tarzan and the jewels of opar-第20节

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of　madness　is　a　revulsion　of　affectionobjects　of　sane

love　become　the　objects　of　insane　hatred。　　Peculiar　in

the　unwritten　annals　of　the　jungle　was　the　proverbial

love　that　had　existed　between　the　ape…man　and　the　tribe

of　Tantor。　　No　elephant　in　all　the　jungle　would　harm

the　Tarmanganithe　white…ape；　but　with　the　madness　of

MUST　upon　him　the　great　bull　sought　to　destroy　his

long…time　play…fellow。



Back　to　the　tree　where　La　and　Tarzan　perched　came

Tantor；　the　elephant。　　He　reared　up　with　his　forefeet

against　the　bole　and　reached　high　toward　them　with　his

long　trunk；　but　Tarzan　had　foreseen　this　and　clambered

beyond　the　bull's　longest　reach。　　Failure　but　tended　to

further　enrage　the　mad　creature。　　He　bellowed　and

trumpeted　and　screamed　until　the　earth　shook　to　the

mighty　volume　of　his　noise。　　He　put　his　head　against

the　tree　and　pushed　and　the　tree　bent　before　his　mighty

strength；　yet　still　it　held。



The　actions　of　Tarzan　were　peculiar　in　the　extreme。

Had　Numa；　or　Sabor；　or　Sheeta；　or　any　other　beast　of

the　jungle　been　seeking　to　destroy　him；　the　ape…man

would　have　danced　about　hurling　missiles　and　invectives

at　his　assailant。　　He　would　have　insulted　and　taunted

them；　reviling　in　the　jungle　Billingsgate　he　knew　so

well；　but　now　he　sat　silent　out　of　Tantor's　reach　and

upon　his　handsome　face　was　an　expression　of　deep　sorrow

and　pity；　for　of　all　the　jungle　folk　Tarzan　loved

Tantor　the　best。　　Could　he　have　slain　him　he　would　not

have　thought　of　doing　so。　　His　one　idea　was　to　escape；

for　he　knew　that　with　the　passing　of　the　MUST

Tantor　would　be　sane　again　and　that　once　more　he　might

stretch　at　full　length　upon　that　mighty　back　and　make

foolish　speech　into　those　great；　flapping　ears。



Finding　that　the　tree　would　not　fall　to　his　pushing；

Tantor　was　but　enraged　the　more。　　He　looked　up　at　the

two　perched　high　above　him；　his　red…rimmed　eyes　blazing

with　insane　hatred；　and　then　he　wound　his　trunk　about

the　bole　of　the　tree；　spread　his　giant　feet　wide　apart

and　tugged　to　uproot　the　jungle　giant。　　A　huge　creature

was　Tantor；　an　enormous　bull　in　the　full　prime　of　all

his　stupendous　strength。　　Mightily　he　strove　until

presently；　to　Tarzan's　consternation；　the　great　tree

gave　slowly　at　the　roots。　　The　ground　rose　in　little

mounds　and　ridges　about　the　base　of　the　bole；　the　tree

tiltedin　another　moment　it　would　be　uprooted　and　fall。



The　ape…man　whirled　La　to　his　back　and　just　as　the　tree

inclined　slowly　in　its　first　movement　out　of　the

perpendicular；　before　the　sudden　rush　of　its　final

collapse；　he　swung　to　the　branches　of　a　lesser

neighbor。　　It　was　a　long　and　perilous　leap。　　La　closed

her　eyes　and　shuddered；　but　when　she　opened　them　again

she　found　herself　safe　and　Tarzan　whirling　onward

through　the　forest。　　Behind　them　the　uprooted　tree

crashed　heavily　to　the　ground；　carrying　with　it　the

lesser　trees　in　its　path　and　then　Tantor；　realizing

that　his　prey　had　escaped　him；　set　up　once　more　his

hideous　trumpeting　and　followed　at　a　rapid　charge　upon

their　trail。







14



A　Priestess　But　Yet　a　Woman





At　first　La　closed　her　eyes　and　clung　to　Tarzan　in　terror；

though　she　made　no　outcry；　but　presently　she　gained

sufficient　courage　to　look　about　her；　to　look　down

at　the　ground　beneath　and　even　to　keep　her　eyes　open

during　the　wide；　perilous　swings　from　tree　to　tree；

and　then　there　came　over　her　a　sense　of　safety

because　of　her　confidence　in　the　perfect　physical

creature　in　whose　strength　and　nerve　and　agility　her

fate　lay。　　Once　she　raised　her　eyes　to　the　burning　sun

and　murmured　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　her　pagan　god　that

she　had　not　been　permitted　to　destroy　this　godlike　man；

and　her　long　lashes　were　wet　with　tears。　　A　strange

anomaly　was　La　of　Opara　creature　of　circumstance　torn

by　conflicting　emotions。　　Now　the　cruel　and

bloodthirsty　creature　of　a　heartless　god　and　again　a

melting　woman　filled　with　compassion　and　tenderness。

Sometimes　the　incarnation　of　jealousy　and　revenge　and

sometimes　a　sobbing　maiden；　generous　and　forgiving；　at

once　a　virgin　and　a　wanton；　but　alwaysa　woman。

Such　was　La。



She　pressed　her　cheek　close　to　Tarzan's　shoulder。

Slowly　she　turned　her　head　until　her　hot　lips　were

pressed　against　his　flesh。　　She　loved　him　and　would

gladly　have　died　for　him；　yet　within　an　hour　she　had

been　ready　to　plunge　a　knife　into　his　heart　and　might

again　within　the　coming　hour。



A　hapless　priest　seeking　shelter　in　the　jungle　chanced

to　show　himself　to　enraged　Tantor。　　The　great　beast

turned　to　one　side；　bore　down　upon　the　crooked；　little

man；　snuffed　him　out　and　then；　diverted　from　his

course；　blundered　away　toward　the　south。　　In　a　few

minutes　even　the　noise　of　his　trumpeting　was　lost　in

the　distance。



Tarzan　dropped　to　the　ground　and　La　slipped　to　her　feet

from　his　back。　　〃Call　your　people　together；〃　said　Tarzan。



〃They　will　kill　me；〃　replied　La。



〃They　will　not　kill　you；〃　contradicted　the　ape…man。

〃No　one　will　kill　you　while　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　is　here。

Call　them　and　we　will　talk　with　them。〃



La　raised　her　voice　in　a　weird；　flutelike　call　that

carried　far　into　the　jungle　on　every　side。　　From　near

and　far　came　answering　shouts　in　the　barking　tones　of

the　Oparian　priests：　〃We　come！　　We　come！〃　Again　and

again；　La　repeated　her　summons　until　singly　and　in

pairs　the　greater　portion　of　her　following　approached

and　halted　a　short　distance　away　from　the　High

Priestess　and　her　savior。　　They　came　with　scowling

brows　and　threatening　mien。　　When　all　had　come　Tarzan

addressed　them。



〃Your　La　is　safe；〃　said　the　ape…man。　　〃Had　she　slain　me

she　would　now　herself　be　dead　and　many　more　of　you；　but

she　spared　me　that　I　might　save　her。　　Go　your　way　with

her　back　to　Opar；　and　Tarzan　will　go　his　way　into　the

jungle。　Let　there　be　peace　always　between　Tarzan　and

La。　　What　is　your　answer？〃



The　priests　grumbled　and　shook　their　heads。　　They　spoke

together　and　La　and　Tarzan　could　see　that　they　were　not

favorably　inclined　toward　the　proposition。　　They　did

not　wish　to　take　La　back　and　they　did　wish　to　complete

the　sacrifice　of　Tarzan　to　the　Flaming　God。　　At　last

the　ape…man　became　impatient。



〃You　will　obey　the　commands　of　your　queen；〃　he　said；

〃and　go　back　to　Opar　with　her　or　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

will　call　together　the　other　creatures　of　the　jungle

and　slay　you　all。　　La　saved　me　that　I　might　save　you

and　her。　　I　have　served　you　better　alive　than　I　could

have　dead。　　If　you　are　not　all　fools　you　will　let　me　go

my　way　in　peace　and　you　will　return　to　Opar　with　La。

I　know　not　where　the　sacred　knife　is；　but　you　can　fashion

another。　　Had　I　not　taken　it　from　La　you　would　have

slain　me　and　now　your　god　must　be　glad　that　I　took　it

since　I　have　saved　his　priestess　from　love…mad　Tantor。

Will　you　go　back　to　Opar　with　La；　promising　that　no

harm　shall　befall　her？〃



The　priests　gathered　together　in　a　little　knot　arguing

and　discussing。　　They　pounded　upon　their　breasts　with

their　fists；　they　raised　their　hands　and　eyes　to　their

fiery　god；　they　growled　and　barked　among　themselves

until　it　became　evident　to　Tarzan　that　one　of　their

number　was　preventing　the　acceptance　of　his　proposal。

This　was　the　High　Priest　whose　heart　was　filled　with

jealous　rage　because　La　openly　acknowledged　her　love

for　the　stranger；　when　by　the　worldly　customs　of　their

cult　she　should　have　belonged　to　him。　Seemingly　there

was　to　be　no　solution　of　the　problem　until　another

priest　stepped　forth　and；　raising　his　hand；　addressed

La。



〃Cadj；　the　High　Priest；〃　he　announced；　〃would　sacrifice

you　both　to　the　Flaming　God；　but　all　of　us　except　Cadj

would　gladly　return　to　Opar　with　our　queen。〃



〃You　are　many　against　one；〃　spoke　up　Tarzan。

〃Why　should　you　not　have　your　will？　　Go　your　way　with

La　to　Opar　and　if　Cadj　interferes　slay　him。〃



The　priests　of　Opar　welcomed　this　suggestion　with　loud

cries　of　approval。　　To　them　it　appeared　nothing　short

of　divine　inspiration。　　The　influence　of　ages　of

unquestioning　obedience　to　high　priests　had　made　it

seem　impossible　to　them　to　question　his　authority；　but

when　they　realized　that　they　could　force　him　to　their

will　they　were　as　happy　as　children　with　new　toys。



They　rushed　forward　and　seized　Cadj。　　They　talked　in

loud　menacing　tones　into　his　ear。　　They　threatened　him

with　bludgeon　and　knife　until　at　last　he　acquiesced　in

their　demands；　though　sullenly；　and　then　Tarzan　stepped

close　before　Cadj。



〃Priest；〃　he　said；　〃La　goes　back　to　her　temple　under

the　protection　of　her　priests　and　the　threat　of　Tarzan

of　the　Apes　that　whoever　harms　her　shall　die。　　Tarzan

will　go　again　to　Opar　before　the　next　rains　and　if　harm

has　befallen　La；　woe　betide　Cadj；　the　High　Priest。〃



Sullenly　Cadj　promised　not　to　harm　his　queen。



〃Protect　her；〃　cried　Tarzan　to　the　other　Oparians。

〃Protect　her　so　that　when　Tarzan　comes　again　he　will

find　La　there　t