the return of tarzan-第5章

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farhe　felt　that　the　man's　aims　were　deeper　than　thatdeeper

and　even　more　sinister　than　brutal；　cold…blooded　murder。

Without　hesitating　to　question　those　within；　the　ape…man

threw　his　giant　shoulder　against　the　frail　panel；　and　in　a

shower　of　splintered　wood　he　entered　the　cabin；　dragging

Rokoff　after　him。　　Before　him；　on　a　couch；　the　woman　lay；

and　on　top　of　her　was　Paulvitch；　his　fingers　gripping　the

fair　throat；　while　his　victim's　hands　beat　futilely　at　his　face；

tearing　desperately　at　the　cruel　fingers　that　were　forcing　the

life　from　her。



The　noise　of　his　entrance　brought　Paulvitch　to　his　feet；

where　he　stood　glowering　menacingly　at　Tarzan。　　The　girl

rose　falteringly　to　a　sitting　posture　upon　the　couch。

One　hand　was　at　her　throat；　and　her　breath　came　in　little　gasps。

Although　disheveled　and　very　pale；　Tarzan　recognized　her

as　the　young　woman　whom　he　had　caught　staring　at　him　on

deck　earlier　in　the　day。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　said　Tarzan；　turning　to　Rokoff；

whom　he　intuitively　singled　out　as　the　instigator　of　the　outrage。

The　man　remained　silent；　scowling。　　〃Touch　the　button；　please；〃

continued　the　ape…man；　〃we　will　have　one　of　the　ship's

officers　herethis　affair　has　gone　quite　far　enough。〃



〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　girl；　coming　suddenly　to　her　feet。

〃Please　do　not　do　that。　　I　am　sure　that　there　was　no　real

intention　to　harm　me。　　I　angered　this　person；　and　he　lost

control　of　himself；　that　is　all。　　I　would　not　care　to　have　the

matter　go　further；　please；　monsieur；〃　and　there　was　such　a

note　of　pleading　in　her　voice　that　Tarzan　could　not　press

the　matter；　though　his　better　judgment　warned　him　that

there　was　something　afoot　here　of　which　the　proper

authorities　should　be　made　cognizant。



〃You　wish　me　to　do　nothing；　then；　in　the　matter？〃　he　asked。



〃Nothing；　please；〃　she　replied。



〃You　are　content　that　these　two　scoundrels　should　continue

persecuting　you？〃



She　did　not　seem　to　know　what　answer　to　make；　and

looked　very　troubled　and　unhappy。　　Tarzan　saw　a　malicious

grin　of　triumph　curl　Rokoff's　lip。　　The　girl　evidently　was　in

fear　of　these　twoshe　dared　not　express　her　real　desires

before　them。



〃Then；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃I　shall　act　on　my　own　responsibility。

To　you；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　Rokoff；　〃and　this　includes

your　accomplice；　I　may　say　that　from　now　on　to　the　end　of

the　voyage　I　shall　take　it　upon　myself　to　keep　an　eye　on

you；　and　should　there　chance　to　come　to　my　notice　any

act　of　either　one　of　you　that　might　even　remotely　annoy　this

young　woman　you　shall　be　called　to　account　for　it　directly

to　me；　nor　shall　the　calling　or　the　accounting　be　pleasant

experiences　for　either　of　you。



〃Now　get　out　of　here；〃　and　he　grabbed　Rokoff　and

Paulvitch　each　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and　thrust　them

forcibly　through　the　doorway；　giving　each　an　added　impetus

down　the　corridor　with　the　toe　of　his　boot。　　Then　he　turned

back　to　the　stateroom　and　the　girl。　　She　was　looking　at　him

in　wide…eyed　astonishment。



〃And　you；　madame；　will　confer　a　great　favor　upon　me　if　you

will　but　let　me　know　if　either　of　those　rascals　troubles

you　further。〃



〃Ah；　monsieur；〃　she　answered；　〃I　hope　that　you　will　not

suffer　for　the　kind　deed　you　attempted。　　You　have　made　a

very　wicked　and　resourceful　enemy；　who　will　stop　at　nothing

to　satisfy　his　hatred。　　You　must　be　very　careful　indeed；

Monsieur〃



〃Pardon　me；　madame；　my　name　is　Tarzan。〃



〃Monsieur　Tarzan。　　And　because　I　would　not　consent　to

notify　the　officers；　do　not　think　that　I　am　not　sincerely

grateful　to　you　for　the　brave　and　chivalrous　protection　you

rendered　me。　　Good　night；　Monsieur　Tarzan。　　I　shall　never

forget　the　debt　I　owe　you；〃　and；　with　a　most　winsome　smile

that　displayed　a　row　of　perfect　teeth；　the　girl　curtsied　to

Tarzan；　who　bade　her　good　night　and　made　his　way　on　deck。



It　puzzled　the　man　considerably　that　there　should　be　two

on　boardthis　girl　and　Count　de　Coudewho　suffered

indignities　at　the　hands　of　Rokoff　and　his　companion；　and　yet

would　not　permit　the　offenders　to　be　brought　to　justice。

Before　he　turned　in　that　night　his　thoughts　reverted　many

times　to　the　beautiful　young　woman　into　the　evidently　tangled

web　of　whose　life　fate　had　so　strangely　introduced　him。

It　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　not　learned　her　name。

That　she　was　married　had　been　evidenced　by　the　narrow　gold

band　that　encircled　the　third　finger　of　her　left　hand。

Involuntarily　he　wondered　who　the　lucky　man　might　be。



Tarzan　saw　nothing　further　of　any　of　the　actors　in　the

little　drama　that　he　had　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　until

late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　last　day　of　the　voyage。　　Then　he

came　suddenly　face　to　face　with　the　young　woman　as　the

two　approached　their　deck　chairs　from　opposite　directions。

She　greeted　him　with　a　pleasant　smile；　speaking　almost

immediately　of　the　affair　he　had　witnessed　in　her　cabin　two

nights　before。　　It　was　as　though　she　had　been　perturbed　by　a

conviction　that　he　might　have　construed　her　acquaintance

with　such　men　as　Rokoff　and　Paulvitch　as　a　personal

reflection　upon　herself。



〃I　trust　monsieur　has　not　judged　me；〃　she　said；　〃by　the

unfortunate　occurrence　of　Tuesday　evening。　　I　have　suffered

much　on　account　of　itthis　is　the　first　time　that　I

have　ventured　from　my　cabin　since；　I　have　been　ashamed；〃

she　concluded　simply。



〃One　does　not　judge　the　gazelle　by　the　lions　that　attack

it；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃I　had　seen　those　two　work　beforein

the　smoking…room　the　day　prior　to　their　attack　on　you；　if　I

recollect　it　correctly；　and　so；　knowing　their　methods；　I　am

convinced　that　their　enmity　is　a　sufficient　guarantee　of　the

integrity　of　its　object。　　Men　such　as　they　must　cleave　only

to　the　vile；　hating　all　that　is　noblest　and　best。〃



〃It　is　very　kind　of　you　to　put　it　that　way；〃　she　replied；

smiling。　　〃I　have　already　heard　of　the　matter　of　the　card

game。　　My　husband　told　me　the　entire　story。　　He　spoke

especially　of　the　strength　and　bravery　of　Monsieur　Tarzan；

to　whom　he　feels　that　he　owes　an　immense　debt　of　gratitude。〃



〃Your　husband？〃　repeated　Tarzan　questioningly。



〃Yes。　　I　am　the　Countess　de　Coude。〃



〃I　am　already　amply　repaid；　madame；　in　knowing　that　I

have　rendered　a　service　to　the　wife　of　the　Count　de　Coude。〃



〃Alas；　monsieur；　I　already　am　so　greatly　indebted　to　you

that　I　may　never　hope　to　settle　my　own　account；　so　pray

do　not　add　further　to　my　obligations；〃　and　she　smiled　so

sweetly　upon　him　that　Tarzan　felt　that　a　man　might　easily

attempt　much　greater　things　than　he　had　accomplished；　solely

for　the　pleasure　of　receiving　the　benediction　of　that　smile。



He　did　not　see　her　again　that　day；　and　in　the　rush　of

landing　on　the　following　morning　he　missed　her　entirely；

but　there　had　been　something　in　the　expression　of　her　eyes

as　they　parted　on　deck　the　previous　day　that　haunted　him。

It　had　been　almost　wistful　as　they　had　spoken　of　the

strangeness　of　the　swift　friendships　of　an　ocean　crossing；

and　of　the　equal　ease　with　which　they　are　broken　forever。



Tarzan　wondered　if　he　should　ever　see　her　again。







Chapter　3





What　Happened　in　the　Rue　Maule





On　his　arrival　in　Paris；　Tarzan　had　gone　directly　to

the　apartments　of　his　old　friend；　D'Arnot；　where　the

naval　lieutenant　had　scored　him　roundly　for　his　decision

to　renounce　the　title　and　estates　that　were　rightly　his

from　his　father；　John　Clayton；　the　late　Lord　Greystoke。



〃You　must　be　mad；　my　friend；〃　said　D'Arnot；　〃thus　lightly

to　give　up　not　alone　wealth　and　position；　but　an　opportunity

to　prove　beyond　doubt　to　all　the　world　that　in　your　veins

flows　the　noble　blood　of　two　of　England's　most　honored

housesinstead　of　the　blood　of　a　savage　she…ape。　　It　is

incredible　that　they　could　have　believed　youMiss　Porter

least　of　all。



〃Why；　I　never　did　believe　it；　even　back　in　the　wilds　of

your　African　jungle；　when　you　tore　the　raw　meat　of　your

kills　with　mighty　jaws；　like