tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第23部分

from　them。　　After　a　considerable　argument　it　was

decided　that　they　should　first　hunt　toward　the　east　for

a　few　days　and　then　return　and　search　for　the　Arabs；

and　as　time　is　of　little　moment　to　the　ape　folk；　Tarzan

acceded　to　their　demands；　he；　himself；　having　reverted

to　a　mental　state　but　little　superior　to　their　own。



Another　circumstance　which　decided　him　to　postpone

pursuit　of　the　Arabs　was　the　painfulness　of　his　wound。

It　would　be　better　to　wait　until　that　had　healed　before

he　pitted　himself　again　against　the　guns　of　the

Tarmangani。



And　so；　as　Jane　Clayton　was　pushed　into　her　prison　hut

and　her　hands　and　feet　securely　bound；　her　natural

protector　roamed　off　toward　the　east　in　company　with　a

score　of　hairy　monsters；　with　whom　he　rubbed　shoulders

as　familiarly　as　a　few　months　before　he　had　mingled

with　his　immaculate　fellow…members　of　one　of　London's

most　select　and　exclusive　clubs。



But　all　the　time　there　lurked　in　the　back　of　his

injured　brain　a　troublesome　conviction　that　he　had　no

business　where　he　wasthat　he　should　be；　for　some

unaccountable　reason；　elsewhere　and　among　another　sort

of　creature。　　Also；　there　was　the　compelling　urge　to　be

upon　the　scent　of　the　Arabs；　undertaking　the　rescue　of

the　woman　who　had　appealed　so　strongly　to　his　savage

sentiments；　though　the　thought…word　which　naturally

occurred　to　him　in　the　contemplation　of　the　venture；

was　〃capture；〃　rather　than　〃rescue。〃



To　him　she　was　as　any　other　jungle　she；　and　he　had　set

his　heart　upon　her　as　his　mate。　　For　an　instant；　as　he

had　approached　closer　to　her　in　the　clearing　where　the

Arabs　had　seized　her；　the　subtle　aroma　which　had　first

aroused　his　desires　in　the　hut　that　had　imprisoned　her

had　fallen　upon　his　nostrils；　and　told　him　that　he　had

found　the　creature　for　whom　he　had　developed　so　sudden

and　inexplicable　a　passion。



The　matter　of　the　pouch　of　jewels　also　occupied　his

thoughts　to　some　extent；　so　that　he　found　a　double　urge

for　his　return　to　the　camp　of　the　raiders。　　He　would

obtain　possession　of　both　his　pretty　pebbles　and　the

she。　　Then　he　would　return　to　the　great　apes　with　his

new　mate　and　his　baubles；　and　leading　his　hairy

companions　into　a　far　wilderness　beyond　the　ken　of　man；

live　out　his　life；　hunting　and　battling　among　the　lower

orders　after　the　only　manner　which　he　now　recollected。



He　spoke　to　his　fellow…apes　upon　the　matter；　in　an

attempt　to　persuade　them　to　accompany　him；　but　all

except　Taglat　and　Chulk　refused。　　The　latter　was　young

and　strong；　endowed　with　a　greater　intelligence　than

his　fellows；　and　therefore　the　possessor　of　better

developed　powers　of　imagination。　　To　him　the　expedition

savored　of　adventure；　and　so　appealed；　strongly。　　With

Taglat　there　was　another　incentivea　secret　and

sinister　incentive；　which；　had　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had

knowledge　of　it；　would　have　sent　him　at　the　other's

throat　in　jealous　rage。



Taglat　was　no　longer　young；　but　he　was　still　a

formidable　beast；　mightily　muscled；　cruel；　and；

because　of　his　greater　experience；　crafty　and　cunning。

Too；　he　was　of　giant　proportions；　the　very　weight　of　his

huge　bulk　serving　ofttimes　to　discount　in　his　favor　the

superior　agility　of　a　younger　antagonist。



He　was　of　a　morose　and　sullen　disposition　that　marked

him　even　among　his　frowning　fellows；　where　such

characteristics　are　the　rule　rather　than　the　exception；

and；　though　Tarzan　did　not　guess　it；　he　hated　the　ape…man

with　a　ferocity　that　he　was　able　to　hide　only

because　the　dominant　spirit　of　the　nobler　creature　had

inspired　within　him　a　species　of　dread　which　was　as

powerful　as　it　was　inexplicable　to　him。



These　two；　then；　were　to　be　Tarzan's　companions　upon

his　return　to　the　village　of　Achmet　Zek。　　As　they　set

off；　the　balance　of　the　tribe　vouchsafed　them　but　a

parting　stare；　and　then　resumed　the　serious　business　of

feeding。



Tarzan　found　difficulty　in　keeping　the　minds　of　his

fellows　set　upon　the　purpose　of　their　adventure；　for

the　mind　of　an　ape　lacks　the　power　of　long…sustained

concentration。　　To　set　out　upon　a　long　journey；　with　a

definite　destination　in　view；　is　one　thing；　to　remember

that　purpose　and　keep　it　uppermost　in　one's　mind

continually　is　quite　another。　　There　are　so　many　things

to　distract　one's　attention　along　the　way。



Chulk　was；　at　first；　for　rushing　rapidly　ahead　as

though　the　village　of　the　raiders　lay　but　an　hour's

march　before　them　instead　of　several　days；　but　within　a

few　minutes　a　fallen　tree　attracted　his　attention　with

its　suggestion　of　rich　and　succulent　forage　beneath；

and　when　Tarzan；　missing　him；　returned　in　search；　he

found　Chulk　squatting　beside　the　rotting　bole；　from

beneath　which　he　was　assiduously　engaged　in　digging　out

the　grubs　and　beetles；　whose　kind　form　a　considerable

proportion　of　the　diet　of　the　apes。



Unless　Tarzan　desired　to　fight　there　was　nothing　to

do　but　wait　until　Chulk　had　exhausted　the　storehouse；

and　this　he　did；　only　to　discover　that　Taglat　was　now

missing。　　After　a　considerable　search；　he　found　that

worthy　gentleman　contemplating　the　sufferings　of　an

injured　rodent　he　had　pounced　upon。　　He　would　sit　in

apparent　indifference；　gazing　in　another　direction；

while　the　crippled　creature；　wriggled　slowly　and

painfully　away　from　him；　and　then；　just　as　his　victim

felt　assured　of　escape；　he　would　reach　out　a　giant　palm

and　slam　it　down　upon　the　fugitive。　　Again　and　again　he

repeated　this　operation；　until；　tiring　of　the　sport；　he

ended　the　sufferings　of　his　plaything　by　devouring　it。



Such　were　the　exasperating　causes　of　delay　which

retarded　Tarzan's　return　journey　toward　the　village　of

Achmet　Zek；　but　the　ape…man　was　patient；　for　in　his

mind　was　a　plan　which　necessitated　the　presence　of

Chulk　and　Taglat　when　he　should　have　arrived　at　his

destination。



It　was　not　always　an　easy　thing　to　maintain　in　the

vacillating　minds　of　the　anthropoids　a　sustained

interest　in　their　venture。　　Chulk　was　wearying　of　the

continued　marching　and　the　infrequency　and　short

duration　of　the　rests。　　He　would　gladly　have　abandoned

this　search　for　adventure　had　not　Tarzan　continually

filled　his　mind　with　alluring　pictures　of　the　great

stores　of　food　which　were　to　be　found　in　the　village　of

Tarmangani。



Taglat　nursed　his　secret　purpose　to　better　advantage

than　might　have　been　expected　of　an　ape；　yet　there　were

times　when　he；　too；　would　have　abandoned　the　adventure

had　not　Tarzan　cajoled　him　on。



It　was　mid…afternoon　of　a　sultry；　tropical　day　when　the

keen　senses　of　the　three　warned　them　of　the　proximity

of　the　Arab　camp。　　Stealthily　they　approached；　keeping

to　the　dense　tangle　of　growing　things　which　made

concealment　easy　to　their　uncanny　jungle　craft。



First　came　the　giant　ape…man；　his　smooth；　brown　skin

glistening　with　the　sweat　of　exertion　in　the　close；　hot

confines　of　the　jungle。　　Behind　him　crept　Chulk　and

Taglat；　grotesque　and　shaggy　caricatures　of　their

godlike　leader。



Silently　they　made　their　way　to　the　edge　of　the

clearing　which　surrounded　the　palisade；　and　here　they

clambered　into　the　lower　branches　of　a　large　tree

overlooking　the　village　occupied　by　the　enemy；　the

better　to　spy　upon　his　goings　and　comings。



A　horseman；　white　burnoosed；　rode　out　through　the

gateway　of　the　village。　　Tarzan；　whispering　to　Chulk

and　Taglat　to　remain　where　they　were；　swung；　monkey…like；

through　the　trees　in　the　direction　of　the　trail

the　Arab　was　riding。　　From　one　jungle　giant　to　the　next

he　sped　with　the　rapidity　of　a　squirrel　and　the　silence

of　a　ghost。



The　Arab　rode　slowly　onward；　unconscious　of　the　danger

hovering　in　the　trees　behind　him。　　The　ape…man　made　a

slight　detour　and　increased　his　speed　until　he　had

reached　a　point　upon　the　trail　in　advance　of　the

horseman。　　Here　he　halted　upon　a　leafy　bough　which

overhung　the　narrow；　jungle　trail。　On　came　the　victim；

humming　a　wild　air　of　the　great　desert　land　of　the

north。　　Above　him　poised　the　savage　brute　that　was

today　bent　upon　the　destruction　of　a　human　lifethe

same　creature　who　a　few　months　before；　had　occupied　his

seat　in　the　House　of　Lords　at　London；　a　respected　and

distinguished　member　of　that　august　body。



The　Arab　passed　beneath　the　overhanging　bough；　there

was　a　slight　rustling　of　the　leaves　above；　the　horse

snorted　and　plunged　as　a　brown…skinned　creature　dropped

upon　its　rump。　　A　pair　of　mighty　arms　encircled　the

Arab　and　he　was　dragged　from　his　saddle　to　the　trail。



Ten　minutes　later　the　ape…man；　carrying　the　outer

garments　of　an　Arab　bundled　beneath　an　arm；　rejoined

his　companions。　　He　exhibited　his　trophies　to　them；

explaining　in　low　gutturals　the　details　of　his　exploit。

Chulk　and　Taglat　fingered　the　fabrics；　smelled　of　them；

and；　placing　them　to　their　ears；　tried　to　listen　to　them。



Then　Tarzan　led　them　back　through　the　jungle　to　the

trail；　where　the　three　hid　themselves　and　waited。

Nor　had　they　long　to　wait　before　two　of　Achmet　Zek's

blacks；　clothed　in　habiliments　similar　to　their　master's；

came　down　the　trail　on　foot；　returning　to　the　camp。



One　moment　they　were　laughing　and　talking　togetherthe

next　they　lay　stretched　in　death　upon　the　trail；　three

mighty　engines　of　destruction　bending　over　them。

Tarzan　removed　their　outer　garments　as　he　had　removed

those　of　his　first　victim；　and　again　retired　with　Chulk

and　Taglat　to　the　greater　seclusion　of　the　tree　they

had　first　selected。



Here　the　ape…man　arranged　the　garments　upon　his　shaggy

fellows　and　himself；　until；　at　a　distance；　it　might

have　appeared　that　three　white…robed　Arabs　squatted

silently　among　the　branches　of　the　forest。



Until　dark　they　remained　where　they　were；　for　from　his

point　of　vantage；　Tarzan　could　view　the　enclosure

within　the　palisade。　　He　marked　the　position　of　the　hut

in　which　he　had　first　discovered　the　scent　spoor　of　the

she　he　sought。　　He　saw　the　two　sentr