the son of tarzan-第4部分

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trainer　explained；　the　man　realized　the　effectiveness　of　sending　him　into　the　box　with　the　handsome　boy；　who；　doubtless；　would　be　terror　stricken　by　proximity　to　the　shaggy；　powerful　beast。

When　the　time　came；　therefore；　for　the　ape　to　return　from　the　wings　in　reply　to　an　encore　the　trainer　directed　its　attention　to　the　boy　who　chanced　to　be　the　sole　occupant　of　the　box　in　which　he　sat。　　With　a　spring　the　huge　anthropoid　leaped　from　the　stage　to　the　boy's　side；　but　if　the　trainer　had　looked　for　a　laughable　scene　of　fright　he　was　mistaken。　　A　broad　smile　lighted　the　boy's　features　as　he　laid　his　hand　upon　the　shaggy　arm　of　his　visitor。　　The　ape；　grasping　the　boy　by　either　shoulder；　peered　long　and　earnestly　into　his　face；　while　the　latter　stroked　his　head　and　talked　to　him　in　a　low　voice。

Never　had　Ajax　devoted　so　long　a　time　to　an　examination　of　another　as　he　did　in　this　instance。　　He　seemed　troubled　and　not　a　little　excited；　jabbering　and　mumbling　to　the　boy；　and　now　caressing　him；　as　the　trainer　had　never　seen　him　caress　a　human　being　before。　　Presently　he　clambered　over　into　the　box　with　him　and　snuggled　down　close　to　the　boy's　side。　　The　audience　was　delighted；　but　they　were　still　more　delighted　when　the　trainer；　the　period　of　his　act　having　elapsed；　attempted　to　persuade　Ajax　to　leave　the　box。　　The　ape　would　not　budge。　　The　manager；　becoming　excited　at　the　delay；　urged　the　trainer　to　greater　haste；　but　when　the　latter　entered　the　box　to　drag　away　the　reluctant　Ajax　he　was　met　by　bared　fangs　and　menacing　growls。

The　audience　was　delirious　with　joy。　　They　cheered　the　ape。　　They　cheered　the　boy；　and　they　hooted　and　jeered　at　the　trainer　and　the　manager；　which　luckless　individual　had　inadvertently　shown　himself　and　attempted　to　assist　the　trainer。

Finally；　reduced　to　desperation　and　realizing　that　this　show　of　mutiny　upon　the　part　of　his　valuable　possession　might　render　the　animal　worthless　for　exhibition　purposes　in　the　future　if　not　immediately　subdued；　the　trainer　had　hastened　to　his　dressing　room　and　procured　a　heavy　whip。　　With　this　he　now　returned　to　the　box；　but　when　he　had　threatened　Ajax　with　it　but　once　he　found　himself　facing　two　infuriated　enemies　instead　of　one；　for　the　boy　had　leaped　to　his　feet；　and　seizing　a　chair　was　standing　ready　at　the　ape's　side　to　defend　his　new　found　friend。　　There　was　no　longer　a　smile　upon　his　handsome　face。　　In　his　gray　eyes　was　an　expression　which　gave　the　trainer　pause；　and　beside　him　stood　the　giant　anthropoid　growling　and　ready。

What　might　have　happened；　but　for　a　timely　interruption；　may　only　be　surmised；　but　that　the　trainer　would　have　received　a　severe　mauling；　if　nothing　more；　was　clearly　indicated　by　the　attitudes　of　the　two　who　faced　him。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*

It　was　a　pale…faced　man　who　rushed　into　the　Greystoke　library　to　announce　that　he　had　found　Jack's　door　locked　and　had　been　able　to　obtain　no　response　to　his　repeated　knocking　and　calling　other　than　a　strange　tapping　and　the　sound　of　what　might　have　been　a　body　moving　about　upon　the　floor。

Four　steps　at　a　time　John　Clayton　took　the　stairs　that　led　to　the　floor　above。　　His　wife　and　the　servant　hurried　after　him。　　Once　he　called　his　son's　name　in　a　loud　voice；　but　receiving　no　reply　he　launched　his　great　weight；　backed　by　all　the　undiminished　power　of　his　giant　muscles；　against　the　heavy　door。　　With　a　snapping　of　iron　butts　and　a　splintering　of　wood　the　obstacle　burst　inward。

At　its　foot　lay　the　body　of　the　unconscious　Mr。　Moore；　across　whom　it　fell　with　a　resounding　thud。　　Through　the　opening　leaped　Tarzan；　and　a　moment　later　the　room　was　flooded　with　light　from　a　dozen　electric　bulbs。

It　was　several　minutes　before　the　tutor　was　discovered；　so　completely　had　the　door　covered　him；　but　finally　he　was　dragged　forth；　his　gag　and　bonds　cut　away；　and　a　liberal　application　of　cold　water　had　hastened　returning　consciousness。

〃Where　is　Jack？〃　was　John　Clayton's　first　question；　and　then；　〃Who　did　this？〃　as　the　memory　of　Rokoff　and　the　fear　of　a　second　abduction　seized　him。

Slowly　Mr。　Moore　staggered　to　his　feet。　　His　gaze　wandered　about　the　room。　　Gradually　he　collected　his　scattered　wits。　　The　details　of　his　recent　harrowing　experience　returned　to　him。

〃I　tender　my　resignation；　sir；　to　take　effect　at　once；〃　were　his　first　words。　　〃You　do　not　need　a　tutor　for　your　sonwhat　he　needs　is　a　wild　animal　trainer。〃

〃But　where　is　he？〃　cried　Lady　Greystoke。

〃He　has　gone　to　see　Ajax。〃

It　was　with　difficulty　that　Tarzan　restrained　a　smile；　and　after　satisfying　himself　that　the　tutor　was　more　scared　than　injured；　he　ordered　his　closed　car　around　and　departed　in　the　direction　of　a　certain　well…known　music　hall。



Chapter　3

As　the　trainer；　with　raised　lash；　hesitated　an　instant　at　the　entrance　to　the　box　where　the　boy　and　the　ape　confronted　him；　a　tall　broad…shouldered　man　pushed　past　him　and　entered。　　As　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　newcomer　a　slight　flush　mounted　the　boy's　cheeks。

〃Father！〃　he　exclaimed。

The　ape　gave　one　look　at　the　English　lord；　and　then　leaped　toward　him；　calling　out　in　excited　jabbering。　　The　man；　his　eyes　going　wide　in　astonishment；　stopped　as　though　turned　to　stone。

〃Akut！〃　he　cried。

The　boy　looked；　bewildered；　from　the　ape　to　his　father；　and　from　his　father　to　the　ape。　　The　trainer's　jaw　dropped　as　he　listened　to　what　followed；　for　from　the　lips　of　the　Englishman　flowed　the　gutturals　of　an　ape　that　were　answered　in　kind　by　the　huge　anthropoid　that　now　clung　to　him。

And　from　the　wings　a　hideously　bent　and　disfigured　old　man　watched　the　tableau　in　the　box；　his　pock…marked　features　working　spasmodically　in　varying　expressions　that　might　have　marked　every　sensation　in　the　gamut　from　pleasure　to　terror。

〃Long　have　I　looked　for　you；　Tarzan；〃　said　Akut。　　〃Now　that　I　have　found　you　I　shall　come　to　your　jungle　and　live　there　always。〃

The　man　stroked　the　beast's　head。　　Through　his　mind　there　was　running　rapidly　a　train　of　recollection　that　carried　him　far　into　the　depths　of　the　primeval　African　forest　where　this　huge；　man…like　beast　had　fought　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　him　years　before。　　He　saw　the　black　Mugambi　wielding　his　deadly　knob…　stick；　and　beside　them；　with　bared　fangs　and　bristling　whiskers；　Sheeta　the　terrible；　and　pressing　close　behind　the　savage　and　the　savage　panther；　the　hideous　apes　of　Akut。　　The　man　sighed。　　Strong　within　him　surged　the　jungle　lust　that　he　had　thought　dead。　　Ah！　if　he　could　go　back　even　for　a　brief　month　of　it；　to　feel　again　the　brush　of　leafy　branches　against　his　naked　hide；　to　smell　the　musty　rot　of　dead　vegetationfrankincense　and　myrrh　to　the　jungle　born；　to　sense　the　noiseless　coming　of　the　great　carnivora　upon　his　trail；　to　hunt　and　to　be　hunted；　to　kill！　　The　picture　was　alluring。　　And　then　came　another　picturea　sweet…　faced　woman；　still　young　and　beautiful；　friends；　a　home；　a　son。　　He　shrugged　his　giant　shoulders。

〃It　cannot　be；　Akut；〃　he　said；　〃but　if　you　would　return；　I　shall　see　that　it　is　done。　　You　could　not　be　happy　hereI　may　not　be　happy　there。〃

The　trainer　stepped　forward。　　The　ape　bared　his　fangs；　growling。

〃Go　with　him；　Akut；〃　said　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　　〃I　will　come　and　see　you　tomorrow。〃

The　beast　moved　sullenly　to　the　trainer's　side。　　The　latter；　at　John　Clayton's　request；　told　where　they　might　be　found。　　Tarzan　turned　toward　his　son。

〃Come！〃　he　said；　and　the　two　left　the　theater。　　Neither　spoke　for　several　minutes　after　they　had　entered　the　limousine。　　It　was　the　boy　who　broke　the　silence。

〃The　ape　knew　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　spoke　together　in　the　ape's　tongue。　　How　did　the　ape　know　you；　and　how　did　you　learn　his　language？〃

And　then；　briefly　and　for　the　first　time；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　told　his　son　of　his　early　lifeof　the　birth　in　the　jungle；　of　the　death　of　his　parents；　and　of　how　Kala；　the　great　she　ape　had　suckled　and　raised　him　from　infancy　almost　to　manhood。　　He　told　him；　too；　of　the　dangers　and　the　horrors　of　the　jungle；　of　the　great　beasts　that　stalked　one　by　day　and　by　night；　of　the　periods　of　drought；　and　of　the　cataclysmic　rains；　of　hunger；　of　cold；　of　intense　heat；　of　nakedness　and　fear　and　suffering。　　He　told　him　of　all　those　things　that　seem　most　horrible　to　the　creature　of　civilization　in　the　hope　that　the　knowledge　of　them　might　expunge　from　the　lad's　mind　any　inherent　desire　for　the　jungle。　　Yet　they　were　the　very　things　that　made　the　memory　of　the　jungle　what　it　was　to　Tarzanthat　made　up　the　composite　jungle　life　he　loved。　　And　in　the　telling　he　forgot　one　thingthe　principal　thingthat　the　boy　at　his　side；　listening　with　eager　ears；　was　the　son　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。

After　the　boy　had　been　tucked　away　in　bedand　without　the　threatened　punishmentJohn　Clayton　told　his　wife　of　the　events　of　the　evening；　and　that　he　had　at　last　acquainted　the　boy　with　the　facts　of　his　jungle　life。　　The　mother；　who　had　long　foreseen　that　her　son　must　some　time　know　of　those　frightful　years　during　which　his　father　had　roamed　the　jungle；　a　naked；　savage　beast　of　prey；　only　shook　her　head；　hoping　against　hope　that　the　lure　she　knew　was　still　strong　in　the　father's　breast　had　not　been　transmitted　to　his　son。

Tarzan　visited　Akut　the　following　day；　but　though　Jack　begged　to　be　allowed　to　accompany　him　he　was　refused。　　This　time　Tarzan　saw　the　pock…marked　old　owner　of　the　ape；　whom　he　did　not　recognize　as　the　wily　Paulvitch　of　former　days。　　Tarzan；　influenced　by　Akut's　pleadings；　broached　the　question　of　the　ape's　purchase；　but　Paulvitch　would　not　name　any　price；　saying　that　he　would　consider　the　matter。

When　Tarzan　returned　home　Jack　was　all　excitement　to　hear　the　details　of　his　visit；　and　finally　suggested　that　his　father　buy　the　ape　and　bring　it　home。　　Lady　Greystoke　was　horrified　at　the　suggestion。　　The　boy　was　insistent。　　Tarzan　explained　that　he　had　wished　to　purchase　Akut　and　return　him　to　his　jungle　home；　and　to　this　the　mother　assented。　　Jack　asked　to　be　allowed　to　visit　the　ape；　but　again　he　was　met　with　flat　refusal。　　He　had　the　address；　however；　which　the　trainer　had　given　his　father；　and　two　days　later　he　found　the　opportunity　to　elude　his　new　tutorwho　had　replaced　the　terrified　Mr。　Mooreand　after　a　considerable　search　through　a　section　of　London　which　he　had　never　before　visited；　he　found