tarzan the terrible-第20部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

g　of　hunger；　unslung　his　bow　and　selecting　a　handful　of　arrows　set　forth　cautiously　in　search　of　food；　evidence　of　the　near　presence　of　which　was　being　borne　up　to　him　by　a　breeze　from　down　river。

Ten　minutes　later　he　had　made　his　kill；　again　one　of　the　Pal…ul…don　specimens　of　antelope；　all　species　of　which　Tarzan　had　known　since　childhood　as　Bara；　the　deer；　since　in　the　little　primer　that　had　been　the　basis　of　his　education　the　picture　of　a　deer　had　been　the　nearest　approach　to　the　likeness　of　the　antelope；　from　the　giant　eland　to　the　smaller　bushbuck　of　the　hunting　grounds　of　his　youth。

Cutting　off　a　haunch　he　cached　it　in　a　nearby　tree；　and　throwing　the　balance　of　the　carcass　across　his　shoulder　trotted　back　toward　the　spot　at　which　he　had　left　the　gryf。　The　great　beast　was　just　emerging　from　the　river　when　Tarzan；　seeing　it；　issued　the　weird　cry　of　the　Tor…o…don。　The　creature　looked　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　voicing　at　the　same　time　the　low　rumble　with　which　it　answered　the　call　of　its　master。　Twice　Tarzan　repeated　his　cry　before　the　beast　moved　slowly　toward　him；　and　when　it　had　come　within　a　few　paces　he　tossed　the　carcass　of　the　deer　to　it；　upon　which　it　fell　with　greedy　jaws。

〃If　anything　will　keep　it　within　call；〃　mused　the　ape…man　as　he　returned　to　the　tree　in　which　he　had　cached　his　own　portion　of　his　kill；　〃it　is　the　knowledge　that　I　will　feed　it。〃　But　as　he　finished　his　repast　and　settled　himself　comfortably　for　the　night　high　among　the　swaying　branches　of　his　eyrie　he　had　little　confidence　that　he　would　ride　into　A…lur　the　following　day　upon　his　prehistoric　steed。

When　Tarzan　awoke　early　the　following　morning　he　dropped　lightly　to　the　ground　and　made　his　way　to　the　stream。　Removing　his　weapons　and　loin　cloth　he　entered　the　cold　waters　of　the　little　pool；　and　after　his　refreshing　bath　returned　to　the　tree　to　breakfast　upon　another　portion　of　Bara；　the　deer；　adding　to　his　repast　some　fruits　and　berries　which　grew　in　abundance　nearby。

His　meal　over　he　sought　the　ground　again　and　raising　his　voice　in　the　weird　cry　that　he　had　learned；　he　called　aloud　on　the　chance　of　attracting　the　gryf；　but　though　he　waited　for　some　time　and　continued　calling　there　was　no　response；　and　he　was　finally　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　he　had　seen　the　last　of　his　great　mount　of　the　preceding　day。

And　so　he　set　his　face　toward　A…lur；　pinning　his　faith　upon　his　knowledge　of　the　Ho…don　tongue；　his　great　strength　and　his　native　wit。

Refreshed　by　food　and　rest；　the　journey　toward　A…lur；　made　in　the　cool　of　the　morning　along　the　bank　of　the　joyous　river；　he　found　delightful　in　the　extreme。　Differentiating　him　from　his　fellows　of　the　savage　jungle　were　many　characteristics　other　than　those　physical　and　mental。　Not　the　least　of　these　were　in　a　measure　spiritual；　and　one　that　had　doubtless　been　as　strong　as　another　in　influencing　Tarzan's　love　of　the　jungle　had　been　his　appreciation　of　the　beauties　of　nature。　The　apes　cared　more　for　a　grubworm　in　a　rotten　log　than　for　all　the　majestic　grandeur　of　the　forest　giants　waving　above　them。　The　only　beauties　that　Numa　acknowledged　were　those　of　his　own　person　as　he　paraded　them　before　the　admiring　eyes　of　his　mate；　but　in　all　the　manifestations　of　the　creative　power　of　nature　of　which　Tarzan　was　cognizant　he　appreciated　the　beauties。

As　Tarzan　neared　the　city　his　interest　became　centered　upon　the　architecture　of　the　outlying　buildings　which　were　hewn　from　the　chalklike　limestone　of　what　had　once　been　a　group　of　low　hills；　similar　to　the　many　grass…covered　hillocks　that　dotted　the　valley　in　every　direction。　Ta…den's　explanation　of　the　Ho…don　methods　of　house　construction　accounted　for　the　ofttimes　remarkable　shapes　and　proportions　of　the　buildings　which；　during　the　ages　that　must　have　been　required　for　their　construction；　had　been　hewn　from　the　limestone　hills；　the　exteriors　chiseled　to　such　architectural　forms　as　appealed　to　the　eyes　of　the　builders　while　at　the　same　time　following　roughly　the　original　outlines　of　the　hills　in　an　evident　desire　to　economize　both　labor　and　space。　The　excavation　of　the　apartments　within　had　been　similarly　governed　by　necessity。

As　he　came　nearer　Tarzan　saw　that　the　waste　material　from　these　building　operations　had　been　utilized　in　the　construction　of　outer　walls　about　each　building　or　group　of　buildings　resulting　from　a　single　hillock；　and　later　he　was　to　learn　that　it　had　also　been　used　for　the　filling　of　inequalities　between　the　hills　and　the　forming　of　paved　streets　throughout　the　city；　the　result；　possibly；　more　of　the　adoption　of　an　easy　method　of　disposing　of　the　quantities　of　broken　limestone　than　by　any　real　necessity　for　pavements。

There　were　people　moving　about　within　the　city　and　upon　the　narrow　ledges　and　terraces　that　broke　the　lines　of　the　buildings　and　which　seemed　to　be　a　peculiarity　of　Ho…don　architecture；　a　concession；　no　doubt；　to　some　inherent　instinct　that　might　be　traced　back　to　their　early　cliff…dwelling　progenitors。

Tarzan　was　not　surprised　that　at　a　short　distance　he　aroused　no　suspicion　or　curiosity　in　the　minds　of　those　who　saw　him；　since；　until　closer　scrutiny　was　possible；　there　was　little　to　distinguish　him　from　a　native　either　in　his　general　conformation　or　his　color。　He　had；　of　course；　formulated　a　plan　of　action　and；　having　decided；　he　did　not　hesitate　in　the　carrying　out　his　plan。

With　the　same　assurance　that　you　might　venture　upon　the　main　street　of　a　neighboring　city　Tarzan　strode　into　the　Ho…don　city　of　A…lur。　The　first　person　to　detect　his　spuriousness　was　a　little　child　playing　in　the　arched　gateway　of　one　of　the　walled　buildings。　〃No　tail！　no　tail！〃　it　shouted；　throwing　a　stone　at　him；　and　then　it　suddenly　grew　dumb　and　its　eyes　wide　as　it　sensed　that　this　creature　was　something　other　than　a　mere　Ho…don　warrior　who　had　lost　his　tail。　With　a　gasp　the　child　turned　and　fled　screaming　into　the　courtyard　of　its　home。

Tarzan　continued　on　his　way；　fully　realizing　that　the　moment　was　imminent　when　the　fate　of　his　plan　would　be　decided。　Nor　had　he　long　to　wait　since　at　the　next　turning　of　the　winding　street　he　came　face　to　face　with　a　Ho…don　warrior。　He　saw　the　sudden　surprise　in　the　latter's　eyes；　followed　instantly　by　one　of　suspicion；　but　before　the　fellow　could　speak　Tarzan　addressed　him。

〃I　am　a　stranger　from　another　land；〃　he　said；　〃I　would　speak　with　Ko…tan；　your　king。〃

The　fellow　stepped　back；　laying　his　hand　upon　his　knife。　〃There　are　no　strangers　that　come　to　the　gates　of　A…lur；〃　he　said；　〃other　than　as　enemies　or　slaves。〃

〃I　come　neither　as　a　slave　nor　an　enemy；〃　replied　Tarzan。　〃I　come　directly　from　Jad…ben…Otho。　Look！〃　and　he　held　out　his　hands　that　the　Ho…don　might　see　how　greatly　they　differed　from　his　own；　and　then　wheeled　about　that　the　other　might　see　that　he　was　tailless；　for　it　was　upon　this　fact　that　his　plan　had　been　based；　due　to　his　recollection　of　the　quarrel　between　Ta…den　and　Om…at；　in　which　the　Waz…don　had　claimed　that　Jad…ben…Otho　had　a　long　tail　while　the　Ho…don　had　been　equally　willing　to　fight　for　his　faith　in　the　taillessness　of　his　god。

The　warrior's　eyes　widened　and　an　expression　of　awe　crept　into　them；　though　it　was　still　tinged　with　suspicion。　〃Jad…ben…Otho！〃　he　murmured；　and　then；　〃It　is　true　that　you　are　neither　Ho…don　nor　Waz…don；　and　it　is　also　true　that　Jad…ben…Otho　has　no　tail。　Come；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　take　you　to　Ko…tan；　for　this　is　a　matter　in　which　no　common　warrior　may　interfere。　Follow　me；〃　and　still　clutching　the　handle　of　his　knife　and　keeping　a　wary　side　glance　upon　the　ape…man　he　led　the　way　through　A…lur。

The　city　covered　a　large　area。　Sometimes　there　was　a　considerable　distance　between　groups　of　buildings；　and　again　they　were　quite　close　together。　There　were　numerous　imposing　groups；　evidently　hewn　from　the　larger　hills；　often　rising　to　a　height　of　a　hundred　feet　or　more。　As　they　advanced　they　met　numerous　warriors　and　women；　all　of　whom　showed　great　curiosity　in　the　stranger；　but　there　was　no　attempt　to　menace　him　when　it　was　found　that　he　was　being　conducted　to　the　palace　of　the　king。

They　came　at　last　to　a　great　pile　that　sprawled　over　a　considerable　area；　its　western　front　facing　upon　a　large　blue　lake　and　evidently　hewn　from　what　had　once　been　a　natural　cliff。　This　group　of　buildings　was　surrounded　by　a　wall　of　considerably　greater　height　than　any　that　Tarzan　had　before　seen。　His　guide　led　him　to　a　gateway　before　which　waited　a　dozen　or　more　warriors　who　had　risen　to　their　feet　and　formed　a　barrier　across　the　entrance…way　as　Tarzan　and　his　party　appeared　around　the　corner　of　the　palace　wall；　for　by　this　time　he　had　accumulated　such　a　following　of　the　curious　as　presented　to　the　guards　the　appearance　of　a　formidable　mob。

The　guide's　story　told；　Tarzan　was　conducted　into　the　courtyard　where　he　was　held　while　one　of　the　warriors　entered　the　palace；　evidently　with　the　intention　of　notifying　Ko…tan。　Fifteen　minutes　later　a　large　warrior　appeared；　followed　by　several　others；　all　of　whom　examined　Tarzan　with　every　sign　of　curiosity　as　they　approached。

The　leader　of　the　party　halted　before　the　ape…man。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked；　〃and　what　do　you　want　of　Ko…tan；　the　king？〃

〃I　am　a　friend；〃　replied　the　ape…man；　〃and　I　have　come　from　the　coun