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第34章

the return of tarzan-第34章

小说: the return of tarzan 字数: 每页4000字

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so easily bested by Rokoff。



He lay thus for some time; watching the receding and

rapidly diminishing lights of the steamer without it ever once

occurring to him to call for help。  He never had called for

help in his life; and so it is not strange that he did not think

of it now。  Always had he depended upon his own prowess

and resourcefulness; nor had there ever been since the days

of Kala any to answer an appeal for succor。  When it did

occur to him it was too late。



There was; thought Tarzan; a possible one chance in a

hundred thousand that he might be picked up; and an even

smaller chance that he would reach land; so he determined

that to combine what slight chances there were; he would

swim slowly in the direction of the coastthe ship might

have been closer in than he had known。



His strokes were long and easyit would be many hours

before those giant muscles would commence to feel fatigue。

As he swam; guided toward the east by the stars; he noticed

that he felt the weight of his shoes; and so he removed them。

His trousers went next; and he would have removed his coat

at the same time but for the precious papers in its pocket。

To assure himself that he still had them he slipped his

hand in to feel; but to his consternation they were gone。



Now he knew that something more than revenge had

prompted Rokoff to pitch him overboardthe Russian had

managed to obtain possession of the papers Tarzan had

wrested from him at Bou Saada。  The ape…man swore softly;

and let his coat and shirt sink into the Atlantic。  Before many

hours he had divested himself of his remaining garments;

and was swimming easily and unencumbered toward the east。



The first faint evidence of dawn was paling the stars ahead

of him when the dim outlines of a low…lying black mass

loomed up directly in his track。  A few strong strokes brought

him to its sideit was the bottom of a wave…washed derelict。

Tarzan clambered upon ithe would rest there until daylight

at least。  He had no intention to remain there inactivea prey

to hunger and thirst。  If he must die he preferred dying in

action while making some semblance of an attempt to save himself。



The sea was quiet; so that the wreck had only a gently

undulating motion; that was nothing to the swimmer who

had had no sleep for twenty hours。  Tarzan of the Apes

curled up upon the slimy timbers; and was soon asleep。



The heat of the sun awoke him early in the forenoon。

His first conscious sensation was of thirst; which grew

almost to the proportions of suffering with full returning

consciousness; but a moment later it was forgotten in the

joy of two almost simultaneous discoveries。  The first was

a mass of wreckage floating beside the derelict in the midst

of which; bottom up; rose and fell an overturned lifeboat;

the other was the faint; dim line of a far…distant shore

showing on the horizon in the east。



Tarzan dove into the water; and swam around the wreck

to the lifeboat。  The cool ocean refreshed him almost as

much as would a draft of water; so that it was with renewed

vigor that he brought the smaller boat alongside the derelict;

and; after many herculean efforts; succeeded in dragging it

onto the slimy ship's bottom。  There he righted and examined

itthe boat was quite sound; and a moment later floated upright

alongside the wreck。  Then Tarzan selected several pieces

of wreckage that might answer him as paddles; and presently

was making good headway toward the far…off shore。



It was late in the afternoon by the time he came close

enough to distinguish objects on land; or to make out the

contour of the shore line。  Before him lay what appeared to

be the entrance to a little; landlocked harbor。  The wooded

point to the north was strangely familiar。  Could it be

possible that fate had thrown him up at the very threshold

of his own beloved jungle!  But as the bow of his boat

entered the mouth of the harbor the last shred of doubt was

cleared away; for there before him upon the farther shore;

under the shadows of his primeval forest; stood his own

cabinbuilt before his birth by the hand of his long…dead

father; John Clayton; Lord Greystoke。



With long sweeps of his giant muscles Tarzan sent the little

craft speeding toward the beach。  Its prow had scarcely

touched when the ape…man leaped to shorehis heart beat

fast in joy and exultation as each long…familiar object came

beneath his roving eyesthe cabin; the beach; the little

brook; the dense jungle; the black; impenetrable forest。

The myriad birds in their brilliant plumagethe gorgeous

tropical blooms upon the festooned creepers falling in great

loops from the giant trees。



Tarzan of the Apes had come into his own again; and that

all the world might know it he threw back his young head;

and gave voice to the fierce; wild challenge of his tribe。

For a moment silence reigned upon the jungle; and then;

low and weird; came an answering challengeit was the

deep roar of Numa; the lion; and from a great distance;

faintly; the fearsome answering bellow of a bull ape。



Tarzan went to the brook first; and slaked his thirst。

Then he approached his cabin。  The door was still closed

and latched as he and D'Arnot had left it。  He raised the

latch and entered。  Nothing had been disturbed; there were

the table; the bed; and the little crib built by his

fatherthe shelves and cupboards just as they had stood

for ever twenty…three yearsjust as he had left them

nearly two years before。



His eyes satisfied; Tarzan's stomach began to call aloud for

attentionthe pangs of hunger suggested a search for food。

There was nothing in the cabin; nor had he any weapons;

but upon a wall hung one of his old grass ropes。  It had

been many times broken and spliced; so that he had discarded

it for a better one long before。  Tarzan wished that he had a knife。

Well; unless he was mistaken he should have that and a spear and

bows and arrows before another sun had setthe rope would take

care of that; and in the meantime it must be made to procure

food for him。  He coiled it carefully; and; throwing it about

his shoulder; went out; closing the door behind him。



Close to the cabin the jungle commenced; and into it

Tarzan of the Apes plunged; wary and noiselessonce more

a savage beast hunting its food。  For a time he kept to the

ground; but finally; discovering no spoor indicative of

nearby meat; he took to the trees。  With the first dizzy swing

from tree to tree all the old joy of living swept over him。

Vain regrets and dull heartache were forgotten。  Now was he living。

Now; indeed; was the true happiness of perfect freedom his。

Who would go back to the stifling; wicked cities of civilized

man when the mighty reaches of the great jungle offered peace

and liberty?  Not he。



While it was yet light Tarzan came to a drinking place by

the side of a jungle river。  There was a ford there; and for

countless ages the beasts of the forest had come down to

drink at this spot。  Here of a night might always be found

either Sabor or Numa crouching in the dense foliage of the

surrounding jungle awaiting an antelope or a water buck for

their meal。  Here came Horta; the boar; to water; and here

came Tarzan of the Apes to make a kill; for he was very empty。



On a low branch he squatted above the trail。  For an hour

he waited。  It was growing dark。  A little to one side of the

ford in the densest thicket he heard the faint sound of padded

feet; and the brushing of a huge body against tall grasses

and tangled creepers。  None other than Tarzan might have

heard it; but the ape…man heard and translatedit was Numa;

the lion; on the same errand as himself。  Tarzan smiled。



Presently he heard an animal approaching warily along

the trail toward the drinking place。  A moment more and it

came in viewit was Horta; the boar。  Here was delicious

meatand Tarzan's mouth watered。  The grasses where

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