tarzan the terrible- 第38部分

〃We　did；〃　replied　the　priests；　〃but　they　told　us　nothing　of　the　purpose　of　their　journey。〃

〃It　is　as　I　have　told　you；〃　said　Mo…sar；　〃and　if　they　find　her；　assure　your　master　that　she　will　be　kept　unharmed　in　Tu…lur　for　him。　Also　tell　him　that　I　will　send　my　warriors　to　join　with　his　against　Ja…don　whenever　he　sends　word　that　he　wants　them。　Now　go；　for　Tarzan…jad…guru　will　soon　be　here。〃

He　signaled　to　a　slave。　〃Lead　the　priests　to　the　temple；〃　he　commanded；　〃and　ask　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　to　see　that　they　are　fed　and　permitted　to　return　to　A…lur　when　they　will。〃

The　two　priests　were　conducted　from　the　apartment　by　the　slave　through　a　doorway　other　than　that　at　which　they　had　entered；　and　a　moment　later　Tarzan…jad…guru　strode　into　the　presence　of　Mo…sar；　ahead　of　the　warrior　whose　duty　it　had　been　to　conduct　and　announce　him。　The　ape…man　made　no　sign　of　greeting　or　of　peace　but　strode　directly　toward　the　chief　who；　only　by　the　exertion　of　his　utmost　powers　of　will；　hid　the　terror　that　was　in　his　heart　at　sight　of　the　giant　figure　and　the　scowling　face。

〃I　am　the　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　said　the　ape…man　in　level　tones　that　carried　to　the　mind　of　Mo…sar　a　suggestion　of　cold　steel；　〃I　am　Dor…ul…Otho；　and　I　come　to　Tu…lur　for　the　woman　you　stole　from　the　apartments　of　O…lo…a；　the　princess。〃

The　very　boldness　of　Tarzan's　entry　into　this　hostile　city　had　had　the　effect　of　giving　him　a　great　moral　advantage　over　Mo…sar　and　the　savage　warriors　who　stood　upon　either　side　of　the　chief。　Truly　it　seemed　to　them　that　no　other　than　the　son　of　Jad…ben…Otho　would　dare　so　heroic　an　act。　Would　any　mortal　warrior　act　thus　boldly；　and　alone　enter　the　presence　of　a　powerful　chief　and；　in　the　midst　of　a　score　of　warriors；　arrogantly　demand　an　accounting？　No；　it　was　beyond　reason。　Mo…sar　was　faltering　in　his　decision　to　betray　the　stranger　by　seeming　friendliness。　He　even　paled　to　a　sudden　thoughtJad…ben…Otho　knew　everything；　even　our　inmost　thoughts。　Was　it　not　therefore　possible　that　this　creature；　if　after　all　it　should　prove　true　that　he　was　the　Dor…ul…Otho；　might　even　now　be　reading　the　wicked　design　that　the　priests　had　implanted　in　the　brain　of　Mo…sar　and　which　he　had　entertained　so　favorably？　The　chief　squirmed　and　fidgeted　upon　the　bench　of　hewn　rock　that　was　his　throne。

〃Quick；〃　snapped　the　ape…man；　〃Where　is　she？〃

〃She　is　not　here；〃　cried　Mo…sar。

〃You　lie；〃　replied　Tarzan。

〃As　Jad…ben…Otho　is　my　witness；　she　is　not　in　Tu…lur；〃　insisted　the　chief。　〃You　may　search　the　palace　and　the　temple　and　the　entire　city　but　you　will　not　find　her；　for　she　is　not　here。〃

〃Where　is　she；　then？〃　demanded　the　ape…man。　〃You　took　her　from　the　palace　at　A…lur。　If　she　is　not　here；　where　is　she？　Tell　me　not　that　harm　has　befallen　her；〃　and　he　took　a　sudden　threatening　step　toward　Mo…sar；　that　sent　the　chief　shrinking　back　in　terror。

〃Wait；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　are　indeed　the　Dor…ul…Otho　you　will　know　that　I　speak　the　truth。　I　took　her　from　the　palace　of　Ko…tan　to　save　her　for　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　lest　with　Ko…tan　dead　Ja…don　seize　her。　But　during　the　night　she　escaped　from　me　between　here　and　A…lur；　and　I　have　but　just　sent　three　canoes　full…manned　in　search　of　her。〃

Something　in　the　chief's　tone　and　manner　assured　the　ape…man　that　he　spoke　in　part　the　truth；　and　that　once　again　he　had　braved　incalculable　dangers　and　suffered　loss　of　time　futilely。

〃What　wanted　the　priests　of　Lu…don　that　preceded　me　here？〃　demanded　Tarzan　chancing　a　shrewd　guess　that　the　two　he　had　seen　paddling　so　frantically　to　avoid　a　meeting　with　him　had　indeed　come　from　the　high　priest　at　A…lur。

〃They　came　upon　an　errand　similar　to　yours；〃　replied　Mo…sar；　〃to　demand　the　return　of　the　woman　whom　Lu…don　thought　I　had　stolen　from　him；　thus　wronging　me　as　deeply；　O　Dor…ul…Otho；　as　have　you。〃

〃I　would　question　the　priests；〃　said　Tarzan。　〃Bring　them　hither。〃　His　peremptory　and　arrogant　manner　left　Mo…sar　in　doubt　as　to　whether　to　be　more　incensed；　or　terrified；　but　ever　as　is　the　way　with　such　as　he；　he　concluded　that　the　first　consideration　was　his　own　safety。　If　he　could　transfer　the　attention　and　the　wrath　of　this　terrible　man　from　himself　to　Lu…don's　priests　it　would　more　than　satisfy　him　and　if　they　should　conspire　to　harm　him；　then　Mo…sar　would　be　safe　in　the　eyes　of　Jad…ben…Otho　if　it　finally　developed　that　the　stranger　was　in　reality　the　son　of　god。　He　felt　uncomfortable　in　Tarzan's　presence　and　this　fact　rather　accentuated　his　doubt；　for　thus　indeed　would　mortal　feel　in　the　presence　of　a　god。　Now　he　saw　a　way　to　escape；　at　least　temporarily。

〃I　will　fetch　them　myself；　Dor…ul…Otho；〃　he　said；　and　turning；　left　the　apartment。　His　hurried　steps　brought　him　quickly　to　the　temple；　for　the　palace　grounds　of　Tu…lur；　which　also　included　the　temple　as　in　all　of　the　Ho…don　cities；　covered　a　much　smaller　area　than　those　of　the　larger　city　of　A…lur。　He　found　Lu…don's　messengers　with　the　high　priest　of　his　own　temple　and　quickly　transmitted　to　them　the　commands　of　the　ape…man。

〃What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　him？〃　asked　one　of　the　priests。

〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　him；〃　replied　Mo…sar。　〃He　came　in　peace　and　he　may　depart　in　peace；　for　who　knows　but　that　he　is　indeed　the　Dor…ul…Otho？〃

〃We　know　that　he　is　not；〃　replied　Lu…don's　emissary。　〃We　have　every　proof　that　he　is　only　mortal；　a　strange　creature　from　another　country。　Already　has　Lu…don　offered　his　life　to　Jad…ben…Otho　if　he　is　wrong　in　his　belief　that　this　creature　is　not　the　son　of　god。　If　the　high　priest　of　A…lur；　who　is　the　highest　priest　of　all　the　high　priests　of　Pal…ul…don　is　thus　so　sure　that　the　creature　in　an　impostor　as　to　stake　his　life　upon　his　judgment　then　who　are　we　to　give　credence　to　the　claims　of　this　stranger？　No；　Mo…sar；　you　need　not　fear　him。　He　is　only　a　warrior　who　may　be　overcome　with　the　same　weapons　that　subdue　your　own　fighting　men。　Were　it　not　for　Lu…don's　command　that　he　be　taken　alive　I　would　urge　you　to　set　your　warriors　upon　him　and　slay　him；　but　the　commands　of　Lu…don　are　the　commands　of　Jad…ben…Otho　himself；　and　those　we　may　not　disobey。〃

But　still　the　remnant　of　a　doubt　stirred　within　the　cowardly　breast　of　Mo…sar；　urging　him　to　let　another　take　the　initiative　against　the　stranger。

〃He　is　yours　then；〃　he　replied；　〃to　do　with　as　you　will。　I　have　no　quarrel　with　him。　What　you　may　command　shall　be　the　command　of　Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　and　further　than　that　I　shall　have　nothing　to　do　in　the　matter。〃

The　priests　turned　to　him　who　guided　the　destinies　of　the　temple　at　Tu…lur。　〃Have　you　no　plan？〃　they　asked。　〃High　indeed　will　he　stand　in　the　counsels　of　Lu…don　and　in　the　eyes　of　Jad…ben…Otho　who　finds　the　means　to　capture　this　impostor　alive。〃

〃There　is　the　lion　pit；〃　whispered　the　high　priest。　〃It　is　now　vacant　and　what　will　hold　ja　and　jato　will　hold　this　stranger　if　he　is　not　the　Dor…ul…Otho。〃

〃It　will　hold　him；〃　said　Mo…sar；　〃doubtless　too　it　would　hold　a　gryf；　but　first　you　would　have　to　get　the　gryf　into　it。〃

The　priests　pondered　this　bit　of　wisdom　thoughtfully　and　then　one　of　those　from　A…lur　spoke。　〃It　should　not　be　difficult；〃　he　said；　〃if　we　use　the　wits　that　Jad…ben…Otho　gave　us　instead　of　the　worldly　muscles　which　were　handed　down　to　us　from　our　fathers　and　our　mothers　and　which　have　not　even　the　power　possessed　by　those　of　the　beasts　that　run　about　on　four　feet。〃

〃Lu…don　matched　his　wits　with　the　stranger　and　lost；〃　suggested　Mo…sar。　〃But　this　is　your　own　affair。　Carry　it　out　as　you　see　best。〃

〃At　A…lur；　Ko…tan　made　much　of　this　Dor…ul…Otho　and　the　priests　conducted　him　through　the　temple。　It　would　arouse　in　his　mind　no　suspicion　were　you　to　do　the　same；　and　let　the　high　priest　of　Tu…lur　invite　him　to　the　temple　and　gathering　all　the　priests　make　a　great　show　of　belief　in　his　kinship　to　Jad…ben…Otho。　And　what　more　natural　then　than　that　the　high　priest　should　wish　to　show　him　through　the　temple　as　did　Lu…don　at　A…lur　when　Ko…tan　commanded　it；　and　if　by　chance　he　should　be　led　through　the　lion　pit　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　for　those　who　bear　the　torches　to　extinguish　them　suddenly　and　before　the　stranger　was　aware　of　what　had　happened；　the　stone　gates　could　be　dropped；　thus　safely　securing　him。〃

〃But　there　are　windows　in　the　pit　that　let　in　light；〃　interposed　the　high　priest；　〃and　even　though　the　torches　were　extinguished　he　could　still　see　and　might　escape　before　the　stone　door　could　be　lowered。〃

〃Send　one　who　will　cover　the　windows　tightly　with　hides；〃　said　the　priest　from　A…lur。

〃The　plan　is　a　good　one；〃　said　Mo…sar；　seeing　an　opportunity　for　entirely　eliminating　himself　from　any　suspicion　of　complicity；　〃for　it　will　require　the　presence　of　no　warriors；　and　thus　with　only　priests　about　him　his　mind　will　entertain　no　suspicion　of　harm。〃

They　were　interrupted　at　this　point　by　a　messenger　from　the　palace　who　brought　word　that　the　Dor…ul…Otho　was　becoming　impatient　and　if　the　priests　from　A…lur　were　not　brought　to　him　at　once　he　would　come　himself　to　the　temple　and　get　them。　Mo…sar　shook　his　head。　He　could　not　conceive　of　such　brazen　courage　in　mortal　breast　and　glad　he　was　that　the　plan　evolved　for　Tarzan's　undoing　did　not　necessitate　his　active　participation。

And　so；　while　Mo…sar　left　for　a　secret　corner　of　the　palace　by　a　roundabout　way；　three　priests　were　dispatched　to　Tarzan　and　with　whining　words　that　did　not　entirely　deceive　him；　they　acknowledged　his　kinship　to　Jad…ben…Otho　and　begged　him　in　the　name　of　the　high　priest　to　honor　the　temple　with　a　visit；　when　the　priests　from　A…lur　would　be　brought　to　him　and　would　answer　any　questions　that　he　put　to　them。

Confident　that　a　continuation　of　his　bravado　would　best　serve　his　purpose；　and　also　that　if　suspicion　against　him　should　crystallize　into　conviction　on　the　part　of　Mo…sar　and　his　followers　that　he　would　be　no　worse　off　in　the　temple　than　in　the　palace；　the　ape…man　haughtily　accepted　the　invitation　of　the　high　priest。

And　so　he　came　into　the　temple　and　was　received　in　a　manner　befitting　his　high　claims。　He　questioned　the　two　priests　of　A…lur　from　whom　he　obtained　only　a　repetition　of　the　story　that　Mo…sar　had　told　him；　and　then　the　high　priest　invited　him　to　inspect　the　temple。

They　took　him　first　to　the　altar　court；　of　which　there　was　only　one　in　Tu…lur。　It　was　almost