the return of tarzan-第38部分

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perpendicular　crags　which　formed　the　last；　but　greatest；

natural　barrier　between　them　and　their　destination。

It　was　nearly　noon　before　Tarzan；　who　headed　the　thin

line　of　climbing　warriors；　scrambled　over　the　top　of

the　last　cliff　and　stood　upon　the　little　flat　table…land

of　the　mountaintop。



On　either　hand　towered　mighty　peaks　thousands　of　feet

higher　than　the　pass　through　which　they　were　entering　the

forbidden　valley。　　Behind　him　stretched　the　wooded　valley

across　which　they　had　marched　for　many　days；　and　at　the

opposite　side　the　low　range　which　marked　the　boundary　of

their　own　country。



But　before　him　was　the　view　that　centered　his　attention。

Here　lay　a　desolate　valleya　shallow；　narrow　valley　dotted

with　stunted　trees　and　covered　with　many　great　bowlders。　

And　on　the　far　side　of　the　valley　lay　what　appeared　to　be

a　mighty　city；　its　great　walls；　its　lofty　spires；　its　turrets；

minarets；　and　domes　showing　red　and　yellow　in　the　sunlight。

Tarzan　was　yet　too　far　away　to　note　the　marks　of　ruinto

him　it　appeared　a　wonderful　city　of　magnificent　beauty；

and　in　imagination　he　peopled　its　broad　avenues　and　its　huge

temples　with　a　throng　of　happy；　active　people。



For　an　hour　the　little　expedition　rested　upon　the　mountain…

top；　and　then　Tarzan　led　them　down　into　the　valley　below。

There　was　no　trail；　but　the　way　was　less　arduous　than　the

ascent　of　the　opposite　face　of　the　mountain　had　been。

Once　in　the　valley　their　progress　was　rapid；　so　that　it

was　still　light　when　they　halted　before　the　towering　walls

of　the　ancient　city。



The　outer　wall　was　fifty　feet　in　height　where　it　had　not

fallen　into　ruin；　but　nowhere　as　far　as　they　could　see　had

more　than　ten　or　twenty　feet　of　the　upper　courses　fallen　away。

It　was　still　a　formidable　defense。　　On　several　occasions

Tarzan　had　thought　that　he　discerned　things　moving　behind

the　ruined　portions　of　the　wall　near　to　them；　as　though

creatures　were　watching　them　from　behind　the　bulwarks　of

the　ancient　pile。　　And　often　he　felt　the　sensation　of　unseen

eyes　upon　him；　but　not　once　could　he　be　sure　that　it　was　more

than　imagination。



That　night　they　camped　outside　the　city。　　Once；　at　midnight；

they　were　awakened　by　a　shrill　scream　from　beyond　the　great　wall。

It　was　very　high　at　first；　descending　gradually　until　it

ended　in　a　series　of　dismal　moans。　　It　had　a　strange　effect

upon　the　blacks；　almost　paralyzing　them　with　terror　while

it　lasted；　and　it　was　an　hour　before　the　camp　settled

down　to　sleep　once　more。　　In　the　morning　the　effects　of　it

were　still　visible　in　the　fearful；　sidelong　glances　that　the

Waziri　continually　cast　at　the　massive　and　forbidding　structure

which　loomed　above　them。



It　required　considerable　encouragement　and　urging　on

Tarzan's　part　to　prevent　the　blacks　from　abandoning　the

venture　on　the　spot　and　hastening　back　across　the　valley

toward　the　cliffs　they　had　scaled　the　day　before。　　But　at　length；

by　dint　of　commands；　and　threats　that　he　would　enter　the

city　alone；　they　agreed　to　accompany　him。



For　fifteen　minutes　they　marched　along　the　face　of　the

wall　before　they　discovered　a　means　of　ingress。　　Then　they

came　to　a　narrow　cleft　about　twenty　inches　wide。　　Within；　a

flight　of　concrete　steps；　worn　hollow　by　centuries　of　use；

rose　before　them；　to　disappear　at　a　sharp　turning　of　the

passage　a　few　yards　ahead。



Into　this　narrow　alley　Tarzan　made　his　way；　turning　his

giant　shoulders　sideways　that　they　might　enter　at　all。

Behind　him　trailed　his　black　warriors。　　At　the　turn　in　the

cleft　the　stairs　ended；　and　the　path　was　level；　but　it　wound

and　twisted　in　a　serpentine　fashion；　until　suddenly　at　a　sharp

angle　it　debouched　upon　a　narrow　court；　across　which

loomed　an　inner　wall　equally　as　high　as　the　outer。　　This　inner

wall　was　set　with　little　round　towers　alternating　along　its

entire　summit　with　pointed　monoliths。　　In　places　these　had

fallen；　and　the　wall　was　ruined；　but　it　was　in　a　much　better

state　of　preservation　than　the　outer　wall。



Another　narrow　passage　led　through　this　wall；　and　at　its

end　Tarzan　and　his　warriors　found　themselves　in　a　broad　avenue；

on　the　opposite　side　of　which　crumbling　edifices　of　hewn　granite

loomed　dark　and　forbidding。　　Upon　the　crumbling　debris　along　the

face　of　the　buildings　trees　had　grown；　and　vines　wound　in　and

out　of　the　hollow；　staring　windows；　but　the　building　directly

opposite　them　seemed　less　overgrown　than　the　others；　and　in

a　much　better　state　of　preservation。　　It　was　a　massive　pile；

surmounted　by　an　enormous　dome。　　At　either　side　of　its　great

entrance　stood　rows　of　tall　pillars；　each　capped　by　a　huge；

grotesque　bird　carved　from　the　solid　rock　of　the　monoliths。



As　the　ape…man　and　his　companions　stood　gazing　in　varying

degrees　of　wonderment　at　this　ancient　city　in　the　midst

of　savage　Africa；　several　of　them　became　aware　of

movement　within　the　structure　at　which　they　were　looking。

Dim；　shadowy　shapes　appeared　to　be　moving　about　in　the

semi…darkness　of　the　interior。　　There　was　nothing　tangible

that　the　eye　could　grasponly　an　uncanny　suggestion　of　life

where　it　seemed　that　there　should　be　no　life；　for　living

things　seemed　out　of　place　in　this　weird；　dead　city　of　the

long…dead　past。



Tarzan　recalled　something　that　he　had　read　in　the　library　at

Paris　of　a　lost　race　of　white　men　that　native　legend　described

as　living　in　the　heart　of　Africa。　　He　wondered　if　he　were　not

looking　upon　the　ruins　of　the　civilization　that　this　strange

people　had　wrought　amid　the　savage　surroundings　of　their

strange　and　savage　home。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　even　now

a　remnant　of　that　lost　race　inhabited　the　ruined　grandeur　that

had　once　been　their　progenitor？　　Again　he　became　conscious

of　a　stealthy　movement　within　the　great　temple　before　him。

〃Come！〃　he　said；　to　his　Waziri。　　〃Let　us　have　a　look　at　what

lies　behind　those　ruined　walls。〃



His　men　were　loath　to　follow　him；　but　when　they　saw　that

he　was　bravely　entering　the　frowning　portal　they　trailed　a　few

paces　behind　in　a　huddled　group　that　seemed　the　personification

of　nervous　terror。　　A　single　shriek　such　as　they　had

heard　the　night　before　would　have　been　sufficient　to　have

sent　them　all　racing　madly　for　the　narrow　cleft　that　led

through　the　great　walls　to　the　outer　world。



As　Tarzan　entered　the　building　he　was　distinctly　aware　of

many　eyes　upon　him。　　There　was　a　rustling　in　the　shadows

of　a　near…by　corridor；　and　he　could　have　sworn　that　he

saw　a　human　hand　withdrawn　from　an　embrasure　that

opened　above　him　into　the　domelike　rotunda　in　which　he

found　himself。



The　floor　of　the　chamber　was　of　concrete；　the　walls　of

smooth　granite；　upon　which　strange　figures　of　men　and　beasts

were　carved。　　In　places　tablets　of　yellow　metal　had　been　set

in　the　solid　masonry　of　the　walls。



When　he　approached　closer　to　one　of　these　tablets　he　saw

that　it　was　of　gold；　and　bore　many　hieroglyphics。　　Beyond　this

first　chamber　there　were　others；　and　back　of　them　the　building

branched　out　into　enormous　wings。　　Tarzan　passed　through

several　of　these　chambers；　finding　many　evidences　of　the

fabulous　wealth　of　the　original　builders。　　In　one　room　were

seven　pillars　of　solid　gold；　and　in　another　the　floor　itself

was　of　the　precious　metal。　　And　all　the　while　that　he　explored；

his　blacks　huddled　close　together　at　his　back；　and

strange　shapes　hovered　upon　either　hand　and　before　them

and　behind；　yet　never　close　enough　that　any　might　say　that

they　were　not　alone。



The　strain；　however；　was　telling　upon　the　nerves　of　the　Waziri。

They　begged　Tarzan　to　return　to　the　sunlight。　　They　said　that

no　good　could　come　of　such　an　expedition；　for　the　ruins　were

haunted　by　the　spirits　of　the　dead　who　had　once　inhabited　them。



〃They　are　watching　us；　O　king；〃　whispered　Busuli。　　〃They　are

waiting　until　they　have　led　us　into　the　innermost　recesses　of

their　stronghold；　and　then　they　will　fall　upon　us　and　tear

us　to　pieces　with　their　teeth。　　That　is　the　way　with　spirits。

My　mother's　uncle；　who　is　a　great　witch　doctor；　has

told　me　all　about　it　many　times。〃



Tarzan　laughed。　　〃Run　back　into　the　sunlight；　my　children；〃

he　said。　　〃I　will　join　you　when　I　have　searched　this　old　ruin

from　top　to　bottom；　and　found　the　gold；　or　found　that　there

is　none。　　At　least　we　may　take　the　tablets　from　the　walls；

though　the　pillars　are　too　heavy　for　us　to　handle；　but　there

should　be　great　storerooms　filled　with　goldgold　that　we

can　carry　away　upon　our　backs　with　ease。　　Run　on　now；　out

into　the　fresh　air　where　you　may　breathe　easier。〃



Some　of　the　warriors　started　to　obey　their　chief　with　alacrity；

but　Busuli　and　several　others　hesitated　to　leave　himhesitated

between　love　and　loyalty　for　their　king；　and　superstitious　fear

of　the　unknown。　　And　then；　quite　unexpectedly；　that　occurred　which

decided　the　question　without　the　necessity　for　further　discussion。

Out　of　the　silence　of　the　ruined　temple　there　rang；　close　to

their　ears；　the　same　hideous　shriek　they　had　heard　the　previous

night；　and　with　horrified　cries　the　black　warriors　turned　and

fled　through　the　empty　halls　of　the　age…old　edifice。



Behind　them　stood　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　where　they　had　left

him；　a　grim　smile　upon　his　lipswaiting　for　the　enemy　he

fully　expected　was　about　to　pounce　upon　him。　　But　again

silence　reigned；　except　for　the　faint　suggestion　of　the　sound

of　naked　feet　moving　stealthily　in　near…by　places。



Then　Tarzan　wheeled　and　passed　on　into　the　depths　of　the　temple。

From　room　to　room　he　went；　until　he　came　to　one　at　which

a　rude；　barred　door　still　stood；　and　as　he　put　his　shoulder

against　it　to　push　it　in；　again　the　shriek　of　warning

rang　out　almost　beside　him。　　It　was　evident　that　he　was

being　warned　to　refrain　from　desecrating　this　particular　room。

Or　could　it　be　that　within　lay　the　secret　to　the　treasure　stores？



At　any　rate；　the　very　fact　that　the　strange；　invisible

guardians　of　this　weir