the son of tarzan-第25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！


rs　of　guides　and　presents　seemed　anxious　to　assure　himself　of　the　speedy　departure　of　his　guests。　　It　was　Malbihn　who；　quite　casually；　near　the　close　of　their　talk；　mentioned　the　fact　that　The　Sheik　was　dead。　　Kovudoo　evinced　interest　and　surprise。

〃You　did　not　know　it？〃　asked　Malbihn。　　〃That　is　strange。　　It　was　during　the　last　moon。　　He　fell　from　his　horse　when　the　beast　stepped　in　a　hole。　　The　horse　fell　upon　him。　　When　his　men　came　up　The　Sheik　was　quite　dead。〃

Kovudoo　scratched　his　head。　　He　was　much　disappointed。　　No　Sheik　meant　no　ransom　for　the　white　girl。　　Now　she　was　worthless；　unless　he　utilized　her　for　a　feast　ora　mate。　　The　latter　thought　aroused　him。　　He　spat　at　a　small　beetle　crawling　through　the　dust　before　him。　　He　eyed　Malbihn　appraisingly。　　These　white　men　were　peculiar。　　They　traveled　far　from　their　own　villages　without　women。　　Yet　he　knew　they　cared　for　women。　　But　how　much　did　they　care　for　them？that　was　the　question　that　disturbed　Kovudoo。

〃I　know　where　there　is　a　white　girl；〃　he　said；　unexpectedly。　〃If　you　wish　to　buy　her　she　may　be　had　cheap。〃

Malbihn　shrugged。　　〃We　have　troubles　enough；　Kovudoo；〃　he　said；　〃without　burdening　ourselves　with　an　old　she…hyena；　and　as　for　paying　for　one〃　　Malbihn　snapped　his　fingers　in　derision。

〃She　is　young；〃　said　Kovudoo；　〃and　good　looking。〃

The　Swedes　laughed。　　〃There　are　no　good　looking　white　women　in　the　jungle；　Kovudoo；〃　said　Jenssen。　　〃You　should　be　ashamed　to　try　to　make　fun　of　old　friends。〃

Kovudoo　sprang　to　his　feet。　　〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　show　you　that　she　is　all　I　say。〃

Malbihn　and　Jenssen　rose　to　follow　him　and　as　they　did　so　their　eyes　met；　and　Malbihn　slowly　drooped　one　of　his　lids　in　a　sly　wink。　　Together　they　followed　Kovudoo　toward　his　hut。　　In　the　dim　interior　they　discerned　the　figure　of　a　woman　lying　bound　upon　a　sleeping　mat。

Malbihn　took　a　single　glance　and　turned　away。　　〃She　must　be　a　thousand　years　old；　Kovudoo；〃　he　said；　as　he　left　the　hut。

〃She　is　young；〃　cried　the　savage。　　〃It　is　dark　in　here。　　You　cannot　see。　　Wait；　I　will　have　her　brought　out　into　the　sunlight；〃　and　he　commanded　the　two　warriors　who　watched　the　girl　to　cut　the　bonds　from　her　ankles　and　lead　her　forth　for　inspection。

Malbihn　and　Jenssen　evinced　no　eagerness；　though　both　were　fairly　bursting　with　itnot　to　see　the　girl　but　to　obtain　possession　of　her。　　They　cared　not　if　she　had　the　face　of　a　marmoset；　or　the　figure　of　pot…bellied　Kovudoo　himself。　　All　that　they　wished　to　know　was　that　she　was　the　girl　who　had　been　stolen　from　The　Sheik　several　years　before。　　They　thought　that　they　would　recognize　her　for　such　if　she　was　indeed　the　same；　but　even　so　the　testimony　of　the　runner　Kovudoo　had　sent　to　The　Sheik　was　such　as　to　assure　them　that　the　girl　was　the　one　they　had　once　before　attempted　to　abduct。

As　Meriem　was　brought　forth　from　the　darkness　of　the　hut's　interior　the　two　men　turned　with　every　appearance　of　disinterestedness　to　glance　at　her。　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　Malbihn　suppressed　an　ejaculation　of　astonishment。　　The　girl's　beauty　fairly　took　his　breath　from　him；　but　instantly　he　recovered　his　poise　and　turned　to　Kovudoo。

〃Well？〃　he　said　to　the　old　chief。

〃Is　she　not　both　young　and　good　looking？〃　asked　Kovudoo。

〃She　is　not　old；〃　replied　Malbihn；　〃but　even　so　she　will　be　a　burden。　　We　did　not　come　from　the　north　after　wivesthere　are　more　than　enough　there　for　us。〃

Meriem　stood　looking　straight　at　the　white　men。　　She　expected　nothing　from　themthey　were　to　her　as　much　enemies　as　the　black　men。　　She　hated　and　feared　them　all。　　Malbihn　spoke　to　her　in　Arabic。

〃We　are　friends；〃　he　said。　　〃Would　you　like　to　have　us　take　you　away　from　here？〃

Slowly　and　dimly　as　though　from　a　great　distance　recollection　of　the　once　familiar　tongue　returned　to　her。

〃I　should　like　to　go　free；〃　she　said；　〃and　go　back　to　Korak。〃

〃You　would　like　to　go　with　us？〃　persisted　Malbihn。

〃No；〃　said　Meriem。

Malbihn　turned　to　Kovudoo。　　〃She　does　not　wish　to　go　with　us；〃　he　said。

〃You　are　men；〃　returned　the　black。　　〃Can　you　not　take　her　by　force？〃

〃It　would　only　add　to　our　troubles；〃　replied　the　Swede。　　〃No；　Kovudoo；　we　do　not　wish　her；　though；　if　you　wish　to　be　rid　of　her；　we　will　take　her　away　because　of　our　friendship　for　you。〃

Now　Kovudoo　knew　that　he　had　made　a　sale。　　They　wanted　her。　　So　he　commenced　to　bargain；　and　in　the　end　the　person　of　Meriem　passed　from　the　possession　of　the　black　chieftain　into　that　of　the　two　Swedes　in　consideration　of　six　yards　of　Amerikan；　three　empty　brass　cartridge　shells　and　a　shiny；　new　jack　knife　from　New　Jersey。　　And　all　but　Meriem　were　more　than　pleased　with　the　bargain。

Kovudoo　stipulated　but　a　single　condition　and　that　was　that　the　Europeans　were　to　leave　his　village　and　take　the　girl　with　them　as　early　the　next　morning　as　they　could　get　started。　　After　the　sale　was　consummated　he　did　not　hesitate　to　explain　his　reasons　for　this　demand。　　He　told　them　of　the　strenuous　attempt　of　the　girl's　savage　mate　to　rescue　her；　and　suggested　that　the　sooner　they　got　her　out　of　the　country　the　more　likely　they　were　to　retain　possession　of　her。

Meriem　was　again　bound　and　placed　under　guard；　but　this　time　in　the　tent　of　the　Swedes。　　Malbihn　talked　to　her；　trying　to　persuade　her　to　accompany　them　willingly。　　He　told　her　that　they　would　return　her　to　her　own　village；　but　when　he　discovered　that　she　would　rather　die　than　go　back　to　the　old　sheik；　he　assured　her　that　they　would　not　take　her　there；　nor；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　had　they　had　an　intention　of　so　doing。　　As　he　talked　with　the　girl　the　Swede　feasted　his　eyes　upon　the　beautiful　lines　of　her　face　and　figure。　　She　had　grown　tall　and　straight　and　slender　toward　maturity　since　he　had　seen　her　in　The　Sheik's　village　on　that　long　gone　day。　　For　years　she　had　represented　to　him　a　certain　fabulous　reward。　　In　his　thoughts　she　had　been　but　the　personification　of　the　pleasures　and　luxuries　that　many　francs　would　purchase。　　Now　as　she　stood　before　him　pulsing　with　life　and　loveliness　she　suggested　other　seductive　and　alluring　possibilities。　　He　came　closer　to　her　and　laid　his　hand　upon　her。　　The　girl　shrank　from　him。　　He　seized　her　and　she　struck　him　heavily　in　the　mouth　as　he　sought　to　kiss　her。　　Then　Jenssen　entered　the　tent。

〃Malbihn！〃　he　almost　shouted。　　〃You　fool！〃

Sven　Malbihn　released　his　hold　upon　the　girl　and　turned　toward　his　companion。　　His　face　was　red　with　mortification。

〃What　the　devil　are　you　trying　to　do？〃　growled　Jenssen。　〃Would　you　throw　away　every　chance　for　the　reward？　　If　we　maltreat　her　we　not　only　couldn't　collect　a　sou；　but　they'd　send　us　to　prison　for　our　pains。　　I　thought　you　had　more　sense；　Malbihn。〃

〃I'm　not　a　wooden　man；〃　growled　Malbihn。

〃You'd　better　be；〃　rejoined　Jenssen；　〃at　least　until　we　have　delivered　her　over　in　safety　and　collected　what　will　be　coming　to　us。〃

〃Oh；　hell；〃　cried　Malbihn。　　〃What's　the　use？　　They'll　be　glad　enough　to　have　her　back；　and　by　the　time　we　get　there　with　her　she'll　be　only　too　glad　to　keep　her　mouth　shut。　　Why　not？〃

〃Because　I　say　not；〃　growled　Jenssen。　　〃I've　always　let　you　boss　things；　Sven；　but　here's　a　case　where　what　I　say　has　got　to　gobecause　I'm　right　and　you're　wrong；　and　we　both　know　it。〃

〃You're　getting　damned　virtuous　all　of　a　sudden；〃　growled　Malbihn。　　〃Perhaps　you　think　I　have　forgotten　about　the　inn　keeper's　daughter；　and　little　Celella；　and　that　nigger　at〃

〃Shut　up！〃　snapped　Jenssen。　　〃It's　not　a　matter　of　virtue　and　you　are　as　well　aware　of　that　as　I。　　I　don't　want　to　quarrel　with　you；　but　so　help　me　God；　Sven；　you're　not　going　to　harm　this　girl　if　I　have　to　kill　you　to　prevent　it。　　I've　suffered　and　slaved　and　been　nearly　killed　forty　times　in　the　last　nine　or　ten　years　trying　to　accomplish　what　luck　has　thrown　at　our　feet　at　last；　and　now　I'm　not　going　to　be　robbed　of　the　fruits　of　success　because　you　happen　to　be　more　of　a　beast　than　a　man。　　Again　I　warn　you；　Sven〃　and　he　tapped　the　revolver　that　swung　in　its　holster　at　his　hip。

Malbihn　gave　his　friend　an　ugly　look；　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　left　the　tent。　　Jenssen　turned　to　Meriem。

〃If　he　bothers　you　again；　call　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shall　always　be　near。〃

The　girl　had　not　understood　the　conversation　that　had　been　carried　on　by　her　two　owners；　for　it　had　been　in　Swedish；　but　what　Jenssen　had　just　said　to　her　in　Arabic　she　understood　and　from　it　grasped　an　excellent　idea　of　what　had　passed　between　the　two。　　The　expressions　upon　their　faces；　their　gestures；　and　Jenssen's　final　tapping　of　his　revolver　before　Malbihn　had　left　the　tent　had　all　been　eloquent　of　the　seriousness　of　their　altercation。　　Now；　toward　Jenssen　she　looked　for　friendship；　and　with　the　innocence　of　youth　she　threw　herself　upon　his　mercy；　begging　him　to　set　her　free；　that　she　might　return　to　Korak　and　her　jungle　life；　but　she　was　doomed　to　another　disappointment；　for　the　man　only　laughed　at　her　roughly　and　told　her　that　if　she　tried　to　escape　she　would　be　punished　by　the　very　thing　that　he　had　just　saved　her　from。

All　that　night　she　lay　listening　for　a　signal　from　Korak。　　All　about　the　jungle　life　moved　through　the　darkness。　　To　her　sensitive　ears　came　sounds　that　the　others　in　the　camp　could　not　hearsounds　that　she　interpreted　as　we　might　interpret　the　speech　of　a　friend；　but　not　once　came　a　single　note　that　reflected　the　presence　of　Korak。　　But　she　knew　that　he　would　come。　　Nothing　short　of　death　itself　could　prevent　her　Korak　from　returning　for　her。　　What　delayed　him　though？

When　morning　came　again　and　the　night　had　brought　no　succoring　Korak；　Meriem's　faith　and　loyalty　were　still　unshaken　though　misgivings　began　to　assail　her　as　to　the　safety　of　her　friend。　　It　seemed　unbelievable　that　serious　mishap　could　have　overtaken　her　wonderful　Korak　who　daily　passed　unscathed　through　all　the　terrors　of　the　jungle。　　Yet　morning　came；　the　morning　meal　was　eaten；　the　camp　broken　and　the　disreputable　safari　of　the　Swedes　was　on　the　move　northward　with　still　no　sign　of　the　rescue　the　girl　momentarily　expected。

All　that　day　they　marched；　and　the　next　and　the　next；　nor　did　Korak　even　so　much　as　show　himself　to　the　patient　little　waiter　moving；　silently　and　stately；　beside　her　hard　captors。

Malbihn　remained　scowling　and　angry。　　He　replied　to　Jenssen