¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡already¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡panther's¡¡back¡¡the¡¡white
ape¡¡that¡¡had¡¡bested¡¡him¡¡that¡¡day¡¡near¡¡the¡¡great¡¡water¡£
The¡¡teeth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡were¡¡buried¡¡in¡¡the¡¡back¡¡of¡¡Sheeta's
neck¡¡and¡¡his¡¡right¡¡arm¡¡was¡¡round¡¡the¡¡fierce¡¡throat£»¡¡while
the¡¡left¡¡hand£»¡¡grasping¡¡a¡¡slender¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡stone£»¡¡rose¡¡and¡¡fell
in¡¡mighty¡¡blows¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡panther's¡¡side¡¡behind¡¡the¡¡left¡¡shoulder¡£
Akut¡¡had¡¡just¡¡time¡¡to¡¡leap¡¡to¡¡one¡¡side¡¡to¡¡avoid¡¡being
pinioned¡¡beneath¡¡these¡¡battling¡¡monsters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡jungle¡£
With¡¡a¡¡crash¡¡they¡¡came¡¡to¡¡earth¡¡at¡¡his¡¡feet¡£¡¡¡¡Sheeta¡¡was¡¡screaming£»
snarling£»¡¡and¡¡roaring¡¡horribly£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡white¡¡ape¡¡clung
tenaciously¡¡and¡¡in¡¡silence¡¡to¡¡the¡¡thrashing¡¡body¡¡of¡¡his¡¡quarry¡£
Steadily¡¡and¡¡remorselessly¡¡the¡¡stone¡¡knife¡¡was¡¡driven¡¡home
through¡¡the¡¡glossy¡¡hidetime¡¡and¡¡again¡¡it¡¡drank¡¡deep£»¡¡until
with¡¡a¡¡final¡¡agonized¡¡lunge¡¡and¡¡shriek¡¡the¡¡great¡¡feline¡¡rolled
over¡¡upon¡¡its¡¡side¡¡and£»¡¡save¡¡for¡¡the¡¡spasmodic¡¡jerking¡¡of¡¡its
muscles£»¡¡lay¡¡quiet¡¡and¡¡still¡¡in¡¡death¡£
Then¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡raised¡¡his¡¡head£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡over¡¡the
carcass¡¡of¡¡his¡¡kill£»¡¡and¡¡once¡¡again¡¡through¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡rang
his¡¡wild¡¡and¡¡savage¡¡victory¡¡challenge¡£
Akut¡¡and¡¡the¡¡apes¡¡of¡¡Akut¡¡stood¡¡looking¡¡in¡¡startled¡¡wonder
at¡¡the¡¡dead¡¡body¡¡of¡¡Sheeta¡¡and¡¡the¡¡lithe£»¡¡straight¡¡figure¡¡of
the¡¡man¡¡who¡¡had¡¡slain¡¡him¡£
Tarzan¡¡was¡¡the¡¡first¡¡to¡¡speak¡£
He¡¡had¡¡saved¡¡Akut's¡¡life¡¡for¡¡a¡¡purpose£»¡¡and£»¡¡knowing¡¡the
limitations¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ape¡¡intellect£»¡¡he¡¡also¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡he¡¡must
make¡¡this¡¡purpose¡¡plain¡¡to¡¡the¡¡anthropoid¡¡if¡¡it¡¡were¡¡to¡¡serve
him¡¡in¡¡the¡¡way¡¡he¡¡hoped¡£
¡¨I¡¡am¡¡Tarzan¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Apes£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Mighty¡¡hunter¡£¡¡¡¡Mighty¡¡fighter¡£
By¡¡the¡¡great¡¡water¡¡I¡¡spared¡¡Akut's¡¡life¡¡when¡¡I¡¡might¡¡have¡¡taken¡¡it
and¡¡become¡¡king¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tribe¡¡of¡¡Akut¡£¡¡¡¡Now¡¡I¡¡have¡¡saved¡¡Akut¡¡from
death¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡rending¡¡fangs¡¡of¡¡Sheeta¡£
¡¨When¡¡Akut¡¡or¡¡the¡¡tribe¡¡of¡¡Akut¡¡is¡¡in¡¡danger£»¡¡let¡¡them
call¡¡to¡¡Tarzan¡¡thus¡¨and¡¡the¡¡ape¡man¡¡raised¡¡the¡¡hideous
cry¡¡with¡¡which¡¡the¡¡tribe¡¡of¡¡Kerchak¡¡had¡¡been¡¡wont¡¡to¡¡summon
its¡¡absent¡¡members¡¡in¡¡times¡¡of¡¡peril¡£
¡¨And£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡continued£»¡¡¡¨when¡¡they¡¡hear¡¡Tarzan¡¡call¡¡to¡¡them£»
let¡¡them¡¡remember¡¡what¡¡he¡¡has¡¡done¡¡for¡¡Akut¡¡and¡¡come¡¡to¡¡him
with¡¡great¡¡speed¡£¡¡¡¡Shall¡¡it¡¡be¡¡as¡¡Tarzan¡¡says£¿¡¨
¡¨Huh£¡¡¨¡¡assented¡¡Akut£»¡¡and¡¡from¡¡the¡¡members¡¡of¡¡his¡¡tribe
there¡¡rose¡¡a¡¡unanimous¡¡¡¨Huh¡£¡¨
Then£»¡¡presently£»¡¡they¡¡went¡¡to¡¡feeding¡¡again¡¡as¡¡though
nothing¡¡had¡¡happened£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡them¡¡fed¡¡John¡¡Clayton£»
Lord¡¡Greystoke¡£
He¡¡noticed£»¡¡however£»¡¡that¡¡Akut¡¡kept¡¡always¡¡close¡¡to¡¡him£»
and¡¡was¡¡often¡¡looking¡¡at¡¡him¡¡with¡¡a¡¡strange¡¡wonder¡¡in¡¡his
little¡¡bloodshot¡¡eyes£»¡¡and¡¡once¡¡he¡¡did¡¡a¡¡thing¡¡that¡¡Tarzan
during¡¡all¡¡his¡¡long¡¡years¡¡among¡¡the¡¡apes¡¡had¡¡never¡¡before
seen¡¡an¡¡ape¡¡dohe¡¡found¡¡a¡¡particularly¡¡tender¡¡morsel¡¡and
handed¡¡it¡¡to¡¡Tarzan¡£
As¡¡the¡¡tribe¡¡hunted£»¡¡the¡¡glistening¡¡body¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ape¡man
mingled¡¡with¡¡the¡¡brown£»¡¡shaggy¡¡hides¡¡of¡¡his¡¡companions¡£¡¡¡¡
Oftentimes¡¡they¡¡brushed¡¡together¡¡in¡¡passing£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡apes
had¡¡already¡¡taken¡¡his¡¡presence¡¡for¡¡granted£»¡¡so¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was
as¡¡much¡¡one¡¡of¡¡them¡¡as¡¡Akut¡¡himself¡£
If¡¡he¡¡came¡¡too¡¡close¡¡to¡¡a¡¡she¡¡with¡¡a¡¡young¡¡baby£»¡¡the¡¡former
would¡¡bare¡¡her¡¡great¡¡fighting¡¡fangs¡¡and¡¡growl¡¡ominously£»
and¡¡occasionally¡¡a¡¡truculent¡¡young¡¡bull¡¡would¡¡snarl¡¡a¡¡warning
if¡¡Tarzan¡¡approached¡¡while¡¡the¡¡former¡¡was¡¡eating¡£¡¡¡¡But¡¡in
those¡¡things¡¡the¡¡treatment¡¡was¡¡no¡¡different¡¡from¡¡that¡¡which
they¡¡accorded¡¡any¡¡other¡¡member¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tribe¡£
Tarzan¡¡on¡¡his¡¡part¡¡felt¡¡very¡¡much¡¡at¡¡home¡¡with¡¡these¡¡fierce£»
hairy¡¡progenitors¡¡of¡¡primitive¡¡man¡£¡¡¡¡He¡¡skipped¡¡nimbly¡¡out
of¡¡reach¡¡of¡¡each¡¡threatening¡¡femalefor¡¡such¡¡is¡¡the¡¡way¡¡of
apes£»¡¡if¡¡they¡¡be¡¡not¡¡in¡¡one¡¡of¡¡their¡¡occasional¡¡fits¡¡of¡¡bestial
rageand¡¡he¡¡growled¡¡back¡¡at¡¡the¡¡truculent¡¡young¡¡bulls£»¡¡baring
his¡¡canine¡¡teeth¡¡even¡¡as¡¡they¡£¡¡¡¡Thus¡¡easily¡¡he¡¡fell¡¡back¡¡into
the¡¡way¡¡of¡¡his¡¡early¡¡life£»¡¡nor¡¡did¡¡it¡¡seem¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had
ever¡¡tasted¡¡association¡¡with¡¡creatures¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡kind¡£
For¡¡the¡¡better¡¡part¡¡of¡¡a¡¡week¡¡he¡¡roamed¡¡the¡¡jungle¡¡with
his¡¡new¡¡friends£»¡¡partly¡¡because¡¡of¡¡a¡¡desire¡¡for¡¡companionship
and¡¡partially¡¡through¡¡a¡¡well¡laid¡¡plan¡¡to¡¡impress¡¡himself
indelibly¡¡upon¡¡their¡¡memories£»¡¡which¡¡at¡¡best¡¡are¡¡none¡¡too¡¡long£»
for¡¡Tarzan¡¡from¡¡past¡¡experience¡¡knew¡¡that¡¡it¡¡might¡¡serve¡¡him
in¡¡good¡¡stead¡¡to¡¡have¡¡a¡¡tribe¡¡of¡¡these¡¡powerful¡¡and¡¡terrible
beasts¡¡at¡¡his¡¡call¡£
When¡¡he¡¡was¡¡convinced¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡succeeded¡¡to¡¡some¡¡extent
in¡¡fixing¡¡his¡¡identity¡¡upon¡¡them¡¡he¡¡decided¡¡to¡¡again¡¡take¡¡up
his¡¡exploration¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡this¡¡end¡¡he¡¡set¡¡out¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡north
early¡¡one¡¡day£»¡¡and£»¡¡keeping¡¡parallel¡¡with¡¡the¡¡shore£»
travelled¡¡rapidly¡¡until¡¡almost¡¡nightfall¡£
When¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡rose¡¡the¡¡next¡¡morning¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡that¡¡it¡¡lay¡¡almost
directly¡¡to¡¡his¡¡right¡¡as¡¡he¡¡stood¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡beach¡¡instead
of¡¡s