the return of tarzan-第48章

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His　men　were　loath　to　follow　him；　but　when　they　saw　that

he　was　bravely　entering　the　frowning　portal　they　trailed　a　few

paces　behind　in　a　huddled　group　that　seemed　the　personification

of　nervous　terror。　　A　single　shriek　such　as　they　had

heard　the　night　before　would　have　been　sufficient　to　have

sent　them　all　racing　madly　for　the　narrow　cleft　that　led

through　the　great　walls　to　the　outer　world。



As　Tarzan　entered　the　building　he　was　distinctly　aware　of

many　eyes　upon　him。　　There　was　a　rustling　in　the　shadows

of　a　near…by　corridor；　and　he　could　have　sworn　that　he

saw　a　human　hand　withdrawn　from　an　embrasure　that

opened　above　him　into　the　domelike　rotunda　in　which　he

found　himself。



The　floor　of　the　chamber　was　of　concrete；　the　walls　of

smooth　granite；　upon　which　strange　figures　of　men　and　beasts

were　carved。　　In　places　tablets　of　yellow　metal　had　been　set

in　the　solid　masonry　of　the　walls。



When　he　approached　closer　to　one　of　these　tablets　he　saw

that　it　was　of　gold；　and　bore　many　hieroglyphics。　　Beyond　this

first　chamber　there　were　others；　and　back　of　them　the　building

branched　out　into　enormous　wings。　　Tarzan　passed　through

several　of　these　chambers；　finding　many　evidences　of　the

fabulous　wealth　of　the　original　builders。　　In　one　room　were

seven　pillars　of　solid　gold；　and　in　another　the　floor　itself

was　of　the　precious　metal。　　And　all　the　while　that　he　explored；

his　blacks　huddled　close　together　at　his　back；　and

strange　shapes　hovered　upon　either　hand　and　before　them

and　behind；　yet　never　close　enough　that　any　might　say　that

they　were　not　alone。



The　strain；　however；　was　telling　upon　the　nerves　of　the　Waziri。

They　begged　Tarzan　to　return　to　the　sunlight。　　They　said　that

no　good　could　come　of　such　an　expedition；　for　the　ruins　were

haunted　by　the　spirits　of　the　dead　who　had　once　inhabited　them。



〃They　are　watching　us；　O　king；〃　whispered　Busuli。　　〃They　are

waiting　until　they　have　led　us　into　the　innermost　recesses　of

their　stronghold；　and　then　they　will　fall　upon　us　and　tear

us　to　pieces　with　their　teeth。　　That　is　the　way　with　spirits。

My　mother's　uncle；　who　is　a　great　witch　doctor；　has

told　me　all　about　it　many　times。〃



Tarzan　laughed。　　〃Run　back　into　the　sunlight；　my　children；〃

he　said。　　〃I　will　join　you　when　I　have　searched　this　old　ruin

from　top　to　bottom；　and　found　the　gold；　or　found　that　there

is　none。　　At　least　we　may　take　the　tablets　from　the　walls；

though　the　pillars　are　too　heavy　for　us　to　handle；　but　there

should　be　great　storerooms　filled　with　goldgold　that　we

can　carry　away　upon　our　backs　with　ease。　　Run　on　now；　out

into　the　fresh　air　where　you　may　breathe　easier。〃



Some　of　the　warriors　started　to　obey　their　chief　with　alacrity；

but　Busuli　and　several　others　hesitated　to　leave　himhesitated

between　love　and　loyalty　for　their　king；　and　superstitious　fear

of　the　unknown。　　And　then；　quite　unexpectedly；　that　occurred　which

decided　the　question　without　the　necessity　for　further　discussion。

Out　of　the　silence　of　the　ruined　temple　there　rang；　close　to

their　ears；　the　same　hideous　shriek　they　had　heard　the　previous

night；　and　with　horrified　cries　the　black　warriors　turned　and

fled　through　the　empty　halls　of　the　age…old　edifice。



Behind　them　stood　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　where　they　had　left

him；　a　grim　smile　upon　his　lipswaiting　for　the　enemy　he

fully　expected　was　about　to　pounce　upon　him。　　But　again

silence　reigned；　except　for　the　faint　suggestion　of　the　sound

of　naked　feet　moving　stealthily　in　near…by　places。



Then　Tarzan　wheeled　and　passed　on　into　the　depths　of　the　temple。

From　room　to　room　he　went；　until　he　came　to　one　at　which

a　rude；　barred　door　still　stood；　and　as　he　put　his　shoulder

against　it　to　push　it　in；　again　the　shriek　of　warning

rang　out　almost　beside　him。　　It　was　evident　that　he　was

being　warned　to　refrain　from　desecrating　this　particular　room。

Or　could　it　be　that　within　lay　the　secret　to　the　treasure　stores？



At　any　rate；　the　very　fact　that　the　strange；　invisible

guardians　of　this　weird　place　had　some　reason　for　wishing　him

not　to　enter　this　particular　chamber　was　sufficient　to　treble

Tarzan's　desire　to　do　so；　and　though　the　shrieking　was　repeated

continuously；　he　kept　his　shoulder　to　the　door　until　it　gave

before　his　giant　strength　to　swing　open　upon　creaking　wooden　hinges。



Within　all　was　black　as　the　tomb。　　There　was　no　window

to　let　in　the　faintest　ray　of　light；　and　as　the　corridor　upon

which　it　opened　was　itself　in　semi…darkness；　even　the　open　door

shed　no　relieving　rays　within。　　Feeling　before　him　upon　the　floor

with　the　butt　of　his　spear；　Tarzan　entered　the　Stygian　gloom。

Suddenly　the　door　behind　him　closed；　and　at　the　same　time

hands　clutched　him　from　every　direction　out　of　the　darkness。



The　ape…man　fought　with　all　the　savage　fury　of　self…

preservation　backed　by　the　herculean　strength　that　was　his。

But　though　he　felt　his　blows　land；　and　his　teeth　sink　into　soft

flesh；　there　seemed　always　two　new　hands　to　take　the　place

of　those　that　he　fought　off。　　At　last　they　dragged　him　down；

and　slowly；　very　slowly；　they　overcame　him　by　the　mere

weight　of　their　numbers。　　And　then　they　bound　himhis

hands　behind　his　back　and　his　feet　trussed　up　to　meet　them。

He　had　heard　no　sound　except　the　heavy　breathing　of　his

antagonists；　and　the　noise　of　the　battle。　　He　knew　not　what

manner　of　creatures　had　captured　him；　but　that　they　were

human　seemed　evident　from　the　fact　that　they　had　bound　him。



Presently　they　lifted　him　from　the　floor；　and　half　dragging；

half　pushing　him；　they　brought　him　out　of　the　black

chamber　through　another　doorway　into　an　inner　courtyard

of　the　temple。　　Here　he　saw　his　captors。　　There　must　have

been　a　hundred　of　themshort；　stocky　men；　with　great　beards

that　covered　their　faces　and　fell　upon　their　hairy　breasts。



The　thick；　matted　hair　upon　their　heads　grew　low　over

their　receding　brows；　and　hung　about　their　shoulders　and

their　backs。　　Their　crooked　legs　were　short　and　heavy；　their

arms　long　and　muscular。　　About　their　loins　they　wore　the

skins　of　leopards　and　lions；　and　great　necklaces　of　the

claws　of　these　same　animals　depended　upon　their　breasts。

Massive　circlets　of　virgin　gold　adorned　their　arms　and　legs。

For　weapons　they　carried　heavy；　knotted　bludgeons；　and　in　the

belts　that　confined　their　single　garments　each　had　a　long；

wicked…looking　knife。



But　the　feature　of　them　that　made　the　most　startling

impression　upon　their　prisoner　was　their　white　skinsneither

in　color　nor　feature　was　there　a　trace　of　the　negroid　about　them。

Yet；　with　their　receding　foreheads；　wicked　little　close…set　eyes；

and　yellow　fangs；　they　were　far　from　prepossessing　in　appearance。



During　the　fight　within　the　dark　chamber；　and　while

they　had　been　dragging　Tarzan　to　the　inner　court；　no　word

had　been　spoken；　but　now　several　of　them　exchanged　grunting；

monosyllabic　conversation　in　a　language　unfamiliar　to

the　ape…man；　and　presently　they　left　him　lying　upon　the

concrete　floor　while　they　trooped　off　on　their　short　legs　into

another　part　of　the　temple　beyond　the　court。



As　Tarzan　lay　there　upon　his　back　he　saw　that　the　temple

entirely　surrounded　the　little　inclosure；　and　that　on　all　sides

its　lofty　walls　rose　high　above　him。　　At　the　top　a　little　patch

of　blue　sky　was　visible；　and；　in　one　direction；　through　an

embrasure；　he　could　see　foliage；　but　whether　it　was　beyond

or　within　the　temple　he　did　not　know。



About　the　court；　from　the　ground　to　the　top　of　the　temple；

were　series　of　open　galleries；　and　now　and　then　the　captive

caught　glimpses　of　bright　eyes　gleaming　from　beneath　masses

of　tumbling　hair；　peering　down　upon　him　from　above。



The　ape…man　gently　tested　the　strength　of　the　bonds　that

held　him；　and　while　he　could　not　be　sure　it　seemed　that　they

were　of　insufficient　strength　to　withstand　the　strain　of　his

mighty　muscles　when　the　time　came　to　make　a　break　for

freedom；　but　he　did　not　dare