the beasts of tarzan- 第6部分

the　forest　that　a　short　distance　up…stream　from　his　tree　there

was　a　much…used　watering　place；　where；　from　the　trampled

mud　of　either　bank；　it　was　evident　beasts　of　all　sorts　and　in

great　numbers　came　to　drink。　　To　this　spot　the　hungry　ape…man

made　his　silent　way。



Through　the　upper　terrace　of　the　tree…tops　he　swung　with

the　grace　and　ease　of　a　monkey。　　But　for　the　heavy　burden

upon　his　heart　he　would　have　been　happy　in　this　return　to　the

old　free　life　of　his　boyhood。



Yet　even　with　that　burden　he　fell　into　the　little　habits　and

manners　of　his　early　life　that　were　in　reality　more　a　part　of

him　than　the　thin　veneer　of　civilization　that　the　past　three

years　of　his　association　with　the　white　men　of　the　outer　world

had　spread　lightly　over　hima　veneer　that　only　hid　the

crudities　of　the　beast　that　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　been。



Could　his　fellow…peers　of　the　House　of　Lords　have　seen　him

then　they　would　have　held　up　their　noble　hands　in　holy　horror。



Silently　he　crouched　in　the　lower　branches　of　a　great　forest

giant　that　overhung　the　trail；　his　keen　eyes　and　sensitive　ears

strained　into　the　distant　jungle；　from　which　he　knew　his　dinner

would　presently　emerge。



Nor　had　he　long　to　wait。



Scarce　had　he　settled　himself　to　a　comfortable　position；

his　lithe；　muscular　legs　drawn　well　up　beneath　him　as　the

panther　draws　his　hindquarters　in　preparation　for　the　spring；

than　Bara；　the　deer；　came　daintily　down　to　drink。



But　more　than　Bara　was　coming。　　Behind　the　graceful　buck

came　another　which　the　deer　could　neither　see　nor　scent；　but

whose　movements　were　apparent　to　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　because

of　the　elevated　position　of　the　ape…man's　ambush。



He　knew　not　yet　exactly　the　nature　of　the　thing　that　moved

so　stealthily　through　the　jungle　a　few　hundred　yards　behind

the　deer；　but　he　was　convinced　that　it　was　some　great　beast

of　prey　stalking　Bara　for　the　selfsame　purpose　as　that　which

prompted　him　to　await　the　fleet　animal。　　Numa；　perhaps；　or

Sheeta；　the　panther。



In　any　event；　Tarzan　could　see　his　repast　slipping　from　his

grasp　unless　Bara　moved　more　rapidly　toward　the　ford　than

at　present。



Even　as　these　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　some　noise

of　the　stalker　in　his　rear　must　have　come　to　the　buck；　for

with　a　sudden　start　he　paused　for　an　instant；　trembling；　in

his　tracks；　and　then　with　a　swift　bound　dashed　straight　for

the　river　and　Tarzan。　　It　was　his　intention　to　flee　through　the

shallow　ford　and　escape　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　river。



Not　a　hundred　yards　behind　him　came　Numa。



Tarzan　could　see　him　quite　plainly　now。　　Below　the　ape…man

Bara　was　about　to　pass。　　Could　he　do　it？　　But　even　as　he

asked　himself　the　question　the　hungry　man　launched　himself

from　his　perch　full　upon　the　back　of　the　startled　buck。



In　another　instant　Numa　would　be　upon　them　both；　so　if

the　ape…man　were　to　dine　that　night；　or　ever　again；

he　must　act　quickly。



Scarcely　had　he　touched　the　sleek　hide　of　the　deer　with　a

momentum　that　sent　the　animal　to　its　knees　than　he　had

grasped　a　horn　in　either　hand；　and　with　a　single　quick　wrench

twisted　the　animal's　neck　completely　round；　until　he　felt　the

vertebrae　snap　beneath　his　grip。



The　lion　was　roaring　in　rage　close　behind　him　as　he　swung

the　deer　across　his　shoulder；　and；　grasping　a　foreleg　between

his　strong　teeth；　leaped　for　the　nearest　of　the　lower　branches

that　swung　above　his　head。



With　both　hands　he　grasped　the　limb；　and；　at　the　instant

that　Numa　sprang；　drew　himself　and　his　prey　out　of　reach　of

the　animal's　cruel　talons。



There　was　a　thud　below　him　as　the　baffled　cat　fell　back　to

earth；　and　then　Tarzan　of　the　Apes；　drawing　his　dinner

farther　up　to　the　safety　of　a　higher　limb；　looked　down　with

grinning　face　into　the　gleaming　yellow　eyes　of　the　other　wild

beast　that　glared　up　at　him　from　beneath；　and　with　taunting

insults　flaunted　the　tender　carcass　of　his　kill　in　the　face　of

him　whom　he　had　cheated　of　it。



With　his　crude　stone　knife　he　cut　a　juicy　steak　from　the

hindquarters；　and　while　the　great　lion　paced；　growling；　back

and　forth　below　him；　Lord　Greystoke　filled　his　savage　belly；

nor　ever　in　the　choicest　of　his　exclusive　London　clubs　had　a

meal　tasted　more　palatable。



The　warm　blood　of　his　kill　smeared　his　hands　and　face

and　filled　his　nostrils　with　the　scent　that　the　savage

carnivora　love　best。



And　when　he　had　finished　he　left　the　balance　of　the　carcass

in　a　high　fork　of　the　tree　where　he　had　dined；　and　with　Numa

trailing　below　him；　still　keen　for　revenge；　he　made　his　way

back　to　his　tree…top　shelter；　where　he　slept　until　the　sun　was

high　the　following　morning。









Chapter　4





Sheeta





The　next　few　days　were　occupied　by　Tarzan　in　completing

his　weapons　and　exploring　the　jungle。　　He　strung　his

bow　with　tendons　from　the　buck　upon　which　he　had　dined

his　first　evening　upon　the　new　shore；　and　though　he　would

have　preferred　the　gut　of　Sheeta　for　the　purpose；　he　was

content　to　wait　until　opportunity　permitted　him　to　kill

one　of　the　great　cats。



He　also　braided　a　long　grass　ropesuch　a　rope　as　he　had

used　so　many　years　before　to　tantalize　the　ill…natured　Tublat；

and　which　later　had　developed　into　a　wondrous　effective

weapon　in　the　practised　hands　of　the　little　ape…boy。



A　sheath　and　handle　for　his　hunting…knife　he　fashioned；

and　a　quiver　for　arrows；　and　from　the　hide　of　Bara　a　belt

and　loin…cloth。　　Then　he　set　out　to　learn　something　of　the

strange　land　in　which　he　found　himself。　　That　it　was　not　his

old　familiar　west　coast　of　the　African　continent　he　knew　from

the　fact　that　it　faced　eastthe　rising　sun　came　up　out　of　the

sea　before　the　threshold　of　the　jungle。



But　that　it　was　not　the　east　coast　of　Africa　he　was　equally

positive；　for　he　felt　satisfied　that　the　Kincaid　had　not

passed　through　the　Mediterranean；　the　Suez　Canal；　and　the　Red　Sea；

nor　had　she　had　time　to　round　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。　　So　he　was

quite　at　a　loss　to　know　where　he　might　be。



Sometimes　he　wondered　if　the　ship　had　crossed　the　broad

Atlantic　to　deposit　him　upon　some　wild　South　American

shore；　but　the　presence　of　Numa；　the　lion；　decided　him　that

such　could　not　be　the　case。



As　Tarzan　made　his　lonely　way　through　the　jungle　paralleling

the　shore；　he　felt　strong　upon　him　a　desire　for　companionship；

so　that　gradually　he　commenced　to　regret　that　he　had　not　cast

his　lot　with　the　apes。　　He　had　seen　nothing　of　them　since　that

first　day；　when　the　influences　of　civilization　were　still

paramount　within　him。



Now　he　was　more　nearly　returned　to　the　Tarzan　of　old；

and　though　he　appreciated　the　fact　that　there　could　be

little　in　common　between　himself　and　the　great　anthropoids；

still　they　were　better　than　no　company　at　all。



Moving　leisurely；　sometimes　upon　the　ground　and　again

among　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees；　gathering　an　occasional

fruit　or　turning　over　a　fallen　log　in　search　of　the　larger

bugs；　which　he　still　found　as　palatable　as　of　old；　Tarzan　had

covered　a　mile　or　more　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by

the　scent　of　Sheeta　up…wind　ahead　of　him。



Now　Sheeta；　the　panther；　was　one　of　whom　Tarzan　was　exceptionally

glad　to　fall　in　with；　for　he　had　it　in　mind　not　only　to　utilize

the　great　cat's　strong　gut　for　his　bow；　but　also　to　fashion

a　new　quiver　and　loin…cloth　from　pieces　of　his　hide。　　

So；　whereas　the　ape…man　had　gone　carelessly　before；

he　now　became　the　personification　of　noiseless　stealth。



Swiftly　and　silently　he　glided　through　the　forest　in　the　wake

of　the　savage　cat；　nor　was　the　pursuer；　for　all　his　noble　birth；

one　whit　less　savage　than　the　wild；　fierce　thing　he　stalked。



As　he　came　closer　to　Sheeta　he　became　aware　that　the　panther

on　his　part　was　stalking　game　of　his　own；　and　even　as　he　realized

this　fact　there　came　to　his　nostrils；　wafted　from　his　right　by　a

vagrant　breeze；　the　strong　odour　of　a　company　of　great　apes。



The　panther　had　taken　to　a　large　tree　as　Tarzan　came　within

sight　of　him；　and　beyond　and　below　him　Tarzan　saw　the　tribe

of　Akut　lolling　in　a　little；　natural　clearing。　　Some　of　them

were　dozing　against　the　boles　of　trees；　while　others　roamed

about　turning　over　bits　of　bark　from　beneath　which　they

transferred　the　luscious　grubs　and　beetles　to　their　mouths。



Akut　was　the　closest　to　Sheeta。



The　great　cat　lay　crouched　upon　a　thick　limb；　hidden　from

the　ape's　view　by　dense　foliage；　waiting　patiently　until　the

anthropoid　should　come　within　range　of　his　spring。



Tarzan　cautiously　gained　a　position　in　the　same　tree　with　the

panther　and　a　little　above　him。　　In　his　left　hand　he　grasped

his　slim　stone　blade。　　He　would　have　preferred　to　use　his　noose；

but　the　foliage　surrounding　the　huge　cat　precluded　the　possibility

of　an　accurate　throw　with　the　rope。



Akut　had　now　wandered　quite　close　beneath　the　tree　wherein

lay　the　waiting　death。　　Sheeta　slowly　edged　his　hind　paws

along　the　branch　still　further　beneath　him；　and　then　with

a　hideous　shriek　he　launched　himself　toward　the　great　ape。　　

The　barest　fraction　of　a　second　before　his　spring　another

beast　of　prey　above　him　leaped；　its　weird　and　savage　cry

mingling　with　his。



As　the　startled　Akut　looked　up　he　saw　the　panther　almost

above　him；　and　already　upon　the　panther's　back　the　white

ape　that　had　bested　him　that　day　near　the　great　water。



The　teeth　of　the　ape…man　were　buried　in　the　back　of　Sheeta's

neck　and　his　right　arm　was　round　the　fierce　throat；　while

the　left　hand；　grasping　a　slender　piece　of　stone；　rose　and　fell

in　mighty　blows　upon　the　panther's　side　behind　the　left　shoulder。



Akut　had　just　time　to　leap　to　one　side　to　avoid　being

pinioned　beneath　these　battling　monsters　of　the　jungle。



With　a　crash　they　came　to　earth　at　his　feet。　　Sheeta　was　screaming；

snarling；　and　roaring　horribly；　but　the　white　ape　clung

tenaciously　and　in　silence　to　the　thrashin