tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第3部分

And　so　it　was　that　as　Tarzan；　stripped　to　the　loin

cloth　and　armed　after　the　primitive　fashion　he　best

loved；　led　his　loyal　Waziri　toward　the　dead　city　of

Opar；　Werper；　the　renegade；　haunted　his　trail　through

the　long；　hot　days；　and　camped　close　behind　him　by

night。



And　as　they　marched；　Achmet　Zek　rode　with　his　entire

following　southward　toward　the　Greystoke　farm。



To　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　the　expedition　was　in　the　nature

of　a　holiday　outing。　　His　civilization　was　at　best　but

an　outward　veneer　which　he　gladly　peeled　off　with　his

uncomfortable　European　clothes　whenever　any　reasonable

pretext　presented　itself。　　It　was　a　woman's　love　which

kept　Tarzan　even　to　the　semblance　of　civilizationa

condition　for　which　familiarity　had　bred　contempt。　　He

hated　the　shams　and　the　hypocrisies　of　it　and　with　the

clear　vision　of　an　unspoiled　mind　he　had　penetrated　to

the　rotten　core　of　the　heart　of　the　thingthe　cowardly

greed　for　peace　and　ease　and　the　safe…guarding　of

property　rights。　　That　the　fine　things　of　lifeart；

music　and　literaturehad　thriven　upon　such　enervating

ideals　he　strenuously　denied；　insisting；　rather；　that

they　had　endured　in　spite　of　civilization。



〃Show　me　the　fat；　opulent　coward；〃　he　was　wont　to　say；

〃who　ever　originated　a　beautiful　ideal。　　In　the　clash

of　arms；　in　the　battle　for　survival；　amid　hunger　and

death　and　danger；　in　the　face　of　God　as　manifested　in

the　display　of　Nature's　most　terrific　forces；　is　born

all　that　is　finest　and　best　in　the　human　heart　and

mind。〃



And　so　Tarzan　always　came　back　to　Nature　in　the　spirit

of　a　lover　keeping　a　long　deferred　tryst　after　a　period

behind　prison　walls。　　His　Waziri；　at　marrow；　were　more

civilized　than　he。　　They　cooked　their　meat　before　they

ate　it　and　they　shunned　many　articles　of　food　as

unclean　that　Tarzan　had　eaten　with　gusto　all　his　life

and　so　insidious　is　the　virus　of　hypocrisy　that　even

the　stalwart　ape…man　hesitated　to　give　rein　to　his

natural　longings　before　them。　　He　ate　burnt　flesh　when

he　would　have　preferred　it　raw　and　unspoiled；　and　he

brought　down　game　with　arrow　or　spear　when　he　would　far

rather　have　leaped　upon　it　from　ambush　and　sunk　his

strong　teeth　in　its　jugular；　but　at　last　the　call　of

the　milk　of　the　savage　mother　that　had　suckled　him　in

infancy　rose　to　an　insistent　demandhe　craved　the　hot

blood　of　a　fresh　kill　and　his　muscles　yearned　to　pit

themselves　against　the　savage　jungle　in　the　battle　for

existence　that　had　been　his　sole　birthright　for　the

first　twenty　years　of　his　life。







3



The　Call　of　the　Jungle





Moved　by　these　vague　yet　all…powerful　urgings　the

ape…man　lay　awake　one　night　in　the　little　thorn　boma

that　protected；　in　a　way；　his　party　from　the　depredations

of　the　great　carnivora　of　the　jungle。　　A　single　warrior

stood　sleepy　guard　beside　the　fire　that　yellow　eyes

out　of　the　darkness　beyond　the　camp　made　imperative。

The　moans　and　the　coughing　of　the　big　cats　mingled　with

the　myriad　noises　of　the　lesser　denizens　of　the　jungle

to　fan　the　savage　flame　in　the　breast　of　this　savage

English　lord。　　He　tossed　upon　his　bed　of　grasses；

sleepless；　for　an　hour　and　then　he　rose；　noiseless　as　a

wraith；　and　while　the　Waziri's　back　was　turned；　vaulted

the　boma　wall　in　the　face　of　the　flaming　eyes；　swung

silently　into　a　great　tree　and　was　gone。



For　a　time　in　sheer　exuberance　of　animal　spirit　he

raced　swiftly　through　the　middle　terrace；　swinging

perilously　across　wide　spans　from　one　jungle　giant　to

the　next；　and　then　he　clambered　upward　to　the　swaying；

lesser　boughs　of　the　upper　terrace　where　the　moon　shone

full　upon　him　and　the　air　was　stirred　by　little　breezes

and　death　lurked　ready　in　each　frail　branch。　　Here　he

paused　and　raised　his　face　to　Goro；　the　moon。

With　uplifted　arm　he　stood；　the　cry　of　the　bull　ape

quivering　upon　his　lips；　yet　he　remained　silent　lest　he

arouse　his　faithful　Waziri　who　were　all　too　familiar

with　the　hideous　challenge　of　their　master。



And　then　he　went　on　more　slowly　and　with　greater

stealth　and　caution；　for　now　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　was

seeking　a　kill。　　Down　to　the　ground　he　came　in　the

utter　blackness　of　the　close…set　boles　and　the

overhanging　verdure　of　the　jungle。　He　stooped　from　time

to　time　and　put　his　nose　close　to　earth。　　He　sought　and

found　a　wide　game　trail　and　at　last　his　nostrils　were

rewarded　with　the　scent　of　the　fresh　spoor　of　Bara；　the

deer。　　Tarzan's　mouth　watered　and　a　low　growl　escaped

his　patrician　lips。　　Sloughed　from　him　was　the　last

vestige　of　artificial　casteonce　again　he　was　the

primeval　hunterthe　first　manthe　highest　caste　type

of　the　human　race。　　Up　wind　he　followed　the　elusive

spoor　with　a　sense　of　perception　so　transcending　that

of　ordinary　man　as　to　be　inconceivable　to　us。　　Through

counter　currents　of　the　heavy　stench　of　meat　eaters　he

traced　the　trail　of　Bara；　the　sweet　and　cloying　stink

of　Horta；　the　boar；　could　not　drown　his　quarry's　scent

the　permeating；　mellow　musk　of　the　deer's　foot。



Presently　the　body　scent　of　the　deer　told　Tarzan　that

his　prey　was　close　at　hand。　　It　sent　him　into　the　trees

againinto　the　lower　terrace　where　he　could　watch　the

ground　below　and　catch　with　ears　and　nose　the　first

intimation　of　actual　contact　with　his　quarry。　　Nor　was

it　long　before　the　ape…man　came　upon　Bara　standing

alert　at　the　edge　of　a　moon…bathed　clearing。

Noiselessly　Tarzan　crept　through　the　trees　until　he　was

directly　over　the　deer。　　In　the　ape…man's　right　hand

was　the　long　hunting　knife　of　his　father　and　in　his

heart　the　blood　lust　of　the　carnivore。　　Just　for　an

instant　he　poised　above　the　unsuspecting　Bara　and　then

he　launched　himself　downward　upon　the　sleek　back。　　The

impact　of　his　weight　carried　the　deer　to　its　knees　and

before　the　animal　could　regain　its　feet　the　knife　had

found　its　heart。　　As　Tarzan　rose　upon　the　body　of　his

kill　to　scream　forth　his　hideous　victory　cry　into　the

face　of　the　moon　the　wind　carried　to　his　nostrils

something　which　froze　him　to　statuesque　immobility　and

silence。　　His　savage　eyes　blazed　into　the　direction

from　which　the　wind　had　borne　down　the　warning　to　him

and　a　moment　later　the　grasses　at　one　side　of　the

clearing　parted　and　Numa；　the　lion；　strode　majestically

into　view。　　His　yellow…green　eyes　were　fastened　upon

Tarzan　as　he　halted　just　within　the　clearing　and　glared

enviously　at　the　successful　hunter；　for　Numa　had　had　no

luck　this　night。



From　the　lips　of　the　ape…man　broke　a　rumbling　growl　of

warning。　　Numa　answered　but　he　did　not　advance。

Instead　he　stood　waving　his　tail　gently　to　and　fro；

and　presently　Tarzan　squatted　upon　his　kill　and　cut　a

generous　portion　from　a　hind　quarter。　　Numa　eyed　him

with　growing　resentment　and　rage　as；　between　mouthfuls；

the　ape…man　growled　out　his　savage　warnings。　　Now　this

particular　lion　had　never　before　come　in　contact　with

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