the return of tarzan-第59章
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〃They were beside the second water back there;〃 and he
pointed to the south。 〃When they passed me they were going
toward the morning; upward along the edge of the water。〃
〃When was this?〃 asked Tarzan。
〃Half a moon since。〃
Without another word the ape…man sprang into the trees
and fled like a disembodied spirit eastward in the direction
of the forgotten city of Opar。
Chapter 24
How Tarzan Came Again to Opar
When Clayton returned to the shelter and found Jane Porter
was missing; he became frantic with fear and grief。
He found Monsieur Thuran quite rational; the fever having
left him with the surprising suddenness which is one
of its peculiarities。 The Russian; weak and exhausted;
still lay upon his bed of grasses within the shelter。
When Clayton asked him about the girl he seemed surprised
to know that she was not there。
〃I have heard nothing unusual;〃 he said。 〃But then I have
been unconscious much of the time。〃
Had it not been for the man's very evident weakness;
Clayton should have suspected him of having sinister
knowledge of the girl's whereabouts; but he could see that
Thuran lacked sufficient vitality even to descend; unaided;
from the shelter。 He could not; in his present physical
condition; have harmed the girl; nor could he have climbed
the rude ladder back to the shelter。
Until dark the Englishman searched the nearby jungle for a
trace of the missing one or a sign of the trail of her abductor。
But though the spoor left by the fifty frightful men;
unversed in woodcraft as they were; would have been
as plain to the densest denizen of the jungle as a city street
to the Englishman; yet he crossed and recrossed it twenty
times without observing the slightest indication that many
men had passed that way but a few short hours since。
As he searched; Clayton continued to call the girl's name
aloud; but the only result of this was to attract Numa;
the lion。 Fortunately the man saw the shadowy form worming
its way toward him in time to climb into the branches of a tree
before the beast was close enough to reach him。 This put an
end to his search for the balance of the afternoon; as the
lion paced back and forth beneath him until dark。
Even after the beast had left; Clayton dared not descend
into the awful blackness beneath him; and so he spent a
terrifying and hideous night in the tree。 The next morning
he returned to the beach; relinquishing the last hope of
succoring Jane Porter。
During the week that followed; Monsieur Thuran rapidly
regained his strength; lying in the shelter while Clayton
hunted food for both。 The men never spoke except as
necessity demanded。 Clayton now occupied the section of
the shelter which had been reserved for Jane Porter; and
only saw the Russian when he took food or water to him; or
performed the other kindly offices which common humanity required。
When Thuran was again able to descend in search of food;
Clayton was stricken with fever。 For days he lay tossing
in delirium and suffering; but not once did the Russian
come near him。 Food the Englishman could not have eaten;
but his craving for water amounted practically to torture。
Between the recurrent attacks of delirium; weak though he
was; he managed to reach the brook once a day and fill a tiny
can that had been among the few appointments of the lifeboat。
Thuran watched him on these occasions with an expression
of malignant pleasurehe seemed really to enjoy the
suffering of the man who; despite the just contempt in which
he held him; had ministered to him to the best of his
ability while he lay suffering the same agonies。
At last Clayton became so weak that he was no longer
able to descend from the shelter。 For a day he suffered for
water without appealing to the Russian; but finally; unable
to endure it longer; he asked Thuran to fetch him a drink。
The Russian came to the entrance to Clayton's room; a
dish of water in his hand。 A nasty grin contorted his features。
〃Here is water;〃 he said。 〃But first let me remind you that
you maligned me before the girlthat you kept her to
yourself; and would not share her with me〃
Clayton interrupted him。 〃Stop!〃 he cried。 Stop!
What manner of cur are you that you traduce the character
of a good woman whom we believe dead! God! I was a fool
ever to let you liveyou are not fit to live even in
this vile land。〃
〃Here is your water;〃 said the Russian。 〃All you will
get;〃 and he raised the basin to his lips and drank; what
was left he threw out upon the ground below。 Then he turned
and left the sick man。
Clayton rolled over; and; burying his face in his arms; gave
up the battle。
The next day Thuran determined to set out toward the
north along the coast; for he knew that eventually he must
come to the habitations of civilized menat least he could
be no worse off than he was here; and; furthermore; the
ravings of the dying Englishman were getting on his nerves。
So he stole Clayton's spear and set off upon his journey。
He would have killed the sick man before he left had it not
occurred to him that it would really have been a kindness
to do so。
That same day he came to a little cabin by the beach;
and his heart filled with renewed hope as he saw this
evidence of the proximity of civilization; for he thought it
but the outpost of a nearby settlement。 Had he known to
whom it belonged; and that its owner was at that very moment
but a few miles inland; Nikolas Rokoff would have
fled the place as he would a pestilence。 But he did not
know; and so he remained for a few days to enjoy the
security and comparative comforts of the cabin。 Then he
took up his northward journey once more。
In Lord Tennington's camp preparations were going forward
to build permanent quarters; and then to send out an
expedition of a few men to the north in search of relief。
As the days had passed without bringing the longed…for
succor; hope that Jane Porter; Clayton; and Monsieur Thuran
had been rescued began to die。 No one spoke of the matter
longer to Professor Porter; and he was so immersed in his
scientific dreaming that he was not aware of the elapse of time。
Occasionally he would remark that within a few days
they should certainly see a steamer drop anchor off their
shore; and that then they should all be reunited happily。
Sometimes he spoke of it as a train; and wondered if it were
being delayed by snowstorms。
〃If I didn't know the dear old fellow so well by now;〃
Tennington remarked to Miss Strong; 〃I should be quite
certain that he wasernot quite right; don't you know。〃
〃If it were not so pathetic it would be ridiculous;〃 said
the girl; sadly。 〃I; who have known him all my life; know
how he worships Jane; but to others it must seem that he is
perfectly callous to her fate。 It is only that he is so
absolutely impractical that he cannot conceive of so real a
thing as death unless nearly certain proof of it is thrust
upon him。〃
〃You'd never guess what he was about yesterday;〃
continued Tennington。 〃I was coming in alone from
a little hunt when I met him walking rapidly along the
game trail that I was following back to camp。 His hands
were clasped beneath the tails of his long black coat;
and his top hat was set firmly down upon his head;
as with eyes bent upon the ground he hastened on;
probably to some sudden death had I not intercepted him。
〃‘Why; where in the world are you bound; professor?' I
asked him。 ‘I am going into town; Lord Tennington;' he said;
as seriously as possible; ‘to complain to the postmaster about
the rural free delivery service we are suffering from here。
Why; sir; I haven't had a piece of mail in weeks。 There should
be several letters for me from Jane。 The matter must be
reported to Washington at once。'
〃And would you believe it; Miss Strong;〃