tarzan and the jewels of opar-第43节

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trees；　so　lightning…like　his　survey　and　comprehension

of　the　scene　below　himso　instantaneous　his　consequent

action。



So　hopeless　had　seemed　her　situation　to　her　that　Jane

Clayton　but　stood　in　lethargic　apathy　awaiting　the

impact　of　the　huge　body　that　would　hurl　her　to　the

groundawaiting　the　momentary　agony　that　cruel　talons

and　grisly　fangs　may　inflict　before　the　coming　of　the

merciful　oblivion　which　would　end　her　sorrow　and　her

suffering。



What　use　to　attempt　escape？　　As　well　face　the　hideous

end　as　to　be　dragged　down　from　behind　in　futile　flight。

She　did　not　even　close　her　eyes　to　shut　out　the

frightful　aspect　of　that　snarling　face；　and　so　it　was

that　as　she　saw　the　lion　preparing　to　charge　she　saw；

too；　a　bronzed　and　mighty　figure　leap　from　an

overhanging　tree　at　the　instant　that　Numa　rose　in　his

spring。



Wide　went　her　eyes　in　wonder　and　incredulity；　as　she

beheld　this　seeming　apparition　risen　from　the　dead。

The　lion　was　forgottenher　own　perileverything　save

the　wondrous　miracle　of　this　strange　recrudescence。

With　parted　lips；　with　palms　tight　pressed　against　her

heaving　bosom；　the　girl　leaned　forward；　large…eyed；

enthralled　by　the　vision　of　her　dead　mate。



She　saw　the　sinewy　form　leap　to　the　shoulder　of　the

lion；　hurtling　against　the　leaping　beast　like　a　huge；

animate　battering　ram。　　She　saw　the　carnivore　brushed

aside　as　he　was　almost　upon　her；　and　in　the　instant　she

realized　that　no　substanceless　wraith　could　thus　turn

the　charge　of　a　maddened　lion　with　brute　force　greater

than　the　brute's。



Tarzan；　her　Tarzan；　lived！　　A　cry　of　unspeakable

gladness　broke　from　her　lips；　only　to　die　in　terror　as

she　saw　the　utter　defenselessness　of　her　mate；　and

realized　that　the　lion　had　recovered　himself　and　was

turning　upon　Tarzan　in　mad　lust　for　vengeance。



At　the　ape…man's　feet　lay　the　discarded　rifle　of　the

dead　Abyssinian　whose　mutilated　corpse　sprawled　where

Numa　had　abandoned　it。　　The　quick　glance　which　had

swept　the　ground　for　some　weapon　of　defense　discovered

it；　and　as　the　lion　reared　upon　his　hind　legs　to　seize

the　rash　man…thing　who　had　dared　interpose　its　puny

strength　between　Numa　and　his　prey；　the　heavy　stock

whirred　through　the　air　and　splintered　upon　the　broad

forehead。



Not　as　an　ordinary　mortal　might　strike　a　blow　did

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　strike；　but　with　the　maddened　frenzy

of　a　wild　beast　backed　by　the　steel　thews　which　his

wild；　arboreal　boyhood　had　bequeathed　him。　　When　the

blow　ended　the　splintered　stock　was　driven　through　the

splintered　skull　into　the　savage　brain；　and　the　heavy

iron　barrel　was　bent　into　a　rude　V。



In　the　instant　that　the　lion　sank；　lifeless；　to　the

ground；　Jane　Clayton　threw　herself　into　the　eager　arms

of　her　husband。　　For　a　brief　instant　he　strained　her

dear　form　to　his　breast；　and　then　a　glance　about　him

awakened　the　ape…man　to　the　dangers　which　still

surrounded　them。



Upon　every　hand　the　lions　were　still　leaping　upon　new

victims。　　Fear…maddened　horses　still　menaced　them　with

their　erratic　bolting　from　one　side　of　the　enclosure　to

the　other。　　Bullets　from　the　guns　of　the　defenders　who

remained　alive　but　added　to　the　perils　of　their

situation。



To　remain　was　to　court　death。　　Tarzan　seized　Jane

Clayton　and　lifted　her　to　a　broad　shoulder。　　The　blacks

who　had　witnessed　his　advent　looked　on　in　amazement　as

they　saw　the　naked　giant　leap　easily　into　the　branches

of　the　tree　from　whence　he　had　dropped　so　uncannily

upon　the　scene；　and　vanish　as　he　had　come；　bearing　away

their　prisoner　with　him。



They　were　too　well　occupied　in　self…defense　to　attempt

to　halt　him；　nor　could　they　have　done　so　other　than　by

the　wasting　of　a　precious　bullet　which　might　be　needed

the　next　instant　to　turn　the　charge　of　a　savage　foe。



And　so；　unmolested；　Tarzan　passed　from　the　camp　of　the

Abyssinians；　from　which　the　din　of　conflict　followed

him　deep　into　the　jungle　until　distance　gradually

obliterated　it　entirely。



Back　to　the　spot　where　he　had　left　Werper　went　the

ape…man；　joy　in　his　heart　now；　where　fear　and　sorrow　had

so　recently　reigned；　and　in　his　mind　a　determination　to

forgive　the　Belgian　and　aid　him　in　making　good　his

escape。　　But　when　he　came　to　the　place；　Werper　was

gone；　and　though　Tarzan　called　aloud　many　times　he

received　no　reply。　　Convinced　that　the　man　had

purposely　eluded　him　for　reasons　of　his　own；　John

Clayton　felt　that　he　was　under　no　obligations　to　expose

his　wife　to　further　danger　and　discomfort　in　the

prosecution　of　a　more　thorough　search　for　the　missing

Belgian。



〃He　has　acknowledged　his　guilt　by　his　flight；　Jane；〃　he

said。　　〃We　will　let　him　go　to　lie　in　the　bed　that　he

has　made　for　himself。〃



Straight　as　homing　pigeons；　the　two　made　their　way

toward　the　ruin　and　desolation　that　had　once　been　the

center　of　their　happy　lives；　and　which　was　soon　to　be

restored　by　the　willing　black　hands　of　laughing

laborers；　made　happy　again　by　the　return　of　the　master

and　mistress　whom　they　had　mourned　as　dead。



Past　the　village　of　Achmet　Zek　their　way　led　them；　and

there　they　found　but　the　charred　remains　of　the

palisade　and　the　native　huts；　still　smoking；　as　mute

evidence　of　the　wrath　and　vengeance　of　a　powerful

enemy。



〃The　Waziri；〃　commented　Tarzan　with　a　grim　smile。



〃God　bless　them！〃　cried　Jane　Clayton。



〃They　cannot　be　far　ahead　of　us；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃Basuli

and　the　others。　　The　gold　is　gone　and　the　jewels　of

Opar；　Jane；　but　we　have　each　other　and　the　Waziriand

we　have　love　and　loyalty　and　friendship。　　And　what　are

gold　and　jewels　to　these？〃



〃If　only　poor　Mugambi　lived；〃　she　replied；　〃and　those

other　brave　fellows　who　sacrificed　their　lives　in　vain

endeavor　to　protect　me！〃



In　the　silence　of　mingled　joy　and　sorrow　they　passed

along　through　the　familiar　jungle；　and　as　the　afternoon

was　waning　there　came　faintly　to　the　ears　of　the

ape…man　the　murmuring　cadence　of　distant　voices。



〃We　are　nearing　the　Waziri；　Jane；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can

hear　them　ahead　of　us。　　They　are　going　into　camp　for

the　night；　I　imagine。〃



A　half　hour　later　the　two　came　upon　a　horde　of　ebon

warriors　which　Basuli　had　collected　for　his　war　of

vengeance　upon　the　raiders。　　With　them　were　the

captured　women　of　the　tribe　whom　they　had　found　in　the

village　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　tall；　even　among　the　giant

Waziri；　loomed　a　familiar　black　form　at　the　side　of

Basuli。　　It　was　Mugambi；　whom　Jane　had　thought　dead

amidst　the　charred　ruins　of　the　bungalow。



Ah；　such　a　reunion！　　Long　into　the　night　the　dancing　and

the　singing　and　the　laughter　awoke　the　echoes　of　the

somber　wood。　　Again　and　again　were　the　stories　of　their

various　adventures　retold。　　Again　and　once　again　they

fought　their　battles　with　savage　beast　and　savage　man；

and　dawn　was　already　breaking　when　Basuli；　for　the

fortieth　time；　narrated　how　he　and　a　handful　of　his

warriors　had　watched　the　battle　for　the　golden　ingots

which　the　Abyssinians　of　Abdul　Mourak　had　waged　against

the　Arab　raiders　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　how；　when　the

victors　had　ridden　away　they　had　sneaked　out　of　the

river　reeds　and　stolen　away　with　the　precious　ingots　to

hide　them　where　no　robber　eye　ever　could　discover　them。



Pieced　out　from　the　fragments　of　their　various

experiences　with　the　Belgian　the　truth　concerning　the

malign　activities　of　Albert　Werper　became　apparent。

Only　Lady　Greystoke　found　aught　to　praise　in　the

conduct　of　the　man；　and　it　was　difficult　even　for　her

to　reconcile　his　many　heinous　acts　with　this　one

evidence　of　chivalry　and　honor。



〃Deep　in　the　soul　of　every　man；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃must

lurk　the　germ　of　righteousness。　　It　was　your　own

virtue；　Jane；　rather　even　than　your　helplessness　which

awakened　for　an　instant　the　latent　decency　of　this

degraded　man。　　In　that　one　act　he　retrieved　himself；

and　when　he　is　called　to　face　his　Maker　may　it　outweigh

in　the　balance；　all　the　sins　he　has　committed。〃



And　Jane　Clayton　breathed　a　fervent；　〃Amen！〃



　Months　had　passed。　　The　labor　of　the　Waziri　and　the

gold　of　Opar　had　rebuilt　and　refurnished　the　wasted

homestead　of　the　Greystokes。　　Once　more　the　simple　life

of　the　great　African　farm　went　on　as　it　had　before　the

coming　of　the　Belgian　and　the　Arab。　　Forgotten　were　the

sorrows　and　dangers　of　yesterday。



For　the　first　time　in　months　Lord　Greystoke　felt　that

he　might　indulge　in　a　holiday；　and　so　a　great　hunt　was

organized　that　the　faithful　laborers　might　feast　in

celebration　of　the　completion　of　their　work。



In　itself　the　hunt　was　a　success；　and　ten　days　after

its　inauguration；　a　well…laden　safari　took　up　its

return　march　toward　the　Waziri　plain。　　Lord　and　Lady

Greystoke　with　Basuli　and　Mugambi　rode　together　at　the

head　of　the　column；　laughing　and　talking　together　in

that　easy　familiarity　which　common　interests　and　mutual

respect　breed　between　honest　and　intelligent　men　of　any

races。



Jane　C