the son of tarzan-第14部分

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rior　stepping　silently　out　of　the　jungle　through　which　they　had　just　passed　had　been　sufficient　shock　to　let　loose　in　action　all　the　pent　nerve　energy　of　Malbihn；　who　had　been　the　first　to　see　the　strange　apparition。　　And　Malbihn's　shout　and　shot　had　set　the　others　going。

When　their　nervous　energy　had　spent　itself　and　they　came　to　take　stock　of　what　they　had　been　fighting　it　developed　that　Malbihn　alone　had　seen　anything　clearly。　　Several　of　the　blacks　averred　that　they　too　had　obtained　a　good　view　of　the　creature　but　their　descriptions　of　it　varied　so　greatly　that　Jenssen；　who　had　seen　nothing　himself；　was　inclined　to　be　a　trifle　skeptical。　One　of　the　blacks　insisted　that　the　thing　had　been　eleven　feet　tall；　with　a　man's　body　and　the　head　of　an　elephant。　　Another　had　seen　THREE　immense　Arabs　with　huge；　black　beards；　but　when；　after　conquering　their　nervousness；　the　rear　guard　advanced　upon　the　enemy's　position　to　investigate　they　found　nothing；　for　Akut　and　the　boy　had　retreated　out　of　range　of　the　unfriendly　guns。

Jack　was　disheartened　and　sad。　　He　had　not　entirely　recovered　from　the　depressing　effect　of　the　unfriendly　reception　he　had　received　at　the　hands　of　the　blacks；　and　now　he　had　found　an　even　more　hostile　one　accorded　him　by　men　of　his　own　color。

〃The　lesser　beasts　flee　from　me　in　terror；〃　he　murmured；　half　to　himself；　〃the　greater　beasts　are　ready　to　tear　me　to　pieces　at　sight。　　Black　men　would　kill　me　with　their　spears　or　arrows。　And　now　white　men；　men　of　my　own　kind；　have　fired　upon　me　and　driven　me　away。　　Are　all　the　creatures　of　the　world　my　enemies？　　Has　the　son　of　Tarzan　no　friend　other　than　Akut？〃

The　old　ape　drew　closer　to　the　boy。

〃There　are　the　great　apes；〃　he　said。　　〃They　only　will　be　the　friends　of　Akut's　friend。　　Only　the　great　apes　will　welcome　the　son　of　Tarzan。　　You　have　seen　that　men　want　nothing　of　you。　　Let　us　go　now　and　continue　our　search　for　the　great　apesour　people。〃

The　language　of　the　great　apes　is　a　combination　of　monosyllabic　gutturals；　amplified　by　gestures　and　signs。　　It　may　not　be　literally　translated　into　human　speech；　but　as　near　as　may　be　this　is　what　Akut　said　to　the　boy。

The　two　proceeded　in　silence　for　some　time　after　Akut　had　spoken。　　The　boy　was　immersed　in　deep　thoughtbitter　thoughts　in　which　hatred　and　revenge　predominated。　　Finally　he　spoke：　　〃Very　well；　Akut；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　find　our　friends；　the　great　apes。〃

The　anthropoid　was　overjoyed；　but　he　gave　no　outward　demonstration　of　his　pleasure。　　A　low　grunt　was　his　only　response；　and　a　moment　later　he　had　leaped　nimbly　upon　a　small　and　unwary　rodent　that　had　been　surprised　at　a　fatal　distance　from　its　burrow。　　Tearing　the　unhappy　creature　in　two　Akut　handed　the　lion's　share　to　the　lad。



Chapter　8

A　year　had　passed　since　the　two　Swedes　had　been　driven　in　terror　from　the　savage　country　where　The　Sheik　held　sway。　　Little　Meriem　still　played　with　Geeka；　lavishing　all　her　childish　love　upon　the　now　almost　hopeless　ruin　of　what　had　never；　even　in　its　palmiest　days；　possessed　even　a　slight　degree　of　loveliness。　　But　to　Meriem；　Geeka　was　all　that　was　sweet　and　adorable。　　She　carried　to　the　deaf　ears　of　the　battered　ivory　head　all　her　sorrows　all　her　hopes　and　all　her　ambitions；　for　even　in　the　face　of　hopelessness；　in　the　clutches　of　the　dread　authority　from　which　there　was　no　escape；　little　Meriem　yet　cherished　hopes　and　ambitions。　　It　is　true　that　her　ambitions　were　rather　nebulous　in　form；　consisting　chiefly　of　a　desire　to　escape　with　Geeka　to　some　remote　and　unknown　spot　where　there　were　no　Sheiks；　no　Mabunuswhere　El　Adrea　could　find　no　entrance；　and　where　she　might　play　all　day　surrounded　only　by　flowers　and　birds　and　the　harmless　little　monkeys　playing　in　the　tree　tops。

The　Sheik　had　been　away　for　a　long　time；　conducting　a　caravan　of　ivory；　skins；　and　rubber　far　into　the　north。　　The　interim　had　been　one　of　great　peace　for　Meriem。　　It　is　true　that　Mabunu　had　still　been　with　her；　to　pinch　or　beat　her　as　the　mood　seized　the　villainous　old　hag；　but　Mabunu　was　only　one。　　When　The　Sheik　was　there　also　there　were　two　of　them；　and　The　Sheik　was　stronger　and　more　brutal　even　than　Mabunu。　　Little　Meriem　often　wondered　why　the　grim　old　man　hated　her　so。　　It　is　true　that　he　was　cruel　and　unjust　to　all　with　whom　he　came　in　contact；　but　to　Meriem　he　reserved　his　greatest　cruelties；　his　most　studied　injustices。

Today　Meriem　was　squatting　at　the　foot　of　a　large　tree　which　grew　inside　the　palisade　close　to　the　edge　of　the　village。　　She　was　fashioning　a　tent　of　leaves　for　Geeka。　　Before　the　tent　were　some　pieces　of　wood　and　small　leaves　and　a　few　stones。　　These　were　the　household　utensils。　　Geeka　was　cooking　dinner。　　As　the　little　girl　played　she　prattled　continuously　to　her　companion；　propped　in　a　sitting　position　with　a　couple　of　twigs。　　She　was　totally　absorbed　in　the　domestic　duties　of　Geekaso　much　so　that　she　did　not　note　the　gentle　swaying　of　the　branches　of　the　tree　above　her　as　they　bent　to　the　body　of　the　creature　that　had　entered　them　stealthily　from　the　jungle。

In　happy　ignorance　the　little　girl　played　on；　while　from　above　two　steady　eyes　looked　down　upon　herunblinking；　unwavering。　　There　was　none　other　than　the　little　girl　in　this　part　of　the　village；　which　had　been　almost　deserted　since　The　Sheik　had　left　long　months　before　upon　his　journey　toward　the　north。

And　out　in　the　jungle；　an　hour's　march　from　the　village；　The　Sheik　was　leading　his　returning　caravan　homeward。


A　year　had　passed　since　the　white　men　had　fired　upon　the　lad　and　driven　him　back　into　the　jungle　to　take　up　his　search　for　the　only　remaining　creatures　to　whom　he　might　look　for　companionshipthe　great　apes。　　For　months　the　two　had　wandered　eastward；　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　jungle。　　The　year　had　done　much　for　the　boyturning　his　already　mighty　muscles　to　thews　of　steel；　developing　his　woodcraft　to　a　point　where　it　verged　upon　the　uncanny；　perfecting　his　arboreal　instincts；　and　training　him　in　the　use　of　both　natural　and　artificial　weapons。

He　had　become　at　last　a　creature　of　marvelous　physical　powers　and　mental　cunning。　　He　was　still　but　a　boy；　yet　so　great　was　his　strength　that　the　powerful　anthropoid　with　which　he　often　engaged　in　mimic　battle　was　no　match　for　him。　　Akut　had　taught　him　to　fight　as　the　bull　ape　fights；　nor　ever　was　there　a　teacher　better　fitted　to　instruct　in　the　savage　warfare　of　primordial　man；　or　a　pupil　better　equipped　to　profit　by　the　lessons　of　a　master。

As　the　two　searched　for　a　band　of　the　almost　extinct　species　of　ape　to　which　Akut　belonged　they　lived　upon　the　best　the　jungle　afforded。　　Antelope　and　zebra　fell　to　the　boy's　spear；　or　were　dragged　down　by　the　two　powerful　beasts　of　prey　who　leaped　upon　them　from　some　overhanging　limb　or　from　the　ambush　of　the　undergrowth　beside　the　trail　to　the　water　hole　or　the　ford。

The　pelt　of　a　leopard　covered　the　nakedness　of　the　youth；　but　the　wearing　of　it　had　not　been　dictated　by　any　prompting　of　modesty。　　With　the　rifle　shots　of　the　white　men　showering　about　him　he　had　reverted　to　the　savagery　of　the　beast　that　is　inherent　in　each　of　us；　but　that　flamed　more　strongly　in　this　boy　whose　father　had　been　raised　a　beast　of　prey。　　He　wore　his　leopard　skin　at　first　in　response　to　a　desire　to　parade　a　trophy　of　his　prowess；　for　he　had　slain　the　leopard　with　his　knife　in　a　hand…to…hand　combat。　　He　saw　that　the　skin　was　beautiful；　which　appealed　to　his　barbaric　sense　of　ornamentation；　and　when　it　stiffened　and　later　commenced　to　decompose　because　of　his　having　no　knowledge　of　how　to　cure　or　tan　it　was　　with　sorrow　and　regret　that　he　discarded　it。　　Later；　when　he　chanced　upon　a　lone；　black　warrior　wearing　the　counterpart　of　it；　soft　and　clinging　and　beautiful　from　proper　curing；　it　required　but　an　instant　to　leap　from　above　upon　the　shoulders　of　the　unsuspecting　black；　sink　a　keen　blade　into　his　heart　and　possess　the　rightly　preserved　hide。

There　were　no　after…qualms　of　conscience。　　In　the　jungle　might　is　right；　nor　does　it　take　long　to　inculcate　this　axiom　in　the　mind　of　a　jungle　dweller；　regardless　of　what　his　past　training　may　have　been。　　That　the　black　would　have　killed　him　had　he　had　the　chance　the　boy　knew　full　well。　　Neither　he　nor　the　black　were　any　more　sacred　than　the　lion；　or　the　buffalo；　the　zebra　or　the　deer；　or　any　other　of　the　countless　creatures　who　roamed；　or　slunk；　or　flew；　or　wriggled　through　the　dark　mazes　of　the　forest。　Each　had　but　a　single　life；　which　was　sought　by　many。　　The　greater　number　of　enemies　slain　the　better　chance　to　prolong　that　life。　　So　the　boy　smiled　and　donned　the　finery　of　the　vanquished；　and　went　his　way　with　Akut；　searching；　always　searching　for　the　elusive　anthropoids　who　were　to　welcome　them　with　open　arms。　　And　at　last　they　found　them。　　Deep　in　the　jungle；　buried　far　from　sight　of　man；　they　came　upon　such　another　little　natural　arena　as　had　witnessed　the　wild　ceremony　of　the　Dum…Dum　in　which　the　boy's　father　had　taken　part　long　years　before。

First；　at　a　great　distance；　they　heard　the　beating　of　the　drum　of　the　great　apes。　　They　were　sleeping　in　the　safety　of　a　huge　tree　when　the　booming　sound　smote　upon　their　ears。　　Both　awoke　at　once。　　Akut　was　the　first　to　interpret　the　strange　cadence。

〃The　great　apes！〃　he　growled。　　〃They　dance　the　Dum…Dum。　Come；　Korak；　son　of　Tarzan；　let　us　go　to　our　people。〃

Months　before　Akut　had　given　the　boy　a　name　of　his　own　choosing；　since　he　could　not　master　the　man　given　name　of　Jack。　　Korak　is　as　near　as　it　may　be　interpreted　into　human　speech。　　In　the　language　of　the　apes　it　means　Killer。　　Now　the　Killer　rose　upon　the　branch　of　the　great　tree　where　he　had　been　sleeping　with　his　back　braced　against　the　stem。　　He　stretched　his　lithe　young　muscles；　the　moonlight　filtering　through　the　foliage　from　above　dappling　his　brown　skin　with　little　patches　of　light。

The　ape；　too；　stood　up；　half　squatting　after　the　manner　of　his　kind。　　Low　growls　rumbled　from　the　bottom　of　his　deep　chest　growls　of　excited　anticipation。　　The　boy　growled　in　harmony　with　the　ape。　　Then　the　anthropoid　slid　softly　to　the　ground。　Close　by；　in　the　direction　of　the　booming　drum；　lay　a　clearing　which　they　must　cross。　　The　moon　flooded　it　with　silvery　light。　Half…erect；　the　great　ape　shuffled　into　the　full　glare　of　the　mo