the beasts of tarzan- 第22部分

bestial　countenance。　　To　Jane　Clayton　he　looked　more　gorilla

than　human。　　He　tried　to　converse　with　her；　but　without　success；

and　finally　he　called　to　some　one　without。



In　answer　to　his　summons　another　Negro　entereda　man

of　very　different　appearance　from　M'ganwazamso　different；

in　fact；　that　Jane　Clayton　immediately　decided　that　he　was

of　another　tribe。　　This　man　acted　as　interpreter；　and　almost

from　the　first　question　that　M'ganwazam　put　to　her；　Jane　felt

an　intuitive　conviction　that　the　savage　was　attempting　to

draw　information　from　her　for　some　ulterior　motive。



She　thought　it　strange　that　the　fellow　should　so　suddenly

have　become　interested　in　her　plans；　and　especially　in　her

intended　destination　when　her　journey　had　been　interrupted

at　his　village。



Seeing　no　reason　for　withholding　the　information；　she　told

him　the　truth；　but　when　he　asked　if　she　expected　to　meet　her

husband　at　the　end　of　the　trip；　she　shook　her　head　negatively。



Then　he　told　her　the　purpose　of　his　visit；　talking　through

the　interpreter。



〃I　have　just　learned；〃　he　said；　〃from　some　men　who　live

by　the　side　of　the　great　water；　that　your　husband　followed

you　up　the　Ugambi　for　several　marches；　when　he　was　at　last

set　upon　by　natives　and　killed。　　Therefore　I　have　told　you　this

that　you　might　not　waste　your　time　in　a　long　journey　if　you

expected　to　meet　your　husband　at　the　end　of　it；　but　instead

could　turn　and　retrace　your　steps　to　the　coast。〃



Jane　thanked　M'ganwazam　for　his　kindness；　though　her　heart

was　numb　with　suffering　at　this　new　blow。　　She　who　had

suffered　so　much　was　at　last　beyond　reach　of　the　keenest

of　misery's　pangs；　for　her　senses　were　numbed　and　calloused。



With　bowed　head　she　sat　staring　with　unseeing　eyes　upon

the　face　of　the　baby　in　her　lap。　　M'ganwazam　had　left　the　hut。　　

Sometime　later　she　heard　a　noise　at　the　entranceanother

had　entered。　　One　of　the　women　sitting　opposite　her　threw　a

faggot　upon　the　dying　embers　of　the　fire　between　them。



With　a　sudden　flare　it　burst　into　renewed　flame；　lighting

up　the　hut's　interior　as　though　by　magic。



The　flame　disclosed　to　Jane　Clayton's　horrified　gaze　that　the　baby

was　quite　dead。　　How　long　it　had　been　so　she　could　not　guess。



A　choking　lump　rose　to　her　throat；　her　head　drooped　in

silent　misery　upon　the　little　bundle　that　she　had　caught

suddenly　to　her　breast。



For　a　moment　the　silence　of　the　hut　was　unbroken。

Then　the　native　woman　broke　into　a　hideous　wail。



A　man　coughed　close　before　Jane　Clayton　and　spoke　her　name。



With　a　start　she　raised　her　eyes　to　look　into　the　sardonic

countenance　of　Nikolas　Rokoff。









Chapter　13





Escape





For　a　moment　Rokoff　stood　sneering　down　upon　Jane　Clayton；

then　his　eyes　fell　to　the　little　bundle　in　her　lap。　　Jane　had

drawn　one　corner　of　the　blanket　over　the　child's　face；　so　that

to　one　who　did　not　know　the　truth　it　seemed　but　to　be　sleeping。



〃You　have　gone　to　a　great　deal　of　unnecessary　trouble；〃　said　Rokoff；

〃to　bring　the　child　to　this　village。　　If　you　had　attended　to　your

own　affairs　I　should　have　brought　it　here　myself。



〃You　would　have　been　spared　the　dangers　and　fatigue　of　the　journey。

But　I　suppose　I　must　thank　you　for　relieving　me　of　the　inconvenience

of　having　to　care　for　a　young　infant　on　the　march。



〃This　is　the　village　to　which　the　child　was　destined　from

the　first。　　M'ganwazam　will　rear　him　carefully；　making　a　good

cannibal　of　him；　and　if　you　ever　chance　to　return　to　civilization

it　will　doubtless　afford　you　much　food　for　thought　as　you　compare

the　luxuries　and　comforts　of　your　life　with　the　details　of　the　life

your　son　is　living　in　the　village　of　the　Waganwazam。



〃Again　I　thank　you　for　bringing　him　here　for　me；　and　now　I　must　ask　you

to　surrender　him　to　me；　that　I　may　turn　him　over　to　his　foster　parents。〃

As　he　concluded　Rokoff　held　out　his　hands　for　the　child；　a　nasty　grin　of

vindictiveness　upon　his　lips。




To　his　surprise　Jane　Clayton　rose　and；　without　a　word　of　protest；

laid　the　little　bundle　in　his　arms。



〃Here　is　the　child；〃　she　said。　　〃Thank　God　he　is　beyond

your　power　to　harm。〃



Grasping　the　import　of　her　words；　Rokoff　snatched　the　blanket

from　the　child's　face　to　seek　confirmation　of　his　fears。　　

Jane　Clayton　watched　his　expression　closely。



She　had　been　puzzled　for　days　for　an　answer　to　the　question

of　Rokoff's　knowledge　of　the　child's　identity。　　If　she　had

been　in　doubt　before　the　last　shred　of　that　doubt　was　wiped

away　as　she　witnessed　the　terrible　anger　of　the　Russian　as　he

looked　upon　the　dead　face　of　the　baby　and　realized　that　at

the　last　moment　his　dearest　wish　for　vengeance　had　been

thwarted　by　a　higher　power。



Almost　throwing　the　body　of　the　child　back　into　Jane　Clayton's　arms；

Rokoff　stamped　up　and　down　the　hut；　pounding　the　air　with　his

clenched　fists　and　cursing　terribly。　　At　last　he　halted　in　front

of　the　young　woman；　bringing　his　face　down　close　to　hers。



〃You　are　laughing　at　me；〃　he　shrieked。　　〃You　think　that

you　have　beaten　meeh？　　I'll　show　you；　as　I　have　shown　the

miserable　ape　you　call　‘husband；'　what　it　means　to　interfere

with　the　plans　of　Nikolas　Rokoff。



〃You　have　robbed　me　of　the　child。　　I　cannot　make　him　the

son　of　a　cannibal　chief；　but〃and　he　paused　as　though　to

let　the　full　meaning　of　his　threat　sink　deep〃I　can　make　the

mother　the　wife　of　a　cannibal；　and　that　I　shall　doafter　I

have　finished　with　her　myself。〃



If　he　had　thought　to　wring　from　Jane　Clayton　any

sign　of　terror　he　failed　miserably。　　She　was　beyond　that。

Her　brain　and　nerves　were　numb　to　suffering　and　shock。



To　his　surprise　a　faint；　almost　happy　smile　touched　her　lips。　　

She　was　thinking　with　thankful　heart　that　this　poor　little

corpse　was　not　that　of　her　own　wee　Jack；　and　thatbest　of　all

Rokoff　evidently　did　not　know　the　truth。



She　would　have　liked　to　have　flaunted　the　fact　in　his　face；

but　she　dared　not。　　If　he　continued　to　believe　that　the　child

had　been　hers；　so　much　safer　would　be　the　real　Jack　wherever

he　might　be。　　She　had；　of　course；　no　knowledge　of　the　whereabouts

of　her　little　sonshe　did　not　know；　even；　that　he　still

lived；　and　yet　there　was　the　chance　that　he　might。



It　was　more　than　possible　that　without　Rokoff's　knowledge

this　child　had　been　substituted　for　hers　by　one　of　the　Russian's

confederates；　and　that　even　now　her　son　might　be　safe

with　friends　in　London；　where　there　were　many；　both　able

and　willing；　to　have　paid　any　ransom　which　the　traitorous

conspirator　might　have　asked　for　the　safe　release　of　Lord

Greystoke's　son。



She　had　thought　it　all　out　a　hundred　times　since　she　had

discovered　that　the　baby　which　Anderssen　had　placed　in　her

arms　that　night　upon　the　Kincaid　was　not　her　own；　and　it　had

been　a　constant　and　gnawing　source　of　happiness　to　her　to

dream　the　whole　fantasy　through　in　its　every　detail。



No；　the　Russian　must　never　know　that　this　was　not　her　baby。　　

She　realized　that　her　position　was　hopelesswith　Anderssen

and　her　husband　dead　there　was　no　one　in　all　the　world　with

a　desire　to　succour　her　who　knew　where　she　might　be　found。



Rokoff's　threat；　she　realized；　was　no　idle　one。　　That　he

would　do；　or　attempt　to　do；　all　that　he　had　promised；　she

was　perfectly　sure；　but　at　the　worst　it　meant　but　a　little　earlier

release　from　the　hideous　anguish　that　she　had　been　enduring。　　

She　must　find　some　way　to　take　her　own　life　before　the　Russian

could　harm　her　further。



Just　now　she　wanted　timetime　to　think　and　prepare　herself

for　the　end。　　She　felt　that　she　could　not　take　the　last；

awful　step　until　she　had　exhausted　every　possibility　of　escape。　　

She　did　not　care　to　live　unless　she　might　find　her　way

back　to　her　own　child；　but　slight　as　such　a　hope　appeared

she　would　not　admit　its　impossibility　until　the　last　moment

had　come；　and　she　faced　the　fearful　reality　of　choosing　between

the　final　alternativesNikolas　Rokoff　on　one　hand　and

self…destruction　upon　the　other。



〃Go　away！〃　she　said　to　the　Russian。　　〃Go　away　and　leave　me

in　peace　with　my　dead。　　Have　you　not　brought　sufficient　misery

and　anguish　upon　me　without　attempting　to　harm　me　further？　

What　wrong　have　I　ever　done　you　that　you　should　persist

in　persecuting　me？〃



〃You　are　suffering　for　the　sins　of　the　monkey　you　chose

when　you　might　have　had　the　love　of　a　gentlemanof　Nikolas

Rokoff；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　where　is　the　use　in　discussing

the　matter？　　We　shall　bury　the　child　here；　and　you　will

return　with　me　at　once　to　my　own　camp。　　Tomorrow　I　shall

bring　you　back　and　turn　you　over　to　your　new　husbandthe

lovely　M'ganwazam。　　Come！〃



He　reached　out　for　the　child。　　Jane；　who　was　on　her　feet

now；　turned　away　from　him。



〃I　shall　bury　the　body；〃　she　said。　　〃Send　some　men　to　dig

a　grave　outside　the　village。〃



Rokoff　was　anxious　to　have　the　thing　over　and　get　back　to

his　camp　with　his　victim。　　He　thought　he　saw　in　her　apathy　a

resignation　to　her　fate。　　Stepping　outside　the　hut；　he　motioned

her　to　follow　him；　and　a　moment　later；　with　his　men；　he

escorted　Jane　beyond　the　village；　where　beneath　a　great　tree

the　blacks　scooped　a　shallow　grave。



Wrapping　the　tiny　body　in　a　blanket；　Jane　laid　it　tenderly

in　the　black　hole；　and；　turning　her　head　that　she　might　not

see　the　mouldy　earth　falling　upon　the　pitiful　little　bundle；

she　breathed　a　prayer　beside　the　grave　of　the　nameless　waif

that　had　won　its　way　to　the　innermost　recesses　of　her　heart。



Then；　dry…eyed　but　suffering；　she　rose　and　followed　the　Russian

through　the　Stygian　blackness　of　the　jungle；　along　the　winding；

leafy　corridor　that　led　from　the　village　of　M'ganwazam；　the

black　cannibal；　to　the　camp　of　Nikolas　Rokoff；　the　white　fiend。



Beside　them；　in　the　impenetrable　thickets　that　fringed　the　path；

rising　to　arch　above　it　and　shut　out　the　moon；　the　girl　could

hear　the　stealthy；　muffled　footfalls　of　great　beasts；　and