tarzan the terrible- 第13部分

With　his　tail　the　Tor…o…don　sought　one　of　Tarzan's　ankles；　and　finding　it；　tripped　him。　The　two　fell　heavily；　but　so　agile　was　the　ape…man　and　so　quick　his　powerful　muscles　that　even　in　falling　he　twisted　the　beast　beneath　him；　so　that　Tarzan　fell　on　top　and　now　the　tail　that　had　tripped　him　sought　his　throat　as　had　the　tail　of　In…tan；　the　Kor…ul…lul。　In　the　effort　of　turning　his　antagonist's　body　during　the　fall　Tarzan　had　had　to　relinquish　his　knife　that　he　might　seize　the　shaggy　body　with　both　hands　and　now　the　weapon　lay　out　of　reach　at　the　very　edge　of　the　recess。　Both　hands　were　occupied　for　the　moment　in　fending　off　the　clutching　fingers　that　sought　to　seize　him　and　drag　his　throat　within　reach　of　his　foe's　formidable　fangs　and　now　the　tail　was　seeking　its　deadly　hold　with　a　formidable　persistence　that　would　not　be　denied。

Pan…at…lee　hovered　about；　breathless；　her　dagger　ready；　but　there　was　no　opening　that　did　not　also　endanger　Tarzan；　so　constantly　were　the　two　duelists　changing　their　positions。　Tarzan　felt　the　tail　slowly　but　surely　insinuating　itself　about　his　neck　though　he　had　drawn　his　head　down　between　the　muscles　of　his　shoulders　in　an　effort　to　protect　this　vulnerable　part。　The　battle　seemed　to　be　going　against　him　for　the　giant　beast　against　which　he　strove　would　have　been　a　fair　match　in　weight　and　strength　for　Bolgani；　the　gorilla。　And　knowing　this　he　suddenly　exerted　a　single　super…human　effort；　thrust　far　apart　the　giant　hands　and　with　the　swiftness　of　a　striking　snake　buried　his　fangs　in　the　jugular　of　the　Tor…o…don。　At　the　same　instant　the　creature's　tail　coiled　about　his　own　throat　and　then　commenced　a　battle　royal　of　turning　and　twisting　bodies　as　each　sought　to　dislodge　the　fatal　hold　of　the　other；　but　the　acts　of　the　ape…man　were　guided　by　a　human　brain　and　thus　it　was　that　the　rolling　bodies　rolled　in　the　direction　that　Tarzan　wishedtoward　the　edge　of　the　recess。

The　choking　tail　had　shut　the　air　from　his　lungs；　he　knew　that　his　gasping　lips　were　parted　and　his　tongue　protruding；　and　now　his　brain　reeled　and　his　sight　grew　dim；　but　not　before　he　reached　his　goal　and　a　quick　hand　shot　out　to　seize　the　knife　that　now　lay　within　reach　as　the　two　bodies　tottered　perilously　upon　the　brink　of　the　chasm。

With　all　his　remaining　strength　the　ape…man　drove　home　the　bladeonce；　twice；　thrice；　and　then　all　went　black　before　him　as　he　felt　himself；　still　in　the　clutches　of　the　Tor…o…don；　topple　from　the　recess。

Fortunate　it　was　for　Tarzan　that　Pan…at…lee　had　not　obeyed　his　injunction　to　make　good　her　escape　while　he　engaged　the　Tor…o…don；　for　it　was　to　this　fact　that　he　owed　his　life。　Close　beside　the　struggling　forms　during　the　brief　moments　of　the　terrific　climax　she　had　realized　every　detail　of　the　danger　to　Tarzan　with　which　the　emergency　was　fraught　and　as　she　saw　the　two　rolling　over　the　outer　edge　of　the　niche　she　seized　the　ape…man　by　an　ankle　at　the　same　time　throwing　herself　prone　upon　the　rocky　floor。　The　muscles　of　the　Tor…o…don　relaxed　in　death　with　the　last　thrust　of　Tarzan's　knife　and　with　its　hold　upon　the　ape…man　released　it　shot　from　sight　into　the　gorge　below。

It　was　with　infinite　difficulty　that　Pan…at…lee　retained　her　hold　upon　the　ankle　of　her　protector；　but　she　did　so　and　then；　slowly；　she　sought　to　drag　the　dead　weight　back　to　the　safety　of　the　niche。　This；　however；　was　beyond　her　strength　and　she　could　but　hold　on　tightly；　hoping　that　some　plan　would　suggest　itself　before　her　powers　of　endurance　failed。　She　wondered　if；　after　all；　the　creature　was　already　dead；　but　that　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　believeand　if　not　dead　how　long　it　would　be　before　he　regained　consciousness。　If　he　did　not　regain　it　soon　he　never　would　regain　it；　that　she　knew；　for　she　felt　her　fingers　numbing　to　the　strain　upon　them　and　slipping；　slowly；　slowly；　from　their　hold。　It　was　then　that　Tarzan　regained　consciousness。　He　could　not　know　what　power　upheld　him；　but　he　felt　that　whatever　it　was　it　was　slowly　releasing　its　hold　upon　his　ankle。　Within　easy　reach　of　his　hands　were　two　pegs　and　these　he　seized　upon　just　as　Pan…at…lee's　fingers　slipped　from　their　hold。

As　it　was　he　came　near　to　being　precipitated　into　the　gorge　only　his　great　strength　saved　him。　He　was　upright　now　and　his　feet　found　other　pegs。　His　first　thought　was　of　his　foe。　Where　was　he？　Waiting　above　there　to　finish　him？　Tarzan　looked　up　just　as　the　frightened　face　of　Pan…at…lee　appeared　over　the　threshold　of　the　recess。

〃You　live？〃　she　cried。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Tarzan。　〃Where　is　the　shaggy　one？〃

Pan…at…lee　pointed　downward。　〃There；〃　she　said；　〃dead。〃

〃Good！〃　exclaimed　the　ape…man；　clambering　to　her　side。　〃You　are　unharmed？〃　he　asked。

〃You　came　just　in　time；〃　replied　Pan…at…lee；　〃but　who　are　you　and　how　did　you　know　that　I　was　here　and　what　do　you　know　of　Om…at　and　where　did　you　come　from　and　what　did　you　mean　by　calling　Om…at；　gund？〃

〃Wait；　wait；〃　cried　Tarzan；　〃one　at　a　time。　My；　but　you　are　all　alikethe　shes　of　the　tribe　of　Kerchak；　the　ladies　of　England；　and　their　sisters　of　Pal…ul…don。　Have　patience　and　I　will　try　to　tell　you　all　that　you　wish　to　know。　Four　of　us　set　out　with　Om…at　from　Kor…ul…ja　to　search　for　you。　We　were　attacked　by　the　Kor…ul…lul　and　separated。　I　was　taken　prisoner；　but　escaped。　Again　I　stumbled　upon　your　trail　and　followed　it；　reaching　the　summit　of　this　cliff　just　as　the　hairy　one　was　climbing　up　after　you。　I　was　coming　to　investigate　when　I　heard　your　screamthe　rest　you　know。〃

〃But　you　called　Om…at；　gund　of　Kor…ul…ja；〃　she　insisted。　〃Es…sat　is　gund。〃

〃Es…sat　is　dead；〃　explained　the　ape…man。　〃Om…at　slew　him　and　now　Om…at　is　gund。　Om…at　came　back　seeking　you。　He　found　Es…sat　in　your　cave　and　killed　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　girl；　〃Es…sat　came　to　my　cave　and　I　struck　him　down　with　my　golden　breastplates　and　escaped。〃

〃And　a　lion　pursued　you；〃　continued　Tarzan；　〃and　you　leaped　from　the　cliff　into　Kor…ul…lul；　but　why　you　were　not　killed　is　beyond　me。〃

〃Is　there　anything　beyond　you？〃　exclaimed　Pan…at…lee。　〃How　could　you　know　that　a　lion　pursued　me　and　that　I　leaped　from　the　cliff　and　not　know　that　it　was　the　pool　of　deep　water　below　that　saved　me？〃

〃I　would　have　known　that；　too；　had　not　the　Kor…ul…lul　come　then　and　prevented　me　continuing　upon　your　trail。　But　now　I　would　ask　you　a　questionby　what　name　do　you　call　the　thing　with　which　I　just　fought？〃

〃It　was　a　Tor…o…don；〃　she　replied。　〃I　have　seen　but　one　before。　They　are　terrible　creatures　with　the　cunning　of　man　and　the　ferocity　of　a　beast。　Great　indeed　must　be　the　warrior　who　slays　one　single…handed。〃　She　gazed　at　him　in　open　admiration。

〃And　now；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃you　must　sleep；　for　tomorrow　we　shall　return　to　Kor…ul…ja　and　Om…at；　and　I　doubt　that　you　have　had　much　rest　these　two　nights。〃

Pan…at…lee；　lulled　by　a　feeling　of　security；　slept　peacefully　into　the　morning　while　Tarzan　stretched　himself　upon　the　hard　floor　of　the　recess　just　outside　her　cave。

The　sun　was　high　in　the　heavens　when　he　awoke；　for　two　hours　it　had　looked　down　upon　another　heroic　figure　miles　awaythe　figure　of　a　godlike　man　fighting　his　way　through　the　hideous　morass　that　lies　like　a　filthy　moat　defending　Pal…ul…don　from　the　creatures　of　the　outer　world。　Now　waist　deep　in　the　sucking　ooze；　now　menaced　by　loathsome　reptiles；　the　man　advanced　only　by　virtue　of　Herculean　efforts　gaining　laboriously　by　inches　along　the　devious　way　that　he　was　forced　to　choose　in　selecting　the　least　precarious　footing。　Near　the　center　of　the　morass　was　open　waterslimy；　green…hued　water。　He　reached　it　at　last　after　more　than　two　hours　of　such　effort　as　would　have　left　an　ordinary　man　spent　and　dying　in　the　sticky　mud；　yet　he　was　less　than　halfway　across　the　marsh。　Greasy　with　slime　and　mud　was　his　smooth；　brown　hide；　and　greasy　with　slime　and　mud　was　his　beloved　Enfield　that　had　shone　so　brightly　in　the　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun。

He　paused　a　moment　upon　the　edge　of　the　open　water　and　then　throwing　himself　forward　struck　out　to　swim　across。　He　swam　with　long；　easy；　powerful　strokes　calculated　less　for　speed　than　for　endurance；　for　his　was；　primarily；　a　test　of　the　latter；　since　beyond　the　open　water　was　another　two　hours　or　more　of　gruelling　effort　between　it　and　solid　ground。　He　was；　perhaps；　halfway　across　and　congratulating　himself　upon　the　ease　of　the　achievement　of　this　portion　of　his　task　when　there　arose　from　the　depths　directly　in　his　path　a　hideous　reptile；　which；　with　wide…distended　jaws；　bore　down　upon　him；　hissing　shrilly。

Tarzan　arose　and　stretched；　expanded　his　great　chest　and　drank　in　deep　draughts　of　the　fresh　morning　air。　His　clear　eyes　scanned　the　wondrous　beauties　of　the　landscape　spread　out　before　them。　Directly　below　lay　Kor…ul…gryf；　a　dense；　somber　green　of　gently　moving　tree　tops。　To　Tarzan　it　was　neither　grim；　nor　forbiddingit　was　jungle；　beloved　jungle。　To　his　right　there　spread　a　panorama　of　the　lower　reaches　of　the　Valley　of　Jad…ben…Otho；　with　its　winding　streams　and　its　blue　lakes。　Gleaming　whitely　in　the　sunlight　were　scattered　groups　of　dwellingsthe　feudal　strongholds　of　the　lesser　chiefs　of　the　Ho…don。　A…lur；　the　City　of　Light；　he　could　not　see　as　it　was　hidden　by　the　shoulder　of　the　cliff　in　which　the　deserted　village　lay。

For　a　moment　Tarzan　gave　himself　over　to　that　spiritual　enjoyment　of　beauty　that　only　the　man…mind　may　attain　and　then　Nature　asserted　herself　and　the　belly　of　the　beast　called　aloud　that　it　was　hungry。　Again　Tarzan　looked　down　at　Kor…ul…gryf。　There　was　the　jungle！　Grew　there　a　jungle　that　would　not　feed　Tarzan？　The　ape…man　smiled　and　commenced　the　descent　to　the　gorge。　Was　there　danger　there？　Of　course。　Who　knew　it　better　than　Tarzan？　In　all　jungles　lies　death；　for　life　and　death　go　hand　in　hand　and　where　life　teems　death　reaps　his　fullest　harvest。　Never　had　Tarzan　met　a　creature　of　the　jungle　with　which　he　could　not　copesometimes　by　virtue　of　brute　strength　alone；　again　by　a　combination　of　brute　strength　and　the　cunning　of　the　man…mind；　but　Tarzan　had　never　met　a　gryf。

He　had　heard　the　bellowings　in　the　gorge　the　night　before　after　he　had　lain　down　to　sleep　and　he　had　meant　to　ask　Pan…at…lee　this　morning　what　manner　of　beast　so　disturbed　the　slumbers　of　its　betters。　He　reached　the　foot　of　the　cliff　and　strode　into　th