tarzan the terrible- 第46部分

They　were　moving　away　slowly　so　as　not　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　beast。

〃I　believe　we're　going　to　make　it；〃　whispered　the　woman；　her　voice　tense　with　suppressed　excitement。　A　low　rumble　rolled　like　distant　thunder　from　the　wood。　Tarzan　shook　his　head。

〃'The　big　show　is　about　to　commence　in　the　main　tent；'〃　he　quoted；　grinning。　He　caught　the　woman　suddenly　to　his　breast　and　kissed　her。　〃One　can　never　tell；　Jane；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　do　our　bestthat　is　all　we　can　do。　Give　me　your　spear；　anddon't　run。　The　only　hope　we　have　lies　in　that　little　brain　more　than　in　us。　If　I　can　control　itwell；　let　us　see。〃

The　beast　had　emerged　from　the　forest　and　was　looking　about　through　his　weak　eyes；　evidently　in　search　of　them。　Tarzan　raised　his　voice　in　the　weird　notes　of　the　Tor…o…don's　cry；　〃Whee…oo！　Whee…oo！　Whee…oo！〃　For　a　moment　the　great　beast　stood　motionless；　his　attention　riveted　by　the　call。　The　ape…man　advanced　straight　toward　him；　Jane　Clayton　at　his　elbow。　〃Whee…oo！〃　he　cried　again　peremptorily。　A　low　rumble　rolled　from　the　gryf's　cavernous　chest　in　answer　to　the　call；　and　the　beast　moved　slowly　toward　them。

〃Fine！〃　exclaimed　Tarzan。　〃The　odds　are　in　our　favor　now。　You　can　keep　your　nerve？but　I　do　not　need　to　ask。〃

〃I　know　no　fear　when　I　am　with　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；〃　she　replied　softly；　and　he　felt　the　pressure　of　her　soft　fingers　on　his　arm。

And　thus　the　two　approached　the　giant　monster　of　a　forgotten　epoch　until　they　stood　close　in　the　shadow　of　a　mighty　shoulder。　〃Whee…oo！〃　shouted　Tarzan　and　struck　the　hideous　snout　with　the　shaft　of　the　spear。　The　vicious　side　snap　that　did　not　reach　its　markthat　evidently　was　not　intended　to　reach　its　markwas　the　hoped…for　answer。

〃Come；〃　said　Tarzan；　and　taking　Jane　by　the　hand　he　led　her　around　behind　the　monster　and　up　the　broad　tail　to　the　great；　horned　back。　〃Now　will　we　ride　in　the　state　that　our　forebears　knew；　before　which　the　pomp　of　modern　kings　pales　into　cheap　and　tawdry　insignificance。　How　would　you　like　to　canter　through　Hyde　Park　on　a　mount　like　this？〃

〃I　am　afraid　the　Bobbies　would　be　shocked　by　our　riding　habits；　John；〃　she　cried；　laughingly。

Tarzan　guided　the　gryf　in　the　direction　that　they　wished　to　go。　Steep　embankments　and　rivers　proved　no　slightest　obstacle　to　the　ponderous　creature。

〃A　prehistoric　tank；　this；〃　Jane　assured　him；　and　laughing　and　talking　they　continued　on　their　way。　Once　they　came　unexpectedly　upon　a　dozen　Ho…don　warriors　as　the　gryf　emerged　suddenly　into　a　small　clearing。　The　fellows　were　lying　about　in　the　shade　of　a　single　tree　that　grew　alone。　When　they　saw　the　beast　they　leaped　to　their　feet　in　consternation　and　at　their　shouts　the　gryf　issued　his　hideous；　challenging　bellow　and　charged　them。　The　warriors　fled　in　all　directions　while　Tarzan　belabored　the　beast　across　the　snout　with　his　spear　in　an　effort　to　control　him；　and　at　last　he　succeeded；　just　as　the　gryf　was　almost　upon　one　poor　devil　that　it　seemed　to　have　singled　out　for　its　special　prey。　With　an　angry　grunt　the　gryf　stopped　and　the　man；　with　a　single　backward　glance　that　showed　a　face　white　with　terror；　disappeared　in　the　jungle　he　had　been　seeking　to　reach。

The　ape…man　was　elated。　He　had　doubted　that　he　could　control　the　beast　should　it　take　it　into　its　head　to　charge　a　victim　and　had　intended　abandoning　it　before　they　reached　the　Kor…ul…ja。　Now　he　altered　his　plansthey　would　ride　to　the　very　village　of　Om…at　upon　the　gryf；　and　the　Kor…ul…ja　would　have　food　for　conversation　for　many　generations　to　come。　Nor　was　it　the　theatric　instinct　of　the　ape…man　alone　that　gave　favor　to　this　plan。　The　element　of　Jane's　safety　entered　into　the　matter　for　he　knew　that　she　would　be　safe　from　man　and　beast　alike　so　long　as　she　rode　upon　the　back　of　Pal…ul…don's　most　formidable　creature。

As　they　proceeded　slowly　in　the　direction　of　the　Kor…ul…ja；　for　the　natural　gait　of　the　gryf　is　far　from　rapid；　a　handful　of　terrified　warriors　came　panting　into　A…lur；　spreading　a　weird　story　of　the　Dor…ul…Otho；　only　none　dared　call　him　the　Dor…ul…Otho　aloud。　Instead　they　spoke　of　him　as　Tarzan…jad…guru　and　they　told　of　meeting　him　mounted　upon　a　mighty　gryf　beside　the　beautiful　stranger　woman　whom　Ko…tan　would　have　made　queen　of　Pal…ul…don。　This　story　was　brought　to　Lu…don　who　caused　the　warriors　to　be　hailed　to　his　presence；　when　he　questioned　them　closely　until　finally　he　was　convinced　that　they　spoke　the　truth　and　when　they　had　told　him　the　direction　in　which　the　two　were　traveling；　Lu…don　guessed　that　they　were　on　their　way　to　Ja…lur　to　join　Ja…don；　a　contingency　that　he　felt　must　be　prevented　at　any　cost。　As　was　his　wont　in　the　stress　of　emergency；　he　called　Pan…sat　into　consultation　and　for　long　the　two　sat　in　close　conference。　When　they　arose　a　plan　had　been　developed。　Pan…sat　went　immediately　to　his　own　quarters　where　he　removed　the　headdress　and　trappings　of　a　priest　to　don　in　their　stead　the　harness　and　weapons　of　a　warrior。　Then　he　returned　to　Lu…don。

〃Good！〃　cried　the　latter；　when　he　saw　him。　〃Not　even　your　fellow…priests　or　the　slaves　that　wait　upon　you　daily　would　know　you　now。　Lose　no　time；　Pan…sat；　for　all　depends　upon　the　speed　with　which　you　strike　andremember！　Kill　the　man　if　you　can；　but　in　any　event　bring　the　woman　to　me　here；　alive。　You　understand？〃

〃Yes；　master；〃　replied　the　priest；　and　so　it　was　that　a　lone　warrior　set　out　from　A…lur　and　made　his　way　northwest　in　the　direction　of　Ja…lur。

The　gorge　next　above　Kor…ul…ja　is　uninhabited　and　here　the　wily　Ja…don　had　chosen　to　mobilize　his　army　for　its　descent　upon　A…lur。　Two　considerations　influenced　himone　being　the　fact　that　could　he　keep　his　plans　a　secret　from　the　enemy　he　would　have　the　advantage　of　delivering　a　surprise　attack　upon　the　forces　of　Lu…don　from　a　direction　that　they　would　not　expect　attack；　and　in　the　meantime　he　would　be　able　to　keep　his　men　from　the　gossip　of　the　cities　where　strange　tales　were　already　circulating　relative　to　the　coming　of　Jad…ben…Otho　in　person　to　aid　the　high　priest　in　his　war　against　Ja…don。　It　took　stout　hearts　and　loyal　ones　to　ignore　the　implied　threats　of　divine　vengeance　that　these　tales　suggested。　Already　there　had　been　desertions　and　the　cause　of　Ja…don　seemed　tottering　to　destruction。

Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　when　a　sentry　posted　on　the　knoll　in　the　mouth　of　the　gorge　sent　word　that　he　had　observed　in　the　valley　below　what　appeared　at　a　distance　to　be　nothing　less　than　two　people　mounted　upon　the　back　of　a　gryf。　He　said　that　he　had　caught　glimpses　of　them；　as　they　passed　open　spaces；　and　they　seemed　to　be　traveling　up　the　river　in　the　direction　of　the　Kor…ul…ja。

At　first　Ja…don　was　inclined　to　doubt　the　veracity　of　his　informant；　but；　like　all　good　generals；　he　could　not　permit　even　palpably　false　information　to　go　uninvestigated　and　so　he　determined　to　visit　the　knoll　himself　and　learn　precisely　what　it　was　that　the　sentry　had　observed　through　the　distorting　spectacles　of　fear。　He　had　scarce　taken　his　place　beside　the　man　ere　the　fellow　touched　his　arm　and　pointed。　〃They　are　closer　now；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　can　see　them　plainly。〃　And　sure　enough；　not　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away　Ja…don　saw　that　which　in　his　long　experience　in　Pal…ul…don　he　had　never　before　seentwo　humans　riding　upon　the　broad　back　of　a　gryf。

At　first　he　could　scarce　credit　even　this　testimony　of　his　own　eyes；　but　soon　he　realized　that　the　creatures　below　could　be　naught　else　than　they　appeared；　and　then　he　recognized　the　man　and　rose　to　his　feet　with　a　loud　cry。

〃It　is　he！〃　he　shouted　to　those　about　him。　〃It　is　the　Dor…ul…Otho　himself。〃

The　gryf　and　his　riders　heard　the　shout　though　not　the　words。　The　former　bellowed　terrifically　and　started　in　the　direction　of　the　knoll；　and　Ja…don；　followed　by　a　few　of　his　more　intrepid　warriors；　ran　to　meet　him。　Tarzan；　loath　to　enter　an　unnecessary　quarrel；　tried　to　turn　the　animal；　but　as　the　beast　was　far　from　tractable　it　always　took　a　few　minutes　to　force　the　will　of　its　master　upon　it；　and　so　the　two　parties　were　quite　close　before　the　ape…man　succeeded　in　stopping　the　mad　charge　of　his　furious　mount。

Ja…don　and　his　warriors；　however；　had　come　to　the　realization　that　this　bellowing　creature　was　bearing　down　upon　them　with　evil　intent　and　they　had　assumed　the　better　part　of　valor　and　taken　to　trees；　accordingly。　It　was　beneath　these　trees　that　Tarzan　finally　stopped　the　gryf。　Ja…don　called　down　to　him。

〃We　are　friends；〃　he　cried。　〃I　am　Ja…don；　Chief　of　Ja…lur。　I　and　my　warriors　lay　our　foreheads　upon　the　feet　of　Dor…ul…Otho　and　pray　that　he　will　aid　us　in　our　righteous　fight　with　Lu…don；　the　high　priest。〃

〃You　have　not　defeated　him　yet？〃　asked　Tarzan。　〃Why　I　thought　you　would　be　king　of　Pal…ul…don　long　before　this。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Ja…don。　〃The　people　fear　the　high　priest　and　now　that　he　has　in　the　temple　one　whom　he　claims　to　be　Jad…ben…Otho　many　of　my　warriors　are　afraid。　If　they　but　knew　that　the　Dor…ul…Otho　had　returned　and　that　he　had　blessed　the　cause　of　Ja…don　I　am　sure　that　victory　would　be　ours。〃

Tarzan　thought　for　a　long　minute　and　then　he　spoke。　〃Ja…don；〃　he　said；　〃was　one　of　the　few　who　believed　in　me　and　who　wished　to　accord　me　fair　treatment。　I　have　a　debt　to　pay　to　Ja…don　and　an　account　to　settle　with　Lu…don；　not　alone　on　my　own　behalf；　but　principally　upon　that　of　my　mate。　I　will　go　with　you　Ja…don　to　mete　to　Lu…don　the　punishment　he　deserves。　Tell　me；　chief；　how　may　the　Dor…ul…Otho　best　serve　his　father's　people？〃

〃By　coming　with　me　to　Ja…lur　and　the　villages　between；〃　replied　Ja…don　quickly；　〃that　the　people　may　see　that　it　is　indeed　the　Dor…ul…Otho　and　that　he　smiles　upon　the　cause　of　Ja…don。〃

〃You　think　that　they　will　believe　in　me　more　now　than　before？〃　asked　the　ape…man。

〃Who　will　dare　doubt　that　he　who　rides　upon　the　great　gryf　is　less　than　a　god？〃　returned　the　old　chief。

〃And　if　I　go　with　you　to　the　battle　at　A…lur；〃　asked　Tarzan；　〃can　you　assure　the　safety　of　my　mate　while　I　am　gone　from　her？〃

〃She　shall　remain　in　Ja…lur　with　the　Princess　O…lo…a　and　my　own　women；〃　replied　Ja…don。　〃There　she　will　be　safe　for　there　I　shall　leave　trusted　warriors　to　protect　them。　Say　that　you　will　come；　O　Dor…ul…Otho；　and　my　cup　of　happiness　will　be　full；　for　even　now　Ta…den；　my　son；　marches　toward　A…lur　with　a　forc