tarzan and the jewels of opar-第5章

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As　the　last　of　the　Waziri　filed　from　the　chamber；

Tarzan　turned　back　for　a　last　glimpse　of　the　fabulous

wealth　upon　which　his　two　inroads　had　made　no

appreciable　impression。　　Before　he　extinguished　the

single　candle　he　had　brought　with　him　for　the　purpose；

and　the　flickering　light　of　which　had　cast　the　first

alleviating　rays　into　the　impenetrable　darkness　of　the

buried　chamber；　that　it　had　known　for　the　countless

ages　since　it　had　lain　forgotten　of　man；　Tarzan's　mind

reverted　to　that　first　occasion　upon　which　he　had

entered　the　treasure　vault；　coming　upon　it　by　chance　as

he　fled　from　the　pits　beneath　the　temple；　where　he　had

been　hidden　by　La；　the　High　Priestess　of　the　Sun

Worshipers。



He　recalled　the　scene　within　the　temple　when　he　had

lain　stretched　upon　the　sacrificial　altar；　while　La；

with　high…raised　dagger；　stood　above　him；　and　the　rows

of　priests　and　priestesses　awaited；　in　the　ecstatic

hysteria　of　fanaticism；　the　first　gush　of　their

victim's　warm　blood；　that　they　might　fill　their　golden

goblets　and　drink　to　the　glory　of　their　Flaming　God。



The　brutal　and　bloody　interruption　by　Tha；　the　mad

priest；　passed　vividly　before　the　ape…man's

recollective　eyes；　the　flight　of　the　votaries　before

the　insane　blood　lust　of　the　hideous　creature；　the

brutal　attack　upon　La；　and　his　own　part　of　the　grim

tragedy　when　he　had　battled　with　the　infuriated　Oparian

and　left　him　dead　at　the　feet　of　the　priestess　he　would

have　profaned。



This　and　much　more　passed　through　Tarzan's　memory　as

he　stood　gazing　at　the　long　tiers　of　dull…yellow　metal。

He　wondered　if　La　still　ruled　the　temples　of　the　ruined

city　whose　crumbling　walls　rose　upon　the　very

foundations　about　him。　　Had　she　finally　been　forced

into　a　union　with　one　of　her　grotesque　priests？

It　seemed　a　hideous　fate；　indeed；　for　one　so　beautiful。

With　a　shake　of　his　head；　Tarzan　stepped　to　the

flickering　candle；　extinguished　its　feeble　rays　and

turned　toward　the　exit。



Behind　him　the　spy　waited　for　him　to　be　gone。　　He　had

learned　the　secret　for　which　he　had　come；　and　now　he

could　return　at　his　leisure　to　his　waiting　followers；

bring　them　to　the　treasure　vault　and　carry　away　all　the

gold　that　they　could　stagger　under。



The　Waziri　had　reached　the　outer　end　of　the　tunnel；

and　were　winding　upward　toward　the　fresh　air　and　the

welcome　starlight　of　the　kopje's　summit；　before　Tarzan

shook　off　the　detaining　hand　of　reverie　and　started

slowly　after　them。



Once　again；　and；　he　thought；　for　the　last　time；　he

closed　the　massive　door　of　the　treasure　room。　　In　the

darkness　behind　him　Werper　rose　and　stretched　his

cramped　muscles。　　He　stretched　forth　a　hand　and

lovingly　caressed　a　golden　ingot　on　the　nearest　tier。

He　raised　it　from　its　immemorial　resting　place　and

weighed　it　in　his　hands。　　He　clutched　it　to　his　bosom

in　an　ecstasy　of　avarice。



Tarzan　dreamed　of　the　happy　homecoming　which　lay　before

him；　of　dear　arms　about　his　neck；　and　a　soft　cheek

pressed　to　his；　but　there　rose　to　dispel　that　dream　the

memory　of　the　old　witch…doctor　and　his　warning。



And　then；　in　the　span　of　a　few　brief　seconds；　the　hopes

of　both　these　men　were　shattered。　　The　one　forgot　even

his　greed　in　the　panic　of　terrorthe　other　was　plunged

into　total　forgetfulness　of　the　past　by　a　jagged

fragment　of　rock　which　gashed　a　deep　cut　upon　his　head。







5



The　Altar　of　the　Flaming　God





It　was　at　the　moment　that　Tarzan　turned　from　the　closed

door　to　pursue　his　way　to　the　outer　world。　　The　thing

came　without　warning。　　One　instant　all　was　quiet　and

stabilitythe　next；　and　the　world　rocked；　the　tortured

sides　of　the　narrow　passageway　split　and　crumbled；

great　blocks　of　granite；　dislodged　from　the　ceiling；

tumbled　into　the　narrow　way；　choking　it；　and　the　walls

bent　inward　upon　the　wreckage。　　Beneath　the　blow　of　a

fragment　of　the　roof；　Tarzan　staggered　back　against　the

door　to　the　treasure　room；　his　weight　pushed　it　open

and　his　body　rolled　inward　upon　the　floor。



In　the　great　apartment　where　the　treasure　lay　less

damage　was　wrought　by　the　earthquake。　　A　few　ingots

toppled　from　the　higher　tiers；　a　single　piece　of　the

rocky　ceiling　splintered　off　and　crashed　downward　to

the　floor；　and　the　walls　cracked；　though　they　did　not

collapse。



There　was　but　the　single　shock；　no　other　followed　to

complete　the　damage　undertaken　by　the　first。　　Werper；

thrown　to　his　length　by　the　suddenness　and　violence　of

the　disturbance；　staggered　to　his　feet　when　he　found

himself　unhurt。　　Groping　his　way　toward　the　far　end　of

the　chamber；　he　sought　the　candle　which　Tarzan　had　left

stuck　in　its　own　wax　upon　the　protruding　end　of　an

ingot。



By　striking　numerous　matches　the　Belgian　at　last　found

what　he　sought；　and　when；　a　moment　later；　the　sickly

rays　relieved　the　Stygian　darkness　about　him；　he

breathed　a　nervous　sigh　of　relief；　for　the　impenetrable

gloom　had　accentuated　the　terrors　of　his　situation。



As　they　became　accustomed　to　the　light　the　man　turned

his　eyes　toward　the　doorhis　one　thought　now　was　of

escape　from　this　frightful　tomband　as　he　did　so　he

saw　the　body　of　the　naked　giant　lying　stretched　upon

the　floor　just　within　the　doorway。　　Werper　drew　back　in

sudden　fear　of　detection；　but　a　second　glance　convinced

him　that　the　Englishman　was　dead。　　From　a　great　gash　in

the　man's　head　a　pool　of　blood　had　collected　upon　the

concrete　floor。



Quickly；　the　Belgian　leaped　over　the　prostrate　form　of

his　erstwhile　host；　and　without　a　thought　of　succor　for

the　man　in　whom；　for　aught　he　knew；　life　still

remained；　he　bolted　for　the　passageway　and　safety。



But　his　renewed　hopes　were　soon　dashed。　　Just　beyond

the　doorway　he　found　the　passage　completely　clogged　and

choked　by　impenetrable　masses　of　shattered　rock。

Once　more　he　turned　and　re…entered　the　treasure　vault。

Taking　the　candle　from　its　place　he　commenced　a

systematic　search　of　the　apartment；　nor　had　he　gone　far

before　he　discovered　another　door　in　the　opposite　end

of　the　room；　a　door　which　gave　upon　creaking　hinges　to

the　weight　of　his　body。　　Beyond　the　door　lay　another

narrow　passageway。　　Along　this　Werper　made　his　way；

ascending　a　flight　of　stone　steps　to　another　corridor

twenty　feet　above　the　level　of　the　first。　　The

flickering　candle　lighted　the　way　before　him；　and　a

moment　later　he　was　thankful　for　the　possession　of　this

crude　and　antiquated　luminant；　which；　a　few　hours

before　he　might　have　looked　upon　with　contempt；　for　it

showed　him；　just　in　time；　a　yawning　pit；　apparently

terminating　the　tunnel　he　was　traversing。



Before　him　was　a　circular　shaft。　　He　held　the　candle

above　it　and　peered　downward。　　Below　him；　at　a　great

distance；　he　saw　the　light　reflected　back　from　the

surface　of　a　pool　of　water。　　He　had　come　upon　a　well。

He　raised　the　candle　above　his　head　and　peered　across

the　black　void；　and　there　upon　the　opposite　side　he　saw

the　continuation　of　the　tunnel；　but　how　was　he　to　span

the　gulf？



As　he　stood　there　measuring　the　distance　to　the

opposite　side　and　wondering　if　he　dared　venture　so

great　a　leap；　there　broke　suddenly　upon　his　startled

ears　a　piercing　scream　which　diminished　gradually　until

it　ended　in　a　series　of　dismal　moans。　　The　voice　seemed

partly　human；　yet　so　hideous　that　it　might　well　have

emanated　from　the　tortured　throat　of　a　lost　soul；

writhing　in　the　fires　of　hell。



The　Belgian　shuddered　and　looked　fearfully　upward；

for　the　scream　had　seemed　to　come　from　above　him。

As　he　looked　he　saw　an　opening　far　overhead；　and　a

patch　of　sky　pinked　with　brilliant　stars。



His　half…formed　intention　to　call　for　help　was　expunged

by　the　terrifying　crywhere　such　a　voice　lived；　no

human　creatures　could　dwell。　　He　dared　not　reveal

himself　to　whatever　inhabitants　dwelt　in　the　place

above　him。　　He　cursed　himself　for　a　fool　that　he　had

ever　embarked　upon　such　a　mission。　　He　wished　himself

safely　back　in　the　camp　of　Achmet　Zek；　and　would　almost

have　embraced　an　opportunity　to　give　himself　up　to　the

military　authorities　of　the　Congo　if　by　so　doing　he

might　be　rescued　from　the　frightful　predicament　in

which　he　now　was。



He　listened　fearfully；　but　the　cry　was　not　repeated；

and　at　last　spurred　to　desperate　means；　he　gathered

himself　for　the　leap　across　the　chasm。　　Going　back

twenty　paces；　he　took　a　running　start；　and　at　the　edge

of　the　well；　leaped　upward　and　outward　in　an　attempt　to

gain　the　opposite　side。



In　his　hand　he　clutched　the　sputtering　candle；

and　as　he　took　the　leap　the　rush　of　air　extinguished　it。

In　utter　darkness　he　flew　through　space；　clutching　outward

for　a　hold　should　his　feet　miss　the　invisible　ledge。



He　struck　the　edge　of　the　door　of　the　opposite　terminus

of　the　rocky　tunnel　with　his　knees；　slipped　backward；

clutched　desperately　for　a　moment；　and　at　last　hung

half　within　and　half　without　the　opening；　but　he　was　safe。

For　several　minutes　he　dared　not　move；　but

clung；　weak　and　sweating；　where　he　lay。　　At　last；

cautiously；　he　drew　himself　well　within　the　tunnel；

and　again　he　lay　at　full　length　upon　the　floor；

fighting　to　regain　control　of　his　shattered　nerves。



When　his　knees　struck　the　edge　of　the　tunnel　he　had

dropped　the　candle。　　Presently；　hoping　against　hope

that　it　had　fallen　upon　the　floor　of　the　passageway；

rather　than　back　into　the　depths　of　the　well；　he　rose

upon　all　fours　and　commenced　a　diligent　search　for　the

little　tallow　cylinder；　which　now　seemed　infinitely

more　precious　to　him　than　all　the　fabulous　wealth　of

the　hoarded　ingots　of　Opar。



And　when；　at　last；　he　found　it；　he　clasped　it　to　him

and　sank　back　sobbing　and　exhausted。　　For　many　minutes

he　lay　trembling　and　broken；　but　finally　he　drew

himself　to　a　sitting　posture；　and　taking　a　match　from

his　pocket；　lighted　the　stump　of　the　candle　which

remained　to　him。　　With　the　light　he　found　it　easier　to

regain　control　of　his　nerves；　and　presently　he　was

again　making　his　way　along　the　tunnel　in　search　of　an

avenue　of　escape。　　The　horrid　cry　that　had　come　down　to

him　from　above　through　the　ancient　well…shaft　still

haunted　him；　so　that　he　trembled　in　terror　at　even　the

sounds　of　his　own　cautious　advance。



He　had　gone　forward　but　a　short　distance；　when；　to　his

chagrin；　a　wall　of　masonry　barred　his　farther　progress；

closing　the　tunnel　completely　from　top　to　bottom　and

from　side　to　side。　　What　could　it　mean？　　Werper　was　an

educated　and　intelligent　man。　　His　military　training

had　taught　him　to　use　his　mind　for　the　purpose　for

which　it　was　intended。　　A　blind　tunnel　such　as　this　was

senseless。　　It　must　continue　beyond　the　wall。　　Someone；

at　some　time　in　the　past；　had　had　it　blocked　for　an

unknown　purpose　of　his　own。　　The　man　fell　to　examining

the　masonry　by　the　light　of　his　candle。　　To　his　delight

he　discovered　that　the　thin　blocks　of　hewn　stone　of

which　it　was　constructed