the return of tarzan-第42部分

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As　their　strength　returned　the　two　men　constructed　a　rude

shelter　in　the　branches　of　a　tree；　high　enough　from　the

ground　to　insure　safety　from　the　larger　beasts　of　prey。

By　day　they　gathered　fruits　and　trapped　small　rodents；　at　night

they　lay　cowering　within　their　frail　shelter　while　savage

denizens　of　the　jungle　made　hideous　the　hours　of　darkness。



They　slept　upon　litters　of　jungle　grasses；　and　for　covering

at　night　Jane　Porter　had　only　an　old　ulster　that　belonged

to　Clayton；　the　same　garment　that　he　had　worn　upon　that

memorable　trip　to　the　Wisconsin　woods。　　Clayton　had　erected

a　frail　partition　of　boughs　to　divide　their　arboreal　shelter

into　two　roomsone　for　the　girl　and　the　other　for　Monsieur

Thuran　and　himself。



From　the　first　the　Russian　had　exhibited　every　trait　of　his

true　characterselfishness；　boorishness；　arrogance；

cowardice；　and　lust。　　Twice　had　he　and　Clayton　come　to

blows　because　of　Thuran's　attitude　toward　the　girl。

Clayton　dared　not　leave　her　alone　with　him　for　an　instant。

The　existence　of　the　Englishman　and　his　fiancee　was　one

continual　nightmare　of　horror；　and　yet　they　lived　on　in

hope　of　ultimate　rescue。



Jane　Porter's　thoughts　often　reverted　to　her　other　experience

on　this　savage　shore。　　Ah；　if　the　invincible　forest　god

of　that　dead　past　were　but　with　them　now。　　No　longer　would

there　be　aught　to　fear　from　prowling　beasts；　or　from　the

bestial　Russian。　　She　could　not　well　refrain　from　comparing

the　scant　protection　afforded　her　by　Clayton　with　what　she

might　have　expected　had　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　been　for　a

single　instant　confronted　by　the　sinister　and　menacing

attitude　of　Monsieur　Thuran。　　Once；　when　Clayton　had　gone

to　the　little　stream　for　water；　and　Thuran　had　spoken　coarsely

to　her；　she　voiced　her　thoughts。



〃It　is　well　for　you；　Monsieur　Thuran；〃　she　said；　〃that　the

poor　Monsieur　Tarzan　who　was　lost　from　the　ship　that　brought

you　and　Miss　Strong　to　Cape　Town　is　not　here　now。〃



〃You　knew　the　pig？〃　asked　Thuran；　with　a　sneer。



〃I　knew　the　man；〃　she　replied。　　〃The　only　real　man；　I

think；　that　I　have　ever　known。〃



There　was　something　in　her　tone　of　voice　that　led　the　Russian

to　attribute　to　her　a　deeper　feeling　for　his　enemy　than

friendship；　and　he　grasped　at　the　suggestion　to　be　further

revenged　upon　the　man　whom　he　supposed　dead　by　besmirching

his　memory　to　the　girl。



〃He　was　worse　than　a　pig；〃　he　cried。　　〃He　was　a　poltroon

and　a　coward。　　To　save　himself　from　the　righteous　wrath　of

the　husband　of　a　woman　he　had　wronged；　he　perjured　his

soul　in　an　attempt　to　place　the　blame　entirely　upon　her。

Not　succeeding　in　this；　he　ran　away　from　France　to　escape

meeting　the　husband　upon　the　field　of　honor。　　That　is　why

he　was　on　board　the　ship　that　bore　Miss　Strong　and　myself　to

Cape　Town。　　I　know　whereof　I　speak；　for　the　woman　in　the

case　is　my　sister。　　Something　more　I　know　that　I　have　never

told　anotheryour　brave　Monsieur　Tarzan　leaped　overboard

in　an　agony　of　fear　because　I　recognized　him；　and　insisted

that　he　make　reparation　to　me　the　following　morningwe

could　have　fought　with　knives　in　my　stateroom。〃



Jane　Porter　laughed。　　〃You　do　not　for　a　moment　imagine

that　one　who　has　known　both　Monsieur　Tarzan　and　you

could　ever　believe　such　an　impossible　tale？〃



〃Then　why　did　he　travel　under　an　assumed　name？〃　asked

Monsieur　Thuran。



〃I　do　not　believe　you；〃　she　cried；　but　nevertheless　the

seed　of　suspicion　was　sown；　for　she　knew　that　Hazel　Strong

had　known　her　forest　god　only　as　John　Caldwell；　of　London。



A　scant　five　miles　north　of　their　rude　shelter；　all　unknown

to　them；　and　practically　as　remote　as　though　separated　by

thousands　of　miles　of　impenetrable　jungle；　lay　the　snug

little　cabin　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　　While　farther　up　the

coast；　a　few　miles　beyond　the　cabin；　in　crude　but　well…built

shelters；　lived　a　little　party　of　eighteen　soulsthe　occupants

of　the　three　boats　from　the　LADY　ALICE　from　which　Clayton's

boat　had　become　separated。



Over　a　smooth　sea　they　had　rowed　to　the　mainland　in　less

than　three　days。　　None　of　the　horrors　of　shipwreck　had　been

theirs；　and　though　depressed　by　sorrow；　and　suffering　from

the　shock　of　the　catastrophe　and　the　unaccustomed　hardships

of　their　new　existence　there　was　none　much　the　worse

for　the　experience。



All　were　buoyed　by　the　hope　that　the　fourth　boat　had

been　picked　up；　and　that　a　thorough　search　of　the　coast

would　be　quickly　made。　　As　all　the　firearms　and　ammunition

on　the　yacht　had　been　placed　in　Lord　Tennington's　boat；

the　party　was　well　equipped　for　defense；　and　for　hunting

the　larger　game　for　food。



Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　was　their　only　immediate　anxiety。

Fully　assured　in　his　own　mind　that　his　daughter　had　been

picked　up　by　a　passing　steamer；　he　gave　over　the　last

vestige　of　apprehension　concerning　her　welfare；　and

devoted　his　giant　intellect　solely　to　the　consideration　of

those　momentous　and　abstruse　scientific　problems　which　he

considered　the　only　proper　food　for　thought　in　one　of

his　erudition。　　His　mind　appeared　blank　to　the　influence

of　all　extraneous　matters。



〃Never；〃　said　the　exhausted　Mr。　Samuel　T。　Philander；　to

Lord　Tennington；　〃never　has　Professor　Porter　been　more

difficulterI　might　say；　impossible。　　Why；　only　this

morning；　after　I　had　been　forced　to　relinquish　my　surveillance

for　a　brief　half　hour　he　was　entirely　missing　upon　my　return。

And；　bless　me；　sir；　where　do　you　imagine　I　discovered　him？

A　half　mile　out　in　the　ocean；　sir；　in　one　of　the　lifeboats；

rowing　away　for　dear　life。　　I　do　not　know　how　he　attained

even　that　magnificent　distance　from　shore；　for　he　had　but　a

single　oar；　with　which　he　was　blissfully　rowing　about　in　circles。



〃When　one　of　the　sailors　had　taken　me　out　to　him　in

another　boat　the　professor　became　quite　indignant　at　my

suggestion　that　we　return　at　once　to　land。　　‘Why；　Mr。　Philander；'

he　said；　‘I　am　surprised　that　you；　sir；　a　man　of　letters

yourself；　should　have　the　temerity　so　to　interrupt　the

progress　of　science。　　I　had　about　deduced　from　certain　astronomic

phenomena　I　have　had　under　minute　observation　during　the

past　several　tropic　nights　an　entirely　new　nebular　hypothesis

which　will　unquestionably　startle　the　scientific　world。　　I　wish

to　consult　a　very　excellent　monograph　on　Laplace's　hypothesis；

which　I　understand　is　in　a　certain　private　collection　in

New　York　City。　　Your　interference；　Mr。　Philander；　will　result

in　an　irreparable　delay；　for　I　was　just　rowing　over　to　obtain

this　pamphlet。'　　And　it　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　I

persuaded　him　to　return　to　shore；　without　resorting　to　force；〃

concluded　Mr。　Philander。



Miss　Strong　and　her　mother　were　very　brave　under　the

strain　of　almost　constant　apprehension　of　the　attacks　of

savage　beasts。　　Nor　were　they　quite　able　to　accept　so　readily

as　the　others　the　theory　that　Jane；　Clayton；　and　Monsieur　Thuran

had　been　picked　up　safely。



Jane　Porter's　Esmeralda　was　in　a　constant　state　of　tears　at　the

cruel　fate　which　had　separated　her　from　her　〃po；　li'le　honey。〃



Lord　Tennington's　great…hearted　good　nature　never　deserted

him　for　a　moment。　　He　was　still　the　jovial　host；　seeking

always　for　the　comfort　and　pleasure　of　his　guests。　　With　the

men　of　his　yacht　he　remained　the　just　but　firm　commander

there　was　never　any　more　question　in　the　jungle　than　there

had　been　on　board　the　LADY　ALICE　as　to　who　was　the　final

authority　in　all　questions　of　importance；　and　in　all

emergencies　requiring　cool　and　intelligent　leadership。



Could　this　well…organized　and　comparatively　secure　party

of　castaways　have　seen　the　ragged；　fear…haunted　trio　a　few

miles　south　of　them　they　would　scarcely　have　recognized　in

them　the　formerly　immaculate　members　of　the　little　company

that　had　laughed　and　played　upon　the　LADY　ALICE。

Clayton　and　Monsieur　Thuran　were　almost　naked；　so　torn

had　their　clothes　been　by　the　thorn　bushes　and　tangled

vegetation　of　the　matted　jungle　through　which　they　had　been

compelled　to　force　their　way　in　search　of　their　ever　more

difficult　food　supply。



Jane　Porter　had　of　course　not　been　subjected　to　these

strenuous　expeditions；　but　her　apparel　was；　nevertheless；

in　a　sad　state　of　disrepair。



Clayton；　for　lack　of　any　better　occupation；　had　carefully

saved　the　skin　of　every　animal　they　had　killed。　　By　stretching

them　upon　the　stems　of　trees；　and　diligently　scraping　them；

he　had　managed　to　save　them　in　a　fair　condition；　and　now

that　his　clothes　were　threatening　to　cover　his　nakedness　no

longer；　he　commenced　to　fashion　a　rude　garment　of　them；

using　a　sharp　thorn　for　a　needle；　and　bits　of　tough　grass　and

animal　tendons　in　lieu　of　thread。



The　result　when　completed　was　a　sleeveless　garment　which

fell　nearly　to　his　knees。　　As　it　was　made　up　of　numerous

small　pelts　of　different　species　of　rodents；　it　presented　a

rather　strange　and　wonderful　appearance；　which；　together

with　the　vile　stench　which　permeated　it；　rendered　it　anything

other　than　a　desirable　addition　to　a　wardrobe。　　But　the　time

came　when　for　the　sake　of　decency　he　was　compelled　to　don

it；　and　even　the　misery　of　their　condition　could　not　prevent

Jane　Porter　from　laughing　heartily　at　sight　of　him。



Later；　Thuran　also　found　it　necessary　to　construct　a　similar

primitive　garment；　so　that；　with　their　bare　legs　and　heavily

bearded　faces；　they　looked　not　unlike　reincarnations　of　two

prehistoric　progenitors　of　the　human　race。　　Thuran　acted　like　one。



Nearly　two　months　of　this　existence　had　passed　when　the

first　great　calamity　befell　them。　　It　was　prefaced　by　an

adventure　which　came　near　terminating　abruptly　the　sufferings

of　two　of　themterminating　them　in　the　grim　and　horrible

manner　of　the　jungle；　forever。



Thuran；　down　with　an　attack　of　jungle　fever；　lay　in　the

shelter　among　the　branches　of　their　tree　of　refuge。

Clayton　had　been　into　the　jungle　a　few　hundred　yards

in　search　of