the son of tarzan-第27部分

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！



〃Since　I　was　a　little　girl；　many；　many　years　ago；　and　Korak　came　and　took　me　from　my　father　who　was　beating　me。　　Since　then　I　have　lived　in　the　trees　with　Korak　and　A'ht。〃

〃Where　in　the　jungle　lives　Korak？〃　asked　the　stranger。

Meriem　pointed　with　a　sweep　of　her　hand　that　took　in；　generously；　half　the　continent　of　Africa。

〃Could　you　find　your　way　back　to　him？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　replied；　〃but　he　will　find　his　way　to　me。〃

〃Then　I　have　a　plan；〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃I　live　but　a　few　marches　from　here。　　I　shall　take　you　home　where　my　wife　will　look　after　you　and　care　for　you　until　we　can　find　Korak　or　Korak　finds　us。　　If　he　could　find　you　here　he　can　find　you　at　my　village。　Is　it　not　so？〃

Meriem　thought　that　it　was　so；　but　she　did　not　like　the　idea　of　not　starting　immediately　back　to　meet　Korak。　　On　the　other　hand　the　man　had　no　intention　of　permitting　this　poor；　insane　child　to　wander　further　amidst　the　dangers　of　the　jungle。　　From　whence　she　had　come；　or　what　she　had　undergone　he　could　not　guess；　but　that　her　Korak　and　their　life　among　the　apes　was　but　a　figment　of　a　disordered　mind　he　could　not　doubt。　　He　knew　the　jungle　well；　and　he　knew　that　men　have　lived　alone　and　naked　among　the　savage　beasts　for　years；　but　a　frail　and　slender　girl！　　No；　it　was　not　possible。

Together　they　went　outside。　　Malbihn's　boys　were　striking　camp　in　preparation　for　a　hasty　departure。　　The　stranger's　blacks　were　conversing　with　them。　　Malbihn　stood　at　a　distance；　angry　and　glowering。　　The　stranger　approached　one　of　his　own　men。

〃Find　out　where　they　got　this　girl；〃　he　commanded。

The　Negro　thus　addressed　questioned　one　of　Malbihn's　followers。　　Presently　he　returned　to　his　master。

〃They　bought　her　from　old　Kovudoo；〃　he　said。　　〃That　is　all　that　this　fellow　will　tell　me。　　He　pretends　that　he　knows　nothing　more；　and　I　guess　that　he　does　not。　　These　two　white　men　were　very　bad　men。　　They　did　many　things　that　their　boys　knew　not　the　meanings　of。　　It　would　be　well；　Bwana；　to　kill　the　other。〃

〃I　wish　that　I　might；　but　a　new　law　is　come　into　this　part　of　the　jungle。　　It　is　not　as　it　was　in　the　old　days；　Muviri；〃　replied　the　master。

The　stranger　remained　until　Malbihn　and　his　safari　had　disappeared　into　the　jungle　toward　the　north。　　Meriem；　trustful　now；　stood　at　his　side；　Geeka　clutched　in　one　slim；　brown　hand。　　They　talked　together；　the　man　wondering　at　the　faltering　Arabic　of　the　girl；　but　attributing　it　finally　to　her　defective　mentality。　　Could　he　have　known　that　years　had　elapsed　since　she　had　used　it　until　she　was　taken　by　the　Swedes　he　would　not　have　wondered　that　she　had　half　forgotten　it。　　There　was　yet　another　reason　why　the　language　of　The　Sheik　had　thus　readily　eluded　her；　but　of　that　reason　she　herself　could　not　have　guessed　the　truth　any　better　than　could　the　man。

He　tried　to　persuade　her　to　return　with　him　to　his　〃village〃　as　he　called　it；　or　douar；　in　Arabic；　but　she　was　insistent　upon　searching　immediately　for　Korak。　　As　a　last　resort　he　determined　to　take　her　with　him　by　force　rather　than　sacrifice　her　life　to　the　insane　hallucination　which　haunted　her；　but；　being　a　wise　man；　he　determined　to　humor　her　first　and　then　attempt　to　lead　her　as　he　would　have　her　go。　　So　when　they　took　up　their　march　it　was　in　the　direction　of　the　south；　though　his　own　ranch　lay　almost　due　east。

By　degrees　he　turned　the　direction　of　their　way　more　and　more　eastward；　and　greatly　was　he　pleased　to　note　that　the　girl　failed　to　discover　that　any　change　was　being　made。　　Little　by　little　she　became　more　trusting。　　At　first　she　had　had　but　her　intuition　to　guide　her　belief　that　this　big　Tarmangani　meant　her　no　harm；　but　as　the　days　passed　and　she　saw　that　his　kindness　and　consideration　never　faltered　she　came　to　compare　him　with　Korak；　and　to　be　very　fond　of　him；　but　never　did　her　loyalty　to　her　apeman　flag。

On　the　fifth　day　they　came　suddenly　upon　a　great　plain　and　from　the　edge　of　the　forest　the　girl　saw　in　the　distance　fenced　fields　and　many　buildings。　　At　the　sight　she　drew　back　in　astonishment。

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked；　pointing。

〃We　could　not　find　Korak；〃　replied　the　man；　〃and　as　our　way　led　near　my　douar　I　have　brought　you　here　to　wait　and　rest　with　my　wife　until　my　men　can　find　your　ape；　or　he　finds　you。　It　is　better　thus；　little　one。　　You　will　be　safer　with　us；　and　you　will　be　happier。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　Bwana；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃In　thy　douar　they　will　beat　me　as　did　The　Sheik；　my　father。　　Let　me　go　back　into　the　jungle。　　There　Korak　will　find　me。　　He　would　not　think　to　look　for　me　in　the　douar　of　a　white　man。〃

〃No　one　will　beat　you；　child；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃I　have　not　done　so；　have　I？　　Well；　here　all　belong　to　me。　　They　will　treat　you　well。　　Here　no　one　is　beaten。　　My　wife　will　be　very　good　to　you；　and　at　last　Korak　will　come；　for　I　shall　send　men　to　search　for　him。〃

The　girl　shook　her　head。　　〃They　could　not　bring　him；　for　he　would　kill　them；　as　all　men　have　tried　to　kill　him。　　I　am　afraid。　Let　me　go；　Bwana。〃

〃You　do　not　know　the　way　to　your　own　country。　　You　would　be　lost。　　The　leopards　or　the　lions　would　get　you　the　first　night；　and　after　all　you　would　not　find　your　Korak。　　It　is　better　that　you　stay　with　us。　　Did　I　not　save　you　from　the　bad　man？　　Do　you　not　owe　me　something　for　that？　　Well；　then　remain　with　us　for　a　few　weeks　at　least　until　we　can　determine　what　is　best　for　you。　　You　are　only　a　little　girlit　would　be　wicked　to　permit　you　to　go　alone　into　the　jungle。〃

Meriem　laughed。　　〃The　jungle；〃　she　said；　〃is　my　father　and　my　mother。　　It　has　been　kinder　to　me　than　have　men。　　I　am　not　afraid　of　the　jungle。　　Nor　am　I　afraid　of　the　leopard　or　the　lion。　When　my　time　comes　I　shall　die。　　It　may　be　that　a　leopard　or　a　lion　shall　kill　me；　or　it　may　be　a　tiny　bug　no　bigger　than　the　end　of　my　littlest　finger。　　When　the　lion　leaps　upon　me；　or　the　little　bug　stings　me　I　shall　be　afraidoh；　then　I　shall　be　terribly　afraid；　I　know；　but　life　would　be　very　miserable　indeed　were　I　to　spend　it　in　terror　of　the　thing　that　has　not　yet　happened。　　If　it　be　the　lion　my　terror　shall　be　short　of　life；　but　if　it　be　the　little　bug　I　may　suffer　for　days　before　I　die。　　And　so　I　fear　the　lion　least　of　all。　　He　is　great　and　noisy。　　I　can　hear　him；　or　see　him；　or　smell　him　in　time　to　escape；　but　any　moment　I　may　place　a　hand　or　foot　on　the　little　bug；　and　never　know　that　he　is　there　until　I　feel　his　deadly　sting。　　No；　I　do　not　fear　the　jungle。　　I　love　it。　　I　should　rather　die　than　leave　it　forever；　but　your　douar　is　close　beside　the　jungle。　　You　have　been　good　to　me。　　I　will　do　as　you　wish；　and　remain　here　for　a　while　to　wait　the　coming　of　my　Korak。〃

〃Good！〃　said　the　man；　and　he　led　the　way　down　toward　the　flower…covered　bungalow　behind　which　lay　the　barns　and　out…　houses　of　a　well…ordered　African　farm。

As　they　came　nearer　a　dozen　dogs　ran　barking　toward　them　gaunt　wolf　hounds；　a　huge　great　Dane；　a　nimble…footed　collie　and　a　number　of　yapping；　quarrelsome　fox　terriers。　　At　first　their　appearance　was　savage　and　unfriendly　in　the　extreme；　but　once　they　recognized　the　foremost　black　warriors；　and　the　white　man　behind　them　their　attitude　underwent　a　remarkable　change。　　The　collie　and　the　fox　terriers　became　frantic　with　delirious　joy；　and　while　the　wolf　hounds　and　the　great　Dane　were　not　a　whit　less　delighted　at　the　return　of　their　master　their　greetings　were　of　a　more　dignified　nature。　　Each　in　turn　sniffed　at　Meriem　who　displayed　not　the　slightest　fear　of　any　of　them。

The　wolf　hounds　bristled　and　growled　at　the　scent　of　wild　beasts　that　clung　to　her　garment；　but　when　she　laid　her　hand　upon　their　heads　and　her　soft　voice　murmured　caressingly　they　half…closed　their　eyes；　lifting　their　upper　lips　in　contented　canine　smiles。　　The　man　was　watching　them　and　he　too　smiled；　for　it　was　seldom　that　these　savage　brutes　took　thus　kindly　to　strangers。　　It　was　as　though　in　some　subtile　way　the　girl　had　breathed　a　message　of　kindred　savagery　to　their　savage　hearts。

With　her　slim　fingers　grasping　the　collar　of　a　wolf　hound　upon　either　side　of　her　Meriem　walked　on　toward　the　bungalow　upon　the　porch　of　which　a　woman　dressed　in　white　waved　a　welcome　to　her　returning　lord。　　There　was　more　fear　in　the　girl's　eyes　now　than　there　had　been　in　the　presence　of　strange　men　or　savage　beasts。　　She　hesitated；　turning　an　appealing　glance　toward　the　man。

〃This　is　my　wife；〃　he　said。　　〃She　will　be　glad　to　welcome　you。〃

The　woman　came　down　the　path　to　meet　them。　　The　man　kissed　her；　and　turning　toward　Meriem　introduced　them；　speaking　in　the　Arab　tongue　the　girl　understood。

〃This　is　Meriem；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　and　he　told　the　story　of　the　jungle　waif　in　so　far　as　he　knew　it。

Meriem　saw　that　the　woman　was　beautiful。　　She　saw　that　sweetness　and　goodness　were　stamped　indelibly　upon　her　countenance。　　She　no　longer　feared　her；　and　when　her　brief　story　had　been　narrated　and　the　woman　came　and　put　her　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her　and　called　her　〃poor　little　darling〃　something　snapped　in　Meriem's　little　heart。　　She　buried　her　face　on　the　bosom　of　this　new　friend　in　whose　voice　was　the　mother　tone　that　Meriem　had　not　heard　for　so　many　years　that　she　had　forgotten　its　very　existence。　　She　buried　her　face　on　the　kindly　bosom　and　wept　as　she　had　not　wept　before　in　all　her　lifetears　of　relief　and　joy　that　she　could　not　fathom。

And　so　came　Meriem；　the　savage　little　Mangani；　out　of　her　beloved　jungle　into　the　midst　of　a　home　of　culture　and　refinement。　　Already　〃Bwana〃　and　〃My　Dear；〃　as　she　first　heard　them　called　and　continued　to　call　them；　were　as　father　and　mother　to　her。　　Once　her　savage　fears　allayed；　she　went　to　the　opposite　extreme　of　trustfulness　and　love。　　Now　she　was　willing　to　wait　here　until　they　found　Korak；　or　Korak　found　her。　　She　did　not　give　up　that　thoughtKorak；　her　Korak　always　was　first。




Chapter　15

And　out　in　the　jungle；　far　away；　Korak；　covered　with　wounds；　stiff　with　clotted　blood；　burning　with　rage　and　sorrow；　swung　back　upon　the　trail　of　the　great　baboons。　　He　had　not　found　them　where　he　had　last　seen　them；　nor　in　any　of　their　usual　haunts；　but　he　sought　them　along　the　well…marked　spoor　they　had　left　behind　them；　and　at　last　he　overtook　them。　　When　first　he　came　upon　them　they　were　moving　slowly　but　steadily　southward　in　one　of　tho