tarzan and the jewels of opar-第34章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



earth　trembled　to　the　hideous　chorus。　　The　horses

shrilled　their　neighs　of　terror　as　they　lay　back　upon

their　halter　ropes　in　their　mad　endeavors　to　break

loose。　　A　trooper；　braver　than　his　fellows；　leaped

among　the　kicking；　plunging；　fear…maddened　beasts　in　a

futile　attempt　to　quiet　them。　　A　lion；　large；　and

fierce；　and　courageous；　leaped　almost　to　the　boma；　full

in　the　bright　light　from　the　fire。　　A　sentry　raised　his

piece　and　fired；　and　the　little　leaden　pellet

unstoppered　the　vials　of　hell　upon　the　terror…stricken

camp。



The　shot　ploughed　a　deep　and　painful　furrow　in　the

lion's　side；　arousing　all　the　bestial　fury　of　the

little　brain；　but　abating　not　a　whit　the　power　and

vigor　of　the　great　body。



Unwounded；　the　boma　and　the　flames　might　have　turned

him　back；　but　now　the　pain　and　the　rage　wiped　caution

from　his　mind；　and　with　a　loud；　and　angry　roar　he

topped　the　barrier　with　an　easy　leap　and　was　among　the

horses。



What　had　been　pandemonium　before　became　now　an

indescribable　tumult　of　hideous　sound。　　The　stricken

horse　upon　which　the　lion　leaped　shrieked　out　its

terror　and　its　agony。　　Several　about　it　broke　their

tethers　and　plunged　madly　about　the　camp。　　Men　leaped

from　their　blankets　and　with　guns　ready　ran　toward　the

picket　line；　and　then　from　the　jungle　beyond　the　boma　a

dozen　lions；　emboldened　by　the　example　of　their　fellow

charged　fearlessly　upon　the　camp。



Singly　and　in　twos　and　threes　they　leaped　the　boma；

until　the　little　enclosure　was　filled　with　cursing　men

and　screaming　horses　battling　for　their　lives　with　the

green…eyed　devils　of　the　jungle。



With　the　charge　of　the　first　lion；　Jane　Clayton　had

scrambled　to　her　feet；　and　now　she　stood　horror…struck

at　the　scene　of　savage　slaughter　that　swirled　and

eddied　about　her。　　Once　a　bolting　horse　knocked　her

down；　and　a　moment　later　a　lion；　leaping　in　pursuit　of

another　terror…stricken　animal；　brushed　her　so　closely

that　she　was　again　thrown　from　her　feet。



Amidst　the　cracking　of　the　rifles　and　the　growls　of　the

carnivora　rose　the　death　screams　of　stricken　men　and

horses　as　they　were　dragged　down　by　the　blood…mad　cats。

The　leaping　carnivora　and　the　plunging　horses；

prevented　any　concerted　action　by　the　Abyssiniansit

was　every　man　for　himselfand　in　the　melee；　the

defenseless　woman　was　either　forgotten　or　ignored　by

her　black　captors。　　A　score　of　times　was　her　life

menaced　by　charging　lions；　by　plunging　horses；　or　by

the　wildly　fired　bullets　of　the　frightened　troopers；

yet　there　was　no　chance　of　escape；　for　now　with　the

fiendish　cunning　of　their　kind；　the　tawny　hunters

commenced　to　circle　about　their　prey；　hemming　them

within　a　ring　of　mighty；　yellow　fangs；　and　sharp；　long

talons。　　Again　and　again　an　individual　lion　would　dash

suddenly　among　the　frightened　men　and　horses；　and

occasionally　a　horse；　goaded　to　frenzy　by　pain　or

terror；　succeeded　in　racing　safely　through　the　circling

lions；　leaping　the　boma；　and　escaping　into　the　jungle；

but　for　the　men　and　the　woman　no　such　escape　was

possible。



A　horse；　struck　by　a　stray　bullet；　fell　beside　Jane

Clayton；　a　lion　leaped　across　the　expiring　beast　full

upon　the　breast　of　a　black　trooper　just　beyond。　　The

man　clubbed　his　rifle　and　struck　futilely　at　the　broad

head；　and　then　he　was　down　and　the　carnivore　was

standing　above　him。



Shrieking　out　his　terror；　the　soldier　clawed　with　puny

fingers　at　the　shaggy　breast　in　vain　endeavor　to　push

away　the　grinning　jaws。　　The　lion　lowered　his　head；　the

gaping　fangs　closed　with　a　single　sickening　crunch　upon

the　fear…distorted　face；　and　turning　strode　back　across

the　body　of　the　dead　horse　dragging　his　limp　and　bloody

burden　with　him。



Wide…eyed　the　girl　stood　watching。　　She　saw　the

carnivore　step　upon　the　corpse；　stumblingly；　as　the

grisly　thing　swung　between　its　forepaws；　and　her　eyes

remained　fixed　in　fascination　while　the　beast　passed

within　a　few　paces　of　her。



The　interference　of　the　body　seemed　to　enrage　the　lion。

He　shook　the　inanimate　clay　venomously。　　He　growled　and

roared　hideously　at　the　dead；　insensate　thing；　and　then

he　dropped　it　and　raised　his　head　to　look　about　in

search　of　some　living　victim　upon　which　to　wreak　his

ill　temper。　　His　yellow　eyes　fastened　themselves

balefully　upon　the　figure　of　the　girl；　the　bristling

lips　raised；　disclosing　the　grinning　fangs。　　A　terrific

roar　broke　from　the　savage　throat；　and　the　great　beast

crouched　to　spring　upon　this　new　and　helpless　victim。



Quiet　had　fallen　early　upon　the　camp　where　Tarzan　and

Werper　lay　securely　bound。　　Two　nervous　sentries　paced

their　beats；　their　eyes　rolling　often　toward　the

impenetrable　shadows　of　the　gloomy　jungle。　　The　others

slept　or　tried　to　sleepall　but　the　ape…man。　　Silently

and　powerfully　he　strained　at　the　bonds　which　fettered

his　wrists。



The　muscles　knotted　beneath　the　smooth；　brown　skin　of

his　arms　and　shoulders；　the　veins　stood　out　upon　his

temples　from　the　force　of　his　exertionsa　strand

parted；　another　and　another；　and　one　hand　was　free。

Then　from　the　jungle　came　a　low　guttural；　and　the

ape…man　became　suddenly　a　silent；　rigid　statue；　with　ears

and　nostrils　straining　to　span　the　black　void　where　his

eyesight　could　not　reach。



Again　came　the　uncanny　sound　from　the　thick　verdure

beyond　the　camp。　　A　sentry　halted　abruptly；　straining

his　eyes　into　the　gloom。　　The　kinky　wool　upon　his　head

stiffened　and　raised。　　He　called　to　his　comrade　in　a

hoarse　whisper。



〃Did　you　hear　it？〃　he　asked。



The　other　came　closer；　trembling。



〃Hear　what？〃



Again　was　the　weird　sound　repeated；　followed　almost

immediately　by　a　similar　and　answering　sound　from　the

camp。　　The　sentries　drew　close　together；　watching　the

black　spot　from　which　the　voice　seemed　to　come。



Trees　overhung　the　boma　at　this　point　which　was　upon

the　opposite　side　of　the　camp　from　them。　　They　dared

not　approach。　　Their　terror　even　prevented　them　from

arousing　their　fellowsthey　could　only　stand　in　frozen

fear　and　watch　for　the　fearsome　apparition　they

momentarily　expected　to　see　leap　from　the　jungle。



Nor　had　they　long　to　wait。　　A　dim；　bulky　form　dropped

lightly　from　the　branches　of　a　tree　into　the　camp。　　At

sight　of　it　one　of　the　sentries　recovered　command　of

his　muscles　and　his　voice。　　Screaming　loudly　to　awaken

the　sleeping　camp；　he　leaped　toward　the　flickering

watch　fire　and　threw　a　mass　of　brush　upon　it。



The　white　officer　and　the　black　soldiers　sprang　from

their　blankets。　　The　flames　leaped　high　upon　the

rejuvenated　fire；　lighting　the　entire　camp；　and　the

awakened　men　shrank　back　in　superstitious　terror　from

the　sight　that　met　their　frightened　and　astonished

vision。



A　dozen　huge　and　hairy　forms　loomed　large　beneath　the

trees　at　the　far　side　of　the　enclosure。　　The　white

giant；　one　hand　freed；　had　struggled　to　his　knees　and

was　calling　to　the　frightful；　nocturnal　visitors　in　a

hideous　medley　of　bestial　gutturals；　barkings　and

growlings。



Werper　had　managed　to　sit　up。　　He；　too；　saw　the　savage

faces　of　the　approaching　anthropoids　and　scarcely　knew

whether　to　be　relieved　or　terror…stricken。



Growling；　the　great　apes　leaped　forward　toward　Tarzan

and　Werper。　　Chulk　led　them。　　The　Belgian　officer

called　to　his　men　to　fire　upon　the　intruders；　but　the

Negroes　held　back；　filled　as　they　were　with

superstitious　terror　of　the　hairy　treemen；　and　with　the

conviction　that　the　white　giant　who　could　thus　summon

the　beasts　of　the　jungle　to　his　aid　was　more　than　human。



Drawing　his　own　weapon；　the　officer　fired；　and　Tarzan

fearing　the　effect　of　the　noise　upon　his　really　timid

friends　called　to　them　to　hasten　and　fulfill　his　commands。



A　couple　of　the　apes　turned　and　fled　at　the　sound　of

the　firearm；　but　Chulk　and　a　half　dozen　others　waddled

rapidly　forward；　and；　following　the　ape…man's

directions；　seized　both　him　and　Werper　and　bore　them

off　toward　the　jungle。



By　dint　of　threats；　reproaches　and　profanity　the

Belgian　officer　succeeded　in　persuading　his　trembling

command　to　fire　a　volley　after　the　retreating　apes。　　A

ragged；　straggling　volley　it　was；　but　at　least　one　of

its　bullets　found　a　mark；　for　as　the　jungle　closed

about　the　hairy　rescuers；　Chulk；　who　bore　Werper　across

one　broad　shoulder；　staggered　and　fell。



In　an　instant　he　was　up　again；　but　the　Belgian　guessed

from　his　unsteady　gait　that　he　was　hard　hit。　　He　lagged

far　behind　the　others；　and　it　was　several　minutes　after

they　had　halted　at　Tarzan's　command　before　he　came

slowly　up　to　them；　reeling　from　side　to　side；　and　at

last　falling　again　beneath　the　weight　of　his　burden　and

the　shock　of　his　wound。



As　Chulk　went　down　he　dropped　Werper；　so　that　the

latter　fell　face　downward　with　the　body　of　the　ape

lying　half　across　him。　　In　this　position　the　Belgian

felt　something　resting　against　his　hands；　which　were

still　bound　at　his　backsomething　that　was　not　a　part

of　the　hairy　body　of　the　ape。



Mechanically　the　man's　fingers　felt　of　the　object

resting　almost　in　their　graspit　was　a　soft　pouch；

filled　with　small；　hard　particles。　　Werper　gasped　in

wonderment　as　recognition　filtered　through　the

incredulity　of　his　mind。　　It　was　impossible；　and　yet

it　was　true！



Feverishly　he　strove　to　remove　the　pouch　from　the　ape

and　transfer　it　to　his　own　possession；　but　the

restricted　radius　to　which　his　bonds　held　his　hands

prevented　this；　though　he　did　succeed　in　tucking　the

pouch　with　its　precious　contents　inside　the　waist　band

of　his　trousers。



Tarzan；　sitting　at　a　short　distance；　was　busy　with　the

remaining　knots　of　the　cords　which　bound　him。

Presently　he　flung　aside　the　last　of　them　and　rose　to

his　feet。　　Approaching　Werper　he　knelt　beside　him。　　For

a　moment　he　examined　the　ape。



〃Quite　dead；〃　he　announced。　　〃It　is　too　badhe　was　a

splendid　creature；〃　and　then　he　turned　to　the　work　of

liberating　the　Belgian。



He　freed　his　hands　first；　and　then　commenced　upon　the

knots　at　his　ankles。



〃I　can　do　the　rest；〃　said　the　Belgian。　　〃I　have　a　small

pocketknife　which　they　overlooked　when　they　searched

me；〃　and　in　this　way　he　succeeded　in　ridding　himself　of

the　ape…man's　attentions　that　he　might　find　and　open

his　little　knife　and　cut　the　thong　which　fastened　the

pouch　about　Chulk's　shoulder；　and　transfer　it　from　his

waist　band　to　the　breast　of　his　shirt。　　Then　he　rose

and　approached　Tarzan。



Once　again　had　avarice　claimed　him。　　Forgotten　were　the

good　intentions　which　the　confidence　of　Jane　Clayton　in

his　honor　had　awakened。　　What　she　had　done；　the　little

pouch　had　undone。　　How　it　had　come　upon　the　person　of

the　great　ape；　Werper　could　not　imagine；　unless　it　had

been　that　the　anthropoid　had　witnessed　his　fight　with

Achmet　Zek；　seen　the　Arab　with　the　pouch　and　taken　it

away　from　him；　but　that　this　pouch　contained　the　jewels

of　Opar；　Werpe