the son of tarzan-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　antagoniststo　the　dogs　he　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　other　than　to　seize　the　more　persistent　and　wring　their　necks　with　a　single　quick　movement　of　the　wrist。

A　knob　stick　aimed　at　him　by　an　ebon　Hercules　he　caught　and　wrested　from　his　antagonist；　and　then　the　blacks　experienced　to　the　full　the　possibilities　for　punishment　that　lay　within　those　smooth　flowing　muscles　beneath　the　velvet　brown　skin　of　the　strange；　white　giant。　　He　rushed　among　them　with　all　the　force　and　ferocity　of　a　bull　elephant　gone　mad。　　Hither　and　thither　he　charged　striking　down　the　few　who　had　the　temerity　to　stand　against　him；　and　it　was　evident　that　unless　a　chance　spear　thrust　brought　him　down　he　would　rout　the　entire　village　and　regain　his　prize。　　But　old　Kovudoo　was　not　to　be　so　easily　robbed　of　the　ransom　which　the　girl　represented；　and　seeing　that　their　attack　which　had　up　to　now　resulted　in　a　series　of　individual　combats　with　the　white　warrior；　he　called　his　tribesmen　off；　and　forming　them　in　a　compact　body　about　the　girl　and　the　two　who　watched　over　her　bid　them　do　nothing　more　than　repel　the　assaults　of　the　ape…man。

Again　and　again　Korak　rushed　against　this　human　barricade　bristling　with　spear　points。　　Again　and　again　he　was　repulsed；　often　with　severe　wounds　to　caution　him　to　greater　wariness。　　From　head　to　foot　he　was　red　with　his　own　blood；　and　at　last；　weakening　from　the　loss　of　it；　he　came　to　the　bitter　realization　that　alone　he　could　do　no　more　to　succor　his　Meriem。

Presently　an　idea　flashed　through　his　brain。　　He　called　aloud　to　the　girl。　　She　had　regained　consciousness　now　and　replied。

〃Korak　goes；〃　he　shouted；　〃but　he　will　return　and　take　you　from　the　Gomangani。　　Good…bye；　my　Meriem。　　Korak　will　come　for　you　again。〃

〃Good…bye！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃Meriem　will　look　for　you　until　you　come。〃

Like　a　flash；　and　before　they　could　know　his　intention　or　prevent　him；　Korak　wheeled；　raced　across　the　village　and　with　a　single　leap　disappeared　into　the　foliage　of　the　great　tree　that　was　his　highroad　to　the　village　of　Kovudoo。　　A　shower　of　spears　followed　him；　but　their　only　harvest　was　a　taunting　laugh　flung　back　from　out　the　darkness　of　the　jungle。



Chapter　13

Meriem；　again　bound　and　under　heavy　guard　in　Kovudoo's　own　hut；　saw　the　night　pass　and　the　new　day　come　without　bringing　the　momentarily　looked　for　return　of　Korak。　　She　had　no　doubt　but　that　he　would　come　back　and　less　still　that　he　would　easily　free　her　from　her　captivity。　　To　her　Korak　was　little　short　of　omnipotent。　　He　embodied　for　her　all　that　was　finest　and　strongest　and　best　in　her　savage　world。　　She　gloried　in　his　prowess　and　worshipped　him　for　the　tender　thoughtfulness　that　always　had　marked　his　treatment　of　her。　　No　other　within　the　ken　of　her　memory　had　ever　accorded　her　the　love　and　gentleness　that　was　his　daily　offering　to　her。　　Most　of　the　gentler　attributes　of　his　early　childhood　had　long　since　been　forgotten　in　the　fierce　battle　for　existence　which　the　customs　of　the　mysterious　jungle　had　forced　upon　him。　　He　was　more　often　savage　and　bloodthirsty　than　tender　and　kindly。　　His　other　friends　of　the　wild　looked　for　no　gentle　tokens　of　his　affection。　　That　he　would　hunt　with　them　and　fight　for　them　was　sufficient。　　If　he　growled　and　showed　his　fighting　fangs　when　they　trespassed　upon　his　inalienable　rights　to　the　fruits　of　his　kills　they　felt　no　anger　toward　himonly　greater　respect　for　the　efficient　and　the　fitfor　him　who　could　not　only　kill　but　protect　the　flesh　of　his　kill。

But　toward　Meriem　he　always　had　shown　more　of　his　human　side。　　He　killed　primarily　for　her。　　It　was　to　the　feet　of　Meriem　that　he　brought　the　fruits　of　his　labors。　　It　was　for　Meriem　more　than　for　himself　that　he　squatted　beside　his　flesh　and　growled　ominously　at　whosoever　dared　sniff　too　closely　to　it。　　When　he　was　cold　in　the　dark　days　of　rain；　or　thirsty　in　a　prolonged　drouth；　his　discomfort　engendered　first　of　all　thoughts　of　Meriem's　welfareafter　she　had　been　made　warm；　after　her　thirst　had　been　slaked；　then　he　turned　to　the　affair　of　ministering　to　his　own　wants。

The　softest　skins　fell　gracefully　from　the　graceful　shoulders　of　his　Meriem。　　The　sweetest…scented　grasses　lined　her　bower　where　other　soft；　furry　pelts　made　hers　the　downiest　couch　in　all　the　jungle。

What　wonder　then　that　Meriem　loved　her　Korak？　　But　she　loved　him　as　a　little　sister　might　love　a　big　brother　who　was　very　good　to　her。　　As　yet　she　knew　naught　of　the　love　of　a　maid　for　a　man。

So　now　as　she　lay　waiting　for　him　she　dreamed　of　him　and　of　all　that　he　meant　to　her。　　She　compared　him　with　The　Sheik；　her　father；　and　at　thought　of　the　stern；　grizzled；　old　Arab　she　shuddered。　　Even　the　savage　blacks　had　been　less　harsh　to　her　than　he。　　Not　understanding　their　tongue　she　could　not　guess　what　purpose　they　had　in　keeping　her　a　prisoner。　　She　knew　that　man　ate　man；　and　she　had　expected　to　be　eaten；　but　she　had　been　with　them　for　some　time　now　and　no　harm　had　befallen　her。　　She　did　not　know　that　a　runner　had　been　dispatched　to　the　distant　village　of　The　Sheik　to　barter　with　him　for　a　ransom。　　She　did　not　know；　nor　did　Kovudoo；　that　the　runner　had　never　reached　his　destinationthat　he　had　fallen　in　with　the　safari　of　Jenssen　and　Malbihn　and　with　the　talkativeness　of　a　native　to　other　natives　had　unfolded　his　whole　mission　to　the　black　servants　of　the　two　Swedes。　　These　had　not　been　long　in　retailing　the　matter　to　their　masters；　and　the　result　was　that　when　the　runner　left　their　camp　to　continue　his　journey　he　had　scarce　passed　from　sight　before　there　came　the　report　of　a　rifle　and　he　rolled　lifeless　into　the　underbrush　with　a　bullet　in　his　back。

A　few　moments　later　Malbihn　strolled　back　into　the　encampment；　where　he　went　to　some　pains　to　let　it　be　known　that　he　had　had　a　shot　at　a　fine　buck　and　missed。　　The　Swedes　knew　that　their　men　hated　them；　and　that　an　overt　act　against　Kovudoo　would　quickly　be　carried　to　the　chief　at　the　first　opportunity。　Nor　were　they　sufficiently　strong　in　either　guns　or　loyal　followers　to　risk　antagonizing　the　wily　old　chief。

Following　this　episode　came　the　encounter　with　the　baboons　and　the　strange；　white　savage　who　had　allied　himself　with　the　beasts　against　the　humans。　　Only　by　dint　of　masterful　maneuvering　and　the　expenditure　of　much　power　had　the　Swedes　been　able　to　repulse　the　infuriated　apes；　and　even　for　hours　afterward　their　camp　was　constantly　besieged　by　hundreds　of　snarling；　screaming　devils。

The　Swedes；　rifles　in　hand；　repelled　numerous　savage　charges　which　lacked　only　efficient　leadership　to　have　rendered　them　as　effective　in　results　as　they　were　terrifying　in　appearance。　　Time　and　time　again　the　two　men　thought　they　saw　the　smooth…skinned　body　of　the　wild　ape…man　moving　among　the　baboons　in　the　forest；　and　the　belief　that　he　might　head　a　charge　upon　them　proved　most　disquieting。　　They　would　have　given　much　for　a　clean　shot　at　him；　for　to　him　they　attributed　the　loss　of　their　specimen　and　the　ugly　attitude　of　the　baboons　toward　them。

〃The　fellow　must　be　the　same　we　fired　on　several　years　ago；〃　said　Malbihn。　　〃That　time　he　was　accompanied　by　a　gorilla。　　Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　him；　Carl？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Jenssen。　　〃He　was　not　five　paces　from　me　when　I　fired　at　him。　　He　appears　to　be　an　intelligent　looking　Europeanand　not　much　more　than　a　lad。　　There　is　nothing　of　the　imbecile　or　degenerate　in　his　features　or　expression；　as　is　usually　true　in　similar　cases；　where　some　lunatic　escapes　into　the　woods　and　by　living　in　filth　and　nakedness　wins　the　title　of　wild　man　among　the　peasants　of　the　neighborhood。　　No；　this　fellow　is　of　different　stuffand　so　infinitely　more　to　be　feared。　As　much　as　I　should　like　a　shot　at　him　I　hope　he　stays　away。　Should　he　ever　deliberately　lead　a　charge　against　us　I　wouldn't　give　much　for　our　chances　if　we　happened　to　fail　to　bag　him　at　the　first　rush。〃

But　the　white　giant　did　not　appear　again　to　lead　the　baboons　against　them；　and　finally　the　angry　brutes　themselves　wandered　off　into　the　jungle　leaving　the　frightened　safari　in　peace。

The　next　day　the　Swedes　set　out　for　Kovudoo's　village　bent　on　securing　possession　of　the　person　of　the　white　girl　whom　Kovudoo's　runner　had　told　them　lay　captive　in　the　chief's　village。　How　they　were　to　accomplish　their　end　they　did　not　know。　　Force　was　out　of　the　question；　though　they　would　not　have　hesitated　to　use　it　had　they　possessed　it。　　In　former　years　they　had　marched　rough　shod　over　enormous　areas；　taking　toll　by　brute　force　even　when　kindliness　or　diplomacy　would　have　accomplished　more；　but　now　they　were　in　bad　straitsso　bad　that　they　had　shown　their　true　colors　scarce　twice　in　a　year　and　then　only　when　they　came　upon　an　isolated　village；　weak　in　numbers　and　poor　in　courage。

Kovudoo　was　not　as　these；　and　though　his　village　was　in　a　way　remote　from　the　more　populous　district　to　the　north　his　power　was　such　that　he　maintained　an　acknowledged　suzerainty　over　the　thin　thread　of　villages　which　connected　him　with　the　savage　lords　to　the　north。　　To　have　antagonized　him　would　have　spelled　ruin　for　the　Swedes。　　It　would　have　meant　that　they　might　never　reach　civilization　by　the　northern　route。　　To　the　west；　the　village　of　The　Sheik　lay　directly　in　their　path；　barring　them　effectually。　　To　the　east　the　trail　was　unknown　to　them；　and　to　the　south　there　was　no　trail。　　So　the　two　Swedes　approached　the　village　of　Kovudoo　with　friendly　words　upon　their　tongues　and　deep　craft　in　their　hearts。

Their　plans　were　well　made。　　There　was　no　mention　of　the　white　prisonerthey　chose　to　pretend　that　they　were　not　aware　that　Kovudoo　had　a　white　prisoner。　　They　exchanged　gifts　with　the　old　chief；　haggling　with　his　plenipotentiaries　over　the　value　of　what　they　were　to　receive　for　what　they　gave；　as　is　customary　and　proper　when　one　has　no　ulterior　motives。　　Unwarranted　generosity　would　have　aroused　suspicion。

During　the　palaver　which　followed　they　retailed　the　gossip　of　the　villages　through　which　they　had　passed；　receiving　in　exchange　such　news　as　Kovudoo　possessed。　　The　palaver　was　long　and　tiresome；　as　these　native　ceremonies　always　are　to　Europeans。　　Kovudoo　made　no　mention　of　his　prisoner　and　from　his　generous　offers　of　guides　and　presents　seemed　anxious　to　assure　himself　of　the　speedy　departure　of　his　guests。　　I