the beasts of tarzan-第14节

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he　drew　farther　and　farther　away　from　the　village。



A　few　minutes　later　he　returned　to　the　village　gate；　calling

to　the　natives　within。



〃I　have　driven　Sheeta　away；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　come　and

admit　me　as　you　promised。〃



For　a　time　there　was　the　sound　of　excited　discussion　within

the　palisade；　but　at　length　a　half…dozen　warriors　came　and

opened　the　gates；　peering　anxiously　out　in　evident　trepidation

as　to　the　nature　of　the　creature　which　they　should　find

waiting　there。　　They　were　not　much　relieved　at　sight　of　an

almost　naked　white　man；　but　when　Tarzan　had　reassured

them　in　quiet　tones；　protesting　his　friendship　for　them；

they　opened　the　barrier　a　trifle　farther　and　admitted　him。



When　the　gates　had　been　once　more　secured　the　self…confidence

of　the　savages　returned；　and　as　Tarzan　walked　up　the　village　street

toward　the　chief's　hut　he　was　surrounded　by　a　host　of　curious　men；

women；　and　children。



From　the　chief　he　learned　that　Rokoff　had　passed　up　the

river　a　week　previous；　and　that　he　had　horns　growing　from

his　forehead；　and　was　accompanied　by　a　thousand　devils。　　

Later　the　chief　said　that　the　very　bad　white　man　had　remained

a　month　in　his　village。



Though　none　of　these　statements　agreed　with　Kaviri's；　that

the　Russian　was　but　three　days　gone　from　the　chieftain's

village　and　that　his　following　was　much　smaller　than　now　stated；

Tarzan　was　in　no　manner　surprised　at　the　discrepancies；　for

he　was　quite　familiar　with　the　savage　mind's　strange　manner

of　functioning。



What　he　was　most　interested　in　knowing　was　that　he　was　upon

the　right　trail；　and　that　it　led　toward　the　interior。　　In　this

circumstance　he　knew　that　Rokoff　could　never　escape　him。



After　several　hours　of　questioning　and　cross…questioning

the　ape…man　learned　that　another　party　had　preceded　the

Russian　by　several　daysthree　whitesa　man；　a　woman；

and　a　little　man…child；　with　several　Mosulas。



Tarzan　explained　to　the　chief　that　his　people　would　follow

him　in　a　canoe；　probably　the　next　day；　and　that　though　he

might　go　on　ahead　of　them　the　chief　was　to　receive　them

kindly　and　have　no　fear　of　them；　for　Mugambi　would　see

that　they　did　not　harm　the　chief's　people；　if　they　were

accorded　a　friendly　reception。



〃And　now；〃　he　concluded；　〃I　shall　lie　down　beneath　this

tree　and　sleep。　　I　am　very　tired。　　Permit　no　one　to　disturb　me。〃



The　chief　offered　him　a　hut；　but　Tarzan；　from　past　experience

of　native　dwellings；　preferred　the　open　air；　and；　further；

he　had　plans　of　his　own　that　could　be　better　carried　out

if　he　remained　beneath　the　tree。　　He　gave　as　his　reason　a

desire　to　be　close　at　hand　should　Sheeta　return；　and　after　this

explanation　the　chief　was　very　glad　to　permit　him　to　sleep

beneath　the　tree。



Tarzan　had　always　found　that　it　stood　him　in　good　stead

to　leave　with　natives　the　impression　that　he　was　to　some

extent　possessed　of　more　or　less　miraculous　powers。　　He　might

easily　have　entered　their　village　without　recourse　to　the

gates；　but　he　believed　that　a　sudden　and　unaccountable

disappearance　when　he　was　ready　to　leave　them　would　result

in　a　more　lasting　impression　upon　their　childlike　minds；　and

so　as　soon　as　the　village　was　quiet　in　sleep　he　rose；　and；

leaping　into　the　branches　of　the　tree　above　him；　faded　silently

into　the　black　mystery　of　the　jungle　night。



All　the　balance　of　that　night　the　ape…man　swung　rapidly

through　the　upper　and　middle　terraces　of　the　forest。　　When　the

going　was　good　there　he　preferred　the　upper　branches　of　the

giant　trees；　for　then　his　way　was　better　lighted　by　the　moon；

but　so　accustomed　were　all　his　senses　to　the　grim　world　of

his　birth　that　it　was　possible　for　him；　even　in　the　dense；

black　shadows　near　the　ground；　to　move　with　ease　and　rapidity。　　

You　or　I　walking　beneath　the　arcs　of　Main　Street；　or　Broadway；

or　State　Street；　could　not　have　moved　more　surely　or　with

a　tenth　the　speed　of　the　agile　ape…man　through　the

gloomy　mazes　that　would　have　baffled　us　entirely。



At　dawn　he　stopped　to　feed；　and　then　he　slept　for　several

hours；　taking　up　the　pursuit　again　toward　noon。



Twice　he　came　upon　natives；　and；　though　he　had　considerable

difficulty　in　approaching　them；　he　succeeded　in　each

instance　in　quieting　both　their　fears　and　bellicose　intentions

toward　him；　and　learned　from　them　that　he　was　upon　the　trail

of　the　Russian。



Two　days　later；　still　following　up　the　Ugambi；　he　came

upon　a　large　village。　　The　chief；　a　wicked…looking　fellow　with

the　sharp…filed　teeth　that　often　denote　the　cannibal；　received

him　with　apparent　friendliness。



The　ape…man　was　now　thoroughly　fatigued；　and　had　determined

to　rest　for　eight　or　ten　hours　that　he　might　be　fresh

and　strong　when　he　caught　up　with　Rokoff；　as　he　was　sure

he　must　do　within　a　very　short　time。



The　chief　told　him　that　the　bearded　white　man　had　left　his

village　only　the　morning　before；　and　that　doubtless　he　would

be　able　to　overtake　him　in　a　short　time。　　The　other　party　the

chief　had　not　seen　or　heard　of；　so　he　said。



Tarzan　did　not　like　the　appearance　or　manner　of　the　fellow；

who　seemed；　though　friendly　enough；　to　harbour　a　certain

contempt　for　this　half…naked　white　man　who　came　with　no

followers　and　offered　no　presents；　but　he　needed　the　rest　and

food　that　the　village　would　afford　him　with　less　effort　than

the　jungle；　and　so；　as　he　knew　no　fear　of　man；　beast；　or

devil；　he　curled　himself　up　in　the　shadow　of　a　hut　and　was

soon　asleep。



Scarcely　had　he　left　the　chief　than　the　latter　called　two　of

his　warriors；　to　whom　he　whispered　a　few　instructions。　　

A　moment　later　the　sleek；　black　bodies　were　racing　along　the

river　path；　up…stream；　toward　the　east。



In　the　village　the　chief　maintained　perfect　quiet。　　He　would

permit　no　one　to　approach　the　sleeping　visitor；　nor　any

singing；　nor　loud　talking。　　He　was　remarkably　solicitous

lest　his　guest　be　disturbed。



Three　hours　later　several　canoes　came　silently　into　view

from　up　the　Ugambi。　　They　were　being　pushed　ahead　rapidly

by　the　brawny　muscles　of　their　black　crews。　　Upon　the　bank

before　the　river　stood　the　chief；　his　spear　raised　in　a

horizontal　position　above　his　head；　as　though　in　some

manner　of　predetermined　signal　to　those　within　the　boats。



And　such　indeed　was　the　purpose　of　his　attitudewhich

meant　that　the　white　stranger　within　his　village　still

slept　peacefully。



In　the　bows　of　two　of　the　canoes　were　the　runners　that　the

chief　had　sent　forth　three　hours　earlier。　　It　was　evident　that

they　had　been　dispatched　to　follow　and　bring　back　this　party；

and　that　the　signal　from　the　bank　was　one　that　had　been

determined　upon　before　they　left　the　village。



In　a　few　moments　the　dugouts　drew　up　to　the　verdure…clad　bank。　　

The　native　warriors　filed　out；　and　with　them　a　half…dozen

white　men。　　Sullen；　ugly…looking　customers　they　were；

and　none　more　so　than　the　evil…faced；　black…bearded　man

who　commanded　them。



〃Where　is　the　white　man　your　messengers　report　to　be

with　you？〃　he　asked　of　the　chief。



〃This　way；　bwana；〃　replied　the　native。　　〃Carefully　have

I　kept　silence　in　the　village　that　he　might　be　still　asleep　when

you　returned。　　I　do　not　know　that　he　is　one　who　seeks　you　to

do　you　harm；　but　he　questioned　me　closely　about　your　coming

and　your　going；　and　his　appearance　is　as　that　of　the　one

you　described；　but　whom　you　believed　safe　in　the　country

which　you　called　Jungle　Island。



〃Had　you　not　told　me　this　tale　I　should　not　have　recognized

him；　and　then　he　might　have　gone　after　and　slain　you。　　

If　he　is　a　friend　and　no　enemy；　then　no　harm　has　been　done；

bwana；　but　if　he　proves　to　be　an　enemy；　I　should　like　very

much　to　have　a　rifle　and　some　ammunition。〃



〃You　have　done　well；〃　replied　the　white　man；　〃and　you

shall　have　the　rifle　and　ammunition　whether　he　be　a　friend

or　enemy；　provided　that　you　stand　with　me。〃



〃I　shall　stand　with　you；　bwana；〃　said　the　chief；

〃and　now　come　and　look　upon　the　stranger；　who　sleeps

within　my　village。〃



So　saying；　he　turned　and　led　the　way　toward　the　hut；　in　the

shadow　of　which　the　unconscious　Tarzan　slept　peacefully。



Behind　the　two　men　came　the　remaining　whites　and　a　score

of　warriors；　but　the　raised　forefingers　of　the　chief　and

his　companion　held　them　all　to　perfect　silence。



As　they　turned　the　corner　of　the　hut；　cautiously　and　upon

tiptoe；　an　ugly　smile　touched　the　lips　of　the　white　as　his　eyes

fell　upon　the　giant　figure　of　the　sleeping　ape…man。



The　chief　looked　at　the　other　inquiringly。　　The　latter　nodded

his　head；　to　signify　that　the　chief　had　made　no　mistake

in　his　suspicions。　　Then　he　turned　to　those　behind　him　and；

pointing　to　the　sleeping　man；　motioned　for　them　to　seize

and　bind　him。



A　moment　later　a　dozen　brutes　had　leaped　upon　the　surprised

Tarzan；　and　so　quickly　did　they　work　that　he　was　securely

bound　before　he　could　make　half　an　effort　to　escape。



Then　they　threw　him　dow