tarzan the terrible-第30部分

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into　the　larger　chamber。　Without　hesitation　Tarzan　plunged　into　it。　Even　here　his　eyes；　long　accustomed　to　darkness　that　would　have　seemed　total　to　you　or　to　me；　saw　dimly　the　floor　and　the　walls　within　a　radius　of　a　few　feetenough　at　least　to　prevent　him　plunging　into　any　unguessed　abyss；　or　dashing　himself　upon　solid　rock　at　a　sudden　turning。

The　corridor　was　both　wide　and　lofty；　which　indeed　it　must　be　to　accommodate　the　colossal　proportions　of　the　creature　whose　habitat　it　was；　and　so　Tarzan　encountered　no　difficulty　in　moving　with　reasonable　speed　along　its　winding　trail。　He　was　aware　as　he　proceeded　that　the　trend　of　the　passage　was　downward；　though　not　steeply；　but　it　seemed　interminable　and　he　wondered　to　what　distant　subterranean　lair　it　might　lead。　There　was　a　feeling　that　perhaps　after　all　he　might　better　have　remained　in　the　larger　chamber　and　risked　all　on　the　chance　of　subduing　the　gryf　where　there　was　at　least　sufficient　room　and　light　to　lend　to　the　experiment　some　slight　chance　of　success。　To　be　overtaken　here　in　the　narrow　confines　of　the　black　corridor　where　he　was　assured　the　gryf　could　not　see　him　at　all　would　spell　almost　certain　death　and　now　he　heard　the　thing　approaching　from　behind。　Its　thunderous　bellows　fairly　shook　the　cliff　from　which　the　cavernous　chambers　were　excavated。　To　halt　and　meet　this　monstrous　incarnation　of　fury　with　a　futile　whee…oo！　seemed　to　Tarzan　the　height　of　insanity　and　so　he　continued　along　the　corridor；　increasing　his　pace　as　he　realized　that　the　gryf　was　overhauling　him。

Presently　the　darkness　lessened　and　at　the　final　turning　of　the　passage　he　saw　before　him　an　area　of　moonlight。　With　renewed　hope　he　sprang　rapidly　forward　and　emerged　from　the　mouth　of　the　corridor　to　find　himself　in　a　large　circular　enclosure　the　towering　white　walls　of　which　rose　high　upon　every　sidesmooth　perpendicular　walls　upon　the　sheer　face　of　which　was　no　slightest　foothold。　To　his　left　lay　a　pool　of　water；　one　side　of　which　lapped　the　foot　of　the　wall　at　this　point。　It　was；　doubtless；　the　wallow　and　the　drinking　pool　of　the　gryf。

And　now　the　creature　emerged　from　the　corridor　and　Tarzan　retreated　to　the　edge　of　the　pool　to　make　his　last　stand。　There　was　no　staff　with　which　to　enforce　the　authority　of　his　voice；　but　yet　he　made　his　stand　for　there　seemed　naught　else　to　do。　Just　beyond　the　entrance　to　the　corridor　the　gryf　paused；　turning　its　weak　eyes　in　all　directions　as　though　searching　for　its　prey。　This　then　seemed　the　psychological　moment　for　his　attempt　and　raising　his　voice　in　peremptory　command　the　ape…man　voiced　the　weird　whee…oo！　of　the　Tor…o…don。　Its　effect　upon　the　gryf　was　instantaneous　and　completewith　a　terrific　bellow　it　lowered　its　three　horns　and　dashed　madly　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。

To　right　nor　to　left　was　any　avenue　of　escape；　for　behind　him　lay　the　placid　waters　of　the　pool；　while　down　upon　him　from　before　thundered　annihilation。　The　mighty　body　seemed　already　to　tower　above　him　as　the　ape…man　turned　and　dove　into　the　dark　waters。

Dead　in　her　breast　lay　hope。　Battling　for　life　during　harrowing　months　of　imprisonment　and　danger　and　hardship　it　had　fitfully　flickered　and　flamed　only　to　sink　after　each　renewal　to　smaller　proportions　than　before　and　now　it　had　died　out　entirely　leaving　only　cold；　charred　embers　that　Jane　Clayton　knew　would　never　again　be　rekindled。　Hope　was　dead　as　she　faced　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　in　her　prison　quarters　in　the　Temple　of　the　Gryf　at　A…lur。　Both　time　and　hardship　had　failed　to　leave　their　impress　upon　her　physical　beautythe　contours　of　her　perfect　form；　the　glory　of　her　radiant　loveliness　had　defied　them；　yet　to　these　very　attributes　she　owed　the　danger　which　now　confronted　her；　for　Lu…don　desired　her。　From　the　lesser　priests　she　had　been　safe；　but　from　Lu…don；　she　was　not　safe；　for　Lu…don　was　not　as　they；　since　the　high　priestship　of　Pal…ul…don　may　descend　from　father　to　son。

Ko…tan；　the　king；　had　wanted　her　and　all　that　had　so　far　saved　her　from　either　was　the　fear　of　each　for　the　other；　but　at　last　Lu…don　had　cast　aside　discretion　and　had　come　in　the　silent　watches　of　the　night　to　claim　her。　Haughtily　had　she　repulsed　him；　seeking　ever　to　gain　time；　though　what　time　might　bring　her　of　relief　or　renewed　hope　she　could　not　even　remotely　conjecture。　A　leer　of　lust　and　greed　shone　hungrily　upon　his　cruel　countenance　as　he　advanced　across　the　room　to　seize　her。　She　did　not　shrink　nor　cower；　but　stood　there　very　erect；　her　chin　up；　her　level　gaze　freighted　with　the　loathing　and　contempt　she　felt　for　him。　He　read　her　expression　and　while　it　angered　him；　it　but　increased　his　desire　for　possession。　Here　indeed　was　a　queen；　perhaps　a　goddess；　fit　mate　for　the　high　priest。

〃You　shall　not！〃　she　said　as　he　would　have　touched　her。　〃One　of　us　shall　die　before　ever　your　purpose　is　accomplished。〃

He　was　close　beside　her　now。　His　laugh　grated　upon　her　ears。　〃Love　does　not　kill；〃　he　replied　mockingly。

He　reached　for　her　arm　and　at　the　same　instant　something　clashed　against　the　bars　of　one　of　the　windows；　crashing　them　inward　to　the　floor；　to　be　followed　almost　simultaneously　by　a　human　figure　which　dove　headforemost　into　the　room；　its　head　enveloped　in　the　skin　window　hangings　which　it　carried　with　it　in　its　impetuous　entry。

Jane　Clayton　saw　surprise　and　something　of　terror　too　leap　to　the　countenance　of　the　high　priest　and　then　she　saw　him　spring　forward　and　jerk　upon　a　leather　thong　that　depended　from　the　ceiling　of　the　apartment。　Instantly　there　dropped　from　above　a　cunningly　contrived　partition　that　fell　between　them　and　the　intruder；　effectively　barring　him　from　them　and　at　the　same　time　leaving　him　to　grope　upon　its　opposite　side　in　darkness；　since　the　only　cresset　the　room　contained　was　upon　their　side　of　the　partition。

Faintly　from　beyond　the　wall　Jane　heard　a　voice　calling；　but　whose　it　was　and　what　the　words　she　could　not　distinguish。　Then　she　saw　Lu…don　jerk　upon　another　thong　and　wait　in　evident　expectancy　of　some　consequent　happening。　He　did　not　have　long　to　wait。　She　saw　the　thong　move　suddenly　as　though　jerked　from　above　and　then　Lu…don　smiled　and　with　another　signal　put　in　motion　whatever　machinery　it　was　that　raised　the　partition　again　to　its　place　in　the　ceiling。

Advancing　into　that　portion　of　the　room　that　the　partition　had　shut　off　from　them；　the　high　priest　knelt　upon　the　floor；　and　down　tilting　a　section　of　it；　revealed　the　dark　mouth　of　a　shaft　leading　below。　Laughing　loudly　he　shouted　into　the　hole：　〃Return　to　thy　father；　O　Dor…ul…Otho！〃

Making　fast　the　catch　that　prevented　the　trapdoor　from　opening　beneath　the　feet　of　the　unwary　until　such　time　as　Lu…don　chose　the　high　priest　rose　again　to　his　feet。

〃Now；　Beautiful　One！〃　he　cried；　and　then；　〃Ja…don！　what　do　you　here？〃

Jane　Clayton　turned　to　follow　the　direction　of　Lu…don's　eyes　and　there　she　saw　framed　in　the　entrance…way　to　the　apartment　the　mighty　figure　of　a　warrior；　upon　whose　massive　features　sat　an　expression　of　stern　and　uncompromising　authority。

〃I　come　from　Ko…tan；　the　king；〃　replied　Ja…don；　〃to　remove　the　beautiful　stranger　to　the　Forbidden　Garden。〃

〃The　king　defies　me；　the　high　priest　of　Jad…ben…Otho？〃　cried　Lu…don。

〃It　is　the　king's　commandI　have　spoken；〃　snapped　Ja…don；　in　whose　manner　was　no　sign　of　either　fear　or　respect　for　the　priest。

Lu…don　well　knew　why　the　king　had　chosen　this　messenger　whose　heresy　was　notorious；　but　whose　power　had　as　yet　protected　him　from　the　machinations　of　the　priest。　Lu…don　cast　a　surreptitious　glance　at　the　thongs　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　Why　not？　If　he　could　but　maneuver　to　entice　Ja…don　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　chamber！

〃Come；〃　he　said　in　a　conciliatory　tone；　〃let　us　discuss　the　matter；〃　and　moved　toward　the　spot　where　he　would　have　Ja…don　follow　him。

〃There　is　nothing　to　discuss；〃　replied　Ja…don；　yet　he　followed　the　priest；　fearing　treachery。

Jane　watched　them。　In　the　face　and　figure　of　the　warrior　she　found　reflected　those　admirable　traits　of　courage　and　honor　that　the　profession　of　arms　best　develops。　In　the　hypocritical　priest　there　was　no　redeeming　quality。　Of　the　two　then　she　might　best　choose　the　warrior。　With　him　there　was　a　chancewith　Lu…don；　none。　Even　the　very　process　of　exchange　from　one　prison　to　another　might　offer　some　possibility　of　escape。　She　weighed　all　these　things　and　decided；　for　Ludon's　quick　glance　at　the　thongs　had　not　gone　unnoticed　nor　uninterpreted　by　her。

〃Warrior；〃　she　said；　addressing　Ja…don；　〃if　you　would　live　enter　not　that　portion　of　the　room。〃

Lu…don　cast　an　angry　glance　upon　her。　〃Silence；　slave！〃　he　cried。

〃And　where　lies　the　danger？〃　Ja…don　asked　of　Jane；　ignoring　Lu…don。

The　woman　pointed　to　the　thongs。　〃Look；〃　she　said；　and　before　the　high　priest　could　prevent　she　had　seized　that　which　controlled　the　partition　which　shot　downward　separating　Lu…don　from　the　warrior　and　herself。

Ja…don　looked　inquiringly　at　her。　〃He　would　have　tricked　me　neatly　but　for　you；〃　he　said；　〃kept　me　imprisoned　there　while　he　secreted　you　elsewhere　in　the　mazes　of　his　temple。〃

〃He　would　have　done　more　than　that；〃　replied　Jane；　as　she　pulled　upon　the　other　thong。　〃This　releases　the　fastenings　of　a　trapdoor　in　the　floor　beyond　the　partition。　When　you　stepped　on　that　you　would　have　been　precipitated　into　a　pit　beneath　the　temple。　Lu…don　has　threatened　me　with　this　fate　often。　I　do　not　know　that　he　speaks　the　truth；　but　he　says　that　a　demon　of　the　temple　is　imprisoned　therea　huge　gryf。〃

〃There　is　a　gryf　within　the　temple；〃　said　Ja…don。　〃What　with　it　and　the　sacrifices；　the　priests　keep　us　busy　supplying　them　with　prisoners；　though　the　victims　are　sometimes　those　for　whom　Lu…don　has　conceived　hatred　among　our　own　people。　He　has　had　his　eyes　upon　me　for　a　long　time。　This　would　have　been　his　chance　but　for　you。　Tell　me；　woman；　why　you　warned　me。　Are　we　not　all　equally　your　jailers　and　your　enemies？〃

〃None　could　be　more　horrible　than　Lu…don；〃　she　replied；　〃and　you　have　the　appearance　of　a　brave　and　honorable　warrior。　I　could　not　hope；　for　hope　has　died　and　yet　there　is　the　possibility　that　among　so　many　fighting　men；　even　though　they　be　of　another　race　than　mine；　there　is　one　who　would　accord　honorable　treatment　to　a　stranger　within　his　gateseven　though　sh