tarzan the terrible-第50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！


e　two　priests　had　pulled　quickly　upon　their　ropes　and　he　had　been　made　an　easy　captive　without　any　opportunity　of　defending　himself　or　inflicting　injury　upon　his　captors。

And　now　they　bound　his　legs　from　his　ankles　to　his　knees　and　picking　him　up　carried　him　from　the　chamber。　No　word　did　they　speak　to　him　as　they　bore　him　upward　to　the　temple　yard。

The　din　of　battle　had　risen　again　as　Ja…don　had　urged　his　forces　to　renewed　efforts。　Ta…den　had　not　arrived　and　the　forces　of　the　old　chieftain　were　revealing　in　their　lessened　efforts　their　increasing　demoralization；　and　then　it　was　that　the　priests　carried　Tarzan…jad…guru　to　the　roof　of　the　palace　and　exhibited　him　in　the　sight　of　the　warriors　of　both　factions。

〃Here　is　the　false　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　screamed　Lu…don。

Obergatz；　his　shattered　mentality　having　never　grasped　fully　the　meaning　of　much　that　was　going　on　about　him；　cast　a　casual　glance　at　the　bound　and　helpless　prisoner；　and　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　noble　features　of　the　ape…man；　they　went　wide　in　astonishment　and　fright；　and　his　pasty　countenance　turned　a　sickly　blue。　Once　before　had　he　seen　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　but　many　times　had　he　dreamed　that　he　had　seen　him　and　always　was　the　giant　ape…man　avenging　the　wrongs　that　had　been　committed　upon　him　and　his　by　the　ruthless　hands　of　the　three　German　officers　who　had　led　their　native　troops　in　the　ravishing　of　Tarzan's　peaceful　home。　Hauptmann　Fritz　Schneider　had　paid　the　penalty　of　his　needless　cruelties；　Unter…lieutenant　von　Goss；　too；　had　paid；　and　now　Obergatz；　the　last　of　the　three；　stood　face　to　face　with　the　Nemesis　that　had　trailed　him　through　his　dreams　for　long；　weary　months。　That　he　was　bound　and　helpless　lessened　not　the　German's　terrorhe　seemed　not　to　realize　that　the　man　could　not　harm　him。　He　but　stood　cringing　and　jibbering　and　Lu…don　saw　and　was　filled　with　apprehension　that　others　might　see　and　seeing　realize　that　this　bewhiskered　idiot　was　no　godthat　of　the　two　Tarzan…jad…guru　was　the　more　godly　figure。　Already　the　high　priest　noted　that　some　of　the　palace　warriors　standing　near　were　whispering　together　and　pointing。　He　stepped　closer　to　Obergatz。　〃You　are　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　he　whispered；　〃denounce　him！〃

The　German　shook　himself。　His　mind　cleared　of　all　but　his　great　terror　and　the　words　of　the　high　priest　gave　him　the　clue　to　safety。

〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho！〃　he　screamed。

Tarzan　looked　him　straight　in　the　eye。　〃You　are　Lieutenant　Obergatz　of　the　German　Army；〃　he　said　in　excellent　German。　〃You　are　the　last　of　the　three　I　have　sought　so　long　and　in　your　putrid　heart　you　know　that　God　has　not　brought　us　together　at　last　for　nothing。〃

The　mind　of　Lieutenant　Obergatz　was　functioning　clearly　and　rapidly　at　last。　He　too　saw　the　questioning　looks　upon　the　faces　of　some　of　those　around　them。　He　saw　the　opposing　warriors　of　both　cities　standing　by　the　gate　inactive；　every　eye　turned　upon　him；　and　the　trussed　figure　of　the　ape…man。　He　realized　that　indecision　now　meant　ruin；　and　ruin；　death。　He　raised　his　voice　in　the　sharp　barking　tones　of　a　Prussian　officer；　so　unlike　his　former　maniacal　screaming　as　to　quickly　arouse　the　attention　of　every　ear　and　to　cause　an　expression　of　puzzlement　to　cross　the　crafty　face　of　Lu…don。

〃I　am　Jad…ben…Otho；〃　snapped　Obergatz。　〃This　creature　is　no　son　of　mine。　As　a　lesson　to　all　blasphemers　he　shall　die　upon　the　altar　at　the　hand　of　the　god　he　has　profaned。　Take　him　from　my　sight；　and　when　the　sun　stands　at　zenith　let　the　faithful　congregate　in　the　temple　court　and　witness　the　wrath　of　this　divine　hand；〃　and　he　held　aloft　his　right　palm。

Those　who　had　brought　Tarzan　took　him　away　then　as　Obergatz　had　directed；　and　the　German　turned　once　more　to　the　warriors　by　the　gate。　〃Throw　down　your　arms；　warriors　of　Ja…don；〃　he　cried；　〃lest　I　call　down　my　lightnings　to　blast　you　where　you　stand。　Those　who　do　as　I　bid　shall　be　forgiven。　Come！　Throw　down　your　arms。〃

The　warriors　of　Ja…don　moved　uneasily；　casting　looks　of　appeal　at　their　leader　and　of　apprehension　toward　the　figures　upon　the　palace　roof。　Ja…don　sprang　forward　among　his　men。　〃Let　the　cowards　and　knaves　throw　down　their　arms　and　enter　the　palace；〃　he　cried；　〃but　never　will　Ja…don　and　the　warriors　of　Ja…lur　touch　their　foreheads　to　the　feet　of　Lu…don　and　his　false　god。　Make　your　decision　now；〃　he　cried　to　his　followers。

A　few　threw　down　their　arms　and　with　sheepish　looks　passed　through　the　gateway　into　the　palace；　and　with　the　example　of　these　to　bolster　their　courage　others　joined　in　the　desertion　from　the　old　chieftain　of　the　north；　but　staunch　and　true　around　him　stood　the　majority　of　his　warriors　and　when　the　last　weakling　had　left　their　ranks　Ja…don　voiced　the　savage　cry　with　which　he　led　his　followers　to　the　attack；　and　once　again　the　battle　raged　about　the　palace　gate。

At　times　Ja…don's　forces　pushed　the　defenders　far　into　the　palace　ground　and　then　the　wave　of　combat　would　recede　and　pass　out　into　the　city　again。　And　still　Ta…den　and　the　reinforcements　did　not　come。　It　was　drawing　close　to　noon。　Lu…don　had　mustered　every　available　man　that　was　not　actually　needed　for　the　defense　of　the　gate　within　the　temple；　and　these　he　sent；　under　the　leadership　of　Pan…sat；　out　into　the　city　through　the　secret　passageway　and　there　they　fell　upon　Ja…don's　forces　from　the　rear　while　those　at　the　gate　hammered　them　in　front。

Attacked　on　two　sides　by　a　vastly　superior　force　the　result　was　inevitable　and　finally　the　last　remnant　of　Ja…don's　little　army　capitulated　and　the　old　chief　was　taken　a　prisoner　before　Lu…don。　〃Take　him　to　the　temple　court；〃　cried　the　high　priest。　〃He　shall　witness　the　death　of　his　accomplice　and　perhaps　Jad…ben…Otho　shall　pass　a　similar　sentence　upon　him　as　well。〃

The　inner　temple　court　was　packed　with　humanity。　At　either　end　of　the　western　altar　stood　Tarzan　and　his　mate；　bound　and　helpless。　The　sounds　of　battle　had　ceased　and　presently　the　ape…man　saw　Ja…don　being　led　into　the　inner　court；　his　wrists　bound　tightly　together　before　him。　Tarzan　turned　his　eyes　toward　Jane　and　nodded　in　the　direction　of　Ja…don。　〃This　looks　like　the　end；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃He　was　our　last　and　only　hope。〃

〃We　have　at　least　found　each　other；　John；〃　she　replied；　〃and　our　last　days　have　been　spent　together。　My　only　prayer　now　is　that　if　they　take　you　they　do　not　leave　me。〃

Tarzan　made　no　reply　for　in　his　heart　was　the　same　bitter　thought　that　her　own　containednot　the　fear　that　they　would　kill　him　but　the　fear　that　they　would　not　kill　her。　The　ape…man　strained　at　his　bonds　but　they　were　too　many　and　too　strong。　A　priest　near　him　saw　and　with　a　jeering　laugh　struck　the　defenseless　ape…man　in　the　face。

〃The　brute！〃　cried　Jane　Clayton。

Tarzan　smiled。　〃I　have　been　struck　thus　before；　Jane；〃　he　said；　〃and　always　has　the　striker　died。〃

〃You　still　have　hope？〃　she　asked。

〃I　am　still　alive；〃　he　said　as　though　that　were　sufficient　answer。　She　was　a　woman　and　she　did　not　have　the　courage　of　this　man　who　knew　no　fear。　In　her　heart　of　hearts　she　knew　that　he　would　die　upon　the　altar　at　high　noon　for　he　had　told　her；　after　he　had　been　brought　to　the　inner　court；　of　the　sentence　of　death　that　Obergatz　had　pronounced　upon　him；　and　she　knew　too　that　Tarzan　knew　that　he　would　die；　but　that　he　was　too　courageous　to　admit　it　even　to　himself。

As　she　looked　upon　him　standing　there　so　straight　and　wonderful　and　brave　among　his　savage　captors　her　heart　cried　out　against　the　cruelty　of　the　fate　that　had　overtaken　him。　It　seemed　a　gross　and　hideous　wrong　that　that　wonderful　creature；　now　so　quick　with　exuberant　life　and　strength　and　purpose　should　be　presently　naught　but　a　bleeding　lump　of　clayand　all　so　uselessly　and　wantonly。　Gladly　would　she　have　offered　her　life　for　his　but　she　knew　that　it　was　a　waste　of　words　since　their　captors　would　work　upon　them　whatever　it　was　their　will　to　dofor　him；　death；　for　hershe　shuddered　at　the　thought。

And　now　came　Lu…don　and　the　naked　Obergatz；　and　the　high　priest　led　the　German　to　his　place　behind　the　altar；　himself　standing　upon　the　other's　left。　Lu…don　whispered　a　word　to　Obergatz；　at　the　same　time　nodding　in　the　direction　of　Ja…don。　The　Hun　cast　a　scowling　look　upon　the　old　warrior。

〃And　after　the　false　god；〃　he　cried；　〃the　false　prophet；〃　and　he　pointed　an　accusing　finger　at　Ja…don。　Then　his　eyes　wandered　to　the　form　of　Jane　Clayton。

〃And　the　woman；　too？〃　asked　Lu…don。

〃The　case　of　the　woman　I　will　attend　to　later；〃　replied　Obergatz。　〃I　will　talk　with　her　tonight　after　she　has　had　a　chance　to　meditate　upon　the　consequences　of　arousing　the　wrath　of　Jad…ben…Otho。〃

He　cast　his　eyes　upward　at　the　sun。　〃The　time　approaches；〃　he　said　to　Lu…don。　〃Prepare　the　sacrifice。〃

Lu…don　nodded　to　the　priests　who　were　gathered　about　Tarzan。　They　seized　the　ape…man　and　lifted　him　bodily　to　the　altar　where　they　laid　him　upon　his　back　with　his　head　at　the　south　end　of　the　monolith；　but　a　few　feet　from　where　Jane　Clayton　stood。　Impulsively　and　before　they　could　restrain　her　the　woman　rushed　forward　and　bending　quickly　kissed　her　mate　upon　the　forehead。　〃Good…bye；　John；〃　she　whispered。

〃Good…bye；〃　he　answered；　smiling。

The　priests　seized　her　and　dragged　her　away。　Lu…don　handed　the　sacrificial　knife　to　Obergatz。　〃I　am　the　Great　God；〃　cried　the　German；　〃thus　falleth　the　divine　wrath　upon　all　my　enemies！〃　He　looked　up　at　the　sun　and　then　raised　the　knife　high　above　his　head。

〃Thus　die　the　blasphemers　of　God！〃　he　screamed；　and　at　the　same　instant　a　sharp　staccato　note　rang　out　above　the　silent；　spell…bound　multitude。　There　was　a　screaming　whistle　in　the　air　and　Jad…ben…Otho　crumpled　forward　across　the　body　of　his　intended　victim。　Again　the　same　alarming　noise　and　Lu…don　fell；　a　third　and　Mo…sar　crumpled　to　the　ground。　And　now　the　warriors　and　the　people；　locating　the　direction　of　this　new　and　unknown　sound　turned　toward　the　western　end　of　the　court。

Upon　the　summit　of　the　temple　wall　they　saw　two　figuresa　Ho…don　warrior　and　beside　him　an　almost　naked　creature　of　the　race　of　Tarzan…jad…guru；　across　his　shoulders　and　about　his　hips　were　strange　broad　belts　studded　with　beautiful　cylinders　that　glinted　in　the　mid…day　sun；　and　in　his　hands　a　shining　thing　of　wood　and　metal　from　the　end　of　which　rose　a　thin　wreath　of　blue…gray　smoke。

And　then