the return of tarzan-第10章
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without; was to notify the purser that I was entertaining a
man other than my husband behind the locked doors of my
cabin。 He was to tell every one he met on the boat; and
when we landed he was to have given the whole story to the
newspaper men。
〃Was it not too horrible? But I happened to know something
of Monsieur Paulvitch that would send him to the gallows
in Russia if it were known by the police of St。 Petersburg。
I dared him to carry out his plan; and then I leaned
toward him and whispered a name in his ear。 Like that〃and
she snapped her fingers〃he flew at my throat as a madman。
He would have killed me had you not interfered。〃
〃The brutes!〃 muttered Tarzan。
〃They are worse than that; my friend;〃 she said。
〃They are devils。 I fear for you because you have gained
their hatred。 I wish you to be on your guard constantly。
Tell me that you will; for my sake; for I should never forgive
myself should you suffer through the kindness you did me。〃
〃I do not fear them;〃 he replied。 〃I have survived grimmer
enemies than Rokoff and Paulvitch。〃 He saw that she knew
nothing of the occurrence in the Rue Maule; nor did he
mention it; fearing that it might distress her。
〃For your own safety;〃 he continued; 〃why do you not turn
the scoundrels over to the authorities? They should make
quick work of them。〃
She hesitated for a moment before replying。
〃There are two reasons;〃 she said finally。 〃One of them
it is that keeps the count from doing that very thing。
The other; my real reason for fearing to expose them; I have
never toldonly Rokoff and I know it。 I wonder;〃 and
then she paused; looking intently at him for a long time。
〃And what do you wonder?〃 he asked; smiling。
〃I was wondering why it is that I want to tell you the
thing that I have not dared tell even to my husband。
I believe that you would understand; and that you could tell
me the right course to follow。 I believe that you would not
judge me too harshly。〃
〃I fear that I should prove a very poor judge; madame;〃
Tarzan replied; 〃for if you had been guilty of murder I
should say that the victim should be grateful to have met
so sweet a fate。〃
〃Oh; dear; no;〃 she expostulated; 〃it is not so terrible as that。
But first let me tell you the reason the count has for not
prosecuting these men; then; if I can hold my courage; I
shall tell you the real reason that I dare not。 The first is
that Nikolas Rokoff is my brother。 We are Russians。
Nikolas has been a bad man since I can remember。 He was
cashiered from the Russian army; in which he held a captaincy。
There was a scandal for a time; but after a while it was
partially forgotten; and my father obtained a position for him
in the secret service。
〃There have been many terrible crimes laid at Nikolas' door;
but he has always managed to escape punishment。 Of late
he has accomplished it by trumped…up evidence convicting
his victims of treason against the czar; and the Russian
police; who are always only too ready to fasten guilt of
this nature upon any and all; have accepted his version
and exonerated him。〃
〃Have not his attempted crimes against you and your
husband forfeited whatever rights the bonds of kinship might
have accorded him?〃 asked Tarzan。 〃The fact that you are his
sister has not deterred him from seeking to besmirch your honor。
You owe him no loyalty; madame。〃
〃Ah; but there is that other reason。 If I owe him no loyalty
though he be my brother; I cannot so easily disavow the
fear I hold him in because of a certain episode in my life of
which he is cognizant。
〃I might as well tell you all;〃 she resumed after a pause;
〃for I see that it is in my heart to tell you sooner or later。
I was educated in a convent。 While there I met a man whom
I supposed to be a gentleman。 I knew little or nothing about
men and less about love。 I got it into my foolish head that
I loved this man; and at his urgent request I ran away with him。
We were to have been married。
〃I was with him just three hours。 All in the daytime and
in public placesrailroad stations and upon a train。
When we reached our destination where we were to have been
married; two officers stepped up to my escort as we descended
from the train; and placed him under arrest。 They took me
also; but when I had told my story they did not detain me;
other than to send me back to the convent under the care of
a matron。 It seemed that the man who had wooed me was no
gentleman at all; but a deserter from the army as well as
a fugitive from civil justice。 He had a police record in
nearly every country in Europe。
〃The matter was hushed up by the authorities of the convent。
Not even my parents knew of it。 But Nikolas met the man
afterward; and learned the whole story。 Now he threatens
to tell the count if I do not do just as he wishes me to。〃
Tarzan laughed。 〃You are still but a little girl。 The story
that you have told me cannot reflect in any way upon your
reputation; and were you not a little girl at heart you would
know it。 Go to your husband tonight; and tell him the whole
story; just as you have told it to me。 Unless I am much mistaken
he will laugh at you for your fears; and take immediate steps
to put that precious brother of yours in prison
where he belongs。〃
〃I only wish that I dared;〃 she said; 〃but I am afraid。
I learned early to fear men。 First my father; then Nikolas;
then the fathers in the convent。 Nearly all my friends fear
their husbandswhy should I not fear mine?〃
〃It does not seem right that women should fear men;〃
said Tarzan; an expression of puzzlement on his face。
〃I am better acquainted with the jungle folk; and there it
is more often the other way around; except among the black men;
and they to my mind are in most ways lower in the scale than
the beasts。 No; I cannot understand why civilized women
should fear men; the beings that are created to protect them。
I should hate to think that any woman feared me。〃
〃I do not think that any woman would fear you; my friend;〃
said Olga de Coude softly。 〃I have known you but a short
while; yet though it may seem foolish to say it; you are
the only man I have ever known whom I think that I should
never fearit is strange; too; for you are very strong。
I wondered at the ease with which you handled Nikolas and
Paulvitch that night in my cabin。 It was marvellous。〃
As Tarzan was leaving her a short time later he wondered
a little at the clinging pressure of her hand at parting;
and the firm insistence with which she exacted a promise
from him that he would call again on the morrow。
The memory of her half…veiled eyes and perfect lips as she
had stood smiling up into his face as he bade her good…by
remained with him for the balance of the day。 Olga de
Coude was a very beautiful woman; and Tarzan of the Apes
a very lonely young man; with a heart in him that was in
need of the doctoring that only a woman may provide。
As the countess turned back into the room after Tarzan's
departure; she found herself face to face with Nikolas Rokoff。
〃How long have you been here?〃 she cried; shrinking away from him。
〃Since before your lover came;〃 he answered; with a nasty leer。
〃Stop!〃 she commanded。 〃How dare you say such a thing
to meyour sister!〃
〃Well; my dear Olga; if he is not your lover; accept my
apologies; but it is no fault of yours that he is not。
Had he one…tenth the knowledge of women that I have you
would be in his arms this minute。 He is a stupid fool; Olga。
Why; your every word and act was an open invitation to him;
and he had not the sense to see it。〃
The woman put her hands to her ears。
〃I will not listen。 You are wicked to say such things as that。
No matter what you may threaten me with; you know that I
am a good woman。 After tonight you will not dare to annoy
me; for I shall tell