the return of tarzan-第51部分

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hut；　only　to　emerge　a　moment　later　with　an　empty　tin。

Throwing　it　down　to　Busuli；　he　told　him　to　fetch　water；　and

then　he　beckoned　Jane　Porter　to　come　up。



Together　they　leaned　over　the　emaciated　thing　that　once

had　been　an　English　nobleman。　　Tears　came　to　the　girl's　eyes

as　she　saw　the　poor；　sunken　cheeks　and　hollow　eyes；　and　the

lines　of　suffering　upon　the　once　young　and　handsome　face。



〃He　still　lives；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃We　will　do　all　that　can　be

done　for　him；　but　I　fear　that　we　are　too　late。〃



When　Busuli　had　brought　the　water　Tarzan　forced　a　few

drops　between　the　cracked　and　swollen　lips。　　He　wetted　the

hot　forehead　and　bathed　the　pitiful　limbs。



Presently　Clayton　opened　his　eyes。　　A　faint；　shadowy　smile

lighted　his　countenance　as　he　saw　the　girl　leaning　over　him。

At　sight　of　Tarzan　the　expression　changed　to　one　of　wonderment。



〃It's　all　right；　old　fellow；〃　said　the　ape…man。　　〃We've　found

you　in　time。　　Everything　will　be　all　right　now；　and　we'll

have　you　on　your　feet　again　before　you　know　it。〃



The　Englishman　shook　his　head　weakly。　　〃It's　too　late；〃

he　whispered。　　〃But　it's　just　as　well。　　I'd　rather　die。〃



〃Where　is　Monsieur　Thuran？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃He　left　me　after　the　fever　got　bad。　　He　is　a　devil。

When　I　begged　for　the　water　that　I　was　too　weak　to　get　he　drank

before　me；　threw　the　rest　out；　and　laughed　in　my　face。〃

At　the　thought　of　it　the　man　was　suddenly　animated　by　a　spark

of　vitality。　　He　raised　himself　upon　one　elbow。　　〃Yes；〃　he

almost　shouted；　〃I　will　live。　　I　will　live　long　enough　to　find

and　kill　that　beast！〃　　But　the　brief　effort　left　him　weaker　than

before；　and　he　sank　back　again　upon　the　rotting　grasses　that；

with　his　old　ulster；　had　been　the　bed　of　Jane　Porter。



〃Don't　worry　about　Thuran；〃　said　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；

laying　a　reassuring　hand　on　Clayton's　forehead。　　〃He　belongs

to　me；　and　I　shall　get　him　in　the　end；　never　fear。〃



For　a　long　time　Clayton　lay　very　still。　　Several　times

Tarzan　had　to　put　his　ear　quite　close　to　the　sunken　chest

to　catch　the　faint　beating　of　the　wornout　heart。

Toward　evening　he　aroused　again　for　a　brief　moment。



〃Jane；〃　he　whispered。　　The　girl　bent　her　head　closer　to　catch

the　faint　message。　　〃I　have　wronged　youand　him；〃　he　nodded

weakly　toward　the　ape…man。　　〃I　loved　you　soit　is　a　poor

excuse　to　offer　for　injuring　you；　but　I　could　not　bear　to

think　of　giving　you　up。　　I　do　not　ask　your　forgiveness。　　I　only

wish　to　do　now　the　thing　I　should　have　done　over　a　year　ago。〃

He　fumbled　in　the　pocket　of　the　ulster　beneath　him

for　something　that　he　had　discovered　there　while　he　lay

between　the　paroxysms　of　fever。　　Presently　he　found　ita

crumpled　bit　of　yellow　paper。　　He　handed　it　to　the　girl；

and　as　she　took　it　his　arm　fell　limply　across　his　chest；　his

head　dropped　back；　and　with　a　little　gasp　he　stiffened　and

was　still。　　Then　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　drew　a　fold　of　the　ulster

across　the　upturned　face。



For　a　moment　they　remained　kneeling　there；　the　girl's

lips　moving　in　silent　prayer；　and　as　they　rose　and　stood　on

either　side　of　the　now　peaceful　form；　tears　came　to　the　ape…

man's　eyes；　for　through　the　anguish　that　his　own　heart　had

suffered　he　had　learned　compassion　for　the　suffering　of　others。



Through　her　own　tears　the　girl　read　the　message　upon

the　bit　of　faded　yellow　paper；　and　as　she　read　her　eyes　went

very　wide。　　Twice　she　read　those　startling　words　before　she

could　fully　comprehend　their　meaning。





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She　handed　the　paper　to　Tarzan。　　〃And　he　has　known　it　all

this　time；〃　she　said；　〃and　did　not　tell　you？〃



〃I　knew　it　first；　Jane；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃I　did　not　know

that　he　knew　it　at　all。　　I　must　have　dropped　this　message

that　night　in　the　waiting　room。　　It　was　there　that　I　received　it。〃



〃And　afterward　you　told　us　that　your　mother　was　a　she…ape；

and　that　you　had　never　known　your　father？〃　she　asked　incredulously。



〃The　title　and　the　estates　meant　nothing　to　me　without　you；

dear；〃　he　replied。　　〃And　if　I　had　taken　them　away

from　him　I　should　have　been　robbing　the　woman　I　love

don't　you　understand；　Jane？〃　　It　was　as　though　he　attempted

to　excuse　a　fault。



She　extended　her　arms　toward　him　across　the　body　of　the

dead　man；　and　took　his　hands　in　hers。



〃And　I　would　have　thrown　away　a　love　like　that！〃　she　said。







Chapter　26





The　Passing　of　the　Ape…Man





The　next　morning　they　set　out　upon　the　short　journey　to

Tarzan's　cabin。　　Four　Waziri　bore　the　body　of　the　dead　Englishman。

It　had　been　the　ape…man's　suggestion　that　Clayton　be　buried

beside　the　former　Lord　Greystoke　near　the　edge　of　the

jungle　against　the　cabin　that　the　older　man　had　built。



Jane　Porter　was　glad　that　it　was　to　be　so；　and　in　her

heart　of　hearts　she　wondered　at　the　marvelous　fineness　of

character　of　this　wondrous　man；　who；　though　raised　by　brutes

and　among　brutes；　had　the　true　chivalry　and　tenderness　which

only　associates　with　the　refinements　of　the　highest　civilization。



They　had　proceeded　some　three　miles　of　the　five　that

had　separated　them　from　Tarzan's　own　beach　when　the

Waziri　who　were　ahead　stopped　suddenly；　pointing　in

amazement　at　a　strange　figure　approaching　them　along　the　beach。

It　was　a　man　with　a　shiny　silk　hat；　who　walked　slowly　with

bent　head；　and　hands　clasped　behind　him　underneath　the

tails　of　his　long；　black　coat。



At　sight　of　him　Jane　Porter　uttered　a　little　cry　of　surprise

and　joy；　and　ran　quickly　ahead　to　meet　him。　　At　the　sound　of

her　voice　the　old　man　looked　up；　and　when　he　saw　who　it　was

confronting　him　he；　too；　cried　out　in　relief　and　happiness。

As　Professor　Archimedes　Q。　Porter　folded　his　daughter　in　his

arms　tears　streamed　down　his　seamed　old　face；　and　it　was　several

minutes　before　he　could　control　himself　sufficiently　to　speak。



When　a　moment　later　he　recognized　Tarzan　it　was　with

difficulty　that　they　could　convince　him　that　his　sorrow　had

not　unbalanced　his　mind；　for　with　the　other　members　of　the

party　he　had　been　so　thoroughly　convinced　that　the　ape…man

was　dead　it　was　a　problem　to　reconcile　the　conviction　with

the　very　lifelike　appearance　of　Jane's　〃forest　god。〃　　The　old

man　was　deeply　touched　at　the　news　of　Clayton's　death。



〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　he　said。　　〃Monsieur　Thuran

assured　us　that　Clayton　passed　away　many　days　ago。〃



〃Thuran　is　with　you？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Yes；　he　but　recently　found　us　and　led　us　to　your　cabin。

We　were　camped　but　a　short　distance　north　of　it。　　Bless　me；

but　he　will　be　delighted　to　see　you　both。〃



〃And　surprised；〃　commented　Tarzan。



A　short　time　later　the　strange　party　came　to　the　clearing

in　which　stood　the　ape…man's　cabin。　　It　was　filled　with　people

coming　and　going；　and　almost　the　first　whom　Tarzan　saw

was　D'Arnot。



〃Paul！〃　he　cried。　　〃In　the　name　of　sanity　what　are　you

doing　here？　　Or　are　we　all　insane？〃



It　was　quickly　explained；　however；　as　were　many　other

seemingly　strange　things。　　D'Arnot's　ship　had　been　cruising

along　the　coast；　on　patrol　duty；　when　at　the　lieutenant's

suggestion　they　had　anchored　off　the　little　landlocked　harbor

to　have　another　look　at　the　cabin　and　the　jungle　in　which

many　of　the　officers　and　men　had　taken　part　in　exciting

adventures　two　years　before。　　On　landing　they　had　found　Lord

Tennington's　party；　and　arrangements　were　being　made　to

take　them　all　on　board　the　following　morning；　and　carry

them　back　to　civilization。



Hazel　Strong　and　her　mother；　Esmeralda；　and　Mr。　Samuel

T。　Philander　were　almost　overcome　by　happiness　at　Jane

Porter's　safe　return。　　Her　escape　seemed　to　them　little　short

of　miraculous；　and　it　was　the　consensus　of　opinion　that　it

could　have　been　achieved　by　no　other　man　than　Tarzan　of

the　Apes。　　They　loaded　the　uncomfortable　ape…man　with

eulogies　and　attentions　until　he　wished　himself　back　in　the

amphitheater　of　the　apes。



All　were　interested　in　his　savage　Waziri；　and　many　were

the　gifts　the　black　men　received　from　these　friends　of　their

king；　but　when　they　learned　that　he　might　sail　away　from

them　upon　the　great　canoe　that　lay　at　anchor　a　mile　off

shore　they　became　very　sad。



As　yet　the　newcomers　had　seen　nothing　of　Lord　Tennington

and　Monsieur　Thuran。　　They　had　gone　out　for　fresh

meat　early　in　the　day；　and　had　not　yet　returned。



〃How　surprised　this　man；　whose　name　you　say　is　Rokoff；

will　be　to　see　you；〃　said　Jane　Porter　to　Tarzan。



〃His　surprise　will　be　short…lived；〃　replied　the　ape…man

grimly；　and　there　was　that　in　his　tone　that　made　her　look　up

into　his　face　in　alarm。　　What　she　read　there　evidently

confirmed　her　fears；　for　she　put　her　hand　upon　his　arm；　and

pleaded　with　him　to　leave　the　Russian　to　the　laws　of　France。



〃In　the　heart　of　the　jungle；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃with　no

other　form　of　right　or　justice　to　appeal　to　other　than　your

own　mighty　muscles；　you　would　be　warranted　in　executing

upon　this　man　the　sentence　he　deserves；　but　with　the　strong

arm　of　a　civilized　government　at　your　disposal　it　would　be

murder　to　kill　him　now。　　Even　your　friends　would　have　to

submit　to　your　arrest；　or　if　you　resisted　it　would　plunge

us　all　into　misery　and　unhappiness　again。　　I　cannot　bear　to

lose　you　again；　my　Tarzan。　　Promise　me　that　you　will　but

turn　him　over　to　Captain　Dufranne；　and　let　the　law　take　its

coursethe　beast　is　not　worth　risking　our　happiness　for。〃



He　saw　the　wisdom　of　her　appeal；　and　promised。　　A　half

hour　later　Rokoff　and　Tennington　emerged　from　the　jungle。

They　were　walking　side　by　side。　　Tennington　was　the　first　to

note　the　presence　of　strangers　in　the　camp。　　He　saw　the

black　warriors　palavering　with　the　sailors　from　the　cruiser；

and　then　he　saw　a　lithe；　brown　giant　talking　with　Lieutenant

D'Arnot　and　Captain　Dufranne。



〃Who　is　that；　I　wonder；〃　said　Tennington　to　Rokoff；　an