tarzan and the jewels of opar()-第19节
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cruel barb into her side brought a sudden scream of pain and fright from
the mare； and then they both wheeled and broke for safety； but Tarzan of
the Apes； for a distance of a few yards； could equal the speed of even these；
and the first stride of the mare found her overhauled； with a savage beast
at her shoulder。 She turned； biting and kicking at her foe。 Her mate
hesitated for an instant； as though about to rush to her assistance； but a
backward glance revealed to him the flying heels of the balance of the
herd； and with a snort and a shake of his head he wheeled and dashed
away。
Clinging with one hand to the short mane of his quarry； Tarzan struck
again and again with his knife at the unprotected heart。 The result had；
from the first； been inevitable。 The mare fought bravely； but hopelessly；
and presently sank to the earth； her heart pierced。 The ape…man placed a
foot upon her carcass and raised his voice in the victory call of the
Mangani。 In the distance； Basuli halted as the faint notes of the hideous
scream broke upon his ears。
〃The great apes；〃 he said to his companion。 〃It has been long since I
have heard them in the country of the Waziri。 What could have brought
them back？〃
Tarzan grasped his kill and dragged it to the partial seclusion of the
bush which had hidden his own near approach； and there he squatted upon
it； cut a huge hunk of flesh from the loin and proceeded to satisfy his
hunger with the warm and dripping meat。
Attracted by the shrill screams of the mare； a pair of hyenas slunk
presently into view。 They trotted to a point a few yards from the gorging
ape…man； and halted。 Tarzan looked up； bared his fighting fangs and
growled。 The hyenas returned the compliment； and withdrew a couple of
paces。 They made no move to attack； but continued to sit at a respectful
distance until Tarzan had concluded his meal。 After the ape…man had cut
a few strips from the carcass to carry with him； he walked slowly off in the
direction of the river to quench his thirst。 His way lay directly toward the
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hyenas； nor did he alter his course because of them。
With all the lordly majesty of Numa； the lion； he strode straight toward
the growling beasts。 For a moment they held their ground； bristling and
defiant； but only for a moment； and then slunk away to one side while the
indifferent ape…man passed them on his lordly way。 A moment later they
were tearing at the remains of the zebra。
Back to the reeds went Tarzan； and through them toward the river。 A
herd of buffalo； startled by his approach； rose ready to charge or to fly。 A
great bull pawed the ground and bellowed as his bloodshot eyes
discovered the intruder； but the ape…man passed across their front as
though ignorant of their existence。 The bull's bellowing lessened to a low
rumbling； he turned and scraped a horde of flies from his side with his
muzzle； cast a final glance at the ape…man and resumed his feeding。 His
numerous family either followed his example or stood gazing after Tarzan
in mild…eyed curiosity； until the opposite reeds swallowed him from view。
At the river； Tarzan drank his fill and bathed。 During the heat of the
day he lay up under the shade of a tree near the ruins of his burned barns。
His eyes wandered out across the plain toward the forest； and a longing for
the pleasures of its mysterious depths possessed his thoughts for a
considerable time。 With the next sun he would cross the open and enter
the forest！ There was no hurrythere lay before him an endless vista of
tomorrows with naught to fill them but the satisfying of the appetites and
caprices of the moment。
The ape…man's mind was untroubled by regret for the past； or
aspiration for the future。 He could lie at full length along a swaying
branch； stretching his giant limbs； and luxuriating in the blessed peace of
utter thoughtlessness； without an apprehension or a worry to sap his
nervous energy and rob him of his peace of mind。 Recalling only dimly
any other existence； the ape…man was happy。 Lord Greystoke had ceased
to exist。
For several hours Tarzan lolled upon his swaying； leafy couch until
once again hunger and thirst suggested an excursion。 Stretching lazily he
dropped to the ground and moved slowly toward the river。 The game
trail down which he walked had become by ages of use a deep； narrow
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trench； its walls topped on either side by impenetrable thicket and dense…
growing trees closely interwoven with thick…stemmed creepers and lesser
vines inextricably matted into two solid ramparts of vegetation。 Tarzan
had almost reached the point where the trail debouched upon the open
river bottom when he saw a family of lions approaching along the path
from the direction of the river。 The ape…man counted seven a male and
two lionesses； full grown； and four young lions as large and quite as
formidable as their parents。 Tarzan halted； growling； and the lions
paused； the great male in the lead baring his fangs and rumbling forth a
warning roar。 In his hand the ape…man held his heavy spear； but he had
no intention of pitting his puny weapon against seven lions； yet he stood
there growling and roaring and the lions did likewise。 It was purely an
exhibition of jungle bluff。 Each was trying to frighten off the other。
Neither wished to turn back and give way； nor did either at first desire to
precipitate an encounter。 The lions were fed sufficiently so as not to be
goaded by pangs of hunger and as for Tarzan he seldom ate the meat of the
carnivores； but a point of ethics was at stake and neither side wished to
back down。 So they stood there facing one another； making all sorts of
hideous noises the while they hurled jungle invective back and forth。 How
long this bloodless duel would have persisted it is difficult to say； though
eventually Tarzan would have been forced to yield to superior numbers。
There came； however； an interruption which put an end to the deadlock
and it came from Tarzan's rear。 He and the lions had been making so
much noise that neither could hear anything above their concerted bedlam；
and so it was that Tarzan did not hear the great bulk bearing down upon
him from behind until an instant before it was upon him； and then he
turned to see Buto； the rhinoceros； his little； pig eyes blazing； charging
madly toward him and already so close that escape seemed impossible； yet
so perfectly were mind and muscles coordinated in this unspoiled；
primitive man that almost simultaneously with the sense perception of the
threatened danger he wheeled and hurled his spear at Buto's chest。 It was
a heavy spear shod with iron； and behind it were the giant muscles of the
ape…man； while coming to meet it was the enormous weight of Buto and
the momentum of his rapid rush。 All that happened in the instant that
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Tarzan turned to meet the charge of the irascible rhinoceros might take
long to tell； and yet would have taxed the swiftest lens to record。 As his
spear left his hand the ape…man was looking down upon the mighty horn
lowered to toss him； so close was Buto to him。 The spear entered the
rhinoceros' neck at its junction with the left shoulder and passed almost
entirely through the beast's body； and at the instant that he launched it；
Tarzan leaped straight into the air alighting upon
