tarzan and the jewels of opar-第16章

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

approached；　his　mind　was　occupied　by　thoughts　of　the

pretty　pebbles　he　had　lost；　yet　his　every　faculty　still

was　open　to　what　passed　around　him。



He　felt　La　lean　over　him　and　he　opened　his　eyes。

He　saw　her　white；　drawn　face　and　he　saw　tears　blinding

her　eyes。　　〃Tarzan；　my　Tarzan！〃　she　moaned；　〃tell　me　that

you　love　methat　you　will　return　to　Opar　with　meand

you　shall　live。　　Even　in　the　face　of　the　anger　of　my

people　I　will　save　you。　　This　last　chance　I　give　you。

What　is　your　answer？〃



At　the　last　moment　the　woman　in　La　had　triumphed　over

the　High　Priestess　of　a　cruel　cult。　　She　saw　upon　the

altar　the　only　creature　that　ever　had　aroused　the　fires

of　love　within　her　virgin　breast；　she　saw　the　beast…faced

fanatic　who　would　one　day　be　her　mate；　unless　she

found　another　less　repulsive；　standing　with　the　burning

torch　ready　to　ignite　the　pyre；　yet　with　all　her　mad

passion　for　the　ape…man　she　would　give　the　word　to

apply　the　flame　if　Tarzan's　final　answer　was

unsatisfactory。　　With　heaving　bosom　she　leaned　close

above　him。　　〃Yes　or　no？〃　she　whispered。



Through　the　jungle；　out　of　the　distance；　came　faintly　a

sound　that　brought　a　sudden　light　of　hope　to　Tarzan's

eyes。　　He　raised　his　voice　in　a　weird　scream　that　sent

La　back　from　him　a　step　or　two。　　The　impatient　priest

grumbled　and　switched　the　torch　from　one　hand　to　the

other　at　the　same　time　holding　it　closer　to　the　tinder

at　the　base　of　the　pyre。



〃Your　answer！〃　insisted　La。　　〃What　is　your　answer　to

the　love　of　La　of　Opar？〃



Closer　came　the　sound　that　had　attracted　Tarzan's

attention　and　now　the　others　heard　itthe　shrill

trumpeting　of　an　elephant。　　As　La　looked　wide…eyed　into

Tarzan's　face；　there　to　read　her　fate　for　happiness　or

heartbreak；　she　saw　an　expression　of　concern　shadow　his

features。　　Now；　for　the　first　time；　she　guessed　the

meaning　of　Tarzan's　shrill　screamhe　had　summoned

Tantor；　the　elephant；　to　his　rescue！　　La's　brows

contracted　in　a　savage　scowl。　　〃You　refuse　La！〃

she　cried。　　〃Then　die！　　The　torch！〃　she　commanded；

turning　toward　the　priest。



Tarzan　looked　up　into　her　face。　　〃Tantor　is　coming；〃

he　said。　　〃I　thought　that　he　would　rescue　me；　but　I　know

now　from　his　voice　that　he　will　slay　me　and　you　and　all

that　fall　in　his　path；　searching　out　with　the　cunning

of　Sheeta；　the　panther；　those　who　would　hide　from　him；

for　Tantor　is　mad　with　the　madness　of　love。〃



La　knew　only　too　well　the　insane　ferocity　of　a　bull

elephant　in　MUST。　　She　knew　that　Tarzan　had　not

exaggerated。　　She　knew　that　the　devil　in　the　cunning；

cruel　brain　of　the　great　beast　might　send　it　hither　and

thither　hunting　through　the　forest　for　those　who

escaped　its　first　charge；　or　the　beast　might　pass　on

without　returningno　one　might　guess　which。



〃I　cannot　love　you；　La；〃　said　Tarzan　in　a　low　voice。

〃I　do　not　know　why；　for　you　are　very　beautiful。

I　could　not　go　back　and　live　in　OparI　who　have　the

whole　broad　jungle　for　my　range。　　No；　I　cannot　love　you

but　I　cannot　see　you　die　beneath　the　goring　tusks　of

mad　Tantor。　　Cut　my　bonds　before　it　is　too　late。

Already　he　is　almost　upon　us。　　Cut　them　and　I　may　yet

save　you。〃



A　little　spiral　of　curling　smoke　rose　from　one　corner

of　the　pyrethe　flames　licked　upward；　crackling。

La　stood　there　like　a　beautiful　statue　of　despair　gazing

at　Tarzan　and　at　the　spreading　flames。　　In　a　moment

they　would　reach　out　and　grasp　him。　　From　the　tangled

forest　came　the　sound　of　cracking　limbs　and　crashing

trunksTantor　was　coming　down　upon　them；　a　huge

Juggernaut　of　the　jungle。　　The　priests　were　becoming

uneasy。　　They　cast　apprehensive　glances　in　the　direction

of　the　approaching　elephant　and　then　back　at　La。



〃Fly！〃　she　commanded　them　and　then　she　stooped　and　cut

the　bonds　securing　her　prisoner's　feet　and　hands。

In　an　instant　Tarzan　was　upon　the　ground。　　The　priests

screamed　out　their　rage　and　disappointment。　　He　with

the　torch　took　a　menacing　step　toward　La　and　the　ape…man。

〃Traitor！〃　He　shrieked　at　the　woman。　　〃For　this

you　too　shall　die！〃　Raising　his　bludgeon　he　rushed　upon

the　High　Priestess；　but　Tarzan　was　there　before　her。

Leaping　in　to　close　quarters　the　ape…man　seized　the

upraised　weapon　and　wrenched　it　from　the　hands　of　the

frenzied　fanatic　and　then　the　priest　closed　upon　him

with　tooth　and　nail。　　Seizing　the　stocky；　stunted　body

in　his　mighty　hands　Tarzan　raised　the　creature　high

above　his　head；　hurling　him　at　his　fellows　who　were　now

gathered　ready　to　bear　down　upon　their　erstwhile

captive。　　La　stood　proudly　with　ready　knife　behind　the

ape…man。　　No　faint　sign　of　fear　marked　her　perfect

browonly　haughty　disdain　for　her　priests　and

admiration　for　the　man　she　loved　so　hopelessly　filled

her　thoughts。



Suddenly　upon　this　scene　burst　the　mad　bulla　huge

tusker；　his　little　eyes　inflamed　with　insane　rage。

The　priests　stood　for　an　instant　paralyzed　with　terror；

but　Tarzan　turned　and　gathering　La　in　his　arms　raced　for

the　nearest　tree。　　Tantor　bore　down　upon　him　trumpeting　shrilly。

La　clung　with　both　white　arms　about　the　ape…man's　neck。

She　felt　him　leap　into　the　air　and

marveled　at　his　strength　and　his　ability　as；　burdened

with　her　weight；　he　swung　nimbly　into　the　lower

branches　of　a　large　tree　and　quickly　bore　her　upward

beyond　reach　of　the　sinuous　trunk　of　the　pachyderm。



Momentarily　baffled　here；　the　huge　elephant　wheeled　and

bore　down　upon　the　hapless　priests　who　had　now

scattered；　terror…stricken；　in　every　direction。

The　nearest　he　gored　and　threw　high　among　the　branches

of　a　tree。　　One　he　seized　in　the　coils　of　his　trunk　and

broke　upon　a　huge　bole；　dropping　the　mangled　pulp　to

charge；　trumpeting；　after　another。　　Two　he　trampled

beneath　his　huge　feet　and　by　then　the　others　had

disappeared　into　the　jungle。　　Now　Tantor　turned　his

attention　once　more　to　Tarzan　for　one　of　the　symptoms

of　madness　is　a　revulsion　of　affectionobjects　of　sane

love　become　the　objects　of　insane　hatred。　　Peculiar　in

the　unwritten　annals　of　the　jungle　was　the　proverbial

love　that　had　existed　between　the　ape…man　and　the　tribe

of　Tantor。　　No　elephant　in　all　the　jungle　would　harm

the　Tarmanganithe　white…ape；　but　with　the　madness　of

MUST　upon　him　the　great　bull　sought　to　destroy　his

long…time　play…fellow。



Back　to　the　tree　where　La　and　Tarzan　perched　came

Tantor；　the　elephant。　　He　reared　up　with　his　forefeet

against　the　bole　and　reached　high　toward　them　with　his

long　trunk；　but　Tarzan　had　foreseen　this　and　clambered

beyond　the　bull's　longest　reach。　　Failure　but　tended　to

further　enrage　the　mad　creature。　　He　bellowed　and

trumpeted　and　screamed　until　the　earth　shook　to　the

mighty　volume　of　his　noise。　　He　put　his　head　against

the　tree　and　pushed　and　the　tree　bent　before　his　mighty

strength；　yet　still　it　held。



The　actions　of　Tarzan　were　peculiar　in　the　extreme。

Had　Numa；　or　Sabor；　or　Sheeta；　or　any　other　beast　of

the　jungle　been　seeking　to　destroy　him；　the　ape…man

would　have　danced　about　hurling　missiles　and　invectives

at　his　assailant。　　He　would　have　insulted　and　taunted

them；　reviling　in　the　jungle　Billingsgate　he　knew　so

well；　but　now　he　sat　silent　out　of　Tantor's　reach　and

upon　his　handsome　face　was　an　expression　of　deep　sorrow

and　pity；　for　of　all　the　jungle　folk　Tarzan　loved

Tantor　the　best。　　Could　he　have　slain　him　he　would　not

have　thought　of　doing　so。　　His　one　idea　was　to　escape；

for　he　knew　that　with　the　passing　of　the　MUST

Tantor　would　be　sane　again　and　that　once　more　he　might

stretch　at　full　length　upon　that　mighty　back　and　make

foolish　speech　into　those　great；　flapping　ears。



Finding　that　the　tree　would　not　fall　to　his　pushing；

Tantor　was　but　enraged　the　more。　　He　looked　up　at　the

two　perched　high　above　him；　his　red…rimmed　eyes　blazing

with　insane　hatred；　and　then　he　wound　his　trunk　about

the　bole　of　the　tree；　spread　his　giant　feet　wide　apart

and　tugged　to　uproot　the　jungle　giant。　　A　huge　creature

was　Tantor；　an　enormous　bull　in　the　full　prime　of　all

his　stupendous　strength。　　Mightily　he　strove　until

presently；　to　Tarzan's　consternation；　the　great　tree

gave　slowly　at　the　roots。　　The　ground　rose　in　little

mounds　and　ridges　about　the　base　of　the　bole；　the　tree

tiltedin　another　moment　it　would　be　uprooted　and　fall。



The　ape…man　whirled　La　to　his　back　and　just　as　the　tree

inclined　slowly　in　its　first　movement　out　of　the

perpendicular；　before　the　sudden　rush　of　its　final

collapse；　he　swung　to　the　branches　of　a　lesser

neighbor。　　It　was　a　long　and　perilous　leap。　　La　closed

her　eyes　and　shuddered；　but　when　she　opened　them　again

she　found　herself　safe　and　Tarzan　whirling　onward

through　the　forest。　　Behind　them　the　uprooted　tree

crashed　heavily　to　the　ground；　carrying　with　it　the

lesser　trees　in　its　path　and　then　Tantor；　realizing

that　his　prey　had　escaped　him；　set　up　once　more　his

hideous　trumpeting　and　followed　at　a　rapid　charge　upon

their　trail。







14



A　Priestess　But　Yet　a　Woman





At　first　La　closed　her　eyes　and　clung　to　Tarzan　in　terror；

though　she　made　no　outcry；　but　presently　she　gained

sufficient　courage　to　look　about　her；　to　look　down

at　the　ground　beneath　and　even　to　keep　her　eyes　open

during　the　wide；　perilous　swings　from　tree　to　tree；

and　then　there　came　over　her　a　sense　of　safety

because　of　her　confidence　in　the　perfect　physical

creature　in　whose　strength　and　nerve　and　agility　her

fate　lay。　　Once　she　raised　her　eyes　to　the　burning　sun

and　murmured　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　her　pagan　god　that

she　had　not　been　permitted　to　destroy　this　godlike　man；

and　her　long　lashes　were　wet　with　tears。　　A　strange

anomaly　was　La　of　Opara　creature　of　circumstance　torn

by　conflicting　emotions。　　Now　the　cruel　and

bloodthirsty　creature　of　a　heartless　god　and　again　a

melting　woman　filled　with　compassion　and　tenderness。

Sometimes　the　incarnation　of　jealousy　and　revenge　and

sometimes　a　sobbing　maiden；　generous　and　forgiving；　at

once　a　virgin　and　a　wanton；　but　alwaysa　woman。

Such　was　La。



She　pressed　her　cheek　close　to　Tarzan's　shoulder。

Slowly　she　turned　her　head　until　her　hot　lips　were

pressed　against　his　flesh。　　She　loved　him　and　would

gladly　have　died　for　him；　yet　within　an　hour　she　had

been　ready　to　plunge　a　knife　into　his　heart　and　might

again　within　the　coming　hour。



A　hapless　priest　seeking　shelter　in　the　jungle　chanced

to　show　himself　to　enraged　Tantor。　　The　great　beast

turned　to　one　side；　bore　down　upon　the　crooked；　little

man；　snuffed　him　out　and　then；　diverted　from　his

course；　blundered　away　toward　the　south。　　In　a　few

minutes　even　the　noise　of　his　trumpeting　was　lost　in

the　distance。



Tarzan　dropped　to　the　ground　and　La　slipped　to　her　feet

from　his　back。　　〃Call　your　people　together；〃　said　Tarzan。



〃They　will　kill　me；〃　replied　La。



〃They　will　not　kill　you；〃　contradicted　the　ape…man。

〃No　one　w