the beasts of tarzan- 第15部分

At　last；　however；　four　of　the　younger　warriors　dragged

Tarzan　roughly　from　the　hut；　and　once　outside　the　pall　of

terror　seemed　lifted　from　the　savage　hearts。



A　score　of　howling　blacks　pushed　and　buffeted　the　prisoner

down　the　village　street　and　bound　him　to　the　post　in　the

centre　of　the　circle　of　little　fires　and　boiling　cooking…pots。



When　at　last　he　was　made　fast　and　seemed　quite　helpless

and　beyond　the　faintest　hope　of　succour；　Rokoff's　shrivelled

wart　of　courage　swelled　to　its　usual　proportions　when　danger

was　not　present。



He　stepped　close　to　the　ape…man；　and；　seizing　a　spear　from

the　hands　of　one　of　the　savages；　was　the　first　to　prod　the

helpless　victim。　　A　little　stream　of　blood　trickled　down　the

giant's　smooth　skin　from　the　wound　in　his　side；　but　no　murmur

of　pain　passed　his　lips。



The　smile　of　contempt　upon　his　face　seemed　to　infuriate

the　Russian。　　With　a　volley　of　oaths　he　leaped　at　the　helpless

captive；　beating　him　upon　the　face　with　his　clenched　fists

and　kicking　him　mercilessly　about　the　legs。



Then　he　raised　the　heavy　spear　to　drive　it　through　the

mighty　heart；　and　still　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　smiled

contemptuously　upon　him。



Before　Rokoff　could　drive　the　weapon　home　the　chief　sprang

upon　him　and　dragged　him　away　from　his　intended　victim。



〃Stop；　white　man！〃　he　cried。　　〃Rob　us　of　this　prisoner　and

our　death…dance；　and　you　yourself　may　have　to　take　his　place。〃



The　threat　proved　most　effective　in　keeping　the　Russian

from　further　assaults　upon　the　prisoner；　though　he　continued

to　stand　a　little　apart　and　hurl　taunts　at　his　enemy。　　He　told

Tarzan　that　he　himself　was　going　to　eat　the　ape…man's　heart。　　

He　enlarged　upon　the　horrors　of　the　future　life　of　Tarzan's

son；　and　intimated　that　his　vengeance　would　reach　as　well　to

Jane　Clayton。



〃You　think　your　wife　safe　in　England；〃　said　Rokoff。　　

〃Poor　fool！　　She　is　even　now　in　the　hands　of　one　not　even　of

decent　birth；　and　far　from　the　safety　of　London　and　the

protection　of　her　friends。　　I　had　not　meant　to　tell　you　this

until　I　could　bring　to　you　upon　Jungle　Island　proof　of　her　fate。



〃Now　that　you　are　about　to　die　the　most　unthinkably　horrid

death　that　it　is　given　a　white　man　to　dielet　this　word　of

the　plight　of　your　wife　add　to　the　torments　that　you　must

suffer　before　the　last　savage　spear…thrust　releases　you　from

your　torture。〃



The　dance　had　commenced　now；　and　the　yells　of　the　circling

warriors　drowned　Rokoff's　further　attempts　to　distress

his　victim。



The　leaping　savages；　the　flickering　firelight　playing　upon

their　painted　bodies；　circled　about　the　victim　at　the　stake。



To　Tarzan's　memory　came　a　similar　scene；　when　he　had

rescued　D'Arnot　from　a　like　predicament　at　the　last　moment

before　the　final　spear…thrust　should　have　ended　his　sufferings。　　

Who　was　there　now　to　rescue　him？　　In　all　the　world　there　was

none　able　to　save　him　from　the　torture　and　the　death。



The　thought　that　these　human　fiends　would　devour　him

when　the　dance　was　done　caused　him　not　a　single　qualm　of

horror　or　disgust。　　It　did　not　add　to　his　sufferings　as　it　would

have　to　those　of　an　ordinary　white　man；　for　all　his　life　Tarzan

had　seen　the　beasts　of　the　jungle　devour　the　flesh　of　their　kills。



Had　he　not　himself　battled　for　the　grisly　forearm　of　a　great

ape　at　that　long…gone　Dum…Dum；　when　he　had　slain　the　fierce

Tublat　and　won　his　niche　in　the　respect　of　the　Apes　of　Kerchak？



The　dancers　were　leaping　more　closely　to　him　now。　　The　spears

were　commencing　to　find　his　body　in　the　first　torturing　pricks

that　prefaced　the　more　serious　thrusts。



It　would　not　be　long　now。　　The　ape…man　longed　for　the　last

savage　lunge　that　would　end　his　misery。



And　then；　far　out　in　the　mazes　of　the　weird　jungle；　rose　a

shrill　scream。



For　an　instant　the　dancers　paused；　and　in　the　silence　of

the　interval　there　rose　from　the　lips　of　the　fast…bound

white　man　an　answering　shriek；　more　fearsome　and　more　terrible

than　that　of　the　jungle…beast　that　had　roused　it。



For　several　minutes　the　blacks　hesitated；　then；　at　the　urging

of　Rokoff　and　their　chief；　they　leaped　in　to　finish　the

dance　and　the　victim；　but　ere　ever　another　spear　touched　the

brown　hide　a　tawny　streak　of　green…eyed　hate　and　ferocity

bounded　from　the　door　of　the　hut　in　which　Tarzan　had　been

imprisoned；　and　Sheeta；　the　panther；　stood　snarling　beside

his　master。



For　an　instant　the　blacks　and　the　whites　stood　transfixed

with　terror。　　Their　eyes　were　riveted　upon　the　bared　fangs　of

the　jungle　cat。



Only　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　saw　what　else　there　was　emerging

from　the　dark　interior　of　the　hut。









Chapter　9





Chivalry　or　Villainy





From　her　cabin　port　upon　the　Kincaid；　Jane　Clayton　had

seen　her　husband　rowed　to　the　verdure…clad　shore　of　Jungle

Island；　and　then　the　ship　once　more　proceeded　upon　its　way。



For　several　days　she　saw　no　one　other　than　Sven　Anderssen；

the　Kincaid's　taciturn　and　repellent　cook。　　She　asked　him

the　name　of　the　shore　upon　which　her　husband　had　been　set。



〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard；〃　replied　the

Swede；　and　that　was　all　that　she　could　get　out　of　him。



She　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　he　spoke　no　other

English；　and　so　she　ceased　to　importune　him　for　information；

but　never　did　she　forget　to　greet　him　pleasantly　or　to　thank

him　for　the　hideous；　nauseating　meals　he　brought　her。



Three　days　from　the　spot　where　Tarzan　had　been　marooned

the　Kincaid　came　to　anchor　in　the　mouth　of　a　great

river；　and　presently　Rokoff　came　to　Jane　Clayton's　cabin。



〃We　have　arrived；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　with　a　sickening　leer。　　

〃I　have　come　to　offer　you　safety；　liberty；　and　ease。　　My　heart

has　been　softened　toward　you　in　your　suffering；　and　I　would

make　amends　as　best　I　may。



〃Your　husband　was　a　bruteyou　know　that　best　who　found

him　naked　in　his　native　jungle；　roaming　wild　with　the　savage

beasts　that　were　his　fellows。　　Now　I　am　a　gentleman；　not　only

born　of　noble　blood；　but　raised　gently　as　befits　a　man　of　quality。



〃To　you；　dear　Jane；　I　offer　the　love　of　a　cultured　man　and

association　with　one　of　culture　and　refinement；　which　you

must　have　sorely　missed　in　your　relations　with　the　poor　ape　that

through　your　girlish　infatuation　you　married　so　thoughtlessly。　　

I　love　you；　Jane。　　You　have　but　to　say　the　word　and　no

further　sorrows　shall　afflict　youeven　your　baby　shall　be

returned　to　you　unharmed。〃



Outside　the　door　Sven　Anderssen　paused　with　the　noonday

meal　he　had　been　carrying　to　Lady　Greystoke。　　Upon　the　end

of　his　long；　stringy　neck　his　little　head　was　cocked　to　one

side；　his　close…set　eyes　were　half　closed；　his　ears；　so

expressive　was　his　whole　attitude　of　stealthy　eavesdropping；

seemed　truly　to　be　cocked　forwardeven　his　long；　yellow；

straggly　moustache　appeared　to　assume　a　sly　droop。



As　Rokoff　closed　his　appeal；　awaiting　the　reply　he　invited；

the　look　of　surprise　upon　Jane　Clayton's　face　turned　to　one

of　disgust。　　She　fairly　shuddered　in　the　fellow's　face。



〃I　would　not　have　been　surprised；　M。　　Rokoff；〃　she　said；

had　you　attempted　to　force　me　to　submit　to　your　evil　desires；

but　that　you　should　be　so　fatuous　as　to　believe　that　I；

wife　of　John　Clayton；　would　come　to　you　willingly；　even　to

save　my　life；　I　should　never　have　imagined。　　I　have　known

you　for　a　scoundrel；　M。　　Rokoff；　but　until　now　I　had　not　taken

you　for　a　fool。〃



Rokoff's　eyes　narrowed；　and　the　red　of　mortification　flushed　out

the　pallor　of　his　face。　　He　took　a　step　toward　the　girl；　threateningly。



〃We　shall　see　who　is　the　fool　at　last；〃　he　hissed；　〃when　I　have

broken　you　to　my　will　and　your　plebeian　Yankee　stubbornness　has

cost　you　all　that　you　hold　deareven　the　life　of　your　babyfor；

by　the　bones　of　St。　　Peter；　I'll　forego　all　that　I　had　planned

for　the　brat　and　cut　its　heart　out　before　your　very　eyes。

You'll　learn　what　it　means　to　insult　Nikolas　Rokoff。〃



Jane　Clayton　turned　wearily　away。



〃What　is　the　use；〃　she　said；　〃of　expatiating　upon　the

depths　to　which　your　vengeful　nature　can　sink？　　You　cannot

move　me　either　by　threats　or　deeds。　　My　baby　cannot　judge

yet　for　himself；　but　I；　his　mother；　can　foresee　that　should　it

have　been　given　him　to　survive　to　man's　estate　he　would

willingly　sacrifice　his　life　for　the　honour　of　his　mother。　　

Love　him　as　I　do；　I　would　not　purchase　his　life　at　such　a　price。　　

Did　I；　he　would　execrate　my　memory　to　the　day　of　his　death。〃



Rokoff　was　now　thoroughly　angered　because　of　his　failure

to　reduce　the　girl　to　terror。　　He　felt　only　hate　for　her；　but　it

had　come　to　his　diseased　mind　that　if　he　could　force　her　to

accede　to　his　demands　as　the　price　of　her　life　and　her　child's；

the　cup　of　his　revenge　would　be　filled　to　brimming　when　he

could　flaunt　the　wife　of　Lord　Greystoke　in　the　capitals　of

Europe　as　his　mistress。



Again　he　stepped　closer　to　her。　　His　evil　face　was　convulsed

with　rage　and　desire。　　Like　a　wild　beast　he　sprang　upon

her；　and　with　his　strong　fingers　at　her　throat　forced　her

backward　upon　the　berth。



At　the　same　instant　the　door　of　the　cabin　opened　noisily。　　

Rokoff　leaped　to　his　feet；　and；　turning；　faced　the　Swede　cook。



Into　the　fellow's　usually　foxy　eyes　had　come　an　expression

of　utter　stupidity。　　His　lower　jaw　drooped　in　vacuous　harmony。　　

He　busied　himself　in　arranging　Lady　Greystoke's　meal

upon　the　tiny　table　at　one　side　of　her　cabin。



The　Russian　glared　at　him。



〃What　do　you　mean；〃　he　cried；　〃by　entering　here

without　permission？　　Get　out！〃



The　cook　turned　his　watery　blue　eyes　upon　Rokoff　and

smiled　vacuously。



〃Ay　tank　it　blow　purty　soon　purty　hard；〃　he　said；　and

then　he　began　rearranging　the　few　dishes　upon　the　little　table。



〃Get　out　of　here；　or　I'll　throw　you　out；　you　miserable　blockhead！〃

roared　Rokoff；　taking　a　threatening　step　toward　the　Swede。



Anderssen　continued　to　smile　foolishly　in　his