tarzan the terrible-第41部分

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There　could　be　no　question　that　she　meant　what　she　said　and　the　man　seemed　convinced　for　he　but　stood　sullenly　eyeing　her　as　she　backed　from　sight　beyond　a　turn　in　the　game　trail　that　crossed　the　ford　where　they　had　met；　and　disappeared　in　the　forest。



20

Silently　in　the　Night

IN　A…LUR　the　fortunes　of　the　city　had　been　tossed　from　hand　to　hand。　The　party　of　Ko…tan's　loyal　warriors　that　Tarzan　had　led　to　the　rendezvous　at　the　entrance　to　the　secret　passage　below　the　palace　gates　had　met　with　disaster。　Their　first　rush　had　been　met　with　soft　words　from　the　priests。　They　had　been　exhorted　to　defend　the　faith　of　their　fathers　from　blasphemers。　Ja…don　was　painted　to　them　as　a　defiler　of　temples；　and　the　wrath　of　Jad…ben…Otho　was　prophesied　for　those　who　embraced　his　cause。　The　priests　insisted　that　Lu…don's　only　wish　was　to　prevent　the　seizure　of　the　throne　by　Ja…don　until　a　new　king　could　be　chosen　according　to　the　laws　of　the　Ho…don。

The　result　was　that　many　of　the　palace　warriors　joined　their　fellows　of　the　city；　and　when　the　priests　saw　that　those　whom　they　could　influence　outnumbered　those　who　remained　loyal　to　the　palace；　they　caused　the　former　to　fall　upon　the　latter　with　the　result　that　many　were　killed　and　only　a　handful　succeeded　in　reaching　the　safety　of　the　palace　gates；　which　they　quickly　barred。

The　priests　led　their　own　forces　through　the　secret　passageway　into　the　temple；　while　some　of　the　loyal　ones　sought　out　Ja…don　and　told　him　all　that　had　happened。　The　fight　in　the　banquet　hall　had　spread　over　a　considerable　portion　of　the　palace　grounds　and　had　at　last　resulted　in　the　temporary　defeat　of　those　who　had　opposed　Ja…don。　This　force；　counseled　by　under　priests　sent　for　the　purpose　by　Lu…don；　had　withdrawn　within　the　temple　grounds　so　that　now　the　issue　was　plainly　marked　as　between　Ja…don　on　the　one　side　and　Lu…don　on　the　other。

The　former　had　been　told　of　all　that　had　occurred　in　the　apartments　of　O…lo…a　to　whose　safety　he　had　attended　at　the　first　opportunity　and　he　had　also　learned　of　Tarzan's　part　in　leading　his　men　to　the　gathering　of　Lu…don's　warriors。

These　things　had　naturally　increased　the　old　warrior's　former　inclinations　of　friendliness　toward　the　ape…man；　and　now　he　regretted　that　the　other　had　departed　from　the　city。

The　testimony　of　O…lo…a　and　Pan…at…lee　was　such　as　to　strengthen　whatever　belief　in　the　godliness　of　the　stranger　Ja…don　and　others　of　the　warriors　had　previously　entertained；　until　presently　there　appeared　a　strong　tendency　upon　the　part　of　this　palace　faction　to　make　the　Dor…ul…otho　an　issue　of　their　original　quarrel　with　Lu…don。　Whether　this　occurred　as　the　natural　sequence　to　repeated　narrations　of　the　ape…man's　exploits；　which　lost　nothing　by　repetition；　in　conjunction　with　Lu…don's　enmity　toward　him；　or　whether　it　was　the　shrewd　design　of　some　wily　old　warrior　such　as　Ja…don；　who　realized　the　value　of　adding　a　religious　cause　to　their　temporal　one；　it　were　difficult　to　determine；　but　the　fact　remained　that　Ja…don's　followers　developed　bitter　hatred　for　the　followers　of　Lu…don　because　of　the　high　priest's　antagonism　to　Tarzan。

Unfortunately　however　Tarzan　was　not　there　to　inspire　the　followers　of　Ja…don　with　the　holy　zeal　that　might　have　quickly　settled　the　dispute　in　the　old　chieftain's　favor。　Instead；　he　was　miles　away　and　because　their　repeated　prayers　for　his　presence　were　unanswered；　the　weaker　spirits　among　them　commenced　to　suspect　that　their　cause　did　not　have　divine　favor。　There　was　also　another　and　a　potent　cause　for　defection　from　the　ranks　of　Ja…don。　It　emanated　from　the　city　where　the　friends　and　relatives　of　the　palace　warriors；　who　were　largely　also　the　friends　and　relatives　of　Lu…don's　forces；　found　the　means；　urged　on　by　the　priesthood；　to　circulate　throughout　the　palace　pernicious　propaganda　aimed　at　Ja…don's　cause。

The　result　was　that　Lu…don's　power　increased　while　that　of　Ja…don　waned。　Then　followed　a　sortie　from　the　temple　which　resulted　in　the　defeat　of　the　palace　forces；　and　though　they　were　able　to　withdraw　in　decent　order　withdraw　they　did；　leaving　the　palace　to　Lu…don；　who　was　now　virtually　ruler　of　Pal…ul…don。

Ja…don；　taking　with　him　the　princess；　her　women；　and　their　slaves；　including　Pan…at…lee；　as　well　as　the　women　and　children　of　his　faithful　followers；　retreated　not　only　from　the　palace　but　from　the　city　of　A…lur　as　well　and　fell　back　upon　his　own　city　of　Ja…lur。　Here　he　remained；　recruiting　his　forces　from　the　surrounding　villages　of　the　north　which；　being　far　removed　from　the　influence　of　the　priesthood　of　A…lur；　were　enthusiastic　partisans　in　any　cause　that　the　old　chieftain　espoused；　since　for　years　he　had　been　revered　as　their　friend　and　protector。

And　while　these　events　were　transpiring　in　the　north；　Tarzan…jad…guru　lay　in　the　lion　pit　at　Tu…lur　while　messengers　passed　back　and　forth　between　Mo…sar　and　Lu…don　as　the　two　dickered　for　the　throne　of　Pal…ul…don。　Mo…sar　was　cunning　enough　to　guess　that　should　an　open　breach　occur　between　himself　and　the　high　priest　he　might　use　his　prisoner　to　his　own　advantage；　for　he　had　heard　whisperings　among　even　his　own　people　that　suggested　that　there　were　those　who　were　more　than　a　trifle　inclined　to　belief　in　the　divinity　of　the　stranger　and　that　he　might　indeed　be　the　Dor…ul…Otho。　Lu…don　wanted　Tarzan　himself。　He　wanted　to　sacrifice　him　upon　the　eastern　altar　with　his　own　hands　before　a　multitude　of　people；　since　he　was　not　without　evidence　that　his　own　standing　and　authority　had　been　lessened　by　the　claims　of　the　bold　and　heroic　figure　of　the　stranger。

The　method　that　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　had　employed　to　trap　Tarzan　had　left　the　ape…man　in　possession　of　his　weapons　though　there　seemed　little　likelihood　of　their　being　of　any　service　to　him。　He　also　had　his　pouch；　in　which　were　the　various　odds　and　ends　which　are　the　natural　accumulation　of　all　receptacles　from　a　gold　meshbag　to　an　attic。　There　were　bits　of　obsidian　and　choice　feathers　for　arrows；　some　pieces　of　flint　and　a　couple　of　steel；　an　old　knife；　a　heavy　bone　needle；　and　strips　of　dried　gut。　Nothing　very　useful　to　you　or　me；　perhaps；　but　nothing　useless　to　the　savage　life　of　the　ape…man。

When　Tarzan　realized　the　trick　that　had　been　so　neatly　played　upon　him　he　had　awaited　expectantly　the　coming　of　the　lion；　for　though　the　scent　of　ja　was　old　he　was　sure　that　sooner　or　later　they　would　let　one　of　the　beasts　in　upon　him。　His　first　consideration　was　a　thorough　exploration　of　his　prison。　He　had　noticed　the　hide…covered　windows　and　these　he　immediately　uncovered；　letting　in　the　light；　and　revealing　the　fact　that　though　the　chamber　was　far　below　the　level　of　the　temple　courts　it　was　yet　many　feet　above　the　base　of　the　hill　from　which　the　temple　was　hewn。　The　windows　were　so　closely　barred　that　he　could　not　see　over　the　edge　of　the　thick　wall　in　which　they　were　cut　to　determine　what　lay　close　in　below　him。　At　a　little　distance　were　the　blue　waters　of　Jad…in…lul　and　beyond；　the　verdure…clad　farther　shore；　and　beyond　that　the　mountains。　It　was　a　beautiful　picture　upon　which　he　lookeda　picture　of　peace　and　harmony　and　quiet。　Nor　anywhere　a　slightest　suggestion　of　the　savage　men　and　beasts　that　claimed　this　lovely　landscape　as　their　own。　What　a　paradise！　And　some　day　civilized　man　would　come　andspoil　it！　Ruthless　axes　would　raze　that　age…old　wood；　black；　sticky　smoke　would　rise　from　ugly　chimneys　against　that　azure　sky；　grimy　little　boats　with　wheels　behind　or　upon　either　side　would　churn　the　mud　from　the　bottom　of　Jad…in…lul；　turning　its　blue　waters　to　a　dirty　brown；　hideous　piers　would　project　into　the　lake　from　squalid　buildings　of　corrugated　iron；　doubtless；　for　of　such　are　the　pioneer　cities　of　the　world。

But　would　civilized　man　come？　Tarzan　hoped　not。　For　countless　generations　civilization　had　ramped　about　the　globe；　it　had　dispatched　its　emissaries　to　the　North　Pole　and　the　South；　it　had　circled　Pal…ul…don　once；　perhaps　many　times；　but　it　had　never　touched　her。　God　grant　that　it　never　would。　Perhaps　He　was　saving　this　little　spot　to　be　always　just　as　He　had　made　it；　for　the　scratching　of　the　Ho…don　and　the　Waz…don　upon　His　rocks　had　not　altered　the　fair　face　of　Nature。

Through　the　windows　came　sufficient　light　to　reveal　the　whole　interior　to　Tarzan。　The　room　was　fairly　large　and　there　was　a　door　at　each　enda　large　door　for　men　and　a　smaller　one　for　lions。　Both　were　closed　with　heavy　masses　of　stone　that　had　been　lowered　in　grooves　running　to　the　floor。　The　two　windows　were　small　and　closely　barred　with　the　first　iron　that　Tarzan　had　seen　in　Pal…ul…don。　The　bars　were　let　into　holes　in　the　casing；　and　the　whole　so　strongly　and　neatly　contrived　that　escape　seemed　impossible。　Yet　within　a　few　minutes　of　his　incarceration　Tarzan　had　commenced　to　undertake　his　escape。　The　old　knife　in　his　pouch　was　brought　into　requisition　and　slowly　the　ape…man　began　to　scrape　and　chip　away　the　stone　from　about　the　bars　of　one　of　the　windows。　It　was　slow　work　but　Tarzan　had　the　patience　of　absolute　health。

Each　day　food　and　water　were　brought　him　and　slipped　quickly　beneath　the　smaller　door　which　was　raised　just　sufficiently　to　allow　the　stone　receptacles　to　pass　in。　The　prisoner　began　to　believe　that　he　was　being　preserved　for　something　beside　lions。　However　that　was　immaterial。　If　they　would　but　hold　off　for　a　few　more　days　they　might　select　what　fate　they　wouldhe　would　not　be　there　when　they　arrived　to　announce　it。

And　then　one　day　came　Pan…sat；　Lu…don's　chief　tool；　to　the　city　of　Tu…lur。　He　came　ostensibly　with　a　fair　message　for　Mo…sar　from　the　high　priest　at　A…lur。　Lu…don　had　decided　that　Mo…sar　should　be　king　and　he　invited　Mo…sar　to　come　at　once　to　A…lur　and　then　Pan…sat；　having　delivered　the　message；　asked　that　he　might　go　to　the　temple　of　Tu…lur　and　pray；　and　there　he　sought　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　to　whom　was　the　true　message　that　Lu…don　had　sent。　The　two　were　closeted　alone　in　a　little　chamber　and　Pan…sat　whispered　into　the　ear　of　the　high　priest。

〃Mo…sar　wishes　to　be　king；〃　he　said；　〃and　Lu…don　wishes　to　be　king。　Mo…sar　wishes　to　retain　the　stranger　who　claims　to　be　the　Dor…ul…Otho　and　Lu…don　wishes　to　kill　him；　and　now；〃　he　leaned　even　closer　to　the　ear　of　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur；　〃if　you　would　be　high　priest