the son of tarzan-第33部分
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ison was driving at。
〃Whyahyour brother？〃 he stumbled。
〃No； Korak was not my brother；〃 she replied。
〃Was he your husband； then？〃 he finally blurted。
Far from taking offense； Meriem broke into a merry laugh。
〃My husband！〃 she cried。 〃Why how old do you think I am？ I am too young to have a husband。 I had never thought of such a thing。 Korak waswhy；〃 and now she hesitated； too； for she never before had attempted to analyse the relationship that existed between herself and Korak〃why； Korak was just Korak；〃 and again she broke into a gay laugh as she realized the illuminating quality of her description。
Looking at her and listening to her the man beside her could not believe that depravity of any sort or degree entered into the girl's nature； yet he wanted to believe that she had not been virtuous； for otherwise his task was less a sinecurethe Hon。 Morison was not entirely without conscience。
For several days the Hon。 Morison made no appreciable progress toward the consummation of his scheme。 Sometimes he almost abandoned it for he found himself time and again wondering how slight might be the provocation necessary to trick him into making a bona…fide offer of marriage to Meriem if he permitted himself to fall more deeply in love with her； and it was difficult to see her daily and not love her。 There was a quality about her which； all unknown to the Hon。 Morison； was making his task an extremely difficult oneit was that quality of innate goodness and cleanness which is a good girl's stoutest bulwark and protectionan impregnable barrier that only degeneracy has the effrontery to assail。 The Hon。 Morison Baynes would never be considered a degenerate。
He was sitting with Meriem upon the verandah one evening after the others had retired。 Earlier they had been playing tennis a game in which the Hon。 Morison shone to advantage； as； in truth； he did in most all manly sports。 He was telling Meriem stories of London and Paris； of balls and banquets； of the wonderful women and their wonderful gowns； of the pleasures and pastimes of the rich and powerful。 The Hon。 Morison was a past master in the art of insidious boasting。 His egotism was never flagrant or tiresomehe was never crude in it； for crudeness was a plebeianism that the Hon。 Morison studiously avoided； yet the impression derived by a listener to the Hon。 Morison was one that was not at all calculated to detract from the glory of the house of Baynes； or from that of its representative。
Meriem was entranced。 His tales were like fairy stories to this little jungle maid。 The Hon。 Morison loomed large and wonderful and magnificent in her mind's eye。 He fascinated her； and when he drew closer to her after a short silence and took her hand she thrilled as one might thrill beneath the touch of a deitya thrill of exaltation not unmixed with fear。
He bent his lips close to her ear。
〃Meriem！〃 he whispered。 〃My little Meriem！ May I hope to have the right to call you ‘my little Meriem'？〃
The girl turned wide eyes upward to his face； but it was in shadow。 She trembled but she did not draw away。 The man put an arm about her and drew her closer。
〃I love you！〃 he whispered。
She did not reply。 She did not know what to say。 She knew nothing of love。 She had never given it a thought； but she did know that it was very nice to be loved； whatever it meant。 It was nice to have people kind to one。 She had known so little of kindness or affection。
〃Tell me；〃 he said； 〃that you return my love。〃
His lips came steadily closer to hers。 They had almost touched when a vision of Korak sprang like a miracle before her eyes。 She saw Korak's face close to hers； she felt his lips hot against hers； and then for the first time in her life she guessed what love meant。 She drew away； gently。
〃I am not sure；〃 she said； 〃that I love you。 Let us wait。 There is plenty of time。 I am too young to marry yet； and I am not sure that I should be happy in London or Paristhey rather frighten me。〃
How easily and naturally she had connected his avowal of love with the idea of marriage！ The Hon。 Morison was perfectly sure that he had not mentioned marriagehe had been particularly careful not to do so。 And then she was not sure that she loved him！ That； too； came rather in the nature of a shock to his vanity。 It seemed incredible that this little barbarian should have any doubts whatever as to the desirability of the Hon。 Morison Baynes。
The first flush of passion cooled； the Hon。 Morison was enabled to reason more logically。 The start had been all wrong。 It would be better now to wait and prepare her mind gradually for the only proposition which his exalted estate would permit him to offer her。 He would go slow。 He glanced down at the girl's profile。 It was bathed in the silvery light of the great tropic moon。 The Hon。 Morison Baynes wondered if it were to be so easy a matter to 〃go slow。〃 She was most alluring。
Meriem rose。 The vision of Korak was still before her。
〃Good night；〃 she said。 〃It is almost too beautiful to leave；〃 she waved her hand in a comprehensive gesture which took in the starry heavens； the great moon； the broad； silvered plain； and the dense shadows in the distance； that marked the jungle。 〃Oh； how I love it！〃
〃You would love London more；〃 he said earnestly。 〃And London would love you。 You would be a famous beauty in any capital of Europe。 You would have the world at your feet； Meriem。〃
〃Good night！〃 she repeated； and left him。
The Hon。 Morison selected a cigarette from his crested case； lighted it； blew a thin line of blue smoke toward the moon； and smiled。
Chapter 18
Meriem and Bwana were sitting on the verandah together the following day when a horseman appeared in the distance riding across the plain toward the bungalow。 Bwana shaded his eyes with his hand and gazed out toward the oncoming rider。 He was puzzled。 Strangers were few in Central Africa。 Even the blacks for a distance of many miles in every direction were well known to him。 No white man came within a hundred miles that word of his coming did not reach Bwana long before the stranger。 His every move was reported to the big Bwanajust what animals he killed and how many of each species； how he killed them； too； for Bwana would not permit the use of prussic acid or strychnine； and how he treated his 〃boys。〃
Several European sportsmen had been turned back to the coast by the big Englishman's orders because of unwarranted cruelty to their black followers； and one； whose name had long been heralded in civilized communities as that of a great sportsman； was driven from Africa with orders never to return when Bwana found that his big bag of fourteen lions had been made by the diligent use of poisoned bait。
The result was that all good sportsmen and all the natives loved and respected him。 His word was law where there had never been law before。 There was scarce a head man from coast to coast who would not heed the big Bwana's commands in preference to those of the hunters who employed them； and so it was easy to turn back any undesirable strangerBwana had simply to threaten to order his boys to desert him。
But there was evidently one who had slipped into the country unheralded。 Bwana could not imagine who the approaching horseman might be。 After the manner of frontier hospitality the globe round he met the newcomer at the gate； welcoming him even before he had dismounted。 He saw a tall； well knit man of thirty or over； blonde of hair and smooth shaven。 There was a tantalizing familiarity about him that convinced Bwana that he should be able to call the visitor by name； yet he was unable to do so。 The newcomer was evidently of Scandinavian origin both his appearance and accent denoted that。 His manner was rough but open。 He made a good impression upon the Englishman； who was wont to accept strangers in this wild and savage country at their own valuation； asking no questions and assuming the best of them until they proved themselves undeserving of his friendship and hospitality。
〃It is rather unusual that a white man comes unheralded；〃 he said； as they walked together toward the field into which he had suggested that the traveler might turn his pony。 〃My friends； the natives； keep us rather well…posted。〃
〃It is probably due to the fact that I came from the south；〃 explained the stranger； 〃that you did not hear of my coming。 I have seen no village for several marches。〃
〃No； there are none to the south of us for many miles；〃 replied Bwana。 〃Since Kovudoo deserted his country I rather doubt that one could find a native in that direction under two or three hundred miles。〃
Bwana was wondering how a lone white man could have made his way through the savage； unhospitable miles that lay toward the south。 As though guessing what must be passing through the other's mind； the stranger vouchsafed an explanation。
〃I came down from the north to do a little trading and hunting；〃 he said； 〃and got way off the beaten track。 My head man； who was the only member of the safari who had ever before been in the country； took sick and died。 We could find no natives to guide us； and so I simply swung back straight north。 We have been living on the fruits of our guns for over a month。 Didn't have an idea there was a white man within a thousand miles of us when we camped last night by a water hole at the edge of the plain。 This morning I started out to hunt and saw the smoke from your chimney； so I sent my gun bearer back to camp with the good news and rode straight over here myself。 Of course I've heard of youeverybody who comes into Central Africa doesand I'd be mighty glad of permission to rest up and hunt around here for a couple of weeks。〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied Bwana。 〃Move your camp up close to the river below my boys' camp and make yourself at home。〃
They had reached the verandah now and Bwana was introducing the stranger to Meriem and My Dear； who had just come from the bungalow's interior。
〃This is Mr。 Hanson；〃 he said； using the name the man had given him。 〃He is a trader who has lost his way in the jungle to the south。〃
My Dear and Meriem bowed their acknowledgments of the introduction。 The man seemed rather ill a
