tarzan the terrible-第14部分

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　beast　so　disturbed　the　slumbers　of　its　betters。　He　reached　the　foot　of　the　cliff　and　strode　into　the　jungle　and　here　he　halted；　his　keen　eyes　and　ears　watchful　and　alert；　his　sensitive　nostrils　searching　each　shifting　air　current　for　the　scent　spoor　of　game。　Again　he　advanced　deeper　into　the　wood；　his　light　step　giving　forth　no　sound；　his　bow　and　arrows　in　readiness。　A　light　morning　breeze　was　blowing　from　up　the　gorge　and　in　this　direction　he　bent　his　steps。　Many　odors　impinged　upon　his　organs　of　scent。　Some　of　these　he　classified　without　effort；　but　others　were　strangethe　odors　of　beasts　and　of　birds；　of　trees　and　shrubs　and　flowers　with　which　he　was　unfamiliar。　He　sensed　faintly　the　reptilian　odor　that　he　had　learned　to　connect　with　the　strange；　nocturnal　forms　that　had　loomed　dim　and　bulky　on　several　occasions　since　his　introduction　to　Pal…ul…don。

And　then；　suddenly　he　caught　plainly　the　strong；　sweet　odor　of　Bara；　the　deer。　Were　the　belly　vocal；　Tarzan's　would　have　given　a　little　cry　of　joy；　for　it　loved　the　flesh　of　Bara。　The　ape…man　moved　rapidly；　but　cautiously　forward。　The　prey　was　not　far　distant　and　as　the　hunter　approached　it；　he　took　silently　to　the　trees　and　still　in　his　nostrils　was　the　faint　reptilian　odor　that　spoke　of　a　great　creature　which　he　had　never　yet　seen　except　as　a　denser　shadow　among　the　dense　shadows　of　the　night；　but　the　odor　was　of　such　a　faintness　as　suggests　to　the　jungle　bred　the　distance　of　absolute　safety。

And　now；　moving　noiselessly；　Tarzan　came　within　sight　of　Bara　drinking　at　a　pool　where　the　stream　that　waters　Kor…ul…gryf　crosses　an　open　place　in　the　jungle。　The　deer　was　too　far　from　the　nearest　tree　to　risk　a　charge；　so　the　ape…man　must　depend　upon　the　accuracy　and　force　of　his　first　arrow；　which　must　drop　the　deer　in　its　tracks　or　forfeit　both　deer　and　shaft。　Far　back　came　the　right　hand　and　the　bow；　that　you　or　I　might　not　move；　bent　easily　beneath　the　muscles　of　the　forest　god。　There　was　a　singing　twang　and　Bara；　leaping　high　in　air；　collapsed　upon　the　ground；　an　arrow　through　his　heart。　Tarzan　dropped　to　earth　and　ran　to　his　kill；　lest　the　animal　might　even　yet　rise　and　escape；　but　Bara　was　safely　dead。　As　Tarzan　stooped　to　lift　it　to　his　shoulder　there　fell　upon　his　ears　a　thunderous　bellow　that　seemed　almost　at　his　right　elbow；　and　as　his　eyes　shot　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　there　broke　upon　his　vision　such　a　creature　as　paleontologists　have　dreamed　as　having　possibly　existed　in　the　dimmest　vistas　of　Earth's　infancya　gigantic　creature；　vibrant　with　mad　rage；　that　charged；　bellowing；　upon　him。

When　Pan…at…lee　awoke　she　looked　out　upon　the　niche　in　search　of　Tarzan。　He　was　not　there。　She　sprang　to　her　feet　and　rushed　out；　looking　down　into　Kor…ul…gryf　guessing　that　he　had　gone　down　in　search　of　food　and　there　she　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　disappearing　into　the　forest。　For　an　instant　she　was　panic…stricken。　She　knew　that　he　was　a　stranger　in　Pal…ul…don　and　that；　so；　he　might　not　realize　the　dangers　that　lay　in　that　gorge　of　terror。　Why　did　she　not　call　to　him　to　return？　You　or　I　might　have　done　so；　but　no　Pal…ul…don；　for　they　know　the　ways　of　the　gryfthey　know　the　weak　eyes　and　the　keen　ears；　and　that　at　the　sound　of　a　human　voice　they　come。　To　have　called　to　Tarzan；　then；　would　but　have　been　to　invite　disaster　and　so　she　did　not　call。　Instead；　afraid　though　she　was；　she　descended　into　the　gorge　for　the　purpose　of　overhauling　Tarzan　and　warning　him　in　whispers　of　his　danger。　It　was　a　brave　act；　since　it　was　performed　in　the　face　of　countless　ages　of　inherited　fear　of　the　creatures　that　she　might　be　called　upon　to　face。　Men　have　been　decorated　for　less。

Pan…at…lee；　descended　from　a　long　line　of　hunters；　assumed　that　Tarzan　would　move　up　wind　and　in　this　direction　she　sought　his　tracks；　which　she　soon　found　well　marked；　since　he　had　made　no　effort　to　conceal　them。　She　moved　rapidly　until　she　reached　the　point　at　which　Tarzan　had　taken　to　the　trees。　Of　course　she　knew　what　had　happened；　since　her　own　people　were　semi…arboreal；　but　she　could　not　track　him　through　the　trees；　having　no　such　well…developed　sense　of　scent　as　he。

She　could　but　hope　that　he　had　continued　on　up　wind　and　in　this　direction　she　moved；　her　heart　pounding　in　terror　against　her　ribs；　her　eyes　glancing　first　in　one　direction　and　then　another。　She　had　reached　the　edge　of　a　clearing　when　two　things　happenedshe　caught　sight　of　Tarzan　bending　over　a　dead　deer　and　at　the　same　instant　a　deafening　roar　sounded　almost　beside　her。　It　terrified　her　beyond　description；　but　it　brought　no　paralysis　of　fear。　Instead　it　galvanized　her　into　instant　action　with　the　result　that　Pan…at…lee　swarmed　up　the　nearest　tree　to　the　very　loftiest　branch　that　would　sustain　her　weight。　Then　she　looked　down。

The　thing　that　Tarzan　saw　charging　him　when　the　warning　bellow　attracted　his　surprised　eyes　loomed　terrifically　monstrous　before　himmonstrous　and　awe…inspiring；　but　it　did　not　terrify　Tarzan；　it　only　angered　him；　for　he　saw　that　it　was　beyond　even　his　powers　to　combat　and　that　meant　that　it　might　cause　him　to　lose　his　kill；　and　Tarzan　was　hungry。　There　was　but　a　single　alternative　to　remaining　for　annihilation　and　that　was　flightswift　and　immediate。　And　Tarzan　fled；　but　he　carried　the　carcass　of　Bara；　the　deer；　with　him。　He　had　not　more　than　a　dozen　paces　start；　but　on　the　other　hand　the　nearest　tree　was　almost　as　close。　His　greatest　danger　lay；　he　imagined；　in　the　great；　towering　height　of　the　creature　pursuing　him；　for　even　though　he　reached　the　tree　he　would　have　to　climb　high　in　an　incredibly　short　time　as；　unless　appearances　were　deceiving；　the　thing　could　reach　up　and　pluck　him　down　from　any　branch　under　thirty　feet　above　the　ground；　and　possibly　from　those　up　to　fifty　feet；　if　it　reared　up　on　its　hind　legs。

But　Tarzan　was　no　sluggard　and　though　the　gryf　was　incredibly　fast　despite　its　great　bulk；　it　was　no　match　for　Tarzan；　and　when　it　comes　to　climbing；　the　little　monkeys　gaze　with　envy　upon　the　feats　of　the　ape…man。　And　so　it　was　that　the　bellowing　gryf　came　to　a　baffled　stop　at　the　foot　of　the　tree　and　even　though　he　reared　up　and　sought　to　seize　his　prey　among　the　branches；　as　Tarzan　had　guessed　he　might；　he　failed　in　this　also。　And　then；　well　out　of　reach；　Tarzan　came　to　a　stop　and　there；　just　above　him；　he　saw　Pan…at…lee　sitting；　wide…eyed　and　trembling。

〃How　came　you　here？〃　he　asked。

She　told　him。　〃You　came　to　warn　me！〃　he　said。　〃It　was　very　brave　and　unselfish　of　you。　I　am　chagrined　that　I　should　have　been　thus　surprised。　The　creature　was　up　wind　from　me　and　yet　I　did　not　sense　its　near　presence　until　it　charged。　I　cannot　understand　it。〃

〃It　is　not　strange；〃　said　Pan…at…lee。　〃That　is　one　of　the　peculiarities　of　the　gryfit　is　said　that　man　never　knows　of　its　presence　until　it　is　upon　himso　silently　does　it　move　despite　its　great　size。〃

〃But　I　should　have　smelled　it；〃　cried　Tarzan；　disgustedly。

〃Smelled　it！〃　ejaculated　Pan…at…lee。　〃Smelled　it？〃

〃Certainly。　How　do　you　suppose　I　found　this　deer　so　quickly？　And　I　sensed　the　gryf；　too；　but　faintly　as　at　a　great　distance。〃　Tarzan　suddenly　ceased　speaking　and　looked　down　at　the　bellowing　creature　below　themhis　nostrils　quivered　as　though　searching　for　a　scent。　〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　have　it！〃

〃What？〃　asked　Pan…at…lee。

〃I　was　deceived　because　the　creature　gives　off　practically　no　odor；〃　explained　the　ape…man。　〃What　I　smelled　was　the　faint　aroma　that　doubtless　permeates　the　entire　jungle　because　of　the　long　presence　of　many　of　the　creaturesit　is　the　sort　of　odor　that　would　remain　for　a　long　time；　faint　as　it　is。

〃Pan…at…lee；　did　you　ever　hear　of　a　triceratops？　No？　Well　this　thing　that　you　call　a　gryf　is　a　triceratops　and　it　has　been　extinct　for　hundreds　of　thousands　of　years。　I　have　seen　its　skeleton　in　the　museum　in　London　and　a　figure　of　one　restored。　I　always　thought　that　the　scientists　who　did　such　work　depended　principally　upon　an　overwrought　imagination；　but　I　see　that　I　was　wrong。　This　living　thing　is　not　an　exact　counterpart　of　the　restoration　that　I　saw；　but　it　is　so　similar　as　to　be　easily　recognizable；　and　then；　too；　we　must　remember　that　during　the　ages　that　have　elapsed　since　the　paleontologist's　specimen　lived　many　changes　might　have　been　wrought　by　evolution　in　the　living　line　that　has　quite　evidently　persisted　in　Pal…ul…don。〃

〃Triceratops；　London；　paleoI　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about；〃　cried　Pan…at…lee。

Tarzan　smiled　and　threw　a　piece　of　dead　wood　at　the　face　of　the　angry　creature　below　them。　Instantly　the　great　bony　hood　over　the　neck　was　erected　and　a　mad　bellow　rolled　upward　from　the　gigantic　body。　Full　twenty　feet　at　the　shoulder　the　thing　stood；　a　dirty　slate…blue　in　color　except　for　its　yellow　face　with　the　blue　bands　encircling　the　eyes；　the　red　hood　with　the　yellow　lining　and　the　yellow　belly。　The　three　parallel　lines　of　bony　protuberances　down　the　back　gave　a　further　touch　of　color　to　the　body；　those　following　the　line　of　the　spine　being　red；　while　those　on　either　side　are　yellow。　The　five…　and　three…toed　hoofs　of　the　ancient　horned　dinosaurs　had　become　talons　in　the　gryf；　but　the　three　horns；　two　large　ones　above　the　eyes　and　a　median　horn　on　the　nose；　had　persisted　through　all　the　ages。　Weird　and　terrible　as　was　its　appearance　Tarzan　could　not　but　admire　the　mighty　creature　looming　big　below　him；　its　seventy…five　feet　of　length　majestically　typifying　those　things　which　all　his　life　the　ape…man　had　admiredcourage　and　strength。　In　that　massive　tail　alone　was　the　strength　of　an　elephant。

The　wicked　little　eyes　looked　up　at　him　and　the　horny　beak　opened　to　disclose　a　full　set　of　powerful　teeth。

〃Herbivorous！〃　murmured　the　ape…man。　〃Your　ancestors　may　have　been；　but　not　you；〃　and　then　to　Pan…at…lee：　〃Let　us　go　now。　At　the　cave　we　will　have　deer　meat　and　thenback　to　Kor…ul…ja　and　Om…at。〃

The　girl　shuddered。　〃Go？〃　she　repeated。　〃We　will　never　go　from　here。〃

〃Why　not？〃　asked　Tarzan。

For　answer　she　but　pointed　to　the　gryf。

〃Nonsense！〃　exclaimed　the　man。　〃It　cannot　climb。　We　can　reach　the　cliff　through　the　trees　and　be　back　in　the　cave　before　it　knows　what　has　become　of　us。〃

〃You　do　not　know　the　gryf；〃　replied　Pan…at…lee　gloomily。

〃Wherever　we　go　it　will　follow　and　always　it　will　be　ready　at　the　foot