the return of tarzan-第50章

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

A　priestess　near　him　spoke　in　sharp　tones　of　rebuke。　　The　knife

was　quite　near　to　Tarzan's　breast　now；　but　it　halted　for　an

instant　as　the　high　priestess　raised　her　eyes　to　shoot　her　swift

displeasure　at　the　instigator　of　this　sacrilegious　interruption。



There　was　a　sudden　commotion　in　the　direction　of　the

disputants；　and　Tarzan　rolled　his　head　in　their　direction

in　time　to　see　the　burly　brute　of　a　priest　leap　upon　the

woman　opposite　him；　dashing　out　her　brains　with　a　single

blow　of　his　heavy　cudgel。　　Then　that　happened　which　Tarzan

had　witnessed　a　hundred　times　before　among　the　wild　denizens

of　his　own　savage　jungle。　　He　had　seen　the　thing　fall

upon　Kerchak；　and　Tublat；　and　Terkoz；　upon　a　dozen　of　the

other　mighty　bull　apes　of　his　tribe；　and　upon　Tantor；

the　elephant；　there　was　scarce　any　of　the　males　of　the　forest

that　did　not　at　times　fall　prey　to　it。　　The　priest　went　mad；

and　with　his　heavy　bludgeon　ran　amuck　among　his　fellows。



His　screams　of　rage　were　frightful　as　he　dashed　hither

and　thither；　dealing　terrific　blows　with　his　giant　weapon；　or

sinking　his　yellow　fangs　into　the　flesh　of　some　luckless　victim。

And　during　it　the　priestess　stood　with　poised　knife　above

Tarzan；　her　eyes　fixed　in　horror　upon　the　maniacal　thing

that　was　dealing　out　death　and　destruction　to　her　votaries。



Presently　the　room　was　emptied　except　for　the　dead　and

dying　on　the　floor；　the　victim　upon　the　altar；　the　high

priestess；　and　the　madman。　　As　the　cunning　eyes　of　the　latter

fell　upon　the　woman　they　lighted　with　a　new　and　sudden　lust。

Slowly　he　crept　toward　her；　and　now　he　spoke；　but　this

time　there　fell　upon　Tarzan's　surprised　ears　a　language　he

could　understand；　the　last　one　that　he　would　ever　have

thought　of　employing　in　attempting　to　converse　with　human

beingsthe　low　guttural　barking　of　the　tribe　of　great

anthropoidshis　own　mother　tongue。　　And　the　woman　answered

the　man　in　the　same　language。



He　was　threateningshe　attempting　to　reason　with　him；　for　it

was　quite　evident　that　she　saw　that　he　was　past　her　authority。

The　brute　was　quite　close　nowcreeping　with　clawlike　hands

extended　toward　her　around　the　end　of　the　altar。

Tarzan　strained　at　the　bonds　which　held　his　arms　pinioned

behind　him。　　The　woman　did　not　seeshe　had　forgotten

her　prey　in　the　horror　of　the　danger　that　threatened　herself。

As　the　brute　leaped　past　Tarzan　to　clutch　his　victim；　the

ape…man　gave　one　superhuman　wrench　at　the　thongs　that　held　him。

The　effort　sent　him　rolling　from　the　altar　to　the　stone

floor　on　the　opposite　side　from　that　on　which　the　priestess

stood；　but　as　he　sprang　to　his　feet　the　thongs　dropped　from

his　freed　arms；　and　at　the　same　time　he　realized　that　he

was　alone　in　the　inner　templethe　high　priestess　and　the

mad　priest　had　disappeared。



And　then　a　muffled　scream　came　from　the　cavernous　mouth

of　the　dark　hole　beyond　the　sacrificial　altar　through　which　the

priestess　had　entered　the　temple。　　Without　even　a　thought　for

his　own　safety；　or　the　possibility　for　escape　which　this　rapid

series　of　fortuitous　circumstances　had　thrust　upon　him；

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　answered　the　call　of　the　woman　in　danger。

With　a　little　bound　he　was　at　the　gaping　entrance　to　the

subterranean　chamber；　and　a　moment　later　was　running　down

a　flight　of　age…old　concrete　steps　that　led　he　knew　not　where。



The　faint　light　that　filtered　in　from　above　showed　him

a　large；　low…ceiled　vault　from　which　several　doorways　led　off

into　inky　darkness；　but　there　was　no　need　to　thread　an　unknown

way；　for　there　before　him　lay　the　objects　of　his　searchthe

mad　brute　had　the　girl　upon　the　floor；　and　gorilla…like

fingers　were　clutching　frantically　at　her　throat　as　she

struggled　to　escape　the　fury　of　the　awful　thing　upon　her。



As　Tarzan's　heavy　hand　fell　upon　his　shoulder　the　priest

dropped　his　victim；　and　turned　upon　her　would…be　rescuer。

With　foam…flecked　lips　and　bared　fangs　the　mad　sun…worshiper

battled　with　the　tenfold　power　of　the　maniac。　　In　the

blood　lust　of　his　fury　the　creature　had　undergone　a　sudden

reversion　to　type；　which　left　him　a　wild　beast；　forgetful　of

the　dagger　that　projected　from　his　beltthinking　only　of

nature's　weapons　with　which　his　brute　prototype　had　battled。



But　if　he　could　use　his　teeth　and　hands　to　advantage；　he

found　one　even　better　versed　in　the　school　of　savage　warfare

to　which　he　had　reverted；　for　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　closed

with　him；　and　they　fell　to　the　floor　tearing　and　rending　at　one

another　like　two　bull　apes；　while　the　primitive　priestess

stood　flattened　against　the　wall；　watching　with　wide；　fear…

fascinated　eyes　the　growing；　snapping　beasts　at　her　feet。



At　last　she　saw　the　stranger　close　one　mighty　hand　upon

the　throat　of　his　antagonist；　and　as　he　forced　the　bruteman's

head　far　back　rain　blow　after　blow　upon　the　upturned　face。

A　moment　later　he　threw　the　still　thing　from　him；　and；

arising；　shook　himself　like　a　lion。　　He　placed　a　foot

upon　the　carcass　before　him；　and　raised　his　head　to　give　the

victory　cry　of　his　kind；　but　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　opening

above　him　leading　into　the　temple　of　human　sacrifice　he

thought　better　of　his　intended　act。



The　girl；　who　had　been　half　paralyzed　by　fear　as　the　two

men　fought；　had　just　commenced　to　give　thought　to　her

probable　fate　now　that；　though　released　from　the　clutches　of

a　madman；　she　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　one　whom　but　a

moment　before　she　had　been　upon　the　point　of　killing。

She　looked　about　for　some　means　of　escape。　　The　black　mouth

of　a　diverging　corridor　was　near　at　hand；　but　as　she

turned　to　dart　into　it　the　ape…man's　eyes　fell　upon　her；　and

with　a　quick　leap　he　was　at　her　side；　and　a　restraining　hand

was　laid　upon　her　arm。



〃Wait！〃　said　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　in　the　language　of　the

tribe　of　Kerchak。



The　girl　looked　at　him　in　astonishment。



〃Who　are　you；〃　she　whispered；　〃who　speaks　the　language

of　the　first　man？〃



〃I　am　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　he　answered　in　the　vernacular

of　the　anthropoids。



〃What　do　you　want　of　me？〃　she　continued。　　〃For　what

purpose　did　you　save　me　from　Tha？〃



〃I　could　not　see　a　woman　murdered？〃　　It　was　a　half　question

that　answered　her。



〃But　what　do　you　intend　to　do　with　me　now？〃　she　continued。



〃Nothing；〃　he　replied；　〃but　you　can　do　something　for　meyou

can　lead　me　out　of　this　place　to　freedom。〃　　He　made　the

suggestion　without　the　slightest　thought　that　she　would　accede。

He　felt　quite　sure　that　the　sacrifice　would　go　on　from　the

point　where　it　had　been　interrupted　if　the　high　priestess

had　her　way；　though　he　was　equally　positive　that　they　would

find　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　unbound　and　with　a　long　dagger

in　his　hand　a　much　less　tractable　victim　than　Tarzan

disarmed　and　bound。



The　girl　stood　looking　at　him　for　a　long　moment　before

she　spoke。



〃You　are　a　very　wonderful　man；〃　she　said。　　〃You　are

such　a　man　as　I　have　seen　in　my　daydreams　ever　since　I

was　a　little　girl。　　You　are　such　a　man　as　I　imagine　the

forbears　of　my　people　must　have　beenthe　great　race　of　people

who　built　this　mighty　city　in　the　heart　of　a　savage　world　that

they　might　wrest　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth　the　fabulous

wealth　for　which　they　had　sacrificed　their　far…distant　civilization。



〃I　cannot　understand　why　you　came　to　my　rescue　in　the

first　place；　and　now　I　cannot　understand　why；　having　me

within　your　power；　you　do　not　wish　to　be　revenged　upon

me　for　having　sentenced　you　to　deathfor　having　almost

put　you　to　death　with　my　own　hand。〃



〃I　presume；〃　replied　the　ape…man；　〃that　you　but　followed

the　teachings　of　your　religion。　　I　cannot　blame　YOU　for　that；

no　matter　what　I　may　think　of　your　creed。　　But　who　are　you

what　people　have　I　fallen　among？〃



〃I　am　La；　high　priestess　of　the　Temple　of　the　Sun；　in　the

city　of　Opar。　　We　are　descendants　of　a　people　who　came　to

this　savage　world　more　than　ten　thousand　years　ago　in　search