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第51章

the return of tarzan-第51章

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

this savage world more than ten thousand years ago in search

of gold。  Their cities stretched from a great sea under the

rising sun to a great sea into which the sun descends at night

to cool his flaming brow。  They were very rich and very

powerful; but they lived only a few months of the year in

their magnificent palaces here; the rest of the time they

spent in their native land; far; far to the north。



〃Many ships went back and forth between this new world

and the old。  During the rainy season there were but few

of the inhabitants remained here; only those who

superintended the working of the mines by the black slaves;

and the merchants who had to stay to supply their wants;

and the soldiers who guarded the cities and the mines。



〃It was at one of these times that the great calamity occurred。

When the time came for the teeming thousands to return none came。

For weeks the people waited。  Then they sent out a great galley

to learn why no one came from the mother country; but though

they sailed about for many months; they were unable to find

any trace of the mighty land that had for countless ages

borne their ancient civilizationit had sunk into the sea。



〃From that day dated the downfall of my people。

Disheartened and unhappy; they soon became a prey to the

black hordes of the north and the black hordes of the south。

One by one the cities were deserted or overcome。  The last

remnant was finally forced to take shelter within this mighty

mountain fortress。  Slowly we have dwindled in power; in

civilization; in intellect; in numbers; until now we are no

more than a small tribe of savage apes。



〃In fact; the apes live with us; and have for many ages。

We call them the first menwe speak their language quite

as much as we do our own; only in the rituals of the temple

do we make any attempt to retain our mother tongue。  In time

it will be forgotten; and we will speak only the language

of the apes; in time we will no longer banish those of our

people who mate with apes; and so in time we shall descend

to the very beasts from which ages ago our progenitors may

have sprung。〃



〃But why are you more human than the others?〃 asked

the man。



〃For some reason the women have not reverted to savagery

so rapidly as the men。  It may be because only the

lower types of men remained here at the time of the great

catastrophe; while the temples were filled with the noblest

daughters of the race。  My strain has remained clearer

than the rest because for countless ages my foremothers were

high priestessesthe sacred office descends from mother

to daughter。  Our husbands are chosen for us from the noblest

in the land。  The most perfect man; mentally and physically;

is selected to be the husband of the high priestess。〃



〃From what I saw of the gentlemen above;〃 said Tarzan;

with a grin; 〃there should be little trouble in choosing from

among them。〃



The girl looked at him quizzically for a moment。



〃Do not be sacrilegious;〃 she said。  〃They are very holy

menthey are priests。〃



〃Then there are others who are better to look upon?〃 he asked。



〃The others are all more ugly than the priests;〃 she replied。



Tarzan shuddered at her fate; for even in the dim light of

the vault he was impressed by her beauty。



〃But how about myself?〃 he asked suddenly。  〃Are you

going to lead me to liberty?〃



〃You have been chosen by The Flaming God as his own;〃

she answered solemnly。  〃Not even I have the power to

save youshould they find you again。  But I do not intend

that they shall find you。  You risked your life to save mine。

I may do no less for you。  It will be no easy matterit may

require days; but in the end I think that I can lead you beyond

the walls。  Come; they will look here for me presently; and

if they find us together we shall both be lostthey would

kill me did they think that I had proved false to my god。〃



〃You must not take the risk; then;〃 he said quickly。  〃I will

return to the temple; and if I can fight my way to freedom

there will be no suspicion thrown upon you。〃



But she would not have it so; and finally persuaded him

to follow her; saying that they had already remained in the

vault too long to prevent suspicion from falling upon her

even if they returned to the temple。



〃I will hide you; and then return alone;〃 she said; 〃telling

them that I was long unconscious after you killed Tha; and

that I do not know whither you escaped。〃



And so she led him through winding corridors of gloom;

until finally they came to a small chamber into which a little

light filtered through a stone grating in the ceiling。



〃This is the Chamber of the Dead;〃 she said。  〃None will

think of searching here for youthey would not dare。  I will

return after it is dark。  By that time I may have found a

plan to effect your escape。〃



She was gone; and Tarzan of the Apes was left alone in

the Chamber of the Dead; beneath the long…dead city of Opar。







Chapter 21





The Castaways





Clayton dreamed that he was drinking his fill of water;

pure; delightful drafts of fresh water。  With a start he

gained consciousness to find himself wet through by

torrents of rain that were falling upon his body and his

upturned face。  A heavy tropical shower was beating down

upon them。  He opened his mouth and drank。  Presently he

was so revived and strengthened that he was enabled to

raise himself upon his hands。  Across his legs lay

Monsieur Thuran。  A few feet aft Jane Porter was huddled

in a pitiful little heap in the bottom of the boatshe

was quite still。  Clayton knew that she was dead。



After infinite labor he released himself from Thuran's

pinioning body; and with renewed strength crawled toward the girl。

He raised her head from the rough boards of the boat's bottom。

There might be life in that poor; starved frame even yet。

He could not quite abandon all hope; and so he seized a

water…soaked rag and squeezed the precious drops between

the swollen lips of the hideous thing that had but a few

short days before glowed with the resplendent life of

happy youth and glorious beauty。



For some time there was no sign of returning animation;

but at last his efforts were rewarded by a slight tremor of

the half…closed lids。  He chafed the thin hands; and forced a

few more drops of water into the parched throat。  The girl

opened her eyes; looking up at him for a long time before

she could recall her surroundings。



〃Water?〃 she whispered。  〃Are we saved?〃



〃It is raining;〃 he explained。  〃We may at least drink。

Already it has revived us both。〃



〃Monsieur Thuran?〃 she asked。  〃He did not kill you。  Is he dead?〃



〃I do not know;〃 replied Clayton。  〃If he lives and this

rain revives him〃  But he stopped there; remembering too

late that he must not add further to the horrors which the

girl already had endured。



But she guessed what he would have said。



〃Where is he?〃 she asked。



Clayton nodded his head toward the prostrate form of

the Russian。  For a time neither spoke。



〃I will see if I can revive him;〃 said Clayton at length。



〃No;〃 she whispered; extending a detaining hand toward him。

〃Do not do thathe will kill you when the water has

given him strength。  If he is dying; let him die。  Do not leave

me alone in this boat with that beast。〃



Clayton hesitated。  His honor demanded that he attempt

to revive Thuran; and there was the possibility; too; that the

Russian was beyond human aid。  It was not dishonorable to

hope so。  As he sat fighting out his battle he presently raised

his eyes from the body of the man; and as they passed above

the gunwale of the boat he staggered weakly to his feet with

a little cry of joy。



〃Land; Jane!〃 he almost shouted through his cracked lips。

〃Thank God; land!〃



The girl looked; too; and there; n

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