tarzan the terrible-第48部分

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Silently　they　lifted　the　hangings　that　hid　the　interior　of　the　room　from　the　view　of　those　who　passed　through　the　corridor；　and　stealthily　slunk　within。　Upon　a　pile　of　furs　in　a　far　corner　lay　the　sleeping　form　of　Lady　Greystoke。　The　bare　feet　of　the　intruders　gave　forth　no　sound　as　they　crossed　the　stone　floor　toward　her。　A　ray　of　moonlight　entering　through　a　window　near　her　couch　shone　full　upon　her；　revealing　the　beautiful　contours　of　an　arm　and　shoulder　in　cameo…distinctness　against　the　dark　furry　pelt　beneath　which　she　slept；　and　the　perfect　profile　that　was　turned　toward　the　skulking　three。

But　neither　the　beauty　nor　the　helplessness　of　the　sleeper　aroused　such　sentiments　of　passion　or　pity　as　might　stir　in　the　breasts　of　normal　men。　To　the　three　priests　she　was　but　a　lump　of　clay；　nor　could　they　conceive　aught　of　that　passion　which　had　aroused　men　to　intrigue　and　to　murder　for　possession　of　this　beautiful　American　girl；　and　which　even　now　was　influencing　the　destiny　of　undiscovered　Pal…ul…don。

Upon　the　floor　of　the　chamber　were　numerous　pelts　and　as　the　leader　of　the　trio　came　close　to　the　sleeping　woman　he　stooped　and　gathered　up　one　of　the　smaller　of　these。　Standing　close　to　her　head　he　held　the　rug　outspread　above　her　face。　〃Now；〃　he　whispered　and　simultaneously　he　threw　the　rug　over　the　woman's　head　and　his　two　fellows　leaped　upon　her；　seizing　her　arms　and　pinioning　her　body　while　their　leader　stifled　her　cries　with　the　furry　pelt。　Quickly　and　silently　they　bound　her　wrists　and　gagged　her　and　during　the　brief　time　that　their　work　required　there　was　no　sound　that　might　have　been　heard　by　occupants　of　the　adjoining　apartments。

Jerking　her　roughly　to　her　feet　they　forced　her　toward　a　window　but　she　refused　to　walk；　throwing　herself　instead　upon　the　floor。　They　were　very　angry　and　would　have　resorted　to　…cruelties　to　compel　her　obedience　but　dared　not；　since　the　wrath　of　Lu…don　might　fall　heavily　upon　whoever　mutilated　his　fair　prize。

And　so　they　were　forced　to　lift　and　carry　her　bodily。　Nor　was　the　task　any　sinecure　since　the　captive　kicked　and　struggled　as　best　she　might；　making　their　labor　as　arduous　as　possible。　But　finally　they　succeeded　in　getting　her　through　the　window　and　into　the　garden　beyond　where　one　of　the　two　priests　from　the　Ja…lur　temple　directed　their　steps　toward　a　small　barred　gateway　in　the　south　wall　of　the　enclosure。

Immediately　beyond　this　a　flight　of　stone　stairs　led　downward　toward　the　river　and　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　were　moored　several　canoes。　Pan…sat　had　indeed　been　fortunate　in　enlisting　aid　from　those　who　knew　the　temple　and　the　palace　so　well；　or　otherwise　he　might　never　have　escaped　from　Ja…lur　with　his　captive。　Placing　the　woman　in　the　bottom　of　a　light　canoe　Pan…sat　entered　it　and　took　up　the　paddle。　His　companions　unfastened　the　moorings　and　shoved　the　little　craft　out　into　the　current　of　the　stream。　Their　traitorous　work　completed　they　turned　and　retraced　their　steps　toward　the　temple；　while　Pan…sat；　paddling　strongly　with　the　current；　moved　rapidly　down　the　river　that　would　carry　him　to　the　Jad…ben…lul　and　A…lur。

The　moon　had　set　and　the　eastern　horizon　still　gave　no　hint　of　approaching　day　as　a　long　file　of　warriors　wound　stealthily　through　the　darkness　into　the　city　of　A…lur。　Their　plans　were　all　laid　and　there　seemed　no　likelihood　of　their　miscarriage。　A　messenger　had　been　dispatched　to　Ta…den　whose　forces　lay　northwest　of　the　city。　Tarzan；　with　a　small　contingent；　was　to　enter　the　temple　through　the　secret　passageway；　the　location　of　which　he　alone　knew；　while　Ja…don；　with　the　greater　proportion　of　the　warriors；　was　to　attack　the　palace　gates。

The　ape…man；　leading　his　little　band；　moved　stealthily　through　the　winding　alleys　of　A…lur；　arriving　undetected　at　the　building　which　hid　the　entrance　to　the　secret　passageway。　This　spot　being　best　protected　by　the　fact　that　its　existence　was　unknown　to　others　than　the　priests；　was　unguarded。　To　facilitate　the　passage　of　his　little　company　through　the　narrow　winding；　uneven　tunnel；　Tarzan　lighted　a　torch　which　had　been　brought　for　the　purpose　and　preceding　his　warriors　led　the　way　toward　the　temple。

That　he　could　accomplish　much　once　he　reached　the　inner　chambers　of　the　temple　with　his　little　band　of　picked　warriors　the　ape…man　was　confident　since　an　attack　at　this　point　would　bring　confusion　and　consternation　to　the　easily　overpowered　priests；　and　permit　Tarzan　to　attack　the　palace　forces　in　the　rear　at　the　same　time　that　Ja…don　engaged　them　at　the　palace　gates；　while　Ta…den　and　his　forces　swarmed　the　northern　walls。　Great　value　had　been　placed　by　Ja…don　on　the　moral　effect　of　the　Dor…ul…Otho's　mysterious　appearance　in　the　heart　of　the　temple　and　he　had　urged　Tarzan　to　take　every　advantage　of　the　old　chieftain's　belief　that　many　of　Lu…don's　warriors　still　wavered　in　their　allegiance　between　the　high　priest　and　the　Dor…ul…Otho；　being　held　to　the　former　more　by　the　fear　which　he　engendered　in　the　breasts　of　all　his　followers　than　by　any　love　or　loyalty　they　might　feel　toward　him。

There　is　a　Pal…ul…donian　proverb　setting　forth　a　truth　similar　to　that　contained　in　the　old　Scotch　adage　that　〃The　best　laid　schemes　o'　mice　and　men　gang　aft　a…gley。〃　Freely　translated　it　might　read；　〃He　who　follows　the　right　trail　sometimes　reaches　the　wrong　destination；〃　and　such　apparently　was　the　fate　that　lay　in　the　footsteps　of　the　great　chieftain　of　the　north　and　his　godlike　ally。

Tarzan；　more　familiar　with　the　windings　of　the　corridors　than　his　fellows　and　having　the　advantage　of　the　full　light　of　the　torch；　which　at　best　was　but　a　dim　and　flickering　affair；　was　some　distance　ahead　of　the　others；　and　in　his　keen　anxiety　to　close　with　the　enemy　he　gave　too　little　thought　to　those　who　were　to　support　him。　Nor　is　this　strange；　since　from　childhood　the　ape…man　had　been　accustomed　to　fight　the　battles　of　life　single…handed　so　that　it　had　become　habitual　for　him　to　depend　solely　upon　his　own　cunning　and　prowess。

And　so　it　was　that　he　came　into　the　upper　corridor　from　which　opened　the　chambers　of　Lu…don　and　the　lesser　priests　far　in　advance　of　his　warriors；　and　as　he　turned　into　this　corridor　with　its　dim　cressets　flickering　somberly；　he　saw　another　enter　it　from　a　corridor　before　hima　warrior　half　carrying；　half　dragging　the　figure　of　a　woman。　Instantly　Tarzan　recognized　the　gagged　and　fettered　captive　whom　he　had　thought　safe　in　the　palace　of　Ja…don　at　Ja…lur。

The　warrior　with　the　woman　had　seen　Tarzan　at　the　same　instant　that　the　latter　had　discovered　him。　He　heard　the　low　beastlike　growl　that　broke　from　the　ape…man's　lips　as　he　sprang　forward　to　wrest　his　mate　from　her　captor　and　wreak　upon　him　the　vengeance　that　was　in　the　Tarmangani's　savage　heart。　Across　the　corridor　from　Pan…sat　was　the　entrance　to　a　smaller　chamber。　Into　this　he　leaped　carrying　the　woman　with　him。

Close　behind　came　Tarzan　of　the　Apes。　He　had　cast　aside　his　torch　and　drawn　the　long　knife　that　had　been　his　father's。　With　the　impetuosity　of　a　charging　bull　he　rushed　into　the　chamber　in　pursuit　of　Pan…sat　to　find　himself；　when　the　hangings　dropped　behind　him；　in　utter　darkness。　Almost　immediately　there　was　a　crash　of　stone　on　stone　before　him　followed　a　moment　later　by　a　similar　crash　behind。　No　other　evidence　was　necessary　to　announce　to　the　ape…man　that　he　was　again　a　prisoner　in　Lu…don's　temple。

He　stood　perfectly　still　where　he　had　halted　at　the　first　sound　of　the　descending　stone　door。　Not　again　would　he　easily　be　precipitated　to　the　gryf　pit；　or　some　similar　danger；　as　had　occurred　when　Lu…don　had　trapped　him　in　the　Temple　of　the　Gryf。　As　he　stood　there　his　eyes　slowly　grew　accustomed　to　the　darkness　and　he　became　aware　that　a　dim　light　was　entering　the　chamber　through　some　opening；　though　it　was　several　minutes　before　he　discovered　its　source。　In　the　roof　of　the　chamber　he　finally　discerned　a　small　aperture；　possibly　three　feet　in　diameter　and　it　was　through　this　that　what　was　really　only　a　lesser　darkness　rather　than　a　light　was　penetrating　its　Stygian　blackness　of　the　chamber　in　which　he　was　imprisoned。

Since　the　doors　had　fallen　he　had　heard　no　sound　though　his　keen　ears　were　constantly　strained　in　an　effort　to　discover　a　clue　to　the　direction　taken　by　the　abductor　of　his　mate。　Presently　he　could　discern　the　outlines　of　his　prison　cell。　It　was　a　small　room；　not　over　fifteen　feet　across。　On　hands　and　knees；　with　the　utmost　caution；　he　examined　the　entire　area　of　the　floor。　In　the　exact　center；　directly　beneath　the　opening　in　the　roof；　was　a　trap；　but　otherwise　the　floor　was　solid。　With　this　knowledge　it　was　only　necessary　to　avoid　this　spot　in　so　far　as　the　floor　was　concerned。　The　walls　next　received　his　attention。　There　were　only　two　openings。　One　the　doorway　through　which　he　had　entered；　and　upon　the　opposite　side　that　through　which　the　warrior　had　borne　Jane　Clayton。　These　were　both　closed　by　the　slabs　of　stone　which　the　fleeing　warrior　had　released　as　he　departed。

Lu…don；　the　high　priest；　licked　his　thin　lips　and　rubbed　his　bony　white　hands　together　in　gratification　as　Pan…sat　bore　Jane　Clayton　into　his　presence　and　laid　her　on　the　floor　of　the　chamber　before　him。

〃Good；　Pan…sat！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　shall　be　well　rewarded　for　this　service。　Now；　if　we　but　had　the　false　Dor…ul…Otho　in　our　power　all　Pal…ul…don　would　be　at　our　feet。〃

〃Master；　I　have　him！〃　cried　Pan…sat。

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Lu…don；　〃you　have　Tarzan…jad…guru？　You　have　slain　him　perhaps。　Tell　me；　my　wonderful　Pan…sat；　tell　me　quickly。　My　breast　is　bursting　with　a　desire　to　know。〃

〃I　have　taken　him　alive；　Lu…don；　my　master；〃　replied　Pan…sat。　〃He　is　in　the　little　chamber　that　the　ancients　built　to　trap　those　who　were　too　powerful　to　take　alive　in　personal　encounter。〃

〃You　have　done　well；　Pan…sat；　I〃

A　frightened　priest　burst　into　the　apartment。　〃Quick；　master；　quick；〃　he　cried；　〃the　corridors　are　filled　with　the　warriors　of　Ja…don。〃

〃You　are　mad；〃　cried　the　high　priest。　〃My　warriors　hold　the　palace　and　the　temple。〃

〃I　speak　the　truth；　master；〃　replied　the　priest；　〃there　are　warriors　in　the　corridor　approaching　this　very　chamber；　and　they　come　from　the　direction　of　the　secret　passage　which　leads　hither　from　the　city。〃

〃It　may　be　even　as　he　says；〃　exclaimed　Pan…s