the son of tarzan-第49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！


s　were　searing　his　sensitive　hidesensitive　for　all　its　thicknessso　that　in　his　frenzy　to　both　rescue　his　friend　and　escape　the　hated　fire　he　had　all　but　crushed　the　life　from　the　ape…man。

Lifting　his　burden　high　above　his　head　the　giant　beast　wheeled　and　raced　for　the　breach　that　he　had　just　made　in　the　palisade。　The　Sheik；　rifle　in　hand；　rushed　from　his　tent　directly　into　the　path　of　the　maddened　brute。　　He　raised　his　weapon　and　fired　once；　the　bullet　missed　its　mark；　and　Tantor　was　upon　him；　crushing　him　beneath　those　gigantic　feet　as　he　raced　over　him　as　you　and　I　might　crush　out　the　life　of　an　ant　that　chanced　to　be　in　our　pathway。

And　then；　bearing　his　burden　carefully；　Tantor；　the　elephant；　entered　the　blackness　of　the　jungle。



Chapter　26

Meriem；　dazed　by　the　unexpected　sight　of　Korak　whom　she　had　long　given　up　as　dead；　permitted　herself　to　be　led　away　by　Baynes。　　Among　the　tents　he　guided　her　safely　to　the　palisade；　and　there；　following　Korak's　instructions；　the　Englishman　pitched　a　noose　over　the　top　of　one　of　the　upright　logs　that　formed　the　barrier。　　With　difficulty　he　reached　the　top　and　then　lowered　his　hand　to　assist　Meriem　to　his　side。

〃Come！〃　he　whispered。　　〃We　must　hurry。〃　　And　then；　as　though　she　had　awakened　from　a　sleep；　Meriem　came　to　herself。　Back　there；　fighting　her　enemies；　alone；　was　Korakher　Korak。　Her　place　was　by　his　side；　fighting　with　him　and　for　him。　　She　glanced　up　at　Baynes。

〃Go！〃　she　called。　　〃Make　your　way　back　to　Bwana　and　bring　help。　　My　place　is　here。　　You　can　do　no　good　remaining。　　Get　away　while　you　can　and　bring　the　Big　Bwana　back　with　you。〃

Silently　the　Hon。　Morison　Baynes　slid　to　the　ground　inside　the　palisade　to　Meriem's　side。

〃It　was　only　for　you　that　I　left　him；〃　he　said；　nodding　toward　the　tents　they　had　just　left。　　〃I　knew　that　he　could　hold　them　longer　than　I　and　give　you　a　chance　to　escape　that　I　might　not　be　able　to　have　given　you。　　It　was　I　though　who　should　have　remained。　　I　heard　you　call　him　Korak　and　so　I　know　now　who　he　is。　　He　befriended　you。　　I　would　have　wronged　you。　　Nodon't　interrupt。　　I'm　going　to　tell　you　the　truth　now　and　let　you　know　just　what　a　beast　I　have　been。　　I　planned　to　take　you　to　London；　as　you　know；　but　I　did　not　plan　to　marry　you。　　Yes；　shrink　from　meI　deserve　it。　I　deserve　your　contempt　and　loathing；　but　I　didn't　know　then　what　love　was。　　Since　I　have　learned　that　I　have　learned　something　elsewhat　a　cad　and　what　a　coward　I　have　been　all　my　life。　　I　looked　down　upon　those　whom　I　considered　my　social　inferiors。　　I　did　not　think　you　good　enough　to　bear　my　name。　　Since　Hanson　tricked　me　and　took　you　for　himself　I　have　been　through　hell；　but　it　has　made　a　man　of　me；　though　too　late。　　Now　I　can　come　to　you　with　an　offer　of　honest　love；　which　will　realize　the　honor　of　having　such　as　you　share　my　name　with　me。〃

For　a　moment　Meriem　was　silent；　buried　in　thought。　　Her　first　question　seemed　irrelevant。

〃How　did　you　happen　to　be　in　this　village？〃　she　asked。

He　told　her　all　that　had　transpired　since　the　black　had　told　him　of　Hanson's　duplicity。

〃You　say　that　you　are　a　coward；〃　she　said；　〃and　yet　you　have　done　all　this　to　save　me？　　The　courage　that　it　must　have　taken　to　tell　me　the　things　that　you　told　me　but　a　moment　since；　while　courage　of　a　different　sort；　proves　that　you　are　no　moral　coward；　and　the　other　proves　that　you　are　not　a　physical　coward。　　I　could　not　love　a　coward。〃

〃You　mean　that　you　love　me？〃　he　gasped　in　astonishment；　taking　a　step　toward　her　as　though　to　gather　her　into　his　arms；　but　she　placed　her　hand　against　him　and　pushed　him　gently　away；　as　much　as　to　say；　not　yet。　　What　she　did　mean　she　scarcely　knew。　　She　thought　that　she　loved　him；　of　that　there　can　be　no　question；　nor　did　she　think　that　love　for　this　young　Englishman　was　disloyalty　to　Korak；　for　her　love　for　Korak　was　undiminishedthe　love　of　a　sister　for　an　indulgent　brother。　　As　they　stood　there　for　the　moment　of　their　conversation　the　sounds　of　tumult　in　the　village　subsided。

〃They　have　killed　him；〃　whispered　Meriem。

The　statement　brought　Baynes　to　a　realization　of　the　cause　of　their　return。

〃Wait　here；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　go　and　see。　　If　he　is　dead　we　can　do　him　no　good。　　If　he　lives　I　will　do　my　best　to　free　him。〃

〃We　will　go　together；〃　replied　Meriem。　　〃Come！〃　　And　she　led　the　way　back　toward　the　tent　in　which　they　last　had　seen　Korak。　　As　they　went　they　were　often　forced　to　throw　themselves　to　the　ground　in　the　shadow　of　a　tent　or　hut；　for　people　were　passing　hurriedly　to　and　fro　nowthe　whole　village　was　aroused　and　moving　about。　　The　return　to　the　tent　of　Ali　ben　Kadin　took　much　longer　than　had　their　swift　flight　to　the　palisade。　　Cautiously　they　crept　to　the　slit　that　Korak's　knife　had　made　in　the　rear　wall。　　Meriem　peered　withinthe　rear　apartment　was　empty。　She　crawled　through　the　aperture；　Baynes　at　her　heels；　and　then　silently　crossed　the　space　to　the　rugs　that　partitioned　the　tent　into　two　rooms。　　Parting　the　hangings　Meriem　looked　into　the　front　room。　　It；　too；　was　deserted。　　She　crossed　to　the　door　of　the　tent　and　looked　out。　　Then　she　gave　a　little　gasp　of　horror。　　Baynes　at　her　shoulder　looked　past　her　to　the　sight　that　had　startled　her；　and　he；　too；　exclaimed；　but　his　was　an　oath　of　anger。

A　hundred　feet　away　they　saw　Korak　bound　to　a　stakethe　brush　piled　about　him　already　alight。　　The　Englishman　pushed　Meriem　to　one　side　and　started　to　run　for　the　doomed　man。　What　he　could　do　in　the　face　of　scores　of　hostile　blacks　and　Arabs　he　did　not　stop　to　consider。　　At　the　same　instant　Tantor　broke　through　the　palisade　and　charged　the　group。　　In　the　face　of　the　maddened　beast　the　crowd　turned　and　fled；　carrying　Baynes　backward　with　them。　　In　a　moment　it　was　all　over；　and　the　elephant　had　disappeared　with　his　prize；　but　pandemonium　reigned　throughout　the　village。　　Men；　women　and　children　ran　helter　skelter　for　safety。　　Curs　fled；　yelping。　　The　horses　and　camels　and　donkeys；　terrorized　by　the　trumpeting　of　the　pachyderm；　kicked　and　pulled　at　their　tethers。　　A　dozen　or　more　broke　loose；　and　it　was　the　galloping　of　these　past　him　that　brought　a　sudden　idea　into　Baynes'　head。　　He　turned　to　search　for　Meriem　only　to　find　her　at　his　elbow。

〃The　horses！〃　he　cried。　　〃If　we　can　get　a　couple　of　them！〃

Filled　with　the　idea　Meriem　led　him　to　the　far　end　of　the　village。

〃Loosen　two　of　them；〃　she　said；　〃and　lead　them　back　into　the　shadows　behind　those　huts。　　I　know　where　there　are　saddles。　I　will　bring　them　and　the　bridles；〃　and　before　he　could　stop　her　she　was　gone。

Baynes　quickly　untied　two　of　the　restive　animals　and　led　them　to　the　point　designated　by　Meriem。　　Here　he　waited　impatiently　for　what　seemed　an　hour；　but　was；　in　reality；　but　a　few　minutes。　Then　he　saw　the　girl　approaching　beneath　the　burden　of　two　saddles。　　Quickly　they　placed　these　upon　the　horses。　　They　could　see　by　the　light　of　the　torture　fire　that　still　burned　that　the　blacks　and　Arabs　were　recovering　from　their　panic。　　Men　were　running　about　gathering　in　the　loose　stock；　and　two　or　three　were　already　leading　their　captives　back　to　the　end　of　the　village　where　Meriem　and　Baynes　were　busy　with　the　trappings　of　their　mounts。

Now　the　girl　flung　herself　into　the　saddle。

〃Hurry！〃　she　whispered。　　〃We　shall　have　to　run　for　it。　　Ride　through　the　gap　that　Tantor　made；〃　and　as　she　saw　Baynes　swing　his　leg　over　the　back　of　his　horse；　she　shook　the　reins　free　over　her　mount's　neck。　　With　a　lunge；　the　nervous　beast　leaped　forward。　　The　shortest　path　led　straight　through　the　center　of　the　village；　and　this　Meriem　took。　　Baynes　was　close　behind　her；　their　horses　running　at　full　speed。

So　sudden　and　impetuous　was　their　dash　for　escape　that　it　carried　them　half…way　across　the　village　before　the　surprised　inhabitants　were　aware　of　what　was　happening。　　Then　an　Arab　recognized　them；　and；　with　a　cry　of　alarm；　raised　his　rifle　and　fired。　　The　shot　was　a　signal　for　a　volley；　and　amid　the　rattle　of　musketry　Meriem　and　Baynes　leaped　their　flying　mounts　through　the　breach　in　the　palisade　and　were　gone　up　the　well…worn　trail　toward　the　north。

And　Korak？

Tantor　carried　him　deep　into　the　jungle；　nor　paused　until　no　sound　from　the　distant　village　reached　his　keen　ears。　　Then　he　laid　his　burden　gently　down。　　Korak　struggled　to　free　himself　from　his　bonds；　but　even　his　great　strength　was　unable　to　cope　with　the　many　strands　of　hard…knotted　cord　that　bound　him。　While　he　lay　there；　working　and　resting　by　turns；　the　elephant　stood　guard　above　him；　nor　was　there　jungle　enemy　with　the　hardihood　to　tempt　the　sudden　death　that　lay　in　that　mighty　bulk。

Dawn　came；　and　still　Korak　was　no　nearer　freedom　than　before。　　He　commenced　to　believe　that　he　should　die　there　of　thirst　and　starvation　with　plenty　all　about　him；　for　he　knew　that　Tantor　could　not　unloose　the　knots　that　held　him。

And　while　he　struggled　through　the　night　with　his　bonds；　Baynes　and　Meriem　were　riding　rapidly　northward　along　the　river。　　The　girl　had　assured　Baynes　that　Korak　was　safe　in　the　jungle　with　Tantor。　　It　had　not　occurred　to　her　that　the　ape…man　might　not　be　able　to　burst　his　bonds。　　Baynes　had　been　wounded　by　a　shot　from　the　rifle　of　one　of　the　Arabs；　and　the　girl　wanted　to　get　him　back　to　Bwana's　home；　where　he　could　be　properly　cared　for。

〃Then；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　get　Bwana　to　come　with　me　and　search　for　Korak。　　He　must　come　and　live　with　us。〃

All　night　they　rode；　and　the　day　was　still　young　when　they　came　suddenly　upon　a　party　hurrying　southward。　　It　was　Bwana　himself　and　his　sleek；　black　warriors。　　At　sight　of　Baynes　the　big　Englishman's　brows　contracted　in　a　scowl；　but　he　waited　to　hear　Meriem's　story　before　giving　vent　to　the　long　anger　in　his　breast。　　When　she　had　finished　he　seemed　to　have　forgotten　Baynes。　　His　thoughts　were　occupied　with　another　subject。

〃You　say　that　you　found　Korak？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　really　saw　him？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Meriem；　〃as　plainly　as　I　see　you；　and　I　want　you　to　come　with　me；　Bwana；　and　help　me　find　him　again。〃

〃Did　you　see　him？〃　　He　turned　toward　the　Hon。　Morison。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Baynes；　〃very　plainly。〃

〃What　sort　of　appearing　man　is　he？〃　continued　Bwana。　〃About　how　old；　should　you　say？〃

〃I　should　say　he　was　an　Englishman；　about　my　own　age；〃　replied　Baynes；　〃tho