tarzan and the jewels of opar-第4节

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Tarzan　of　the　Apes　and　he　was　much　mystified。　　Here　was

the　appearance　and　the　scent　of　a　man…thing　and　Numa

had　tasted　of　human　flesh　and　learned　that　though　not

the　most　palatable　it　was　certainly　by　far　the　easiest

to　secure；　yet　there　was　that　in　the　bestial　growls　of

the　strange　creature　which　reminded　him　of　formidable

antagonists　and　gave　him　pause；　while　his　hunger　and

the　odor　of　the　hot　flesh　of　Bara　goaded　him　almost　to

madness。　　Always　Tarzan　watched　him；　guessing　what　was

passing　in　the　little　brain　of　the　carnivore　and　well

it　was　that　he　did　watch　him；　for　at　last　Numa　could

stand　it　no　longer。　　His　tail　shot　suddenly　erect　and

at　the　same　instant　the　wary　ape…man；　knowing　all　too

well　what　the　signal　portended；　grasped　the　remainder

of　the　deer's　hind　quarter　between　his　teeth　and　leaped

into　a　nearby　tree　as　Numa　charged　him　with　all　the

speed　and　a　sufficient　semblance　of　the　weight　of　an

express　train。



Tarzan's　retreat　was　no　indication　that　he　felt　fear。

Jungle　life　is　ordered　along　different　lines　than　ours

and　different　standards　prevail。　　Had　Tarzan　been

famished　he　would；　doubtless；　have　stood　his　ground　and

met　the　lion's　charge。　　He　had　done　the　thing　before

upon　more　than　one　occasion；　just　as　in　the　past　he　had

charged　lions　himself；　but　tonight　he　was　far　from

famished　and　in　the　hind　quarter　he　had　carried　off

with　him　was　more　raw　flesh　than　he　could　eat；　yet　it

was　with　no　equanimity　that　he　looked　down　upon　Numa

rending　the　flesh　of　Tarzan's　kill。　　The　presumption　of

this　strange　Numa　must　be　punished！　　And　forthwith

Tarzan　set　out　to　make　life　miserable　for　the　big　cat。

Close　by　were　many　trees　bearing　large；　hard　fruits　and

to　one　of　these　the　ape…man　swung　with　the　agility　of　a

squirrel。　　Then　commenced　a　bombardment　which　brought

forth　earthshaking　roars　from　Numa。　　One　after　another

as　rapidly　as　he　could　gather　and　hurl　them；　Tarzan

pelted　the　hard　fruit　down　upon　the　lion。　　It　was

impossible　for　the　tawny　cat　to　eat　under　that　hail　of

missileshe　could　but　roar　and　growl　and　dodge　and

eventually　he　was　driven　away　entirely　from　the　carcass

of　Bara；　the　deer。　　He　went　roaring　and　resentful；　but

in　the　very　center　of　the　clearing　his　voice　was

suddenly　hushed　and　Tarzan　saw　the　great　head　lower　and

flatten　out；　the　body　crouch　and　the　long　tail　quiver；

as　the　beast　slunk　cautiously　toward　the　trees　upon　the

opposite　side。



Immediately　Tarzan　was　alert。　　He　lifted　his　head　and

sniffed　the　slow；　jungle　breeze。　　What　was　it　that　had

attracted　Numa's　attention　and　taken　him　soft…footed

and　silent　away　from　the　scene　of　his　discomfiture？

Just　as　the　lion　disappeared　among　the　trees　beyond　the

clearing　Tarzan　caught　upon　the　down…coming　wind　the

explanation　of　his　new　interestthe　scent　spoor　of　man

was　wafted　strongly　to　the　sensitive　nostrils。　　Caching

the　remainder　of　the　deer's　hind　quarter　in　the　crotch

of　a　tree　the　ape…man　wiped　his　greasy　palms　upon　his

naked　thighs　and　swung　off　in　pursuit　of　Numa。　　A

broad；　well…beaten　elephant　path　led　into　the　forest

from　the　clearing。　　Parallel　to　this　slunk　Numa；　while

above　him　Tarzan　moved　through　the　trees；　the　shadow　of

a　wraith。　　The　savage　cat　and　the　savage　man　saw　Numa's

quarry　almost　simultaneously；　though　both　had　known

before　it　came　within　the　vision　of　their　eyes　that　it

was　a　black　man。　　Their　sensitive　nostrils　had　told

them　this　much　and　Tarzan's　had　told　him　that　the　scent

spoor　was　that　of　a　strangerold　and　a　male；　for　race

and　sex　and　age　each　has　its　own　distinctive　scent。

It　was　an　old　man　that　made　his　way　alone　through　the

gloomy　jungle；　a　wrinkled；　dried　up；　little　old　man

hideously　scarred　and　tattooed　and　strangely　garbed；

with　the　skin　of　a　hyena　about　his　shoulders　and　the

dried　head　mounted　upon　his　grey　pate。　　Tarzan

recognized　the　ear…marks　of　the　witch…doctor　and

awaited　Numa's　charge　with　a　feeling　of　pleasurable

anticipation；　for　the　ape…man　had　no　love　for

witch…doctors；　but　in　the　instant　that　Numa　did　charge；

the　white　man　suddenly　recalled　that　the　lion　had　stolen

his　kill　a　few　minutes　before　and　that　revenge　is

sweet。



The　first　intimation　the　black　man　had　that　he　was　in

danger　was　the　crash　of　twigs　as　Numa　charged　through

the　bushes　into　the　game　trail　not　twenty　yards　behind

him。　　Then　he　turned　to　see　a　huge；　black…maned　lion

racing　toward　him　and　even　as　he　turned；　Numa　seized

him。　　At　the　same　instant　the　ape…man　dropped　from　an

overhanging　limb　full　upon　the　lion's　back　and　as　he

alighted　he　plunged　his　knife　into　the　tawny　side

behind　the　left　shoulder；　tangled　the　fingers　of　his

right　hand　in　the　long　mane；　buried　his　teeth　in　Numa's

neck　and　wound　his　powerful　legs　about　the　beast's

torso。　　With　a　roar　of　pain　and　rage；　Numa　reared　up

and　fell　backward　upon　the　ape…man；　but　still　the

mighty　man…thing　clung　to　his　hold　and　repeatedly　the

long　knife　plunged　rapidly　into　his　side。　　Over　and

over　rolled　Numa；　the　lion；　clawing　and　biting　at　the

air；　roaring　and　growling　horribly　in　savage　attempt　to

reach　the　thing　upon　its　back。　　More　than　once　was

Tarzan　almost　brushed　from　his　hold。　　He　was　battered

and　bruised　and　covered　with　blood　from　Numa　and　dirt

from　the　trail；　yet　not　for　an　instant　did　he　lessen

the　ferocity　of　his　mad　attack　nor　his　grim　hold　upon

the　back　of　his　antagonist。　　To　have　loosened　for　an

instant　his　grip　there；　would　have　been　to　bring　him

within　reach　of　those　tearing　talons　or　rending　fangs；

and　have　ended　forever　the　grim　career　of　this　jungle…bred

English　lord。　　Where　he　had　fallen　beneath　the

spring　of　the　lion　the　witch…doctor　lay；　torn　and

bleeding；　unable　to　drag　himself　away　and　watched　the

terrific　battle　between　these　two　lords　of　the　jungle。

His　sunken　eyes　glittered　and　his　wrinkled　lips　moved

over　toothless　gums　as　he　mumbled　weird　incantations　to

the　demons　of　his　cult。



For　a　time　he　felt　no　doubt　as　to　the　outcomethe

strange　white　man　must　certainly　succumb　to　terrible

Simbawhoever　heard　of　a　lone　man　armed　only　with　a

knife　slaying　so　mighty　a　beast！　　Yet　presently　the　old

black　man's　eyes　went　wider　and　he　commenced　to　have

his　doubts　and　misgivings。　　What　wonderful　sort　of

creature　was　this　that　battled　with　Simba　and　held　his

own　despite　the　mighty　muscles　of　the　king　of　beasts

and　slowly　there　dawned　in　those　sunken　eyes；　gleaming

so　brightly　from　the　scarred　and　wrinkled　face；　the

light　of　a　dawning　recollection。　　Gropingly　backward

into　the　past　reached　the　fingers　of　memory；　until　at

last　they　seized　upon　a　faint　picture；　faded　and　yellow

with　the　passing　years。　　It　was　the　picture　of　a　lithe；

white…skinned　youth　swinging　through　the　trees　in

company　with　a　band　of　huge　apes；　and　the　old　eyes

blinked　and　a　great　fear　came　into　themthe

superstitious　fear　of　one　who　believes　in　ghosts　and

spirits　and　demons。



And　came　the　time　once　more　when　the　witch…doctor　no

longer　doubted　the　outcome　of　the　duel；　yet　his　first

judgment　was　reversed；　for　now　he　knew　that　the　jungle

god　would　slay　Simba　and　the　old　black　was　even　more

terrified　of　his　own　impending　fate　at　the　hands　of　the

victor　than　he　had　been　by　the　sure　and　sudden　death

which　the　triumphant　lion　would　have　meted　out　to　him。

He　saw　the　lion　weaken　from　loss　of　blood。　　He　saw　the

mighty　limbs　tremble　and　stagger　and　at　last　he　saw　the

beast　sink　down　to　rise　no　more。　　He　saw　the　forest　god

or　demon　rise　from　the　vanquished　foe；　and　placing　a

foot　upon　the　still　quivering　carcass；　raise　his　face

to　the　moon　and　bay　out　a　hideous　cry　that　froze　the

ebbing　blood　in　the　veins　of　the　witch…doctor。







4



Prophecy　and　Fulfillment





Then　Tarzan　turned　his　attention　to　the　man。　　He　had

not　slain　Numa　to　save　the　Negrohe　had　merely　done　it

in　revenge　upon　the　lion；　but　now　that　he　saw　the　old

man　lying　helpless　and　dying　before　him　something　akin

to　pity　touched　his　savage　heart。　　In　his　youth　he

would　have　slain　the　witch…doctor　without　the　slightest

compunction；　but　civilization　had　had　its　softening

effect　upon　him　even　as　it　does　upon　the　nations　and

races　which　it　touches；　though　it　had　not　yet　gone　far

enough　with　Tarzan　to　render　him　either　cowardly　or

effeminate。　　He　saw　an　old　man　suffering　and　dying；　and

he　stooped　and　felt　of　his　wounds　and　stanched　the　flow

of　blood。



〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　the　old　man　in　a　trembling　voice。



〃I　am　TarzanTarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　replied　the　ape…man

and　not　without　a　greater　touch　of　pride　than　he　would

have　said；　〃I　am　John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke。〃



The　witch…doctor　shook　convulsively　and　closed　his

eyes。　　When　he　opened　them　again　there　was　in　them　a

resignation　to　whatever　horrible　fate　awaited　him　at

the　hands　of　this　feared　demon　of　the　woods。　　〃Why　do

you　not　kill　me？〃　he　asked。



〃Why　should　I　kill　you？〃　inquired　Tarzan。

〃You　have　n