tarzan and the jewels of opar-第2章

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He　looked　up　at　Achmet　Zek。　　He　saw　the　Arab's　eyes

narrow；　and　he　guessed　that　the　other　had　sensed　his

antagonism　to　the　plan。　　What　would　it　mean　to　Werper　to

refuse？　　His　life　lay　in　the　hands　of　this　semi…barbarian；　

who　esteemed　the　life　of　an　unbeliever　less

highly　than　that　of　a　dog。　　Werper　loved　life。　　What

was　this　woman　to　him；　anyway？　　She　was　a　European；

doubtless；　a　member　of　organized　society。　　He　was　an

outcast。　　The　hand　of　every　white　man　was　against　him。

She　was　his　natural　enemy；　and　if　he　refused　to　lend

himself　to　her　undoing；　Achmet　Zek　would　have　him

killed。



〃You　hesitate；〃　murmured　the　Arab。



〃I　was　but　weighing　the　chances　of　success；〃　lied

Werper；　〃and　my　reward。　　As　a　European　I　can　gain

admittance　to　their　home　and　table。　　You　have　no　other

with　you　who　could　do　so　much。　　The　risk　will　be　great。

I　should　be　well　paid；　Achmet　Zek。〃



A　smile　of　relief　passed　over　the　raider's　face。



〃Well　said；　Werper；〃　and　Achmet　Zek　slapped　his

lieutenant　upon　the　shoulder。　　〃You　should　be　well　paid

and　you　shall。　　Now　let　us　sit　together　and　plan　how

best　the　thing　may　be　done；〃　and　the　two　men　squatted

upon　a　soft　rug　beneath　the　faded　silks　of　Achmet's

once　gorgeous　tent；　and　talked　together　in　low　voices

well　into　the　night。　　Both　were　tall　and　bearded；　and

the　exposure　to　sun　and　wind　had　given　an　almost　Arab

hue　to　the　European's　complexion。　　In　every　detail　of

dress；　too；　he　copied　the　fashions　of　his　chief；　so

that　outwardly　he　was　as　much　an　Arab　as　the　other。

It　was　late　when　he　arose　and　retired　to　his　own　tent。



The　following　day　Werper　spent　in　overhauling　his

Belgian　uniform；　removing　from　it　every　vestige　of

evidence　that　might　indicate　its　military　purposes。

From　a　heterogeneous　collection　of　loot；　Achmet　Zek

procured　a　pith　helmet　and　a　European　saddle；　and　from

his　black　slaves　and　followers　a　party　of　porters；

askaris　and　tent　boys　to　make　up　a　modest　safari　for　a

big　game　hunter。　　At　the　head　of　this　party　Werper　set

out　from　camp。







2



On　the　Road　To　Opar





It　was　two　weeks　later　that　John　Clayton；　Lord

Greystoke；　riding　in　from　a　tour　of　inspection　of　his

vast　African　estate；　glimpsed　the　head　of　a　column　of

men　crossing　the　plain　that　lay　between　his　bungalow

and　the　forest　to　the　north　and　west。



He　reined　in　his　horse　and　watched　the　little　party　as

it　emerged　from　a　concealing　swale。　　His　keen　eyes

caught　the　reflection　of　the　sun　upon　the　white　helmet

of　a　mounted　man；　and　with　the　conviction　that　a

wandering　European　hunter　was　seeking　his　hospitality；

he　wheeled　his　mount　and　rode　slowly　forward　to　meet

the　newcomer。



A　half　hour　later　he　was　mounting　the　steps　leading　to

the　veranda　of　his　bungalow；　and　introducing　M。　Jules

Frecoult　to　Lady　Greystoke。



〃I　was　completely　lost；〃　M。　Frecoult　was　explaining。

〃My　head　man　had　never　before　been　in　this　part　of　the

country　and　the　guides　who　were　to　have　accompanied　me

from　the　last　village　we　passed　knew　even　less　of　the

country　than　we。　　They　finally　deserted　us　two　days

since。　　I　am　very　fortunate　indeed　to　have　stumbled　so

providentially　upon　succor。　　I　do　not　know　what　I

should　have　done；　had　I　not　found　you。〃



It　was　decided　that　Frecoult　and　his　party　should

remain　several　days；　or　until　they　were　thoroughly

rested；　when　Lord　Greystoke　would　furnish　guides　to

lead　them　safely　back　into　country　with　which

Frecoult's　head　man　was　supposedly　familiar。



In　his　guise　of　a　French　gentleman　of　leisure；　Werper

found　little　difficulty　in　deceiving　his　host　and　in

ingratiating　himself　with　both　Tarzan　and　Jane　Clayton；

but　the　longer　he　remained　the　less　hopeful　he　became

of　an　easy　accomplishment　of　his　designs。



Lady　Greystoke　never　rode　alone　at　any　great　distance

from　the　bungalow；　and　the　savage　loyalty　of　the

ferocious　Waziri　warriors　who　formed　a　great　part　of

Tarzan's　followers　seemed　to　preclude　the　possibility

of　a　successful　attempt　at　forcible　abduction；　or　of

the　bribery　of　the　Waziri　themselves。



A　week　passed；　and　Werper　was　no　nearer　the　fulfillment

of　his　plan；　in　so　far　as　he　could　judge；　than　upon　the

day　of　his　arrival；　but　at　that　very　moment　something

occurred　which　gave　him　renewed　hope　and　set　his　mind

upon　an　even　greater　reward　than　a　woman's　ransom。



A　runner　had　arrived　at　the　bungalow　with　the　weekly

mail；　and　Lord　Greystoke　had　spent　the　afternoon　in　his

study　reading　and　answering　letters。　　At　dinner　he

seemed　distraught；　and　early　in　the　evening　he　excused

himself　and　retired；　Lady　Greystoke　following　him　very

soon　after。　　Werper；　sitting　upon　the　veranda；　could

hear　their　voices　in　earnest　discussion；　and　having

realized　that　something　of　unusual　moment　was　afoot；

he　quietly　rose　from　his　chair；　and　keeping　well　in　the

shadow　of　the　shrubbery　growing　profusely　about　the

bungalow；　made　his　silent　way　to　a　point　beneath　the

window　of　the　room　in　which　his　host　and　hostess　slept。



Here　he　listened；　and　not　without　result；　for　almost

the　first　words　he　overheard　filled　him　with

excitement。　　Lady　Greystoke　was　speaking　as　Werper　came

within　hearing。



〃I　always　feared　for　the　stability　of　the　company；〃　she

was　saying；　〃but　it　seems　incredible　that　they　should

have　failed　for　so　enormous　a　sumunless　there　has

been　some　dishonest　manipulation。〃



〃That　is　what　I　suspect；〃　replied　Tarzan；　〃but　whatever

the　cause；　the　fact　remains　that　I　have　lost

everything；　and　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　return

to　Opar　and　get　more。〃



〃Oh；　John；〃　cried　Lady　Greystoke；　and　Werper　could　feel

the　shudder　through　her　voice；　〃is　there　no　other　way？

I　cannot　bear　to　think　of　you　returning　to　that

frightful　city。　　I　would　rather　live　in　poverty　always

than　to　have　you　risk　the　hideous　dangers　of　Opar。〃



〃You　need　have　no　fear；〃　replied　Tarzan；　laughing。

〃I　am　pretty　well　able　to　take　care　of　myself；　and　were

I　not；　the　Waziri　who　will　accompany　me　will　see　that　no

harm　befalls　me。〃



〃They　ran　away　from　Opar　once；　and　left　you　to　your

fate；〃　she　reminded　him。



〃They　will　not　do　it　again；〃　he　answered。　　〃They　were

very　much　ashamed　of　themselves；　and　were　coming　back

when　I　met　them。〃



〃But　there　must　be　some　other　way；〃　insisted　the　woman。



〃There　is　no　other　way　half　so　easy　to　obtain　another

fortune；　as　to　go　to　the　treasure　vaults　of　Opar　and

bring　it　away；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　shall　be　very　careful；

Jane；　and　the　chances　are　that　the　inhabitants　of　Opar

will　never　know　that　I　have　been　there　again　and

despoiled　them　of　another　portion　of　the　treasure；　the

very　existence　of　which　they　are　as　ignorant　of　as　they

would　be　of　its　value。〃



The　finality　in　his　tone　seemed　to　assure　Lady

Greystoke　that　further　argument　was　futile；　and　so　she

abandoned　the　subject。



Werper　remained；　listening；　for　a　short　time；　and　then；

confident　that　he　had　overheard　all　that　was　necessary

and　fearing　discovery；　returned　to　the　veranda；　where

he　smoked　numerous　cigarets　in　rapid　succession　before

retiring。



The　following　morning　at　breakfast；　Werper　announced

his　intention　of　making　an　early　departure；　and　asked

Tarzan's　permission　to　hunt　big　game　in　the　Waziri

country　on　his　way　outpermission　which　Lord　Greystoke

readily　granted。



The　Belgian　consumed　two　days　in　completing　his

preparations；　but　finally　got　away　with　his　safari；

accompanied　by　a　single　Waziri　guide　whom　Lord

Greystoke　had　loaned　him。　　The　party　made　but　a　single

short　march　when　Werper　simulated　illness；　and

announced　his　intention　of　remaining　where　he　was　until

he　had　fully　recovered。　　As　they　had　gone　but　a　short

distance　from　the　Greystoke　bungalow；　Werper　dismissed

the　Waziri　guide；　telling　the　warrior　that　he　would

send　for　him　when　he　was　able　to　proceed。　　The　Waziri

gone；　the　Belgian　summoned　one　of　Achmet　Zek's　trusted

blacks　to　his　tent；　and　dispatched　him　to　watch　for　the

departure　of　Tarzan；　returning　immediately　to　advise

Werper　of　the　event　and　the　direction　taken　by　the

Englishman。



The　Belgian　did　not　have　long　to　wait；　for　the

following　day　his　emissary　returned　with　word　that

Tarzan　and　a　party　of　fifty　Waziri　warriors　had　set　out

toward　the　southeast　early　in　the　morning。



Werper　called　his　head　man　to　him；　after　writing　a　long

letter　to　Achmet　Zek。　　This　letter　he　handed　to　the

head　man。



〃Send　a　runner　at　once　to　Achmet　Zek　with　this；〃　he

instructed　the　head　man。　　〃Remain　here　in　camp　awaiting

further　instructions　from　him　or　from　me。　　If　any　come

from　the　bungalow　of　the　Englishman；　tell　them　that　I

am　very　ill　within　my　tent　and　can　see　no　one。　　Now；

give　me　six　porters　and　six　askaristhe　strongest　and

bravest　of　the　safariand　I　will　march　after　the

Englishman　and　discover　where　his　gold　is　hidden。〃



And　so　it　was　that　as　Tarzan；　stripped　to　the　loin

cloth　and　armed　after　the　primitive　fashion　he　best

loved；　led　his　loyal　Waziri　toward　the　dead　city　of

Opar；　Werper；　the　renegade；　haunted　his　trail　through

the　long；　hot　days；　and　camped　close　behind　him　by

night。



And　as　they　marched；　Achmet　Zek　rode　with　his　entire

following　southward　toward　the　Greystoke　farm。



To　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　the　expedition　was　in　the　nature

of　a　holiday　outing。　　His　civilization　was　at　best　but

an　outward　veneer　which　he　gladly　peeled　off　with　his

uncomfortable　European　clothes　whenever　any　reasonable

pretext　presented　itself。　　It　was　a　woman's　love　which

kept　Tarzan　even　to　the　semblance　of　civilizationa

condition　for　which　familiarity　had　bred　contempt。　　He

hated　the　shams　and　the　hypocrisies　of　it　and　with　the

clear　vision　of　an　unspoiled　mind　he　had　penetrated　to

the　rotten　core　of　the　heart　of　the　thingthe　cowardly

greed　for　peace　and　ease　and　the　safe…guarding　of

property　rights。　　That　the　fine　things　of　lifeart；

music　and　literaturehad　thriven　upon　such　enervating

ideals　he　strenuously　denied；　insisting；　rather；　that

they　had　endured　in　spite　of　civilization。



〃Show　me　the　fat；　opulent　coward；〃　he　was　wont　to　say；

〃who　ever　originated　a　beautiful　ideal。　　In　the　clash

of　arms；　in　the　battle　for　survival；　amid　hunger　and

death　and　danger；　in　the　face　of　God　as　manifested　in

the　display　of　Nature's　most　terrific　forces；　is　born

all　that　is　finest　and　best　in　the　human　heart　and

mind。〃



And　so　Tarzan　always　came　back　to　Nature　in　the　spirit

of　a　lover　keeping　a　long　deferred　tryst　after　a　period

behind　prison　walls。　　His　Waziri；　at　marrow；　were　more

civilized　than　he。　　They　cooked　their　meat　before　they

ate　it　and　they　shunned　many　articles　of　food　as

unclean　that　Tarzan　had　eaten　with　gusto　all　his　life

and　so　insidious　is　the　virus　of　hypocrisy　that　even

the　stalwart　ape…man　hesitated　to　give　rein　to　his

natural　longings　before　them。　　He　ate　burnt　flesh　when

h