tarzan and the jewels of opar-第17章

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

〃No　one　will　kill　you　while　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　is　here。

Call　them　and　we　will　talk　with　them。〃



La　raised　her　voice　in　a　weird；　flutelike　call　that

carried　far　into　the　jungle　on　every　side。　　From　near

and　far　came　answering　shouts　in　the　barking　tones　of

the　Oparian　priests：　〃We　come！　　We　come！〃　Again　and

again；　La　repeated　her　summons　until　singly　and　in

pairs　the　greater　portion　of　her　following　approached

and　halted　a　short　distance　away　from　the　High

Priestess　and　her　savior。　　They　came　with　scowling

brows　and　threatening　mien。　　When　all　had　come　Tarzan

addressed　them。



〃Your　La　is　safe；〃　said　the　ape…man。　　〃Had　she　slain　me

she　would　now　herself　be　dead　and　many　more　of　you；　but

she　spared　me　that　I　might　save　her。　　Go　your　way　with

her　back　to　Opar；　and　Tarzan　will　go　his　way　into　the

jungle。　Let　there　be　peace　always　between　Tarzan　and

La。　　What　is　your　answer？〃



The　priests　grumbled　and　shook　their　heads。　　They　spoke

together　and　La　and　Tarzan　could　see　that　they　were　not

favorably　inclined　toward　the　proposition。　　They　did

not　wish　to　take　La　back　and　they　did　wish　to　complete

the　sacrifice　of　Tarzan　to　the　Flaming　God。　　At　last

the　ape…man　became　impatient。



〃You　will　obey　the　commands　of　your　queen；〃　he　said；

〃and　go　back　to　Opar　with　her　or　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

will　call　together　the　other　creatures　of　the　jungle

and　slay　you　all。　　La　saved　me　that　I　might　save　you

and　her。　　I　have　served　you　better　alive　than　I　could

have　dead。　　If　you　are　not　all　fools　you　will　let　me　go

my　way　in　peace　and　you　will　return　to　Opar　with　La。

I　know　not　where　the　sacred　knife　is；　but　you　can　fashion

another。　　Had　I　not　taken　it　from　La　you　would　have

slain　me　and　now　your　god　must　be　glad　that　I　took　it

since　I　have　saved　his　priestess　from　love…mad　Tantor。

Will　you　go　back　to　Opar　with　La；　promising　that　no

harm　shall　befall　her？〃



The　priests　gathered　together　in　a　little　knot　arguing

and　discussing。　　They　pounded　upon　their　breasts　with

their　fists；　they　raised　their　hands　and　eyes　to　their

fiery　god；　they　growled　and　barked　among　themselves

until　it　became　evident　to　Tarzan　that　one　of　their

number　was　preventing　the　acceptance　of　his　proposal。

This　was　the　High　Priest　whose　heart　was　filled　with

jealous　rage　because　La　openly　acknowledged　her　love

for　the　stranger；　when　by　the　worldly　customs　of　their

cult　she　should　have　belonged　to　him。　Seemingly　there

was　to　be　no　solution　of　the　problem　until　another

priest　stepped　forth　and；　raising　his　hand；　addressed

La。



〃Cadj；　the　High　Priest；〃　he　announced；　〃would　sacrifice

you　both　to　the　Flaming　God；　but　all　of　us　except　Cadj

would　gladly　return　to　Opar　with　our　queen。〃



〃You　are　many　against　one；〃　spoke　up　Tarzan。

〃Why　should　you　not　have　your　will？　　Go　your　way　with

La　to　Opar　and　if　Cadj　interferes　slay　him。〃



The　priests　of　Opar　welcomed　this　suggestion　with　loud

cries　of　approval。　　To　them　it　appeared　nothing　short

of　divine　inspiration。　　The　influence　of　ages　of

unquestioning　obedience　to　high　priests　had　made　it

seem　impossible　to　them　to　question　his　authority；　but

when　they　realized　that　they　could　force　him　to　their

will　they　were　as　happy　as　children　with　new　toys。



They　rushed　forward　and　seized　Cadj。　　They　talked　in

loud　menacing　tones　into　his　ear。　　They　threatened　him

with　bludgeon　and　knife　until　at　last　he　acquiesced　in

their　demands；　though　sullenly；　and　then　Tarzan　stepped

close　before　Cadj。



〃Priest；〃　he　said；　〃La　goes　back　to　her　temple　under

the　protection　of　her　priests　and　the　threat　of　Tarzan

of　the　Apes　that　whoever　harms　her　shall　die。　　Tarzan

will　go　again　to　Opar　before　the　next　rains　and　if　harm

has　befallen　La；　woe　betide　Cadj；　the　High　Priest。〃



Sullenly　Cadj　promised　not　to　harm　his　queen。



〃Protect　her；〃　cried　Tarzan　to　the　other　Oparians。

〃Protect　her　so　that　when　Tarzan　comes　again　he　will

find　La　there　to　greet　him。〃



〃La　will　be　there　to　greet　thee；〃　exclaimed　the　High

Priestess；　〃and　La　will　wait；　longing；　always　longing；

until　you　come　again。　　Oh；　tell　me　that　you　will　come！〃



〃Who　knows？〃　asked　the　ape…man　as　he　swung　quickly　into

the　trees　and　raced　off　toward　the　east。



For　a　moment　La　stood　looking　after　him；　then　her　head

drooped；　a　sigh　escaped　her　lips　and　like　an　old　woman

she　took　up　the　march　toward　distant　Opar。



Through　the　trees　raced　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　until　the

darkness　of　night　had　settled　upon　the　jungle；　then　he

lay　down　and　slept；　with　no　thought　beyond　the　morrow

and　with　even　La　but　the　shadow　of　a　memory　within　his

consciousness。



But　a　few　marches　to　the　north　Lady　Greystoke　looked

forward　to　the　day　when　her　mighty　lord　and　master

should　discover　the　crime　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　be

speeding　to　rescue　and　avenge；　and　even　as　she　pictured

the　coming　of　John　Clayton；　the　object　of　her　thoughts

squatted　almost　naked；　beside　a　fallen　log；　beneath

which　he　was　searching　with　grimy　fingers　for　a　chance

beetle　or　a　luscious　grub。



Two　days　elapsed　following　the　theft　of　the　jewels

before　Tarzan　gave　them　a　thought。　　Then；　as　they

chanced　to　enter　his　mind；　he　conceived　a　desire　to

play　with　them　again；　and；　having　nothing　better　to　do

than　satisfy　the　first　whim　which　possessed　him；　he

rose　and　started　across　the　plain　from　the　forest　in

which　he　had　spent　the　preceding　day。



Though　no　mark　showed　where　the　gems　had　been　buried；

and　though　the　spot　resembled　the　balance　of　an

unbroken　stretch　several　miles　in　length；　where　the

reeds　terminated　at　the　edge　of　the　meadowland；　yet　the

ape…man　moved　with　unerring　precision　directly　to　the

place　where　he　had　hid　his　treasure。



With　his　hunting　knife　he　upturned　the　loose　earth；

beneath　which　the　pouch　should　be；　but；　though　he

excavated　to　a　greater　distance　than　the　depth　of　the

original　hole　there　was　no　sign　of　pouch　or　jewels。

Tarzan's　brow　clouded　as　he　discovered　that　he　had　been

despoiled。　　Little　or　no　reasoning　was　required　to

convince　him　of　the　identity　of　the　guilty　party；　and

with　the　same　celerity　that　had　marked　his　decision　to

unearth　the　jewels；　he　set　out　upon　the　trail　of　the

thief。



Though　the　spoor　was　two　days　old；　and　practically

obliterated　in　many　places；　Tarzan　followed　it　with

comparative　ease。　　A　white　man　could　not　have　followed

it　twenty　paces　twelve　hours　after　it　had　been　made；　a

black　man　would　have　lost　it　within　the　first　mile；　but

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　had　been　forced　in　childhood　to

develop　senses　that　an　ordinary　mortal　scarce　ever　uses。



We　may　note　the　garlic　and　whisky　on　the　breath　of　a

fellow　strap　hanger；　or　the　cheap　perfume　emanating

from　the　person　of　the　wondrous　lady　sitting　in　front

of　us；　and　deplore　the　fact　of　our　sensitive　noses；

but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　we　cannot　smell　at　all；　our

olfactory　organs　are　practically　atrophied；　by

comparison　with　the　development　of　the　sense　among　the

beasts　of　the　wild。



Where　a　foot　is　placed　an　effluvium　remains　for　a

considerable　time。　　It　is　beyond　the　range　of　our

sensibilities；　but　to　a　creature　of　the　lower　orders；

especially　to　the　hunters　and　the　hunted；　as

interesting　and　ofttimes　more　lucid　than　is　the　printed

page　to　us。



Nor　was　Tarzan　dependent　alone　upon　his　sense　of　smell。

Vision　and　hearing　had　been　brought　to　a　marvelous

state　of　development　by　the　necessities　of　his　early

life；　where　survival　itself　depended　almost　daily　upon

the　exercise　of　the　keenest　vigilance　and　the　constant

use　of　all　his　faculties。



And　so　he　followed　the　old　trail　of　the　Belgian　through

the　forest　and　toward　the　north；　but　because　of　the　age

of　the　trail　he　was　constrained　to　a　far　from　rapid

progress。　　The　man　he　followed　was　two　days　ahead　of

him　when　Tarzan　took　up　the　pursuit；　and　each　day　he

gained　upon　the　ape…man。　　The　latter；　however；　felt　not

the　slightest　doubt　as　to　the　outcome。　　Some　day　he

would　overhaul　his　quarryhe　could　bide　his　time　in

peace　until　that　day　dawned。　　Doggedly　he　followed　the

faint　spoor；　pausing　by　day　only　to　kill　and　eat；　and

at　night　only　to　sleep　and　refresh　himself。



Occasionally　he　passed　parties　of　savage　warriors；　but

these　he　gave　a　wide　berth；　for　he　was　hunting　with　a

purpose　that　was　not　to　be　distracted　by　the　minor

accidents　of　the　trail。



These　parties　were　of　the　collecting　hordes　of　the

Waziri　and　their　allies　which　Basuli　had　scattered　his

messengers　broadcast　to　summon。　　They　were　marching　to

a　common　rendezvous　in　preparation　for　an　assault　upon

the　stronghold　of　Achmet　Zek；　but　to　Tarzan　they　were

enemieshe　retained　no　conscious　memory　of　any

friendship　for　the　black　men。



It　was　night　when　he　halted　outside　the　palisaded

village　of　the　Arab　raider。　　Perched　in　the　branches　of

a　great　tree　he　gazed　down　upon　the　life　within　the

enclosure。　　To　this　place　had　the　spoor　led　him。　　His

quarry　must　be　within；　but　how　was　he　to　find　him　among

so　many　huts？　　Tarzan；　although　cognizant　of　his　mighty

powers；　realized　also　his　limitations。　　He　knew　that　he

could　not　successfully　cope　with　great　numbers　in　open

battle。　　He　must　resort　to　the　stealth　and　trickery　of

the　wild　beast；　if　he　were　to　succeed。



Sitting　in　the　safety　of　his　tree；　munching　upon　the

leg　bone　of　Horta；　the　boar；　Tarzan　waited　a　favorable

opportunity　to　enter　the　village。　　For　awhile　he　gnawed

at　the　bulging；　round　ends　of　the　large　bone；

splintering　off　small　pieces　between　his　strong　jaws；

and　sucking　at　the　delicious　marrow　within；　but　all　the

time　he　cast　repeated　glances　into　the　village。　　He　saw

white…robed　figures；　and　half…naked　blacks；　but　not

once　did　he　see　one　who　resembled　the　stealer　of　the　gems。



Patiently　he　waited　until　the　streets　were　deserted　by

all　save　the　sentries　at　the　gates；　then　he　dropped

lightly　to　the　ground；　circled　to　the　opposite　side　of

the　village　and　approached　the　palisade。



At　his　side　hung　a　long；　rawhide　ropea　natural　and

more　dependable　evolution　from　the　grass　rope　of　his

childhood。　Loosening　this；　he　spread　the　noose　upon　the

ground　behind　him；　and　with　a　quick　movement　of　his

wrist　tossed　the　coils　over　one　of　the　sharpened

projections　of　the　summit　of　the　palisade。



Drawing　the　noose　taut；　he　tested　the　solidity　of　its

hold。　Satisfied；　the　ape…man　ran　nimbly　up　the　vertical

wall；　aided　by　the　rope　which　he　clutched　in　both

hands。　　Once　at　the　top　it　required　but　a　moment　to

gather　the　dangling　rope　once　more　into　its　coils；　make

it　fast　again　at　his　waist；　take　a　quick　glance

downward　within　the　palisade；　and；　assured　that　no　one

lurked　directly　beneath　him；　drop　softly　to　the　ground。



Now　he　was　within　the　village。　　Before　him　stretched　a

series　of　tents　and　native　huts。　　The　business　of

exploring　each