tarzan the terrible-第6部分

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igantic　rat　upon　a　mighty　wall。　As　he　progressed　upon　his　way　he　avoided　the　cave　mouths；　passing　either　above　or　below　those　that　lay　in　his　path。

The　outward　appearance　of　these　caves　was　similar。　An　opening　from　eight　to　as　much　as　twenty　feet　long　by　eight　high　and　four　to　six　feet　deep　was　cut　into　the　chalklike　rock　of　the　cliff；　in　the　back　of　this　large　opening；　which　formed　what　might　be　described　as　the　front　veranda　of　the　home；　was　an　opening　about　three　feet　wide　and　six　feet　high；　evidently　forming　the　doorway　to　the　interior　apartment　or　apartments。　On　either　side　of　this　doorway　were　smaller　openings　which　it　were　easy　to　assume　were　windows　through　which　light　and　air　might　find　their　way　to　the　inhabitants。　Similar　windows　were　also　dotted　over　the　cliff　face　between　the　entrance　porches；　suggesting　that　the　entire　face　of　the　cliff　was　honeycombed　with　apartments。　From　many　of　these　smaller　apertures　small　streams　of　water　trickled　down　the　escarpment；　and　the　walls　above　others　was　blackened　as　by　smoke。　Where　the　water　ran　the　wall　was　eroded　to　a　depth　of　from　a　few　inches　to　as　much　as　a　foot；　suggesting　that　some　of　the　tiny　streams　had　been　trickling　downward　to　the　green　carpet　of　vegetation　below　for　ages。

In　this　primeval　setting　the　great　pithecanthropus　aroused　no　jarring　discord　for　he　was　as　much　a　part　of　it　as　the　trees　that　grew　upon　the　summit　of　the　cliff　or　those　that　hid　their　feet　among　the　dank　ferns　in　the　bottom　of　the　gorge。

Now　he　paused　before　an　entrance…way　and　listened　and　then；　noiselessly　as　the　moonlight　upon　the　trickling　waters；　he　merged　with　the　shadows　of　the　outer　porch。　At　the　doorway　leading　into　the　interior　he　paused　again；　listening；　and　then　quietly　pushing　aside　the　heavy　skin　that　covered　the　aperture　he　passed　within　a　large　chamber　hewn　from　the　living　rock。　From　the　far　end；　through　another　doorway；　shone　a　light；　dimly。　Toward　this　he　crept　with　utmost　stealth；　his　naked　feet　giving　forth　no　sound。　The　knotted　club　that　had　been　hanging　at　his　back　from　a　thong　about　his　neck　he　now　removed　and　carried　in　his　left　hand。

Beyond　the　second　doorway　was　a　corridor　running　parallel　with　the　cliff　face。　In　this　corridor　were　three　more　doorways；　one　at　each　end　and　a　third　almost　opposite　that　in　which　Es…sat　stood。　The　light　was　coming　from　an　apartment　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　at　his　left。　A　sputtering　flame　rose　and　fell　in　a　small　stone　receptacle　that　stood　upon　a　table　or　bench　of　the　same　material；　a　monolithic　bench　fashioned　at　the　time　the　room　was　excavated；　rising　massively　from　the　floor；　of　which　it　was　a　part。

In　one　corner　of　the　room　beyond　the　table　had　been　left　a　dais　of　stone　about　four　feet　wide　and　eight　feet　long。　Upon　this　were　piled　a　foot　or　so　of　softly　tanned　pelts　from　which　the　fur　had　not　been　removed。　Upon　the　edge　of　this　dais　sat　a　young　female　Waz…don。　In　one　hand　she　held　a　thin　piece　of　metal；　apparently　of　hammered　gold；　with　serrated　edges；　and　in　the　other　a　short；　stiff　brush。　With　these　she　was　occupied　in　going　over　her　smooth；　glossy　coat　which　bore　a　remarkable　resemblance　to　plucked　sealskin。　Her　loin　cloth　of　yellow　and　black　striped　jato…skin　lay　on　the　couch　beside　her　with　the　circular　breastplates　of　beaten　gold；　revealing　the　symmetrical　lines　of　her　nude　figure　in　all　its　beauty　and　harmony　of　contour；　for　even　though　the　creature　was　jet　black　and　entirely　covered　with　hair　yet　she　was　undeniably　beautiful。

That　she　was　beautiful　in　the　eyes　of　Es…sat；　the　chief；　was　evidenced　by　the　gloating　expression　upon　his　fierce　countenance　and　the　increased　rapidity　of　his　breathing。　Moving　quickly　forward　he　entered　the　room　and　as　he　did　so　the　young　she　looked　up。　Instantly　her　eyes　filled　with　terror　and　as　quickly　she　seized　the　loin　cloth　and　with　a　few　deft　movements　adjusted　it　about　her。　As　she　gathered　up　her　breastplates　Es…sat　rounded　the　table　and　moved　quickly　toward　her。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　whispered；　though　she　knew　full　well。

〃Pan…at…lee；〃　he　said；　〃your　chief　has　come　for　you。〃

〃It　was　for　this　that　you　sent　away　my　father　and　my　brothers　to　spy　upon　the　Kor…ul…lul？　I　will　not　have　you。　Leave　the　cave　of　my　ancestors！〃

Es…sat　smiled。　It　was　the　smile　of　a　strong　and　wicked　man　who　knows　his　powernot　a　pleasant　smile　at　all。　〃I　will　leave；　Pan…at…lee；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　shall　go　with　meto　the　cave　of　Es…sat；　the　chief；　to　be　the　envied　of　the　shes　of　Kor…ul…ja。　Come！〃

〃Never！〃　cried　Pan…at…lee。　〃I　hate　you。　Sooner　would　I　mate　with　a　Ho…don　than　with　you；　beater　of　women；　murderer　of　babes。〃

A　frightful　scowl　distorted　the　features　of　the　chief。　〃She…jato！〃　he　cried。　〃I　will　tame　you！　I　will　break　you！　Es…sat；　the　chief；　takes　what　he　will　and　who　dares　question　his　right；　or　combat　his　least　purpose；　will　first　serve　that　purpose　and　then　be　broken　as　I　break　this；〃　and　he　picked　a　stone　platter　from　the　table　and　broke　it　in　his　powerful　hands。　〃You　might　have　been　first　and　most　favored　in　the　cave　of　the　ancestors　of　Es…sat；　but　now　shall　you　be　last　and　least　and　when　I　am　done　with　you　you　shall　belong　to　all　of　the　men　of　Es…sat's　cave。　Thus　for　those　who　spurn　the　love　of　their　chief！〃

He　advanced　quickly　to　seize　her　and　as　he　laid　a　rough　hand　upon　her　she　struck　him　heavily　upon　the　side　of　his　head　with　her　golden　breastplates。　Without　a　sound　Es…sat；　the　chief；　sank　to　the　floor　of　the　apartment。　For　a　moment　Pan…at…lee　bent　over　him；　her　improvised　weapon　raised　to　strike　again　should　he　show　signs　of　returning　consciousness；　her　glossy　breasts　rising　and　falling　with　her　quickened　breathing。　Suddenly　she　stooped　and　removed　Es…sat's　knife　with　its　scabbard　and　shoulder　belt。　Slipping　it　over　her　own　shoulder　she　quickly　adjusted　her　breastplates　and　keeping　a　watchful　glance　upon　the　figure　of　the　fallen　chief；　backed　from　the　room。

In　a　niche　in　the　outer　room；　just　beside　the　doorway　leading　to　the　balcony；　were　neatly　piled　a　number　of　rounded　pegs　from　eighteen　to　twenty　inches　in　length。　Selecting　five　of　these　she　made　them　into　a　little　bundle　about　which　she　twined　the　lower　extremity　of　her　sinuous　tail　and　thus　carrying　them　made　her　way　to　the　outer　edge　of　the　balcony。　Assuring　herself　that　there　was　none　about　to　see；　or　hinder　her；　she　took　quickly　to　the　pegs　already　set　in　the　face　of　the　cliff　and　with　the　celerity　of　a　monkey　clambered　swiftly　aloft　to　the　highest　row　of　pegs　which　she　followed　in　the　direction　of　the　lower　end　of　the　gorge　for　a　matter　of　some　hundred　yards。　Here；　above　her　head；　were　a　series　of　small　round　holes　placed　one　above　another　in　three　parallel　rows。　Clinging　only　with　her　toes　she　removed　two　of　the　pegs　from　the　bundle　carried　in　her　tail　and　taking　one　in　either　hand　she　inserted　them　in　two　opposite　holes　of　the　outer　rows　as　far　above　her　as　she　could　reach。　Hanging　by　these　new　holds　she　now　took　one　of　the　three　remaining　pegs　in　each　of　her　feet；　leaving　the　fifth　grasped　securely　in　her　tail。　Reaching　above　her　with　this　member　she　inserted　the　fifth　peg　in　one　of　the　holes　of　the　center　row　and　then；　alternately　hanging　by　her　tail；　her　feet；　or　her　hands；　she　moved　the　pegs　upward　to　new　holes；　thus　carrying　her　stairway　with　her　as　she　ascended。

At　the　summit　of　the　cliff　a　gnarled　tree　exposed　its　time…worn　roots　above　the　topmost　holes　forming　the　last　step　from　the　sheer　face　of　the　precipice　to　level　footing。　This　was　the　last　avenue　of　escape　for　members　of　the　tribe　hard　pressed　by　enemies　from　below。　There　were　three　such　emergency　exits　from　the　village　and　it　were　death　to　use　them　in　other　than　an　emergency。　This　Pan…at…lee　well　knew；　but　she　knew；　too；　that　it　were　worse　than　death　to　remain　where　the　angered　Es…sat　might　lay　hands　upon　her。

When　she　had　gained　the　summit；　the　girl　moved　quickly　through　the　darkness　in　the　direction　of　the　next　gorge　which　cut　the　mountain…side　a　mile　beyond　Kor…ul…ja。　It　was　the　Gorge…of…water；　Kor…ul…lul；　to　which　her　father　and　two　brothers　had　been　sent　by　Es…sat　ostensibly　to　spy　upon　the　neighboring　tribe。　There　was　a　chance；　a　slender　chance；　that　she　might　find　them；　if　not　there　was　the　deserted　Kor…ul…gryf　several　miles　beyond；　where　she　might　hide　indefinitely　from　man　if　she　could　elude　the　frightful　monster　from　which　the　gorge　derived　its　name　and　whose　presence　there　had　rendered　its　caves　uninhabitable　for　generations。

Pan…at…lee　crept　stealthily　along　the　rim　of　the　Kor…ul…lul。　Just　where　her　father　and　brothers　would　watch　she　did　not　know。　Sometimes　their　spies　remained　upon　the　rim；　sometimes　they　watched　from　the　gorge's　bottom。　Pan…at…lee　was　at　a　loss　to　know　what　to　do　or　where　to　go。　She　felt　very　small　and　helpless　alone　in　the　vast　darkness　of　the　night。　Strange　noises　fell　upon　her　ears。　They　came　from　the　lonely　reaches　of　the　towering　mountains　above　her；　from　far　away　in　the　invisible　valley　and　from　the　nearer　foothills　and　once；　in　the　distance；　she　heard　what　she　thought　was　the　bellow　of　a　bull　gryf。　It　came　from　the　direction　of　the　Kor…ul…gryf。　She　shuddered。

Presently　there　came　to　her　keen　ears　another　sound。　Something　approached　her　along　the　rim　of　the　gorge。　It　was　coming　from　above。　She　halted；　listening。　Perhaps　it　was　her　father；　or　a　brother。　It　was　coming　closer。　She　strained　her　eyes　through　the　darkness。　She　did　not　moveshe　scarcely　breathed。　And　then；　of　a　sudden；　quite　close　it　seemed；　there　blazed　through　the　black　night　two　yellow…green　spots　of　fire。

Pan…at…lee　was　brave；　but　as　always　with　the　primitive；　the　darkness　held　infinite　terrors　for　her。　Not　alone　the　terrors　of　the　known　but　more　frightful　ones　as　wellthose　of　the　unknown。　She　had　passed　through　much　this　night　and　her　nerves　were　keyed　to　the　highest　pitchraw；　taut　nerves；　they　were；　ready　to　react　in　an　exaggerated　form　to　the　slightest　shock。

But　this　was　no　slight　shock。　To　hope　for　a　father　and　a　brother　and　to　see　death　instead　glaring　out　of　the　darkness！　Yes；　Pan…at…lee　was　brave；　but　she　was　not　of　iron。　With　a　shriek　that　reverberated　among　the　hills　she　turned　and　fled　along　the　rim　of　Kor…ul…lul　and　behind　her；　swiftly；　came　the　devil…eyed　lion　of　the　mountains　of　Pal…ul…don。

Pan…at…lee　was　lost。　Death　was