tarzan the terrible-第16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！


just　before　dawn；　he　relinquished　his　immediate　effort　and　sought　rest　in　a　friendly　tree　crotch　in　the　safety　of　the　middle　terrace。

Once　again　was　the　sun　high　when　Tarzan　awoke；　rested　and　refreshed。　Keen　to　the　necessities　of　the　moment　he　made　no　effort　to　locate　his　jailers　lest　in　the　act　he　might　apprise　them　of　his　movements。　Instead　he　sought　cautiously　and　silently　to　melt　away　among　the　foliage　of　the　trees。　His　first　move；　however；　was　heralded　by　a　deep　bellow　from　below。

Among　the　numerous　refinements　of　civilization　that　Tarzan　had　failed　to　acquire　was　that　of　profanity；　and　possibly　it　is　to　be　regretted　since　there　are　circumstances　under　which　it　is　at　least　a　relief　to　pent　emotion。　And　it　may　be　that　in　effect　Tarzan　resorted　to　profanity　if　there　can　be　physical　as　well　as　vocal　swearing；　since　immediately　the　bellow　announced　that　his　hopes　had　been　again　frustrated；　he　turned　quickly　and　seeing　the　hideous　face　of　the　gryf　below　him　seized　a　large　fruit　from　a　nearby　branch　and　hurled　it　viciously　at　the　horned　snout。　The　missile　struck　full　between　the　creature's　eyes；　resulting　in　a　reaction　that　surprised　the　ape…man；　it　did　not　arouse　the　beast　to　a　show　of　revengeful　rage　as　Tarzan　had　expected　and　hoped；　instead　the　creature　gave　a　single　vicious　side　snap　at　the　fruit　as　it　bounded　from　his　skull　and　then　turned　sulkily　away；　walking　off　a　few　steps。

There　was　that　in　the　act　that　recalled　immediately　to　Tarzan's　mind　similar　action　on　the　preceding　day　when　the　Tor…o…don　had　struck　one　of　the　creatures　across　the　face　with　his　staff；　and　instantly　there　sprung　to　the　cunning　and　courageous　brain　a　plan　of　escape　from　his　predicament　that　might　have　blanched　the　cheek　of　the　most　heroic。

The　gambling　instinct　is　not　strong　among　creatures　of　the　wild；　the　chances　of　their　daily　life　are　sufficient　stimuli　for　the　beneficial　excitement　of　their　nerve　centers。　It　has　remained　for　civilized　man；　protected　in　a　measure　from　the　natural　dangers　of　existence；　to　invent　artificial　stimulants　in　the　form　of　cards　and　dice　and　roulette　wheels。　Yet　when　necessity　bids　there　are　no　greater　gamblers　than　the　savage　denizens　of　the　jungle；　the　forest；　and　the　hills；　for　as　lightly　as　you　roll　the　ivory　cubes　upon　the　green　cloth　they　will　gamble　with　deaththeir　own　lives　the　stake。

And　so　Tarzan　would　gamble　now；　pitting　the　seemingly　wild　deductions　of　his　shrewd　brain　against　all　the　proofs　of　the　bestial　ferocity　of　his　antagonists　that　his　experience　of　them　had　adducedagainst　all　the　age…old　folklore　and　legend　that　had　been　handed　down　for　countless　generations　and　passed　on　to　him　through　the　lips　of　Pan…at…lee。

Yet　as　he　worked　in　preparation　for　the　greatest　play　that　man　can　make　in　the　game　of　life；　he　smiled；　nor　was　there　any　indication　of　haste　or　excitement　or　nervousness　in　his　demeanor。

First　he　selected　a　long；　straight　branch　about　two　inches　in　diameter　at　its　base。　This　he　cut　from　the　tree　with　his　knife；　removed　the　smaller　branches　and　twigs　until　he　had　fashioned　a　pole　about　ten　feet　in　length。　This　he　sharpened　at　the　smaller　end。　The　staff　finished　to　his　satisfaction　he　looked　down　upon　the　triceratops。

〃Whee…oo！〃　he　cried。

Instantly　the　beasts　raised　their　heads　and　looked　at　him。　From　the　throat　of　one　of　them　came　faintly　a　low　rumbling　sound。

〃Whee…oo！〃　repeated　Tarzan　and　hurled　the　balance　of　the　carcass　of　the　deer　to　them。

Instantly　the　gryfs　fell　upon　it　with　much　bellowing；　one　of　them　attempting　to　seize　it　and　keep　it　from　the　other：　but　finally　the　second　obtained　a　hold　and　an　instant　later　it　had　been　torn　asunder　and　greedily　devoured。　Once　again　they　looked　up　at　the　ape…man　and　this　time　they　saw　him　descending　to　the　ground。

One　of　them　started　toward　him。　Again　Tarzan　repeated　the　weird　cry　of　the　Tor…o…don。　The　gryf　halted　in　his　track；　apparently　puzzled；　while　Tarzan　slipped　lightly　to　the　earth　and　advanced　toward　the　nearer　beast；　his　staff　raised　menacingly　and　the　call　of　the　first…man　upon　his　lips。

Would　the　cry　be　answered　by　the　low　rumbling　of　the　beast　of　burden　or　the　horrid　bellow　of　the　man…eater？　Upon　the　answer　to　this　question　hung　the　fate　of　the　ape…man。

Pan…at…lee　was　listening　intently　to　the　sounds　of　the　departing　gryfs　as　Tarzan　led　them　cunningly　from　her；　and　when　she　was　sure　that　they　were　far　enough　away　to　insure　her　safe　retreat　she　dropped　swiftly　from　the　branches　to　the　ground　and　sped　like　a　frightened　deer　across　the　open　space　to　the　foot　of　the　cliff；　stepped　over　the　body　of　the　Tor…o…don　who　had　attacked　her　the　night　before　and　was　soon　climbing　rapidly　up　the　ancient　stone　pegs　of　the　deserted　cliff　village。　In　the　mouth　of　the　cave　near　that　which　she　had　occupied　she　kindled　a　fire　and　cooked　the　haunch　of　venison　that　Tarzan　had　left　her；　and　from　one　of　the　trickling　streams　that　ran　down　the　face　of　the　escarpment　she　obtained　water　to　satisfy　her　thirst。

All　day　she　waited；　hearing　in　the　distance；　and　sometimes　close　at　hand；　the　bellowing　of　the　gryfs　which　pursued　the　strange　creature　that　had　dropped　so　miraculously　into　her　life。　For　him　she　felt　the　same　keen；　almost　fanatical　loyalty　that　many　another　had　experienced　for　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　Beast　and　human；　he　had　held　them　to　him　with　bonds　that　were　stronger　than　steelthose　of　them　that　were　clean　and　courageous；　and　the　weak　and　the　helpless；　but　never　could　Tarzan　claim　among　his　admirers　the　coward；　the　ingrate　or　the　scoundrel；　from　such；　both　man　and　beast；　he　had　won　fear　and　hatred。

To　Pan…at…lee　he　was　all　that　was　brave　and　noble　and　heroic　and；　too；　he　was　Om…at's　friendthe　friend　of　the　man　she　loved。　For　any　one　of　these　reasons　Pan…at…lee　would　have　died　for　Tarzan；　for　such　is　the　loyalty　of　the　simple…minded　children　of　nature。　It　has　remained　for　civilization　to　teach　us　to　weigh　the　relative　rewards　of　loyalty　and　its　antithesis。　The　loyalty　of　the　primitive　is　spontaneous；　unreasoning；　unselfish　and　such　was　the　loyalty　of　Pan…at…lee　for　the　Tarmangani。

And　so　it　was　that　she　waited　that　day　and　night；　hoping　that　he　would　return　that　she　might　accompany　him　back　to　Om…at；　for　her　experience　had　taught　her　that　in　the　face　of　danger　two　have　a　better　chance　than　one。　But　Tarzan…jad…guru　had　not　come；　and　so　upon　the　following　morning　Pan…at…lee　set　out　upon　her　return　to　Kor…ul…ja。

She　knew　the　dangers　and　yet　she　faced　them　with　the　stolid　indifference　of　her　race。　When　they　directly　confronted　and　menaced　her　would　be　time　enough　to　experience　fear　or　excitement　or　confidence。　In　the　meantime　it　was　unnecessary　to　waste　nerve　energy　by　anticipating　them。　She　moved　therefore　through　her　savage　land　with　no　greater　show　of　concern　than　might　mark　your　sauntering　to　a　corner　drug…store　for　a　sundae。　But　this　is　your　life　and　that　is　Pan…at…lee's　and　even　now　as　you　read　this　Pan…at…lee　may　be　sitting　upon　the　edge　of　the　recess　of　Om…at's　cave　while　the　ja　and　jato　roar　from　the　gorge　below　and　from　the　ridge　above；　and　the　Kor…ul…lul　threaten　upon　the　south　and　the　Ho…don　from　the　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho　far　below；　for　Pan…at…lee　still　lives　and　preens　her　silky　coat　of　jet　beneath　the　tropical　moonlight　of　Pal…ul…don。

But　she　was　not　to　reach　Kor…ul…ja　this　day；　nor　the　next；　nor　for　many　days　after　though　the　danger　that　threatened　her　was　neither　Waz…don　enemy　nor　savage　beast。

She　came　without　misadventure　to　the　Kor…ul…lul　and　after　descending　its　rocky　southern　wall　without　catching　the　slightest　glimpse　of　the　hereditary　enemies　of　her　people；　she　experienced　a　renewal　of　confidence　that　was　little　short　of　practical　assurance　that　she　would　successfully　terminate　her　venture　and　be　restored　once　more　to　her　own　people　and　the　lover　she　had　not　seen　for　so　many　long　and　weary　moons。

She　was　almost　across　the　gorge　now　and　moving　with　an　extreme　caution　abated　no　wit　by　her　confidence；　for　wariness　is　an　instinctive　trait　of　the　primitive；　something　which　cannot　be　laid　aside　even　momentarily　if　one　would　survive。　And　so　she　came　to　the　trail　that　follows　the　windings　of　Kor…ul…lul　from　its　uppermost　reaches　down　into　the　broad　and　fertile　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho。

And　as　she　stepped　into　the　trail　there　arose　on　either　side　of　her　from　out　of　the　bushes　that　border　the　path；　as　though　materialized　from　thin　air；　a　score　of　tall；　white　warriors　of　the　Ho…don。　Like　a　frightened　deer　Pan…at…lee　cast　a　single　startled　look　at　these　menacers　of　her　freedom　and　leaped　quickly　toward　the　bushes　in　an　effort　to　escape；　but　the　warriors　were　too　close　at　hand。　They　closed　upon　her　from　every　side　and　then；　drawing　her　knife　she　turned　at　bay；　metamorphosed　by　the　fires　of　fear　and　hate　from　a　startled　deer　to　a　raging　tiger…cat。　They　did　not　try　to　kill　her；　but　only　to　subdue　and　capture　her；　and　so　it　was　that　more　than　a　single　Ho…don　warrior　felt　the　keen　edge　of　her　blade　in　his　flesh　before　they　had　succeeded　in　overpowering　her　by　numbers。　And　still　she　fought　and　scratched　and　bit　after　they　had　taken　the　knife　from　her　until　it　was　necessary　to　tie　her　hands　and　fasten　a　piece　of　wood　between　her　teeth　by　means　of　thongs　passed　behind　her　head。

At　first　she　refused　to　walk　when　they　started　off　in　the　direction　of　the　valley　but　after　two　of　them　had　seized　her　by　the　hair　and　dragged　her　for　a　number　of　yards　she　thought　better　of　her　original　decision　and　came　along　with　them；　though　still　as　defiant　as　her　bound　wrists　and　gagged　mouth　would　permit。

Near　the　entrance　to　Kor…ul…lul　they　came　upon　another　body　of　their　warriors　with　which　were　several　Waz…don　prisoners　from　the　tribe　of　Kor…ul…lul。　It　was　a　raiding　party　come　up　from　a　Ho…don　city　of　the　valley　after　slaves。　This　Pan…at…lee　knew　for　the　occurrence　was　by　no　means　unusual。　During　her　lifetime　the　tribe　to　which　she　belonged　had　been　sufficiently　fortunate；　or　powerful；　to　withstand　successfully　the　majority　of　such　raids　made　upon　them；　but　yet　Pan…at…lee　had　known　of　friends　and　relatives　who　had　been　carried　into　slavery　by　the　Ho…don　and　she　knew；　too；　another　thing　which　gave　her　hope；　as　doubtless　it　did　to　each　of　the　other　captivesthat　occasionally　the　prisoners　escaped　from　the　cities　of　the　hairless