the beasts of tarzan-第3节

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slipping　a　coin　into　the　man's　hand。



The　fellow　led　her　from　the　place；　and　together　they　walked

quickly　toward　the　wharf　and　along　it　until　across　the　water

they　saw　a　small　boat　just　pulling　into　the　shadows　of　a

nearby　steamer。



〃There　they　be；〃　whispered　the　man。



〃Ten　pounds　if　you　will　find　a　boat　and　row　me　to　that　steamer；〃

cried　the　woman。



〃Quick；　then；〃　he　replied；　〃for　we　gotta　go　it　if　we're　goin'

to　catch　the　Kincaid　afore　she　sails。　　She's　had　steam　up

for　three　hours　an'　jest　been　a…waitin'　fer　that　one　passenger。　　

I　was　a…talkin'　to　one　of　her　crew　'arf　an　hour　ago。〃



As　he　spoke　he　led　the　way　to　the　end　of　the　wharf　where

he　knew　another　boat　lay　moored；　and；　lowering　the　woman

into　it；　he　jumped　in　after　and　pushed　off。　　The　two　were

soon　scudding　over　the　water。



At　the　steamer's　side　the　man　demanded　his　pay　and；

without　waiting　to　count　out　the　exact　amount；　the　woman

thrust　a　handful　of　bank…notes　into　his　outstretched　hand。

A　single　glance　at　them　convinced　the　fellow　that　he　had　been

more　than　well　paid。　　Then　he　assisted　her　up　the　ladder；

holding　his　skiff　close　to　the　ship's　side　against　the　chance

that　this　profitable　passenger　might　wish　to　be　taken　ashore　later。



But　presently　the　sound　of　the　donkey　engine　and　the　rattle

of　a　steel　cable　on　the　hoisting…drum　proclaimed　the　fact　that

the　Kincaid's　anchor　was　being　raised；　and　a　moment　later

the　waiter　heard　the　propellers　revolving；　and　slowly　the　little

steamer　moved　away　from　him　out　into　the　channel。



As　he　turned　to　row　back　to　shore　he　heard　a　woman's

shriek　from　the　ship's　deck。



〃That's　wot　I　calls　rotten　luck；〃　he　soliloquized。　　〃I　might

jest　as　well　of　'ad　the　whole　bloomin'　wad。〃





When　Jane　Clayton　climbed　to　the　deck　of　the　Kincaid　she

found　the　ship　apparently　deserted。　　There　was　no　sign　of

those　she　sought　nor　of　any　other　aboard；　and　so　she　went

about　her　search　for　her　husband　and　the　child　she　hoped

against　hope　to　find　there　without　interruption。



Quickly　she　hastened　to　the　cabin；　which　was　half　above　and

half　below　deck。　　As　she　hurried　down　the　short　companion…ladder

into　the　main　cabin；　on　either　side　of　which　were　the　smaller

rooms　occupied　by　the　officers；　she　failed　to　note　the　quick

closing　of　one　of　the　doors　before　her。　　She　passed　the

full　length　of　the　main　room；　and　then　retracing　her　steps

stopped　before　each　door　to　listen；　furtively　trying　each　latch。



All　was　silence；　utter　silence　there；　in　which　the　throbbing

of　her　own　frightened　heart　seemed　to　her　overwrought

imagination　to　fill　the　ship　with　its　thunderous　alarm。



One　by　one　the　doors　opened　before　her　touch；　only　to　reveal

empty　interiors。　　In　her　absorption　she　did　not　note　the

sudden　activity　upon　the　vessel；　the　purring　of　the　engines；

the　throbbing　of　the　propeller。　　She　had　reached　the　last　door

upon　the　right　now；　and　as　she　pushed　it　open　she　was　seized

from　within　by　a　powerful；　dark…visaged　man；　and　drawn

hastily　into　the　stuffy；　ill…smelling　interior。



The　sudden　shock　of　fright　which　the　unexpected　attack

had　upon　her　drew　a　single　piercing　scream　from　her　throat；

then　the　man　clapped　a　hand　roughly　over　the　mouth。



〃Not　until　we　are　farther　from　land；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　　

〃Then　you　may　yell　your　pretty　head　off。〃



Lady　Greystoke　turned　to　look　into　the　leering；　bearded

face　so　close　to　hers。　　The　man　relaxed　the　pressure　of　his

fingers　upon　her　lips；　and　with　a　little　moan　of　terror　as　she

recognized　him　the　girl　shrank　away　from　her　captor。



〃Nikolas　Rokoff！　　M。　　Thuran！〃　she　exclaimed。



〃Your　devoted　admirer；〃　replied　the　Russian；　with　a　low　bow。



〃My　little　boy；〃　she　said　next；　ignoring　the　terms　of　endearment

〃where　is　he？　　Let　me　have　him。　　How　could　you　be　so　crueleven　as　you

Nikolas　Rokoffcannot　be　entirely　devoid　of　mercy　and　compassion？

Tell　me　where　he　is。　　Is　he　aboard　this　ship？　　Oh；　please；　if　such　a

thing　as　a　heart　beats　within　your　breast；　take　me　to　my　baby！〃



〃If　you　do　as　you　are　bid　no　harm　will　befall　him；〃　replied　Rokoff。　　

〃But　remember　that　it　is　your　own　fault　that　you　are　here。　　

You　came　aboard　voluntarily；　and　you　may　take　the　consequences。　　

I　little　thought；〃　he　added　to　himself；　〃that　any　such

good　luck　as　this　would　come　to　me。〃



He　went　on　deck　then；　locking　the　cabin…door　upon　his　prisoner；

and　for　several　days　she　did　not　see　him。　　The　truth　of　the

matter　being　that　Nikolas　Rokoff　was　so　poor　a　sailor

that　the　heavy　seas　the　Kincaid　encountered　from　the　very

beginning　of　her　voyage　sent　the　Russian　to　his　berth　with　a

bad　attack　of　sea…sickness。



During　this　time　her　only　visitor　was　an　uncouth　Swede；

the　Kincaid's　unsavoury　cook；　who　brought　her　meals　to　her。　　

His　name　was　Sven　Anderssen；　his　one　pride　being　that　his

patronymic　was　spelt　with　a　double　〃s。〃



The　man　was　tall　and　raw…boned；　with　a　long　yellow

moustache；　an　unwholesome　complexion；　and　filthy　nails。　　

The　very　sight　of　him　with　one　grimy　thumb　buried　deep　in

the　lukewarm　stew；　that　seemed；　from　the　frequency　of　its

repetition；　to　constitute　the　pride　of　his　culinary　art；

was　sufficient　to　take　away　the　girl's　appetite。



His　small；　blue；　close…set　eyes　never　met　hers　squarely。　　

There　was　a　shiftiness　of　his　whole　appearance　that　even

found　expression　in　the　cat…like　manner　of　his　gait；　and　to　it

all　a　sinister　suggestion　was　added　by　the　long　slim　knife　that

always　rested　at　his　waist；　slipped　through　the　greasy　cord

that　supported　his　soiled　apron。　　Ostensibly　it　was　but　an

implement　of　his　calling；　but　the　girl　could　never　free　herself

of　the　conviction　that　it　would　require　less　provocation　to

witness　it　put　to　other　and　less　harmless　uses。



His　manner　toward　her　was　surly；　yet　she　never　failed　to

meet　him　with　a　pleasant　smile　and　a　word　of　thanks　when

he　brought　her　food　to　her；　though　more　often　than　not　she

hurled　the　bulk　of　it　through　the　tiny　cabin　port　the　moment

that　the　door　closed　behind　him。



During　the　days　of　anguish　that　followed　Jane　Clayton's

imprisonment；　but　two　questions　were　uppermost　in　her

mindthe　whereabouts　of　her　husband　and　her　son。　　She　fully

believed　that　the　baby　was　aboard　the　Kincaid；　provided　that

he　still　lived；　but　whether　Tarzan　had　been　permitted　to　live

after　having　been　lured　aboard　the　evil　craft　she　could　not　guess。



She　knew；　of　course；　the　deep　hatred　that　the　Russian　felt

for　the　Englishman；　and　she　could　think　of　but　one　reason

for　having　him　brought　aboard　the　shipto　dispatch　him　in

comparative　safety　in　revenge　for　his　having　thwarted

Rokoff's　pet　schemes；　and　for　having　been　at　last　the

means　of　landing　him　in　a　French　prison。





Tarzan；　on　his　part；　lay　in　the　darkness　of　his　cell；　ignorant

of　the　fact　that　his　wife　was　a　prisoner　in　the　cabin　almost

above　his　head。



The　same　Swede　that　served　Jane　brought　his　meals　to　him；

but；　though　on　several　occasions　Tarzan　had　tried　to

draw　the　man　into　conversation；　he　had　been　unsuccessful。　　

He　had　hoped　to　learn　through　this　fellow　whether　his　little

son　was　aboard　the　Kincaid；　but　to　every　question　upon　this

or　kindred　subjects　the　fellow　returned　but　one　reply；

〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard。〃　　So　after　several

attempts　Tarzan　gave　it　up。



For　weeks　that　seemed　months　to　the　two　prisoners　the　little

steamer　forged　on　they　knew　not　where。　　Once　the　Kincaid

stopped　to　coal；　only　immediately　to　take　up　the　seemingly

interminable　voyage。



Rokoff　had　visited　Jane　Clayton　but　once　since　he　had　locked

her　in　the　tiny　cabin。　　He　had　come　gaunt　and　hollow…eyed

from　a　long　siege　of　sea…sickness。　　The　object　of　his　visit

was　to　obtain　from　her　her　personal　cheque　for　a　large　sum　in

return　for　a　guarantee　of　her　personal　safety　and　return　to　England。



〃When　you　set　me　down　safely　in　any　civilized　port；

together　with　my　son　and　my　husband；〃　she　replied；　〃I　will

pay　you　in　gold　twice　the　amount　you　ask；　but　until　then　you

shall　not　have　a　cent；　nor　the　promise　of　a　cent　under　any

other　conditions。〃



〃You　will　give　me　the　cheque　I　ask；〃　he　replied　with　a　snarl；

〃or　neither　you　nor　your　child　nor　your　husband　will　ever

again　set　foot　within　any　port；　civilized　or　otherwise。〃



〃I　would　not　trust　you；〃　she　replied。　　〃What　guarantee

have　I　that　you　would　not　take　my　money　and　then　do　as　you

pleased　with　me　and　mine　regardless　of　your　promise？〃



〃I　think　you　will　do　as　I　bid；〃　he　said；　turning　to　leave

the　cabin。　　〃Remember　that　I　have　your　sonif　you　chance

to　hear　the　agonized　wail　of　a　tortured　child　it　may　console

you　to　reflect　that　it　is　because　of　your　stubbornness　that

the　baby　suffersand　that　it　is　your　baby。〃



〃You　would　not　do　it！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃You　would　not

could　not　be　so　fiendishly　cruel！〃



〃It　is　not　I　that　am　cruel；　but　you；〃　he　returned；

〃for　you　permit　a　paltry　sum　of　mo