tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第12节
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feet the conqueror placed a foot upon the carcass of his kill； raised his face
toward the heavens； and gave voice to so hideous a cry that both La and
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Werper trembled as it reverberated through the temple。
Then the ape…man turned； and Werper recognized him as the man he
had left for dead in the treasure room。
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8
The Escape from Opar
Werper was astounded。 Could this creature be the same dignified
Englishman who had entertained him so graciously in his luxurious
African home？ Could this wild beast； with blazing eyes； and bloody
countenance； be at the same time a man？ Could the horrid； victory cry he
had but just heard have been formed in human throat？
Tarzan was eyeing the man and the woman； a puzzled expression in
his eyes； but there was no faintest tinge of recognition。 It was as though
he had discovered some new species of living creature and was marveling
at his find。
La was studying the ape…man's features。 Slowly her large eyes
opened very wide。
〃Tarzan！〃 she exclaimed； and then； in the vernacular of the great apes
which constant association with the anthropoids had rendered the common
language of the Oparians： 〃You have come back to me！ La has ignored
the mandates of her religion； waiting； always waiting for Tarzanfor her
Tarzan。 She has taken no mate； for in all the world there was but one
with whom La would mate。 And now you have come back！ Tell me； O
Tarzan； that it is for me you have returned。〃
Werper listened to the unintelligible jargon。 He looked from La to
Tarzan。 Would the latter understand this strange tongue？ To the
Belgian's surprise； the Englishman answered in a language evidently
identical to hers。
〃Tarzan；〃 he repeated； musingly。 〃Tarzan。 The name sounds
familiar。〃
〃It is your nameyou are Tarzan；〃 cried La。
〃I am Tarzan？〃 The ape…man shrugged。 〃Well； it is a good nameI
know no other； so I will keep it； but I do not know you。 I did not come
hither for you。 Why I came； I do not know at all； neither do I know from
whence I came。 Can you tell me？〃
La shook her head。 〃I never knew；〃 she replied。
Tarzan turned toward Werper and put the same question to him； but in
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the language of the great apes。 The Belgian shook his head。
〃I do not understand that language；〃 he said in French。
Without effort； and apparently without realizing that he made the
change； Tarzan repeated his question in French。 Werper suddenly came
to a full realization of the magnitude of the injury of which Tarzan was a
victim。 The man had lost his memoryno longer could he recollect past
events。 The Belgian was upon the point of enlightening him； when it
suddenly occurred to him that by keeping Tarzan in ignorance； for a time
at least； of his true identity； it might be possible to turn the ape…man's
misfortune to his own advantage。
〃I cannot tell you from whence you came；〃 he said； 〃but this I can tell
youif we do not get out of this horrible place we shall both be slain upon
this bloody altar。 The woman was about to plunge her knife into my
heart when the lion interrupted the fiendish ritual。 Come！ Before they
recover from their fright and reassemble； let us find a way out of their
damnable temple。〃
Tarzan turned again toward La。
〃Why；〃 he asked； 〃would you have killed this man？ Are you hungry？〃
The High Priestess cried out in disgust。
〃Did he attempt to kill you？〃 continued Tarzan。
The woman shook her head。
〃Then why should you have wished to kill him？〃 Tarzan was
determined to get to the bottom of the thing。
La raised her slender arm and pointed toward the sun。
〃We were offering up his soul as a gift to the Flaming God；〃 she said。
Tarzan looked puzzled。 He was again an ape； and apes do not
understand such matters as souls and Flaming Gods。
〃Do you wish to die？〃 he asked Werper。
The Belgian assured him； with tears in his eyes； that he did not wish to
die。
〃Very well then； you shall not；〃 said Tarzan。 〃Come！ We will go。
This SHE would kill you and keep me for herself。 It is no place anyway
for a Mangani。 I should soon die； shut up behind these stone walls。〃
He turned toward La。 〃We are going now；〃 he said。
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The woman rushed forward and seized the ape…man's hands in hers。
〃Do not leave me！〃 she cried。 〃Stay； and you shall be High Priest。
La loves you。 All Opar shall be yours。 Slaves shall wait upon you。 Stay；
Tarzan of the Apes； and let love reward you。〃
The ape…man pushed the kneeling woman aside。 〃Tarzan does not
desire you；〃 he said； simply； and stepping to Werper's side he cut the
Belgian's bonds and motioned him to follow。
Pantingher face convulsed with rage； La sprang to her feet。
〃Stay； you shall！〃 she screamed。 〃La will have youif she cannot
have you alive； she will have you dead；〃 and raising her face to the sun she
gave voice to the same hideous shriek that Werper had heard once before
and Tarzan many times。
In answer to her cry a babel of voices broke from the surrounding
chambers and corridors。
〃Come； Guardian Priests！〃 she cried。 〃The infidels have profaned the
holiest of the holies。 Come！ Strike terror to their hearts； defend La and
her altar； wash clean the temple with the blood of the polluters。〃
Tarzan understood； though Werper did not。 The former glanced at the
Belgian and saw that he was unarmed。 Stepping quickly to La's side the
ape…man seized her in his strong arms and though she fought with all the
mad savagery of a demon； he soon disarmed her； handing her long；
sacrificial knife to Werper。
〃You will need this；〃 he said； and then from each doorway a horde of
the monstrous； little men of Opar streamed into the temple。
They were armed with bludgeons and knives； and fortified in their
courage by fanatical hate and frenzy。 Werper was terrified。 Tarzan
stood eyeing the foe in proud disdain。 Slowly he advanced toward the exit
he had chosen to utilize in making his way from the temple。 A burly
priest barred his way。 Behind the first was a score of others。 Tarzan
swung his heavy spear； clublike； down upon the skull of the priest。 The
fellow collapsed； his head crushed。
Again and again the weapon fell as Tarzan made his way slowly
toward the doorway。 Werper pressed close behind； casting backward
glances toward the shrieking； dancing mob menacing their rear。 He held
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the sacrificial knife ready to strike whoever might come within its reach；
but none came。 For a time he wondered that they should so bravely
battle with the giant ape…man； yet hesitate to rush upon him； who was
relatively so weak。 Had they done so he knew that he must have fallen at
the first charge。 Tarzan had reached the doorway over the corpses of all
that had stood to dispute his way； before Werper guessed at the reason for
his immunity。 The priests feared the sacrificial knife！ Willingly would
they face death and welcome it if it came while they defended their High
Priestess and her altar； but
