tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第6部分

systematic　search　of　the　apartment；　nor　had　he　gone　far

before　he　discovered　another　door　in　the　opposite　end

of　the　room；　a　door　which　gave　upon　creaking　hinges　to

the　weight　of　his　body。　　Beyond　the　door　lay　another

narrow　passageway。　　Along　this　Werper　made　his　way；

ascending　a　flight　of　stone　steps　to　another　corridor

twenty　feet　above　the　level　of　the　first。　　The

flickering　candle　lighted　the　way　before　him；　and　a

moment　later　he　was　thankful　for　the　possession　of　this

crude　and　antiquated　luminant；　which；　a　few　hours

before　he　might　have　looked　upon　with　contempt；　for　it

showed　him；　just　in　time；　a　yawning　pit；　apparently

terminating　the　tunnel　he　was　traversing。



Before　him　was　a　circular　shaft。　　He　held　the　candle

above　it　and　peered　downward。　　Below　him；　at　a　great

distance；　he　saw　the　light　reflected　back　from　the

surface　of　a　pool　of　water。　　He　had　come　upon　a　well。

He　raised　the　candle　above　his　head　and　peered　across

the　black　void；　and　there　upon　the　opposite　side　he　saw

the　continuation　of　the　tunnel；　but　how　was　he　to　span

the　gulf？



As　he　stood　there　measuring　the　distance　to　the

opposite　side　and　wondering　if　he　dared　venture　so

great　a　leap；　there　broke　suddenly　upon　his　startled

ears　a　piercing　scream　which　diminished　gradually　until

it　ended　in　a　series　of　dismal　moans。　　The　voice　seemed

partly　human；　yet　so　hideous　that　it　might　well　have

emanated　from　the　tortured　throat　of　a　lost　soul；

writhing　in　the　fires　of　hell。



The　Belgian　shuddered　and　looked　fearfully　upward；

for　the　scream　had　seemed　to　come　from　above　him。

As　he　looked　he　saw　an　opening　far　overhead；　and　a

patch　of　sky　pinked　with　brilliant　stars。



His　half…formed　intention　to　call　for　help　was　expunged

by　the　terrifying　crywhere　such　a　voice　lived；　no

human　creatures　could　dwell。　　He　dared　not　reveal

himself　to　whatever　inhabitants　dwelt　in　the　place

above　him。　　He　cursed　himself　for　a　fool　that　he　had

ever　embarked　upon　such　a　mission。　　He　wished　himself

safely　back　in　the　camp　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　would　almost

have　embraced　an　opportunity　to　give　himself　up　to　the

military　authorities　of　the　Congo　if　by　so　doing　he

might　be　rescued　from　the　frightful　predicament　in

which　he　now　was。



He　listened　fearfully；　but　the　cry　was　not　repeated；

and　at　last　spurred　to　desperate　means；　he　gathered

himself　for　the　leap　across　the　chasm。　　Going　back

twenty　paces；　he　took　a　running　start；　and　at　the　edge

of　the　well；　leaped　upward　and　outward　in　an　attempt　to

gain　the　opposite　side。



In　his　hand　he　clutched　the　sputtering　candle；

and　as　he　took　the　leap　the　rush　of　air　extinguished　it。

In　utter　darkness　he　flew　through　space；　clutching　outward

for　a　hold　should　his　feet　miss　the　invisible　ledge。



He　struck　the　edge　of　the　door　of　the　opposite　terminus

of　the　rocky　tunnel　with　his　knees；　slipped　backward；

clutched　desperately　for　a　moment；　and　at　last　hung

half　within　and　half　without　the　opening；　but　he　was　safe。

For　several　minutes　he　dared　not　move；　but

clung；　weak　and　sweating；　where　he　lay。　　At　last；

cautiously；　he　drew　himself　well　within　the　tunnel；

and　again　he　lay　at　full　length　upon　the　floor；

fighting　to　regain　control　of　his　shattered　nerves。



When　his　knees　struck　the　edge　of　the　tunnel　he　had

dropped　the　candle。　　Presently；　hoping　against　hope

that　it　had　fallen　upon　the　floor　of　the　passageway；

rather　than　back　into　the　depths　of　the　well；　he　rose

upon　all　fours　and　commenced　a　diligent　search　for　the

little　tallow　cylinder；　which　now　seemed　infinitely

more　precious　to　him　than　all　the　fabulous　wealth　of

the　hoarded　ingots　of　Opar。



And　when；　at　last；　he　found　it；　he　clasped　it　to　him

and　sank　back　sobbing　and　exhausted。　　For　many　minutes

he　lay　trembling　and　broken；　but　finally　he　drew

himself　to　a　sitting　posture；　and　taking　a　match　from

his　pocket；　lighted　the　stump　of　the　candle　which

remained　to　him。　　With　the　light　he　found　it　easier　to

regain　control　of　his　nerves；　and　presently　he　was

again　making　his　way　along　the　tunnel　in　search　of　an

avenue　of　escape。　　The　horrid　cry　that　had　come　down　to

him　from　above　through　the　ancient　well…shaft　still

haunted　him；　so　that　he　trembled　in　terror　at　even　the

sounds　of　his　own　cautious　advance。



He　had　gone　forward　but　a　short　distance；　when；　to　his

chagrin；　a　wall　of　masonry　barred　his　farther　progress；

closing　the　tunnel　completely　from　top　to　bottom　and

from　side　to　side。　　What　could　it　mean？　　Werper　was　an

educated　and　intelligent　man。　　His　military　training

had　taught　him　to　use　his　mind　for　the　purpose　for

which　it　was　intended。　　A　blind　tunnel　such　as　this　was

senseless。　　It　must　continue　beyond　the　wall。　　Someone；

at　some　time　in　the　past；　had　had　it　blocked　for　an

unknown　purpose　of　his　own。　　The　man　fell　to　examining

the　masonry　by　the　light　of　his　candle。　　To　his　delight

he　discovered　that　the　thin　blocks　of　hewn　stone　of

which　it　was　constructed　were　fitted　in　loosely　without

mortar　or　cement。　　He　tugged　upon　one　of　them；　and　to

his　joy　found　that　it　was　easily　removable。　　One　after

another　he　pulled　out　the　blocks　until　he　had　opened　an

aperture　large　enough　to　admit　his　body；　then　he

crawled　through　into　a　large；　low　chamber。　　Across　this

another　door　barred　his　way；　but　this；　too；　gave　before

his　efforts；　for　it　was　not　barred。　　A　long；　dark

corridor　showed　before　him；　but　before　he　had　followed

it　far；　his　candle　burned　down　until　it　scorched　his

fingers。　　With　an　oath　he　dropped　it　to　the　floor；

where　it　sputtered　for　a　moment　and　went　out。



Now　he　was　in　total　darkness；　and　again　terror　rode

heavily　astride　his　neck。　　What　further　pitfalls　and

dangers　lay　ahead　he　could　not　guess；　but　that　he　was

as　far　as　ever　from　liberty　he　was　quite　willing　to

believe；　so　depressing　is　utter　absence　of　light　to　one

in　unfamiliar　surroundings。



Slowly　he　groped　his　way　along；　feeling　with　his　hands

upon　the　tunnel's　walls；　and　cautiously　with　his　feet

ahead　of　him　upon　the　floor　before　he　could　take　a

single　forward　step。　　How　long　he　crept　on　thus　he

could　not　guess；　but　at　last；　feeling　that　the　tunnel's

length　was　interminable；　and　exhausted　by　his　efforts；

by　terror；　and　loss　of　sleep；　he　determined　to　lie　down

and　rest　before　proceeding　farther。



When　he　awoke　there　was　no　change　in　the　surrounding

blackness。　　He　might　have　slept　a　second　or　a　dayhe

could　not　know；　but　that　he　had　slept　for　some　time　was

attested　by　the　fact　that　he　felt　refreshed　and　hungry。



Again　he　commenced　his　groping　advance；　but　this　time

he　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　when　he　emerged　into　a

room；　which　was　lighted　through　an　opening　in　the

ceiling；　from　which　a　flight　of　concrete　steps　led

downward　to　the　floor　of　the　chamber。



Above　him；　through　the　aperture；　Werper　could　see

sunlight　glancing　from　massive　columns；　which　were

twined　about　by　clinging　vines。　　He　listened；　but　he

heard　no　sound　other　than　the　soughing　of　the　wind

through　leafy　branches；　the　hoarse　cries　of　birds；

and　the　chattering　of　monkeys。



Boldly　he　ascended　the　stairway；　to　find　himself　in　a

circular　court。　　Just　before　him　stood　a　stone　altar；

stained　with　rusty…brown　discolorations。　　At　the　time

Werper　gave　no　thought　to　an　explanation　of　these

stainslater　their　origin　became　all　too　hideously

apparent　to　him。



Beside　the　opening　in　the　floor；　just　behind　the　altar；

through　which　he　had　entered　the　court　from　the

subterranean　chamber　below；　the　Belgian　discovered

several　doors　leading　from　the　enclosure　upon　the　level

of　the　floor。　　Above；　and　circling　the　courtyard；　was　a

series　of　open　balconies。　　Monkeys　scampered　about　the

deserted　ruins；　and　gaily　plumaged　birds　flitted　in　and

out　among　the　columns　and　the　galleries　far　above；　but

no　sign　of　human　presence　was　discernible。　　Werper　felt

relieved。　　He　sighed；　as　though　a　great　weight　had　been

lifted　from　his　shoulders。　　He　took　a　step　toward　one

of　the　exits；　and　then　he　halted；　wide…eyed　in

astonishment　and　terror；　for　almost　at　the　same　instant

a　dozen　doors　opened　in　the　courtyard　wall　and　a　horde

of　frightful　men　rushed　in　upon　him。



They　were　the　priests　of　the　Flaming　God　of　Oparthe

same；　shaggy；　knotted；　hideous　little　men　who　had

dragged　Jane　Clayton　to　the　sacrificial　altar　at　this

very　spot　years　before。　　Their　long　arms；　their　short

and　crooked　legs；　their　close…set；　evil　eyes；　and　their

low；　receding　foreheads　gave　them　a　bestial　appearance

that　sent　a　qualm　of　paralyzing　fright　through　the

shaken　nerves　of　the　Belgian。



With　a　scream　he　turned　to　flee　back　into　the　lesser

terrors　of　the　gloomy　corridors　and　apartments　from

which　he　had　just　emerged；　but　the　frightful　men

anticipated　his　intentions。　　They　blocked　the　way；

they　seized　him；　and　though　he　fell；　groveling　upon　his

knees　before　them；　begging　for　his　life；　they　bound　him

and　hurled　him　to　the　floor　of　the　inner　temple。



The　rest　was　but　a　repetition　of　what　Tarzan　and　Jane

Clayton　had　passed　through。　　The　priestesses　came；

and　with　them　La；　the　High　Priestess。　　Werper　was　raised

and　laid　across　the　altar。　　Cold　sweat　exuded　from　his

every　pore　as　La　raised　the　cruel；　sacrificial　knife

above　him。　　The　death　chant　fell　upon　his　tortured

ears。　　His　staring　eyes　wandered　to　the　golden　goblets

from　which　the　hideous　votaries　would　soon　quench　their

inhuman　thirst　in　his　own；　warm　life…blood。



He　wished　that　he　might　be　granted　the　brief　respite　of

unconsciousness　before　the　final　plunge　of　the　keen

bladeand　then　there　was　a　frightful　roar　that　sounded

almost　in　his　ears。　　The　High　Priestess　lowered　her

dagger。　　Her　eyes　went　wide　in　horror。　　The

priestesses；　her　votaresses；　screamed　and　fled　madly

toward　the　exits。　　The　priests　roared　out　their　rage

and　terror　according　to　the　temper　of　their　courage。

Werper　str