the return of tarzan- 第8部分

A　half　hour　later　Tarzan　was　ushered　into　the　room；

and　presently　his　hostess　entered；　smiling；　and　with

outstretched　hands。



〃I　am　so　glad　that　you　came；〃　she　said。



〃Nothing　could　have　prevented；〃　he　replied。



For　a　few　moments　they　spoke　of　the　opera；　of　the　topics

that　were　then　occupying　the　attention　of　Paris；　of　the

pleasure　of　renewing　their　brief　acquaintance　which　had　had

its　inception　under　such　odd　circumstances；　and　this　brought

them　to　the　subject　that　was　uppermost　in　the　minds　of　both。



〃You　must　have　wondered；〃　said　the　countess　finally；　〃what

the　object　of　Rokoff's　persecution　could　be。　　It　is　very　simple。

The　count　is　intrusted　with　many　of　the　vital　secrets　of　the

ministry　of　war。　　He　often　has　in　his　possession　papers　that

foreign　powers　would　give　a　fortune　to　possesssecrets

of　state　that　their　agents　would　commit　murder　and

worse　than　murder　to　learn。



〃There　is　such　a　matter　now　in　his　possession　that　would

make　the　fame　and　fortune　of　any　Russian　who　could

divulge　it　to　his　government。　　Rokoff　and　Paulvitch　are

Russian　spies。　　They　will　stop　at　nothing　to　procure　this

information。　　The　affair　on　the　linerI　mean　the　matter　of　the

card　gamewas　for　the　purpose　of　blackmailing　the　knowledge

they　seek　from　my　husband。



〃Had　he　been　convicted　of　cheating　at　cards；　his　career

would　have　been　blighted。　　He　would　have　had　to　leave　the

war　department。　　He　would　have　been　socially　ostracized。

They　intended　to　hold　this　club　over　himthe　price　of　an

avowal　on　their　part　that　the　count　was　but　the　victim　of　the

plot　of　enemies　who　wished　to　besmirch　his　name　was　to　have

been　the　papers　they　seek。



〃You　thwarted　them　in　this。　　Then　they　concocted　the

scheme　whereby　my　reputation　was　to　be　the　price；　instead

of　the　count's。　　When　Paulvitch　entered　my　cabin　he　explained

it　to　me。　　If　I　would　obtain　the　information　for　them

he　promised　to　go　no　farther；　otherwise　Rokoff；　who　stood

without；　was　to　notify　the　purser　that　I　was　entertaining　a

man　other　than　my　husband　behind　the　locked　doors　of　my

cabin。　　He　was　to　tell　every　one　he　met　on　the　boat；　and

when　we　landed　he　was　to　have　given　the　whole　story　to　the

newspaper　men。

〃Was　it　not　too　horrible？　　But　I　happened　to　know　something

of　Monsieur　Paulvitch　that　would　send　him　to　the　gallows

in　Russia　if　it　were　known　by　the　police　of　St。　Petersburg。

I　dared　him　to　carry　out　his　plan；　and　then　I　leaned

toward　him　and　whispered　a　name　in　his　ear。　　Like　that〃and

she　snapped　her　fingers〃he　flew　at　my　throat　as　a　madman。

He　would　have　killed　me　had　you　not　interfered。〃



〃The　brutes！〃　muttered　Tarzan。



〃They　are　worse　than　that；　my　friend；〃　she　said。

〃They　are　devils。　　I　fear　for　you　because　you　have　gained

their　hatred。　　I　wish　you　to　be　on　your　guard　constantly。

Tell　me　that　you　will；　for　my　sake；　for　I　should　never　forgive

myself　should　you　suffer　through　the　kindness　you　did　me。〃



〃I　do　not　fear　them；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　have　survived　grimmer

enemies　than　Rokoff　and　Paulvitch。〃　　He　saw　that　she　knew

nothing　of　the　occurrence　in　the　Rue　Maule；　nor　did　he

mention　it；　fearing　that　it　might　distress　her。



〃For　your　own　safety；〃　he　continued；　〃why　do　you　not　turn

the　scoundrels　over　to　the　authorities？　　They　should　make

quick　work　of　them。〃



She　hesitated　for　a　moment　before　replying。



〃There　are　two　reasons；〃　she　said　finally。　　〃One　of　them

it　is　that　keeps　the　count　from　doing　that　very　thing。

The　other；　my　real　reason　for　fearing　to　expose　them；　I　have

never　toldonly　Rokoff　and　I　know　it。　　I　wonder；〃　and

then　she　paused；　looking　intently　at　him　for　a　long　time。



〃And　what　do　you　wonder？〃　he　asked；　smiling。



〃I　was　wondering　why　it　is　that　I　want　to　tell　you　the

thing　that　I　have　not　dared　tell　even　to　my　husband。

I　believe　that　you　would　understand；　and　that　you　could　tell

me　the　right　course　to　follow。　　I　believe　that　you　would　not

judge　me　too　harshly。〃



〃I　fear　that　I　should　prove　a　very　poor　judge；　madame；〃

Tarzan　replied；　〃for　if　you　had　been　guilty　of　murder　I

should　say　that　the　victim　should　be　grateful　to　have　met

so　sweet　a　fate。〃



〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　she　expostulated；　〃it　is　not　so　terrible　as　that。

But　first　let　me　tell　you　the　reason　the　count　has　for　not

prosecuting　these　men；　then；　if　I　can　hold　my　courage；　I

shall　tell　you　the　real　reason　that　I　dare　not。　　The　first　is

that　Nikolas　Rokoff　is　my　brother。　　We　are　Russians。

Nikolas　has　been　a　bad　man　since　I　can　remember。　　He　was

cashiered　from　the　Russian　army；　in　which　he　held　a　captaincy。

There　was　a　scandal　for　a　time；　but　after　a　while　it　was

partially　forgotten；　and　my　father　obtained　a　position　for　him

in　the　secret　service。



〃There　have　been　many　terrible　crimes　laid　at　Nikolas'　door；

but　he　has　always　managed　to　escape　punishment。　　Of　late

he　has　accomplished　it　by　trumped…up　evidence　convicting

his　victims　of　treason　against　the　czar；　and　the　Russian

police；　who　are　always　only　too　ready　to　fasten　guilt　of

this　nature　upon　any　and　all；　have　accepted　his　version

and　exonerated　him。〃



〃Have　not　his　attempted　crimes　against　you　and　your

husband　forfeited　whatever　rights　the　bonds　of　kinship　might

have　accorded　him？〃　asked　Tarzan。　　〃The　fact　that　you　are　his

sister　has　not　deterred　him　from　seeking　to　besmirch　your　honor。

You　owe　him　no　loyalty；　madame。〃



〃Ah；　but　there　is　that　other　reason。　　If　I　owe　him　no　loyalty

though　he　be　my　brother；　I　cannot　so　easily　disavow　the

fear　I　hold　him　in　because　of　a　certain　episode　in　my　life　of

which　he　is　cognizant。



〃I　might　as　well　tell　you　all；〃　she　resumed　after　a　pause；

〃for　I　see　that　it　is　in　my　heart　to　tell　you　sooner　or　later。

I　was　educated　in　a　convent。　　While　there　I　met　a　man　whom

I　supposed　to　be　a　gentleman。　　I　knew　little　or　nothing　about

men　and　less　about　love。　　I　got　it　into　my　foolish　head　that

I　loved　this　man；　and　at　his　urgent　request　I　ran　away　with　him。

We　were　to　have　been　married。



〃I　was　with　him　just　three　hours。　　All　in　the　daytime　and

in　public　placesrailroad　stations　and　upon　a　train。

When　we　reached　our　destination　where　we　were　to　have　been

married；　two　officers　stepped　up　to　my　escort　as　we　descended

from　the　train；　and　placed　him　under　arrest。　　They　took　me

also；　but　when　I　had　told　my　story　they　did　not　detain　me；

other　than　to　send　me　back　to　the　convent　under　the　care　of

a　matron。　　It　seemed　that　the　man　who　had　wooed　me　was　no

gentleman　at　all；　but　a　deserter　from　the　army　as　well　as

a　fugitive　from　civil　justice。　　He　had　a　police　record　in

nearly　every　country　in　Europe。



〃The　matter　was　hushed　up　by　the　authorities　of　the　convent。

Not　even　my　parents　knew　of　it。　　But　Nikolas　met　the　man

afterward；　and　learned　the　whole　story。　　Now　he　threatens

to　tell　the　count　if　I　do　not　do　just　as　he　wishes　me　to。〃



Tarzan　laughed。　　〃You　are　still　but　a　little　girl。　　The　story

that　you　have　told　me　cannot　reflect　in　any　way　upon　your

reputation；　and　were　you　not　a　little　girl　at　heart　you　would

know　it。　　Go　to　your　husband　tonight；　and　tell　him　the　whole

story；　just　as　you　have　told　it　to　me。　　Unless　I　am　much　mistaken

he　will　laugh　at　you　for　your　fears；　and　take　immediate　steps

to　put　that　precious　brother　of　yours　in　prison

where　he　belongs。〃



〃I　only　wish　that　I　dared；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　am　afraid。

I　learned　early　to　fear　men。　　First　my　father；　then　Nikolas；

then　the　fathers　in　the　convent。　　Nearly　all　my　friends　fear

their　husbandswhy　should　I　not　fear　mine？〃



〃It　does　not　seem　right　that　women　should　fear　men；〃

said　Tarzan；　an　expression　of　puzzlement　on　his　face。

〃I　am　better　acquainted　with　the　jungle　folk；　and　there　it

is　more　often　the　other　way　around；　except　among　the　black　men；

and　they　to　my　mind　are　in　most　ways　lower　in　the　scale　than

the　beasts。　　No；　I　cannot　understand　why　civilized　women

should　fear　men；　the　beings　that　are　created　to　protect　them。

I　should　hate　to　think　that　any　woman　feared　me。〃



〃I　do　not　think　that　any　woman　would　fear　you；　my　friend；〃

said　Olga　de　Coude　softly。　　〃I　have　known　you　but　a　short

while；　yet　though　it　may　seem　foolish　to　say　it；　you　are

the　only　man　I　have　ever　known　whom　I　think　that　I　should

never　fearit　is　strange；　too；　for　you　are　very　strong。

I　wondered　at　the　ease　with　which　you　handled　Nikolas　and

Paulvitch　that　night　in　my　cabin。　　It　was　marvellous。〃

As　Tarzan　was　leaving　her　a　short　time　later　he　wondered

a　little　at　the　clinging　pressure　of　her　hand　at　parting；

and　the　firm　insistence　with　which　she　exacted　a　promise

from　him　that　he　would　call　again　on　the　morrow。



The　memory　of　her　half…veiled　eyes　and　perfect　lips　as　she

had　stood　smiling　up　into　his　face　as　he　bade　her　good…by

remained　with　him　for　the　balance　of　the　day。　　Olga　de

Coude　was　a　very　beautiful　woman；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

a　very　lonely　young　man；　with　a　heart　in　him　that　was　in

need　of　the　doctoring　that　only　a　woman　may　provide。



As　the　countess　turned　back　into　the　room　after　Tarzan's

departure；　she　found　herself　face　to　face　with　Nikolas　Rokoff。



〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃　she　cried；　shrinking　away　from　him。



〃Since　before　your　lover　came；〃　he　answered；　with　a　nasty　leer。



〃Stop！〃　she　commanded。　　〃How　dare　you　say　such　a　thing

to　meyour　sister！〃



〃Well；　my　dear　Olga；　if　he　is　not　your　lover；　accept　my

apologies；　but　it　is　no　fault　of　yours　that　he　is　not。

Had　he　one…tenth　the　knowledge　of　women　that　I　have　you

would　be　in　his　arms　this　minute。　　He　is　a　stupid　fool；　Olga。

Why；　your　every　word　and　act　was　an　open　invitation　to　him；

and　he　had　not　the　sense　to　see　it。〃



The　woman　put　her　hands　to　her　ears。



〃I　will　not　listen。　　You　are　wicked　to　say　such　things　as　that。

No　matter　what　you　may　threaten　me　with；　you　know　that　I

am　a　good　woman。　　After　tonight　you　will　not　dare　to　annoy

me；　for　I　shall