tarzan and the jewels of opar-第9章

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Tarzan　many　times。



In　answer　to　her　cry　a　babel　of　voices　broke　from　the

surrounding　chambers　and　corridors。



〃Come；　Guardian　Priests！〃　she　cried。　　〃The　infidels

have　profaned　the　holiest　of　the　holies。　　Come！　　Strike

terror　to　their　hearts；　defend　La　and　her　altar；　wash

clean　the　temple　with　the　blood　of　the　polluters。〃



Tarzan　understood；　though　Werper　did　not。　　The　former

glanced　at　the　Belgian　and　saw　that　he　was　unarmed。

Stepping　quickly　to　La's　side　the　ape…man　seized　her　in

his　strong　arms　and　though　she　fought　with　all　the　mad

savagery　of　a　demon；　he　soon　disarmed　her；　handing　her

long；　sacrificial　knife　to　Werper。



〃You　will　need　this；〃　he　said；　and　then　from　each

doorway　a　horde　of　the　monstrous；　little　men　of　Opar

streamed　into　the　temple。



They　were　armed　with　bludgeons　and　knives；　and

fortified　in　their　courage　by　fanatical　hate　and

frenzy。　　Werper　was　terrified。　　Tarzan　stood　eyeing　the

foe　in　proud　disdain。　Slowly　he　advanced　toward　the

exit　he　had　chosen　to　utilize　in　making　his　way　from

the　temple。　　A　burly　priest　barred　his　way。　　Behind　the

first　was　a　score　of　others。　　Tarzan　swung　his　heavy

spear；　clublike；　down　upon　the　skull　of　the　priest。

The　fellow　collapsed；　his　head　crushed。



Again　and　again　the　weapon　fell　as　Tarzan　made　his　way

slowly　toward　the　doorway。　　Werper　pressed　close

behind；　casting　backward　glances　toward　the　shrieking；

dancing　mob　menacing　their　rear。　　He　held　the

sacrificial　knife　ready　to　strike　whoever　might　come

within　its　reach；　but　none　came。　　For　a　time　he

wondered　that　they　should　so　bravely　battle　with　the

giant　ape…man；　yet　hesitate　to　rush　upon　him；　who　was

relatively　so　weak。　　Had　they　done　so　he　knew　that　he

must　have　fallen　at　the　first　charge。　　Tarzan　had

reached　the　doorway　over　the　corpses　of　all　that　had

stood　to　dispute　his　way；　before　Werper　guessed　at　the

reason　for　his　immunity。　　The　priests　feared　the

sacrificial　knife！　　Willingly　would　they　face　death　and

welcome　it　if　it　came　while　they　defended　their　High

Priestess　and　her　altar；　but　evidently　there　were

deaths；　and　deaths。　　Some　strange　superstition　must

surround　that　polished　blade；　that　no　Oparian　cared　to

chance　a　death　thrust　from　it；　yet　gladly　rushed　to　the

slaughter　of　the　ape…man's　flaying　spear。



Once　outside　the　temple　court；　Werper　communicated　his

discovery　to　Tarzan。　　The　ape…man　grinned；　and　let

Werper　go　before　him；　brandishing　the　jeweled　and　holy

weapon。　　Like　leaves　before　a　gale；　the　Oparians

scattered　in　all　directions　and　Tarzan　and　the　Belgian

found　a　clear　passage　through　the　corridors　and

chambers　of　the　ancient　temple。



The　Belgian's　eyes　went　wide　as　they　passed　through　the

room　of　the　seven　pillars　of　solid　gold。　　With　ill…concealed

avarice　he　looked　upon　the　age…old；　golden　tablets

set　in　the　walls　of　nearly　every　room　and　down

the　sides　of　many　of　the　corridors。　　To　the　ape…man　all

this　wealth　appeared　to　mean　nothing。



On　the　two　went；　chance　leading　them　toward　the　broad

avenue　which　lay　between　the　stately　piles　of　the

half…ruined　edifices　and　the　inner　wall　of　the　city。

Great　apes　jabbered　at　them　and　menaced　them；　but　Tarzan

answered　them　after　their　own　kind；　giving　back　taunt

for　taunt；　insult　for　insult；　challenge　for　challenge。



Werper　saw　a　hairy　bull　swing　down　from　a　broken　column

and　advance；　stiff…legged　and　bristling；　toward　the

naked　giant。　　The　yellow　fangs　were　bared；　angry　snarls

and　barkings　rumbled　threateningly　through　the　thick

and　hanging　lips。



The　Belgian　watched　his　companion。　　To　his　horror；　he

saw　the　man　stoop　until　his　closed　knuckles　rested　upon

the　ground　as　did　those　of　the　anthropoid。　　He　saw　him

circle；　stiff…legged　about　the　circling　ape。　　He　heard

the　same　bestial　barkings　and　growlings　issue　from　the

human　throat　that　were　coming　from　the　mouth　of　the

brute。　　Had　his　eyes　been　closed　he　could　not　have

known　but　that　two　giant　apes　were　bridling　for　combat。



But　there　was　no　battle。　　It　ended　as　the　majority　of

such　jungle　encounters　endone　of　the　boasters　loses

his　nerve；　and　becomes　suddenly　interested　in　a　blowing

leaf；　a　beetle；　or　the　lice　upon　his　hairy　stomach。



In　this　instance　it　was　the　anthropoid　that　retired　in

stiff　dignity　to　inspect　an　unhappy　caterpillar；　which

he　presently　devoured。　　For　a　moment　Tarzan　seemed

inclined　to　pursue　the　argument。　　He　swaggered

truculently；　stuck　out　his　chest；　roared　and　advanced

closer　to　the　bull。　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　Werper

finally　persuaded　him　to　leave　well　enough　alone　and

continue　his　way　from　the　ancient　city　of　the　Sun

Worshipers。



The　two　searched　for　nearly　an　hour　before　they　found

the　narrow　exit　through　the　inner　wall。　　From　there　the

well…worn　trail　led　them　beyond　the　outer　fortification

to　the　desolate　valley　of　Opar。



Tarzan　had　no　idea；　in　so　far　as　Werper　could　discover；

as　to　where　he　was　or　whence　he　came。　　He　wandered

aimlessly　about；　searching　for　food；　which　he

discovered　beneath　small　rocks；　or　hiding　in　the　shade

of　the　scant　brush　which　dotted　the　ground。



The　Belgian　was　horrified　by　the　hideous　menu　of　his

companion。　　Beetles；　rodents　and　caterpillars　were

devoured　with　seeming　relish。　　Tarzan　was　indeed　an　ape

again。



At　last　Werper　succeeded　in　leading　his　companion

toward　the　distant　hills　which　mark　the　northwestern

boundary　of　the　valley；　and　together　the　two　set　out　in

the　direction　of　the　Greystoke　bungalow。



What　purpose　prompted　the　Belgian　in　leading　the　victim

of　his　treachery　and　greed　back　toward　his　former　home

it　is　difficult　to　guess；　unless　it　was　that　without

Tarzan　there　could　be　no　ransom　for　Tarzan's　wife。



That　night　they　camped　in　the　valley　beyond　the　hills；

and　as　they　sat　before　a　little　fire　where　cooked　a

wild　pig　that　had　fallen　to　one　of　Tarzan's　arrows；　the

latter　sat　lost　in　speculation。　　He　seemed　continually

to　be　trying　to　grasp　some　mental　image　which　as

constantly　eluded　him。



At　last　he　opened　the　leathern　pouch　which　hung　at　his

side。　　From　it　he　poured　into　the　palm　of　his　hand　a

quantity　of　glittering　gems。　　The　firelight　playing

upon　them　conjured　a　multitude　of　scintillating　rays；

and　as　the　wide　eyes　of　the　Belgian　looked　on　in　rapt

fascination；　the　man's　expression　at　last　acknowledged

a　tangible　purpose　in　courting　the　society　of　the　ape…man。







9



The　Theft　of　the　Jewels





For　two　days　Werper　sought　for　the　party　that　had

accompanied　him　from　the　camp　to　the　barrier　cliffs；

but　not　until　late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　second　day

did　he　find　clew　to　its　whereabouts；　and　then　in　such

gruesome　form　that　he　was　totally　unnerved　by　the

sight。



In　an　open　glade　he　came　upon　the　bodies　of　three　of

the　blacks；　terribly　mutilated；　nor　did　it　require

considerable　deductive　power　to　explain　their　murder。

Of　the　little　party　only　these　three　had　not　been

slaves。　　The　others；　evidently　tempted　to　hope　for

freedom　from　their　cruel　Arab　master；　had　taken

advantage　of　their　separation　from　the　main　camp；　to

slay　the　three　representatives　of　the　hated　power　which

held　them　in　slavery；　and　vanish　into　the　jungle。



Cold　sweat　exuded　from　Werper's　forehead　as　he

contemplated　the　fate　which　chance　had　permitted　him　to

escape；　for　had　he　been　present　when　the　conspiracy

bore　fruit；　he；　too；　must　have　been　of　the　garnered。



Tarzan　showed　not　the　slightest　surprise　or　interest　in

the　discovery。　　Inherent　in　him　was　a　calloused

familiarity　with　violent　death。　　The　refinements　of　his

recent　civilization　expunged　by　the　force　of　the　sad

calamity　which　had　befallen　him；　left　only　the

primitive　sensibilities　which　his　childhood's　training

had　imprinted　indelibly　upon　the　fabric　of　his　mind。



The　training　of　Kala；　the　examples　and　precepts　of

Kerchak；　of　Tublat；　and　of　Terkoz　now　formed　the　basis

of　his　every　thought　and　action。　　He　retained　a

mechanical　knowledge　of　French　and　English　speech。

Werper　had　spoken　to　him　in　French；　and　Tarzan　had

replied　in　the　same　tongue　without　conscious

realization　that　he　had　departed　from　the　anthropoidal

speech　in　which　he　had　addressed　La。　　Had　Werper　used

English；　the　result　would　have　been　the　same。



Again；　that　night；　as　the　two　sat　before　their　camp

fire；　Tarzan　played　with　his　shining　baubles。　　Werper

asked　him　what　they　were　and　where　he　had　found　them。

The　ape…man　replied　that　they　were　gay…colored　stones；

with　which　he　purposed　fashioning　a　necklace；　and　that

he　had　found　them　far　beneath　the　sacrificial　court　of

the　temple　of　the　Flaming　God。



Werper　was　relieved　to　find　that　Tarzan　had　no

conception　of　the　value　of　the　gems。　　This　would　make

it　easier　for　the　Belgian　to　obtain　possession　of　them。

Possibly　the　man　would　give　them　to　him　for　the　asking。

Werper　reached　out　his　hand　toward　the　little　pile　that

Tarzan　had　arranged　upon　a　piece　of　flat　wood　before

him。



〃Let　me　see　them；〃　said　the　Belgian。



Tarzan　placed　a　large　palm　over　his　treasure。　　He　bared

his　fighting　fangs；　and　growled。　　Werper　withdrew　his

hand　more　quickly　than　he　had　advanced　it。　　Tarzan

resumed　his　playing　with　the　gems；　and　his　conversation

with　Werper　as　though　nothing　unusual　had　occurred。

He　had　but　exhibited　the　beast's　jealous　protective

instinct　for　a　possession。　　When　he　killed　he　shared

the　meat　with　Werper；　but　had　Werper　ever；　by　accident；

laid　a　hand　upon　Tarzan's　share；　he　would　have　aroused

the　same　savage；　and　resentful　warning。



From　that　occurrence　dated　the　beginning　of　a　great

fear　in　the　breast　of　the　Belgian　for　his　savage

companion。　　He　had　never　understood　the　transformation

that　had　been　wrought　in　Tarzan　by　the　blow　upon　his

head；　other　than　to　attribute　it　to　a　form　of　amnesia。

That　Tarzan　had　once　been；　in　truth；　a　savage；　jungle

beast；　Werper　had　not　known；　and　so；　of　course；　he

could　not　guess　that　the　man　had　reverted　to　the　state

in　which　his　childhood　and　young　manhood　had　been

spent。



Now　Werper　saw　in　the　Englishman　a　dangerous　maniac；

whom　the　slightest　untoward　accident　might　turn　upon

him　with　rending　fangs。　　Not　for　a　moment　did　Werper

attempt　to　delude　himself　into　the　belief　that　he　could

defend　himself　successfully　against　an　attack　by　the

ape…man。　　His　one　hope　lay　in　eluding　him；　and　making

for　the　far　distant　camp　of　Achmet　Zek　as　rapidly　as　he

could；　but　armed　only　with　the　sacrificial　knife；

Werper　shrank　from　attempting　the　journey　through　the

jungle。　　Tarzan　constituted　a　protection　that　was　by　no

means　despicable；　even　in　the　face　of　the　larger

carnivora；　as　Werper　had　reason　to　acknowledge　from　the

evidence　he　had　witnessed　in　the　Oparian　temple。



Too；　Werper　had　his　covetous　soul　set　upon　the　pouch　of

gems；　and　so　he　was　torn　between　the　various　emotions

of　avarice