the beasts of tarzan- 第20部分

M'Ganwazam　called　about　him　the　young　warriors　whom　he

had　selected　to　spend　the　night　with　the　white　devil！



None　of　them　was　overly　enthusiastic　about　the　plan；　since

deep　in　their　superstitious　hearts　lay　an　exaggerated　fear

of　the　strange　white　giant；　but　the　word　of　M'ganwazam　was

law　among　his　people；　so　not　one　dared　refuse　the　duty　he

was　called　upon　to　perform。



As　M'ganwazam　unfolded　his　plan　in　whispers　to　the　savages

squatting　about　him　the　old；　toothless　hag；　to　whom　Tarzan

had　saved　her　hut　for　the　night；　hovered　about　the　conspirators

ostensibly　to　replenish　the　supply　of　firewood　for　the　blaze

about　which　the　men　sat；　but　really　to　drink　in　as　much　of

their　conversation　as　possible。



Tarzan　had　slept　for　perhaps　an　hour　or　two　despite　the

savage　din　of　the　revellers　when　his　keen　senses　came　suddenly

alert　to　a　suspiciously　stealthy　movement　in　the　hut　in

which　he　lay。　　The　fire　had　died　down　to　a　little　heap　of

glowing　embers；　which　accentuated　rather　than　relieved　the

darkness　that　shrouded　the　interior　of　the　evil…smelling

dwelling；　yet　the　trained　senses　of　the　ape…man　warned　him

of　another　presence　creeping　almost　silently　toward　him

through　the　gloom。



He　doubted　that　it　was　one　of　his　hut　mates　returning　from

the　festivities；　for　he　still　heard　the　wild　cries　of　the　dancers

and　the　din　of　the　tom…toms　in　the　village　street　without。　　

Who　could　it　be　that　took　such　pains　to　conceal　his　approach？



As　the　presence　came　within　reach　of　him　the　ape…man　bounded

lightly　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　hut；　his　spear　poised

ready　at　his　side。



〃Who　is　it；〃　he　asked；　〃that　creeps　upon　Tarzan　of　the

Apes；　like　a　hungry　lion　out　of　the　darkness？〃



〃Silence；　bwana！〃　replied　an　old　cracked　voice。　　〃It　is

Tambudzashe　whose　hut　you　would　not　take；　and　thus　drive

an　old　woman　out　into　the　cold　night。〃



〃What　does　Tambudza　want　of　Tarzan　of　the　Apes？〃　asked　the　ape…man。



〃You　were　kind　to　me　to　whom　none　is　now　kind；　and　I　have　come

to　warn　you　in　payment　of　your　kindness；〃　answered　the　old　hag。



〃Warn　me　of　what？〃



〃M'ganwazam　has　chosen　the　young　men　who　are　to　sleep　in　the

hut　with　you；〃　replied　Tambudza。　　〃I　was　near　as　he　talked

with　them；　and　heard　him　issuing　his　instructions　to　them。　　

When　the　dance　is　run　well　into　the　morning　they　are

to　come　to　the　hut。



〃If　you　are　awake　they　are　to　pretend　that　they　have　come

to　sleep；　but　if　you　sleep　it　is　M'ganwazam's　command　that

you　be　killed。　　If　you　are　not　then　asleep　they　will　wait　quietly

beside　you　until　you　do　sleep；　and　then　they　will　all　fall　upon

you　together　and　slay　you。　　M'ganwazam　is　determined　to

win　the　reward　the　white　man　has　offered。〃



〃I　had　forgotten　the　reward；〃　said　Tarzan；　half　to　himself；

and　then　he　added；　〃How　may　M'ganwazam　hope　to　collect

the　reward　now　that　the　white　men　who　are　my　enemies

have　left　his　country　and　gone　he　knows　not　where？〃



〃Oh；　they　have　not　gone　far；〃　replied　Tambudza。　　

〃M'ganwazam　knows　where　they　camp。　　His　runners　could

quickly　overtake　themthey　move　slowly。〃



〃Where　are　they？〃　asked　Tarzan。



〃Do　you　wish　to　come　to　them？〃　asked　Tambudza　in　way　of　reply。



Tarzan　nodded。



〃I　cannot　tell　you　where　they　lie　so　that　you　could　come

to　the　place　yourself；　but　I　could　lead　you　to　them；　bwana。〃



In　their　interest　in　the　conversation　neither　of　the　speakers

had　noticed　the　little　figure　which　crept　into　the　darkness　of

the　hut　behind　them；　nor　did　they　see　it　when　it　slunk

noiselessly　out　again。



It　was　little　Buulaoo；　the　chief's　son　by　one　of　his　younger

wivesa　vindictive；　degenerate　little　rascal　who　hated　Tambudza；

and　was　ever　seeking　opportunities　to　spy　upon　her　and　report　her

slightest　breach　of　custom　to　his　father。



〃Come；　then；〃　said　Tarzan　quickly；　〃let　us　be　on　our　way。〃



This　Buulaoo　did　not　hear；　for　he　was　already　legging　it　up

the　village　street　to　where　his　hideous　sire　guzzled　native

beer；　and　watched　the　evolutions　of　the　frantic　dancers

leaping　high　in　the　air　and　cavorting　wildly　in　their

hysterical　capers。



So　it　happened　that　as　Tarzan　and　Tambudza　sneaked　warily

from　the　village　and　melted　into　the　Stygian　darkness　of

the　jungle　two　lithe　runners　took　their　way　in　the　same

direction；　though　by　another　trail。



When　they　had　come　sufficiently　far　from　the　village　to

make　it　safe　for　them　to　speak　above　a　whisper；　Tarzan　asked

the　old　woman　if　she　had　seen　aught　of　a　white　woman　and

a　little　child。



〃Yes；　bwana；〃　replied　Tambudza；　〃there　was　a　woman

with　them　and　a　little　childa　little　white　piccaninny。　　

It　died　here　in　our　village　of　the　fever　and　they　buried　it！〃









Chapter　12





A　Black　Scoundrel





When　Jane　Clayton　regained　consciousness　she　saw　Anderssen

standing　over　her；　holding　the　baby　in　his　arms。　　As　her　eyes

rested　upon　them　an　expression　of　misery　and　horror

overspread　her　countenance。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　ban　sick？〃



〃Where　is　my　baby？〃　she　cried；　ignoring　his　questions。



Anderssen　held　out　the　chubby　infant；　but　she　shook　her　head。



〃It　is　not　mine；〃　she　said。　　〃You　knew　that　it　was　not　mine。　　

You　are　a　devil　like　the　Russian。〃



Anderssen's　blue　eyes　stretched　in　surprise。



〃Not　yours！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You　tole　me　the　kid　aboard

the　Kincaid　ban　your　kid。〃



〃Not　this　one；〃　replied　Jane　dully。　　〃The　other。　　Where　is　the　other？

There　must　have　been　two。　　I　did　not　know　about　this　one。〃



〃There　vasn't　no　other　kid。　　Ay　tank　this　ban　yours。　　Ay　am　very　sorry。〃



Anderssen　fidgeted　about；　standing　first　on　one　foot　and　then　upon

the　other。　　It　was　perfectly　evident　to　Jane　that　he　was　honest　in

his　protestations　of　ignorance　of　the　true　identity　of　the　child。



Presently　the　baby　commenced　to　crow；　and　bounce　up　and

down　in　the　Swede's　arms；　at　the　same　time　leaning　forward

with　little　hands　out…reaching　toward　the　young　woman。



She　could　not　withstand　the　appeal；　and　with　a　low　cry

she　sprang　to　her　feet　and　gathered　the　baby　to　her　breast。



For　a　few　minutes　she　wept　silently；　her　face　buried　in　the

baby's　soiled　little　dress。　　The　first　shock　of　disappointment

that　the　tiny　thing　had　not　been　her　beloved　Jack　was　giving

way　to　a　great　hope　that　after　all　some　miracle　had　occurred

to　snatch　her　baby　from　Rokoff's　hands　at　the　last　instant

before　the　Kincaid　sailed　from　England。



Then；　too；　there　was　the　mute　appeal　of　this　wee　waif　alone

and　unloved　in　the　midst　of　the　horrors　of　the　savage　jungle。　　

It　was　this　thought　more　than　any　other　that　had　sent　her

mother's　heart　out　to　the　innocent　babe；　while　still　she

suffered　from　disappointment　that　she　had　been　deceived　in

its　identity。



〃Have　you　no　idea　whose　child　this　is？〃　she　asked　Anderssen。



The　man　shook　his　head。



〃Not　now；〃　he　said。　　〃If　he　ain't　ban　your　kid；　Ay　don'　know　whose

kid　he　do　ban。　　Rokoff　said　it　was　yours。　　Ay　tank　he　tank　so；　too。



〃What　do　we　do　with　it　now？　　Ay　can't　go　back　to　the　Kincaid。　　

Rokoff　would　have　me　shot；　but　you　can　go　back。　　Ay　take　you　to　the　sea；

and　then　some　of　these　black　men　they　take　you　to　the　shipeh？〃



〃No！　no！〃　cried　Jane。　　〃Not　for　the　world。　　I　would　rather　die

than　fall　into　the　hands　of　that　man　again。　　No；　let　us　go　on

and　take　this　poor　little　creature　with　us。　　If　God　is　willing

we　shall　be　saved　in　one　way　or　another。〃



So　they　again　took　up　their　flight　through　the　wilderness；

taking　with　them　a　half…dozen　of　the　Mosulas　to　carry

provisions　and　the　tents　that　Anderssen　had　smuggled　aboard

the　small　boat　in　preparation　for　the　attempted　escape。



The　days　and　nights　of　torture　that　the　young　woman　suffered

were　so　merged　into　one　long；　unbroken　nightmare　of

hideousness　that　she　soon　lost　all　track　of　time。　　Whether　they

had　been　wandering　for　days　or　years　she　could　not　tell。　　

The　one　bright　spot　in　that　eternity　of　fear　and　suffering　was　the

little　child　whose　tiny　hands　had　long　since　fastened　their

softly　groping　fingers　firmly　about　her　heart。



In　a　way　the　little　thing　took　the　place　and　filled　the　aching

void　that　the　theft　of　her　own　baby　had　left。　　It　could　never　be

the　same；　of　course；　but　yet；　day　by　day；　she　found　her

mother…love；　enveloping　the　waif　more　closely　until　she

sometimes　sat　with　closed　eyes　lost　in　the　sweet　imagining

that　the　little　bundle　of　humanity　at　her　breast　was　truly　her　own。



For　some　time　their　progress　inland　was　extremely　slow。　　

Word　came　to　them　from　time　to　time　through　natives　passing

from　the　coast　on　hunting　excursions　that　Rokoff　had　not

yet　guessed　the　direction　of　their　flight。　　This；　and　the　desire

to　make　the　journey　as　light　as　possible　for　the　gently　bred

woman；　kept　Anderssen　to　a　slow　advance　of　short　and　easy

marches　with　many　rests。



The　Swede　insisted　upon　carrying　the　child　while　they

travelled；　and　in　countless　other　ways　did　what　he　could　to

help　Jane　Clayton　conserve　her　strength。　　He　had　been　terribly

chagrined　on　discovering　the　mistake　he　had　made　in　the

identity　of　the　baby；　but　once　the　young　woman　became

convinced　that　his　motives　were　truly　chivalrous　she　would　not

permit　him　longer　to　upbraid　himself　for　the　error　that　he

could　not　by　any　means　have　avoided。



At　the　close　of　each　day's　march　Anderssen　saw　to　the

erection　of　a　comfortable　shelter　for　Jane　and　the　child。　　

Her　tent　was　always　pitched　in　the　most　favourable　location。　　

The　thorn　boma　round　it　was　the　strongest　and　most

impregnable　that　the　Mosula　could　construct。



Her　food　was　the　best　that　their　limited　stores　and　the　rifle

of　the　Swede　could　provide；　but　the　thing　that　touched　her

heart　the　closest　was　the　gentle　consideration　and　courtesy

which　the　man　always　accorded　her。



That　such　nobility　of　character　could　lie　beneath　so　repulsive

an　exterior　never　ceased