the return of tarzan-第21章
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to return。 〃And yet;〃 she said; 〃I do not know。 There are
more unhappy fates than the grim and terrible jungle presents
to Monsieur Tarzan。 At least his conscience will be free
from remorse。 And there are moments of quiet and restfulness
by day; and vistas of exquisite beauty。 You may find it
strange that I should say it; who experienced such terrifying
experiences in that frightful forest; yet at times I long to
return; for I cannot but feel that the happiest moments of
my life were spent there。〃
There was an expression of ineffable sadness on her face
as she spoke; and I could not but feel that she knew that I
knew her secret; and that this was her way of transmitting
to you a last tender message from a heart that might still
enshrine your memory; though its possessor belonged to another。
Clayton appeared nervous and ill at ease while you were
the subject of conversation。 He wore a worried and harassed
expression。 Yet he was very kindly in his expressions of
interest in you。 I wonder if he suspects the truth about you?
Tennington came in with Clayton。 They are great friends;
you know。 He is about to set out upon one of his interminable
cruises in that yacht of his; and was urging the entire party
to accompany him。 Tried to inveigle me into it; too。
Is thinking of circumnavigating Africa this time。 I told him
that his precious toy would take him and some of his friends
to the bottom of the ocean one of these days if he didn't get
it out of his head that she was a liner or a battleship。
I returned to Paris day before yesterday; and yesterday I
met the Count and Countess de Coude at the races。 They
inquired after you。 De Coude really seems quite fond of you。
Doesn't appear to harbor the least ill will。 Olga is as
beautiful as ever; but a trifle subdued。 I imagine that she
learned a lesson through her acquaintance with you that will
serve her in good stead during the balance of her life。 It is
fortunate for her; and for De Coude as well; that it was you
and not another man more sophisticated。
Had you really paid court to Olga's heart I am afraid that
there would have been no hope for either of you。
She asked me to tell you that Nikolas had left France。
She paid him twenty thousand francs to go away; and stay。
She is congratulating herself that she got rid of him before
he tried to carry out a threat he recently made her that he
should kill you at the first opportunity。 She said that she
should hate to think that her brother's blood was on your
hands; for she is very fond of you; and made no bones in
saying so before the count。 It never for a moment seemed to
occur to her that there might be any possibility of any other
outcome of a meeting between you and Nikolas。 The count
quite agreed with her in that。 He added that it would take a
regiment of Rokoffs to kill you。 He has a most healthy
respect for your prowess。
Have been ordered back to my ship。 She sails from Havre in
two days under sealed orders。 If you will address me in her
care; the letters will find me eventually。 I shall write you
as soon as another opportunity presents。
Your sincere friend;
PAUL D'ARNOT。
〃I fear;〃 mused Tarzan; half aloud; 〃that Olga has thrown
away her twenty thousand francs。〃
He read over that part of D'Arnot's letter several times
in which he had quoted from his conversation with Jane
Porter。 Tarzan derived a rather pathetic happiness from
it; but it was better than no happiness at all。
The following three weeks were quite uneventful。 On
several occasions Tarzan saw the mysterious Arab; and once
again he had been exchanging words with Lieutenant Gernois;
but no amount of espionage or shadowing by Tarzan revealed
the Arab's lodgings; the location of which Tarzan was
anxious to ascertain。
Gernois; never cordial; had kept more than ever aloof
from Tarzan since the episode in the dining…room of the
hotel at Aumale。 His attitude on the few occasions that
they had been thrown together had been distinctly hostile。
That he might keep up the appearance of the character
he was playing; Tarzan spent considerable time hunting in
the vicinity of Bou Saada。 He would spend entire days in
the foothills; ostensibly searching for gazelle; but on the
few occasions that he came close enough to any of the
beautiful little animals to harm them he invariably allowed
them to escape without so much as taking his rifle from its
boot。 The ape…man could see no sport in slaughtering the
most harmless and defenseless of God's creatures for the
mere pleasure of killing。
In fact; Tarzan had never killed for 〃pleasure;〃 nor to
him was there pleasure in killing。 It was the joy of righteous
battle that he lovedthe ecstasy of victory。 And the keen
and successful hunt for food in which he pitted his skill
and craftiness against the skill and craftiness of another;
but to come out of a town filled with food to shoot down a
soft…eyed; pretty gazelleah; that was crueller than the
deliberate and cold…blooded murder of a fellow man。
Tarzan would have none of it; and so he hunted alone
that none might discover the sham that he was practicing。
And once; probably because of the fact that he rode alone;
he was like to have lost his life。 He was riding slowly
through a little ravine when a shot sounded close behind
him; and a bullet passed through the cork helmet he wore。
Although he turned at once and galloped rapidly to the top
of the ravine; there was no sign of any enemy; nor did he
see aught of another human being until he reached Bou Saada。
〃Yes;〃 he soliloquized; in recalling the occurrence;
〃Olga has indeed thrown away her twenty thousand francs。〃
That night he was Captain Gerard's guest at a little dinner。
〃Your hunting has not been very fortunate?〃 questioned
the officer。
〃No;〃 replied Tarzan; 〃the game hereabout is timid; nor do
I care particularly about hunting game birds or antelope。
I think I shall move on farther south; and have a try at
some of your Algerian lions。〃
〃Good!〃 exclaimed the captain。 〃We are marching toward Djelfa
on the morrow。 You shall have company that far at least。
Lieutenant Gernois and I; with a hundred men; are ordered
south to patrol a district in which the marauders are giving
considerable trouble。 Possibly we may have the pleasure
of hunting the lion togetherwhat say you?〃
Tarzan was more than pleased; nor did he hesitate to say so;
but the captain would have been astonished had he known
the real reason of Tarzan's pleasure。 Gernois was sitting
opposite the ape…man。 He did not seem so pleased with his
captain's invitation。
〃You will find lion hunting more exciting than gazelle
shooting;〃 remarked Captain Gerard; 〃and more dangerous。〃
〃Even gazelle shooting has its dangers;〃 replied Tarzan。
〃Especially when one goes alone。 I found it so today。
I also found that while the gazelle is the most timid
of animals; it is not the most cowardly。〃
He let his glance rest only casually upon Gernois after
he had spoken; for he did not wish the man to know that he
was under suspicion; or surveillance; no matter what he
might think。 The effect of his remark upon him; however;
might tend to prove his connection with; or knowledge of;
certain recent happenings。 Tarzan saw a dull red creep up
from beneath Gernois' collar。 He was satisfied; and quickly
changed the subject。
When the column rode south from Bou Saada the next
morning there were half a dozen Arabs bringing up the rear。
〃They are not attached to the command;〃 replied Gerard
in response to Tarzan's query。 〃They merely accompany us
on the road for companionship。〃
Tarzan had learned enough about Arab character since
he had been in Algeria to know that this was no real motive;
for