the return of tarzan-第49章

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mighty　muscles　when　the　time　came　to　make　a　break　for

freedom；　but　he　did　not　dare　to　put　them　to　the　crucial　test

until　darkness　had　fallen；　or　he　felt　that　no　spying　eyes　were

upon　him。



He　had　lain　within　the　court　for　several　hours　before

the　first　rays　of　sunlight　penetrated　the　vertical　shaft；

almost　simultaneously　he　heard　the　pattering　of　bare　feet

in　the　corridors　about　him；　and　a　moment　later　saw　the

galleries　above　fill　with　crafty　faces　as　a　score　or　more

entered　the　courtyard。



For　a　moment　every　eye　was　bent　upon　the　noonday　sun；

and　then　in　unison　the　people　in　the　galleries　and　those　in

the　court　below　took　up　the　refrain　of　a　low；　weird　chant。

Presently　those　about　Tarzan　began　to　dance　to　the　cadence

of　their　solemn　song。　　They　circled　him　slowly；　resembling　in

their　manner　of　dancing　a　number　of　clumsy；　shuffling　bears；

but　as　yet　they　did　not　look　at　him；　keeping　their　little　eyes

fixed　upon　the　sun。



For　ten　minutes　or　more　they　kept　up　their　monotonous

chant　and　steps；　and　then　suddenly；　and　in　perfect　unison；

they　turned　toward　their　victim　with　upraised　bludgeons

and　emitting　fearful　howls；　the　while　they　contorted　their

features　into　the　most　diabolical　expressions；　they　rushed

upon　him。



At　the　same　instant　a　female　figure　dashed　into　the　midst

of　the　bloodthirsty　horde；　and；　with　a　bludgeon　similar　to

their　own；　except　that　it　was　wrought　from　gold；　beat　back

the　advancing　men。







Chapter　20





La





For　a　moment　Tarzan　thought　that　by　some　strange　freak

of　fate　a　miracle　had　saved　him；　but　when　he　realized　the

ease　with　which　the　girl　had；　single…handed；　beaten　off

twenty　gorilla…like　males；　and　an　instant　later；　as　he　saw

them　again　take　up　their　dance　about　him　while　she　addressed

them　in　a　singsong　monotone；　which　bore　every　evidence　of

rote；　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　all　but　a　part

of　the　ceremony　of　which　he　was　the　central　figure。



After　a　moment　or　two　the　girl　drew　a　knife　from　her　girdle；

and；　leaning　over　Tarzan；　cut　the　bonds　from　his　legs。

Then；　as　the　men　stopped　their　dance；　and　approached；　she

motioned　to　him　to　rise。　　Placing　the　rope　that　had　been

about　his　legs　around　his　neck；　she　led　him　across　the

courtyard；　the　men　following　in　twos。



Through　winding　corridors　she　led；　farther　and　farther

into　the　remoter　precincts　of　the　temple；　until　they　came　to　a

great　chamber　in　the　center　of　which　stood　an　altar。　　Then　it

was　that　Tarzan　translated　the　strange　ceremony　that　had

preceded　his　introduction　into　this　holy　of　holies。



He　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　descendants　of　the　ancient

sun　worshippers。　　His　seeming　rescue　by　a　votaress　of　the

high　priestess　of　the　sun　had　been　but　a　part　of　the　mimicry

of　their　heathen　ceremonythe　sun　looking　down　upon　him

through　the　opening　at　the　top　of　the　court　had　claimed　him

as　his　own；　and　the　priestess　had　come　from　the　inner

temple　to　save　him　from　the　polluting　hands　of　worldlings

to　save　him　as　a　human　offering　to　their　flaming　deity。



And　had　he　needed　further　assurance　as　to　the　correctness

of　his　theory　he　had　only　to　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　brownish…

red　stains　that　caked　the　stone　altar　and　covered　the　floor

in　its　immediate　vicinity；　or　to　the　human　skulls　which

grinned　from　countless　niches　in　the　towering　walls。



The　priestess　led　the　victim　to　the　altar　steps。　　Again　the

galleries　above　filled　with　watchers；　while　from　an　arched

doorway　at　the　east　end　of　the　chamber　a　procession　of　females

filed　slowly　into　the　room。　　They　wore；　like　the　men；

only　skins　of　wild　animals　caught　about　their　waists　with

rawhide　belts　or　chains　of　gold；　but　the　black　masses　of　their

hair　were　incrusted　with　golden　headgear　composed　of　many

circular　and　oval　pieces　of　gold　ingeniously　held　together　to

form　a　metal　cap　from　which　depended　at　each　side　of

the　head；　long　strings　of　oval　pieces　falling　to　the　waist。



The　females　were　more　symmetrically　proportioned　than

the　males；　their　features　were　much　more　perfect；　the　shapes

of　their　heads　and　their　large；　soft；　black　eyes　denoting　far

greater　intelligence　and　humanity　than　was　possessed　by

their　lords　and　masters。



Each　priestess　bore　two　golden　cups；　and　as　they　formed　in

line　along　one　side　of　the　altar　the　men　formed　opposite　them；

advancing　and　taking　each　a　cup　from　the　female　opposite。

Then　the　chant　began　once　more；　and　presently　from

a　dark　passageway　beyond　the　altar　another　female

emerged　from　the　cavernous　depths　beneath　the　chamber。



The　high　priestess；　thought　Tarzan。　　She　was　a　young　woman

with　a　rather　intelligent　and　shapely　face。　　Her　ornaments

were　similar　to　those　worn　by　her　votaries；　but　much　more

elaborate；　many　being　set　with　diamonds。　　Her　bare　arms

and　legs　were　almost　concealed　by　the　massive；　bejeweled

ornaments　which　covered　them；　while　her　single　leopard

skin　was　supported　by　a　close…fitting　girdle　of　golden　rings

set　in　strange　designs　with　innumerable　small　diamonds。

In　the　girdle　she　carried　a　long；　jeweled　knife；　and　in　her

hand　a　slender　wand　in　lieu　of　a　bludgeon。



As　she　advanced　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　altar　she

halted；　and　the　chanting　ceased。　　The　priests　and　priestesses

knelt　before　her；　while　with　wand　extended　above　them　she

recited　a　long　and　tiresome　prayer。　　Her　voice　was　soft　and

musicalTarzan　could　scarce　realize　that　its　possessor

in　a　moment　more　would　be　transformed　by　the　fanatical

ecstasy　of　religious　zeal　into　a　wild…eyed　and　bloodthirsty

executioner；　who；　with　dripping　knife；　would　be　the　first　to

drink　her　victim's　red；　warm　blood　from　the　little　golden　cup

that　stood　upon　the　altar。



As　she　finished　her　prayer　she　let　her　eyes　rest　for　the　first

time　upon　Tarzan。　　With　every　indication　of　considerable

curiosity　she　examined　him　from　head　to　foot。　　Then　she

addressed　him；　and　when　she　had　finished　stood　waiting；　as

though　she　expected　a　reply。



〃I　do　not　understand　your　language；〃　said　Tarzan。

〃Possibly　we　may　speak　together　in　another　tongue？〃

But　she　could　not　understand　him；　though　he　tried　French；

English；　Arab；　Waziri；　and；　as　a　last　resort；　the　mongrel

tongue　of　the　West　Coast。



She　shook　her　head；　and　it　seemed　that　there　was　a　note　of

weariness　in　her　voice　as　she　motioned　to　the　priests　to

continue　with　the　rites。　　These　now　circled　in　a　repetition　of

their　idiotic　dance；　which　was　terminated　finally　at　a　command

from　the　priestess；　who　had　stood　throughout；　still

looking　intently　upon　Tarzan。



At　her　signal　the　priests　rushed　upon　the　ape…man；　and；

lifting　him　bodily；　laid　him　upon　his　back　across　the　altar；

his　head　hanging　over　one　edge；　his　legs　over　the　opposite。

Then　they　and　the　priestesses　formed　in　two　lines；　with

their　little　golden　cups　in　readiness　to　capture　a　share　of　the

victim's　lifeblood　after　the　sacrificial　knife　had　accomplished

its　work。



In　the　line　of　priests　an　altercation　arose　as　to　who

should　have　first　place。　　A　burly　brute　with　all　the　refined

intelligence　of　a　gorilla　stamped　upon　his　bestial　face　was

attempting　to　push　a　smaller　man　to　second　place；　but　the

smaller　one　appealed　to　the　high　priestess；　who　in　a　cold

peremptory　voice　sent　the　larger　to　the　extreme　end　of　the　line。

Tarzan　could　hear　him　growling　and　rumbling　as　he　went

slowly　to　the　inferior　station。



Then　the　priestess；　standing　above　him；　began　reciting

what　Tarzan　took　to　be　an　invocation；　the　while　she　slowly

raised　her　thin；　sharp　knife　aloft。　　It　seemed　ages　to　the

ape…man　before　her　arm　ceased　its　upward　progress　and　the

knife　halted　high　above　his　unprotected　breast。



Then　it　started　downward；　slowly　at　first；　but　as　the

incantation　increased　in　rapidity；　with　greater　speed。　　At　the

end　of　the　line　Tarzan　could　still　hear　the　grumbling　of　the

disgruntled　priest。　　The　man's　voice　rose　louder　and　louder。

A　priestess　near　him　spoke　in