the return of tarzan-第57章
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The Englishman had extracted the heavy spear from the body
of the lion; so that when he went into the forest to hunt
that morning he had a feeling of much greater security than
at any time since they had been cast upon the savage shore。
The result was that he penetrated farther from the shelter
than ever before。
To escape as far as possible from the mad ravings of the
fever…stricken Russian; Jane Porter had descended from the
shelter to the foot of the treeshe dared not venture farther。
Here; beside the crude ladder Clayton had constructed for her;
she sat looking out to sea; in the always surviving hope
that a vessel might be sighted。
Her back was toward the jungle; and so she did not see
the grasses part; or the savage face that peered from between。
Little; bloodshot; close…set eyes scanned her intently;
roving from time to time about the open beach for indications
of the presence of others than herself。 Presently another
head appeared; and then another and another。 The man in
the shelter commenced to rave again; and the heads
disappeared as silently and as suddenly as they had come。
But soon they were thrust forth once more; as the girl
gave no sign of perturbation at the continued wailing
of the man above。
One by one grotesque forms emerged from the jungle to
creep stealthily upon the unsuspecting woman。 A faint
rustling of the grasses attracted her attention。 She turned;
and at the sight that confronted her staggered to her
feet with a little shriek of fear。 Then they closed upon her
with a rush。 Lifting her bodily in his long; gorilla…like arms;
one of the creatures turned and bore her into the jungle。
A filthy paw covered her mouth to stifle her screams。
Added to the weeks of torture she had already undergone;
the shock was more than she could withstand。 Shattered nerves
collapsed; and she lost consciousness。
When she regained her senses she found herself in the
thick of the primeval forest。 It was night。 A huge fire burned
brightly in the little clearing in which she lay。 About it
squatted fifty frightful men。 Their heads and faces were
covered with matted hair。 Their long arms rested upon the bent
knees of their short; crooked legs。 They were gnawing; like
beasts; upon unclean food。 A pot boiled upon the edge of the
fire; and out of it one of the creatures would occasionally
drag a hunk of meat with a sharpened stick。
When they discovered that their captive had regained
consciousness; a piece of this repulsive stew was tossed to her
from the foul hand of a nearby feaster。 It rolled close to her
side; but she only closed her eyes as a qualm of nausea
surged through her。
For many days they traveled through the dense forest。 The girl;
footsore and exhausted; was half dragged; half pushed through
the long; hot; tedious days。 Occasionally; when she would
stumble and fall; she was cuffed and kicked by the nearest
of the frightful men。 Long before they reached their
journey's end her shoes had been discardedthe soles
entirely gone。 Her clothes were torn to mere shreds and
tatters; and through the pitiful rags her once white and
tender skin showed raw and bleeding from contact with the
thousand pitiless thorns and brambles through which she
had been dragged。
The last two days of the journey found her in such utter
exhaustion that no amount of kicking and abuse could force
her to her poor; bleeding feet。 Outraged nature had reached
the limit of endurance; and the girl was physically powerless
to raise herself even to her knees。
As the beasts surrounded her; chattering threateningly the
while they goaded her with their cudgels and beat and kicked
her with their fists and feet; she lay with closed eyes;
praying for the merciful death that she knew alone could
give her surcease from suffering; but it did not come; and
presently the fifty frightful men realized that their victim
was no longer able to walk; and so they picked her up and
carried her the balance of the journey。
Late one afternoon she saw the ruined walls of a mighty
city looming before them; but so weak and sick was she
that it inspired not the faintest shadow of interest。
Wherever they were bearing her; there could be but one
end to her captivity among these fierce half brutes。
At last they passed through two great walls and came
to the ruined city within。 Into a crumbling pile they bore
her; and here she was surrounded by hundreds more of the
same creatures that had brought her; but among them were
females who looked less horrible。 At sight of them the
first faint hope that she had entertained came to mitigate
her misery。 But it was short…lived; for the women offered
her no sympathy; though; on the other hand; neither did
they abuse her。
After she had been inspected to the entire satisfaction
of the inmates of the building she was borne to a dark
chamber in the vaults beneath; and here upon the bare floor
she was left; with a metal bowl of water and another of food。
For a week she saw only some of the women whose duty
it was to bring her food and water。 Slowly her strength was
returningsoon she would be in fit condition to offer as
a sacrifice to The Flaming God。 Fortunate indeed it was that
she could not know the fate for which she was destined。
As Tarzan of the Apes moved slowly through the jungle
after casting the spear that saved Clayton and Jane Porter
from the fangs of Numa; his mind was filled with all the
sorrow that belongs to a freshly opened heart wound。
He was glad that he had stayed his hand in time to
prevent the consummation of the thing that in the first mad
wave of jealous wrath he had contemplated。 Only the fraction
of a second had stood between Clayton and death at the
hands of the ape…man。 In the short moment that had
elapsed after he had recognized the girl and her companion
and the relaxing of the taut muscles that held the poisoned
shaft directed at the Englishman's heart; Tarzan had been
swayed by the swift and savage impulses of brute life。
He had seen the woman he cravedhis womanhis mate
in the arms of another。 There had been but one course
open to him; according to the fierce jungle code that guided
him in this other existence; but just before it had become
too late the softer sentiments of his inherent chivalry had
risen above the flaming fires of his passion and saved him。
A thousand times he gave thanks that they had triumphed
before his fingers had released that polished arrow。
As he contemplated his return to the Waziri the idea became
repugnant。 He did not wish to see a human being again。
At least he would range alone through the jungle for a time;
until the sharp edge of his sorrow had become blunted。 Like his
fellow beasts; he preferred to suffer in silence and alone。
That night he slept again in the amphitheater of the apes;
and for several days he hunted from there; returning at night。
On the afternoon of the third day he returned early。
He had lain stretched upon the soft grass of the circular
clearing for but a few moments when he heard far to the
south a familiar sound。 It was the passing through the
jungle of a band of great apeshe could not mistake that。
For several minutes he lay listening。 They were coming
in the direction of the amphitheater。
Tarzan arose lazily and stretched himself。 His keen ears
followed every movement of the advancing tribe。 They were
upwind; and presently he caught their scent; though he had
not needed this added evidence to assure him that he was right。
As they came closer to the amphitheater Tarzan of the Apes
melted into the branches upon the other side of the arena。
There he waited to inspect the newcomers。 Nor had he long
to wait。
Presently a fierce; hairy face appeared among the lower
branches opposite him。 The cruel little eyes took in the
clearing at a glance; then th