tarzan and the jewels of opar- 第9部分

Tarzan　grasped　his　spear　more　firmly　and　ascended　the

steps。　　A　strange　sight　met　his　eyes　as　he　emerged　from

the　semi…darkness　of　the　cellar　to　the　brilliant　light

of　the　temple。



The　creatures　he　saw　before　him　he　recognized　for　what

they　weremen　and　women；　and　a　huge　lion。　　The　men　and

women　were　scuttling　for　the　safety　of　the　exits。

The　lion　stood　upon　the　body　of　one　who　had　been　less　fortunate

than　the　others。　　He　was　in　the　center　of　the　temple。

Directly　before　Tarzan；　a　woman　stood　beside　a

block　of　stone。　　Upon　the　top　of　the　stone　lay

stretched　a　man；　and　as　the　ape…man　watched　the　scene；

he　saw　the　lion　glare　terribly　at　the　two　who　remained

within　the　temple。　　Another　thunderous　roar　broke　from

the　savage　throat；　the　woman　screamed　and　swooned

across　the　body　of　the　man　stretched　prostrate　upon　the

stone　altar　before　her。



The　lion　advanced　a　few　steps　and　crouched。　　The　tip　of

his　sinuous　tail　twitched　nervously。　　He　was　upon　the

point　of　charging　when　his　eyes　were　attracted　toward

the　ape…man。



Werper；　helpless　upon　the　altar；　saw　the　great

carnivore　preparing　to　leap　upon　him。　　He　saw　the

sudden　change　in　the　beast's　expression　as　his　eyes

wandered　to　something　beyond　the　altar　and　out　of　the

Belgian's　view。　　He　saw　the　formidable　creature　rise　to

a　standing　position。　　A　figure　darted　past　Werper。

He　saw　a　mighty　arm　upraised；　and　a　stout　spear　shoot

forward　toward　the　lion；　to　bury　itself　in　the　broad　chest。



He　saw　the　lion　snapping　and　tearing　at　the　weapon's

shaft；　and　he　saw；　wonder　of　wonders；　the　naked　giant

who　had　hurled　the　missile　charging　upon　the　great

beast；　only　a　long　knife　ready　to　meet　those　ferocious

fangs　and　talons。



The　lion　reared　up　to　meet　this　new　enemy。　　The　beast

was　growling　frightfully；　and　then　upon　the　startled

ears　of　the　Belgian；　broke　a　similar　savage　growl　from

the　lips　of　the　man　rushing　upon　the　beast。



By　a　quick　side　step；　Tarzan　eluded　the　first　swinging

clutch　of　the　lion's　paws。　　Darting　to　the　beast's

side；　he　leaped　upon　the　tawny　back。　　His　arms

encircled　the　maned　neck；　his　teeth　sank　deep　into　the

brute's　flesh。　　Roaring；　leaping；　rolling　and

struggling；　the　giant　cat　attempted　to　dislodge　this

savage　enemy；　and　all　the　while　one　great；　brown　fist

was　driving　a　long　keen　blade　repeatedly　into　the

beast's　side。



During　the　battle；　La　regained　consciousness。

Spellbound；　she　stood　above　her　victim　watching　the

spectacle。　It　seemed　incredible　that　a　human　being

could　best　the　king　of　beasts　in　personal　encounter　and

yet　before　her　very　eyes　there　was　taking　place　just

such　an　improbability。



At　last　Tarzan's　knife　found　the　great　heart；　and　with

a　final；　spasmodic　struggle　the　lion　rolled　over　upon

the　marble　floor；　dead。　　Leaping　to　his　feet　the

conqueror　placed　a　foot　upon　the　carcass　of　his　kill；

raised　his　face　toward　the　heavens；　and　gave　voice　to

so　hideous　a　cry　that　both　La　and　Werper　trembled　as　it

reverberated　through　the　temple。



Then　the　ape…man　turned；　and　Werper　recognized　him　as

the　man　he　had　left　for　dead　in　the　treasure　room。







8



The　Escape　from　Opar





Werper　was　astounded。　　Could　this　creature　be　the　same

dignified　Englishman　who　had　entertained　him　so

graciously　in　his　luxurious　African　home？　　Could　this

wild　beast；　with　blazing　eyes；　and　bloody　countenance；

be　at　the　same　time　a　man？　　Could　the　horrid；　victory

cry　he　had　but　just　heard　have　been　formed　in　human

throat？



Tarzan　was　eyeing　the　man　and　the　woman；　a　puzzled

expression　in　his　eyes；　but　there　was　no　faintest　tinge

of　recognition。　　It　was　as　though　he　had　discovered

some　new　species　of　living　creature　and　was　marveling

at　his　find。



La　was　studying　the　ape…man's　features。　　Slowly　her

large　eyes　opened　very　wide。



〃Tarzan！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　then；　in　the　vernacular　of

the　great　apes　which　constant　association　with　the

anthropoids　had　rendered　the　common　language　of　the

Oparians：　〃You　have　come　back　to　me！　　La　has　ignored　the

mandates　of　her　religion；　waiting；　always　waiting　for

Tarzanfor　her　Tarzan。　　She　has　taken　no　mate；　for　in

all　the　world　there　was　but　one　with　whom　La　would

mate。　　And　now　you　have　come　back！　　Tell　me；　O　Tarzan；

that　it　is　for　me　you　have　returned。〃



Werper　listened　to　the　unintelligible　jargon。

He　looked　from　La　to　Tarzan。　　Would　the　latter　understand

this　strange　tongue？　　To　the　Belgian's　surprise；　the

Englishman　answered　in　a　language　evidently　identical

to　hers。



〃Tarzan；〃　he　repeated；　musingly。　　〃Tarzan。　　The　name

sounds　familiar。〃



〃It　is　your　nameyou　are　Tarzan；〃　cried　La。



〃I　am　Tarzan？〃　The　ape…man　shrugged。　　〃Well；　it　is　a

good　nameI　know　no　other；　so　I　will　keep　it；　but　I　do

not　know　you。　　I　did　not　come　hither　for　you。　　Why　I

came；　I　do　not　know　at　all；　neither　do　I　know　from

whence　I　came。　　Can　you　tell　me？〃



La　shook　her　head。　　〃I　never　knew；〃　she　replied。



Tarzan　turned　toward　Werper　and　put　the　same　question

to　him；　but　in　the　language　of　the　great　apes。

The　Belgian　shook　his　head。



〃I　do　not　understand　that　language；〃　he　said　in　French。



Without　effort；　and　apparently　without　realizing　that

he　made　the　change；　Tarzan　repeated　his　question　in

French。　　Werper　suddenly　came　to　a　full　realization　of

the　magnitude　of　the　injury　of　which　Tarzan　was　a

victim。　　The　man　had　lost　his　memoryno　longer　could

he　recollect　past　events。　　The　Belgian　was　upon　the

point　of　enlightening　him；　when　it　suddenly　occurred　to

him　that　by　keeping　Tarzan　in　ignorance；　for　a　time　at

least；　of　his　true　identity；　it　might　be　possible　to

turn　the　ape…man's　misfortune　to　his　own　advantage。



〃I　cannot　tell　you　from　whence　you　came；〃　he　said；

〃but　this　I　can　tell　youif　we　do　not　get　out　of　this

horrible　place　we　shall　both　be　slain　upon　this　bloody

altar。　　The　woman　was　about　to　plunge　her　knife　into　my

heart　when　the　lion　interrupted　the　fiendish　ritual。　Come！

Before　they　recover　from　their　fright　and　reassemble；

let　us　find　a　way　out　of　their　damnable　temple。〃



Tarzan　turned　again　toward　La。



〃Why；〃　he　asked；　〃would　you　have　killed　this　man？

Are　you　hungry？〃



The　High　Priestess　cried　out　in　disgust。



〃Did　he　attempt　to　kill　you？〃　continued　Tarzan。



The　woman　shook　her　head。



〃Then　why　should　you　have　wished　to　kill　him？〃　Tarzan

was　determined　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　thing。



La　raised　her　slender　arm　and　pointed　toward　the　sun。



〃We　were　offering　up　his　soul　as　a　gift　to　the　Flaming

God；〃　she　said。



Tarzan　looked　puzzled。　　He　was　again　an　ape；　and　apes

do　not　understand　such　matters　as　souls　and　Flaming

Gods。



〃Do　you　wish　to　die？〃　he　asked　Werper。



The　Belgian　assured　him；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　that

he　did　not　wish　to　die。



〃Very　well　then；　you　shall　not；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃Come！

We　will　go。　　This　SHE　would　kill　you　and　keep　me

for　herself。　　It　is　no　place　anyway　for　a　Mangani。

I　should　soon　die；　shut　up　behind　these　stone　walls。〃



He　turned　toward　La。　　〃We　are　going　now；〃　he　said。



The　woman　rushed　forward　and　seized　the　ape…man's　hands

in　hers。



〃Do　not　leave　me！〃　she　cried。　　〃Stay；　and　you　shall　be

High　Priest。　　La　loves　you。　　All　Opar　shall　be　yours。

Slaves　shall　wait　upon　you。　　Stay；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；

and　let　love　reward　you。〃



The　ape…man　pushed　the　kneeling　woman　aside。　　〃Tarzan

does　not　desire　you；〃　he　said；　simply；　and　stepping　to

Werper's　side　he　cut　the　Belgian's　bonds　and　motioned

him　to　follow。



Pantingher　face　convulsed　with　rage；　La　sprang　to　her

feet。



〃Stay；　you　shall！〃　she　screamed。　　〃La　will　have　youif

she　cannot　have　you　alive；　she　will　have　you　dead；〃　and

raising　her　face　to　the　sun　she　gave　voice　to　the　same

hideous　shriek　that　Werper　had　heard　once　before　and

Tarzan　many　times。



In　answer　to　her　cry　a　babel　of　voices　broke　from　the

surrounding　chambers　and　corridors。



〃Come；　Guardian　Priests！〃　she　cried。　　〃The　infidels

have　profaned　the　holiest　of　the　holies。　　Come！　　Strike

terror　to　their　hearts；　defend　La　and　her　altar；　wash

clean　the　temple　with　the　blood　of　the　polluters。〃



Tarzan　understood；　though　Werper　did　not。　　The　former

glanced　at　the　Belgian　and　saw　that　he　was　unarmed。

Stepping　quickly　to　La's　side　the　ape…man　seized　her　in

his　strong　arms　and　though　she　fought　with　all　the　mad

savagery　of　a　demon；　he　soon　disarmed　her；　handing　her

long；　sacrificial　knife　to　Werper。



〃You　will　need　this；〃　he　said；　and　then　from　each

doorway　a　horde　of　the　monstrous；　little　men　of　Opar

streamed　into　the　temple。



They　were　armed　with　bludgeons　and　knives；　and

fortified　in　their　courage　by　fanatical　hate　and

frenzy。　　Werper　was　terrified。　　Tarzan　stood　eyeing　the

foe　in　proud　disdain。　Slowly　he　advanced　toward　the

exit　he　had　chosen　to　utilize　in　making　his　way　from

the　temple。　　A　burly　priest　barred　his　way。　　Behind　the

first　was　a　score　of　others。　　Tarzan　swung　his　heavy

spear；　clublike；　down　upon　the　skull　of　the　priest。

The　fellow　collapsed；　his　head　crushed。



Again　and　again　the　weapon　fell　as　Tarzan　made　his　way

slowly　toward　the　doorway。　　Werper　pressed　close

behind；　casting　backward　glances　toward　the　shrieking；

dancing　mob　menacing　their　rear。　　He　held　the

sacrificial　knife　ready　to　strike　whoever　might　come

within　its　reach；　but　none　came。　　For　a　time　he

wondered　that　they　should　so　bravely　battle　with　the

giant　ape…man；　yet　hesitate　to　rush　upon　him；　who　was

relatively　so　weak。　　Had　they　done　so　he　knew　that　he

must　have　fallen　at　the　first　charge。　　Tarzan　had

reached　the　doorway　over　the　corpses　of　all　that　had

stood　to　dispute　his　way；　before　Werper　guessed　at　the

reason　for　his　immunity。　　The　priests　feared　the

sacrificial　knife！　　Willingly　would　they　face　death　and

welcome　it　if　it　came　while　they　defended　their　High