tarzan and the jewels of opar-第15章

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was　immediately　set　upon　by　the　fifty　hairy　men　or　as

many　of　them　as　could　swarm　upon　his　person。　　Instantly

the　ape…man　became　the　center　of　a　whirling；　striking；

biting　maelstrom　of　horror。　　He　fought　nobly　but　the

odds　against　him　were　too　great。　　Slowly　they　overcame

him　though　there　was　scarce　one　of　them　that　did　not

feel　the　weight　of　his　mighty　fist　or　the　rending　of

his　fangs。







13



Condemned　To　Torture　and　Death





La　had　followed　her　company　and　when　she　saw　them

clawing　and　biting　at　Tarzan；　she　raised　her　voice　and

cautioned　them　not　to　kill　him。　　She　saw　that　he　was

weakening　and　that　soon　the　greater　numbers　would

prevail　over　him；　nor　had　she　long　to　wait　before　the

mighty　jungle　creature　lay　helpless　and　bound　at　her

feet。



〃Bring　him　to　the　place　at　which　we　stopped；〃　she

commanded　and　they　carried　Tarzan　back　to　the　little

clearing　and　threw　him　down　beneath　a　tree。



〃Build　me　a　shelter！〃　ordered　La。　　〃We　shall　stop　here

tonight　and　tomorrow　in　the　face　of　the　Flaming　God；　La

will　offer　up　the　heart　of　this　defiler　of　the　temple。

Where　is　the　sacred　knife？　　Who　took　it　from　him？〃



But　no　one　had　seen　it　and　each　was　positive　in　his

assurance　that　the　sacrificial　weapon　had　not　been　upon

Tarzan's　person　when　they　captured　him。　　The　ape…man

looked　upon　the　menacing　creatures　which　surrounded　him

and　snarled　his　defiance。　　He　looked　upon　La　and

smiled。　　In　the　face　of　death　he　was　unafraid。



〃Where　is　the　knife？〃　La　asked　him。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃The　man　took　it　with

him　when　he　slipped　away　during　the　night。　　Since　you

are　so　desirous　for　its　return　I　would　look　for　him　and

get　it　back　for　you；　did　you　not　hold　me　prisoner；　but

now　that　I　am　to　die　I　cannot　get　it　back。　　Of　what

good　was　your　knife；　anyway？　　You　can　make　another。

Did　you　follow　us　all　this　way　for　nothing　more　than　a

knife？　　Let　me　go　and　find　him　and　I　will　bring　it　back

to　you。〃



La　laughed　a　bitter　laugh；　for　in　her　heart　she　knew

that　Tarzan's　sin　was　greater　than　the　purloining　of

the　sacrificial　knife　of　Opar；　yet　as　she　looked　at　him

lying　bound　and　helpless　before　her；　tears　rose　to　her

eyes　so　that　she　had　to　turn　away　to　hide　them；　but　she

remained　inflexible　in　her　determination　to　make　him

pay　in　frightful　suffering　and　in　eventual　death　for

daring　to　spurn　the　love　of　La。



When　the　shelter　was　completed　La　had　Tarzan

transferred　to　it。　　〃All　night　I　shall　torture　him；〃

she　muttered　to　her　priests；　〃and　at　the　first　streak

of　dawn　you　may　prepare　the　flaming　altar　upon　which

his　heart　shall　be　offered　up　to　the　Flaming　God。

Gather　wood　well　filled　with　pitch；　lay　it　in　the　form

and　size　of　the　altar　at　Opar　in　the　center　of　the

clearing　that　the　Flaming　God　may　look　down　upon　our

handiwork　and　be　pleased。〃



During　the　balance　of　the　day　the　priests　of　Opar　were

busy　erecting　an　altar　in　the　center　of　the　clearing；

and　while　they　worked　they　chanted　weird　hymns　in　the

ancient　tongue　of　that　lost　continent　that　lies　at　the

bottom　of　the　Atlantic。　　They　knew　not　the　meanings　of

the　words　they　mouthed；　they　but　repeated　the　ritual

that　had　been　handed　down　from　preceptor　to　neophyte

since　that　long…gone　day　when　the　ancestors　of　the

Piltdown　man　still　swung　by　their　tails　in　the　humid

jungles　that　are　England　now。



And　in　the　shelter　of　the　hut；　La　paced　to　and　fro

beside　the　stoic　ape…man。　　Resigned　to　his　fate　was

Tarzan。　　No　hope　of　succor　gleamed　through　the　dead

black　of　the　death　sentence　hanging　over　him。　　He　knew

that　his　giant　muscles　could　not　part　the　many　strands

that　bound　his　wrists　and　ankles；　for　he　had　strained

often；　but　ineffectually　for　release。　　He　had　no　hope

of　outside　help　and　only　enemies　surrounded　him　within

the　camp；　and　yet　he　smiled　at　La　as　she　paced

nervously　back　and　forth　the　length　of　the　shelter。



And　La？　　She　fingered　her　knife　and　looked　down　upon　her

captive。　　She　glared　and　muttered　but　she　did　not

strike。　　〃Tonight！〃　she　thought。　　〃Tonight；　when　it　is

dark　I　will　torture　him。〃　She　looked　upon　his　perfect；

godlike　figure　and　upon　his　handsome；　smiling　face　and

then　she　steeled　her　heart　again　by　thoughts　of　her

love　spurned；　by　religious　thoughts　that　damned　the

infidel　who　had　desecrated　the　holy　of　holies；　who　had

taken　from　the　blood…stained　altar　of　Opar　the　offering

to　the　Flaming　Godand　not　once　but　thrice。

Three　times　had　Tarzan　cheated　the　god　of　her　fathers。

At　the　thought　La　paused　and　knelt　at　his　side。　　In　her

hand　was　a　sharp　knife。　　She　placed　its　point　against

the　ape…man's　side　and　pressed　upon　the　hilt；　but

Tarzan　only　smiled　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。



How　beautiful　he　was！　　La　bent　low　over　him；　looking

into　his　eyes。　　How　perfect　was　his　figure。　　She

compared　it　with　those　of　the　knurled　and　knotted　men

from　whom　she　must　choose　a　mate；　and　La　shuddered　at

the　thought。　　Dusk　came　and　after　dusk　came　night。

A　great　fire　blazed　within　the　little　thorn　boma　about

the　camp。　　The　flames　played　upon　the　new　altar　erected

in　the　center　of　the　clearing；　arousing　in　the　mind　of

the　High　Priestess　of　the　Flaming　God　a　picture　of　the

event　of　the　coming　dawn。　　She　saw　this　giant　and

perfect　form　writhing　amid　the　flames　of　the　burning

pyre。　　She　saw　those　smiling　lips；　burned　and

blackened；　falling　away　from　the　strong；　white　teeth。

She　saw　the　shock　of　black　hair　tousled　upon　Tarzan's

well…shaped　head　disappear　in　a　spurt　of　flame。　　She

saw　these　and　many　other　frightful　pictures　as　she

stood　with　closed　eyes　and　clenched　fists　above　the

object　of　her　hateah！　was　it　hate　that　La　of　Opar

felt？



The　darkness　of　the　jungle　night　had　settled　down　upon

the　camp；　relieved　only　by　the　fitful　flarings　of　the

fire　that　was　kept　up　to　warn　off　the　man…eaters。

Tarzan　lay　quietly　in　his　bonds。　　He　suffered　from

thirst　and　from　the　cutting　of　the　tight　strands　about

his　wrists　and　ankles；　but　he　made　no　complaint。

A　jungle　beast　was　Tarzan　with　the　stoicism　of　the　beast

and　the　intelligence　of　man。　　He　knew　that　his　doom　was

sealedthat　no　supplications　would　avail　to　temper　the

severity　of　his　end　and　so　he　wasted　no　breath　in

pleadings；　but　waited　patiently　in　the　firm　conviction

that　his　sufferings　could　not　endure　forever。



In　the　darkness　La　stooped　above　him。　　In　her　hand　was

a　sharp　knife　and　in　her　mind　the　determination　to

initiate　his　torture　without　further　delay。　　The　knife

was　pressed　against　his　side　and　La's　face　was　close　to

his　when　a　sudden　burst　of　flame　from　new　branches

thrown　upon　the　fire　without；　lighted　up　the　interior

of　the　shelter。　　Close　beneath　her　lips　La　saw　the

perfect　features　of　the　forest　god　and　into　her　woman's

heart　welled　all　the　great　love　she　had　felt　for　Tarzan

since　first　she　had　seen　him；　and　all　the　accumulated

passion　of　the　years　that　she　had　dreamed　of　him。



Dagger　in　hand；　La；　the　High　Priestess；　towered　above

the　helpless　creature　that　had　dared　to　violate　the

sanctuary　of　her　deity。　　There　should　be　no　torture

there　should　be　instant　death。　　No　longer　should　the

defiler　of　the　temple　pollute　the　sight　of　the　lord　god

almighty。　　A　single　stroke　of　the　heavy　blade　and　then

the　corpse　to　the　flaming　pyre　without。　　The　knife　arm

stiffened　ready　for　the　downward　plunge；　and　then　La；

the　woman；　collapsed　weakly　upon　the　body　of　the　man

she　loved。



She　ran　her　hands　in　mute　caress　over　his　naked　flesh；

she　covered　his　forehead；　his　eyes；　his　lips　with　hot

kisses；　she　covered　him　with　her　body　as　though　to

protect　him　from　the　hideous　fate　she　had　ordained　for

him；　and　in　trembling；　piteous　tones　she　begged　him　for

his　love。　　For　hours　the　frenzy　of　her　passion

possessed　the　burning　hand…maiden　of　the　Flaming　God；

until　at　last　sleep　overpowered　her　and　she　lapsed　into

unconsciousness　beside　the　man　she　had　sworn　to　torture

and　to　slay。　　And　Tarzan；　untroubled　by　thoughts　of　the

future；　slept　peacefully　in　La's　embrace。



At　the　first　hint　of　dawn　the　chanting　of　the　priests

of　Opar　brought　Tarzan　to　wakefulness。　　Initiated　in

low　and　subdued　tones；　the　sound　soon　rose　in　volume　to

the　open　diapason　of　barbaric　blood　lust。　　La　stirred。

Her　perfect　arm　pressed　Tarzan　closer　to　hera　smile

parted　her　lips　and　then　she　awoke；　and　slowly　the

smile　faded　and　her　eyes　went　wide　in　horror　as　the

significance　of　the　death　chant　impinged　upon　her

understanding。



〃Love　me；　Tarzan！〃　she　cried。　　〃Love　me；　and　you　shall

be　saved。〃



Tarzan's　bonds　hurt　him。　　He　was　suffering　the　tortures

of　long…restricted　circulation。　　With　an　angry　growl　he

rolled　over　with　his　back　toward　La。　　That　was　her

answer！　　The　High　Priestess　leaped　to　her　feet。　　A　hot

flush　of　shame　mantled　her　cheek　and　then　she　went　dead

white　and　stepped　to　the　shelter's　entrance。



〃Come；　Priests　of　the　Flaming　God！〃　she　cried；

〃and　make　ready　the　sacrifice。〃



The　warped　things　advanced　and　entered　the　shelter。

They　laid　hands　upon　Tarzan　and　bore　him　forth；　and　as

they　chanted　they　kept　time　with　their　crooked　bodies；

swaying　to　and　fro　to　the　rhythm　of　their　song　of　blood

and　death。　　Behind　them　came　La；　swaying　too；　but　not

in　unison　with　the　chanted　cadence。　　White　and　drawn

was　the　face　of　the　High　Priestesswhite　and　drawn

with　unrequited　love　and　hideous　terror　of　the　moments

to　come。　　Yet　stern　in　her　resolve　was　La。　　The　infidel

should　die！　　The　scorner　of　her　love　should　pay　the

price　upon　the　fiery　altar。　　She　saw　them　lay　the

perfect　body　there　upon　the　rough　branches。　　She　saw

the　High　Priest；　he　to　whom　custom　would　unite　her

bent；　crooked；　gnarled；　stunted；　hideousadvance　with

the　flaming　torch　and　stand　awaiting　her　command　to

apply　it　to　the　faggots　surrounding　the　sacrificial

pyre。　　His　hairy；　bestial　face　was　distorted　in　a

yellow…fanged　grin　of　anticipatory　enjoyment。　　His

hands　were　cupped　to　receive　the　life　blood　of　the

victimthe　red　nectar　that　at　Opar　would　have　filled

the　golden　sacrificial　goblets。



La　approached　with　upraised　knife；　her　face　turned

toward　the　rising　sun　and　upon　her　lips　a　prayer　to　the

burning　deity　of　her　people。　　The　High　Priest　looked

questioningly　toward　herthe　brand　was　burning　close

to　his　hand　and　the　faggots　lay　temptingly　near。

Tarzan　closed　his　eyes　and　awaited　the　end。　　He　knew

that　he　would　suffer；　for　he　recalled　the　faint

memories　of　past　burns。　　He　knew　that　he　would　suffer

and　die；　but　he　did　not　flinch。　　Death　is　no　great

adventure　to　the　jungle　bred　who　walk　hand…in…hand　with

the　grim　specter　by　day　and　lie　down　at　his　side　by

night　through　all　the　years　of　their　lives。　　It　is

doubtful　that　the　ape…man　even　speculated　upon　what

came　after　death。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　as　his　end

approached；　his　mind　was　occupied　by　thoughts　of　the

pretty　pebbles　he　ha