the return of tarzan-第39部分

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

guardians　of　this　weird　place　had　some　reason　for　wishing　him

not　to　enter　this　particular　chamber　was　sufficient　to　treble

Tarzan's　desire　to　do　so；　and　though　the　shrieking　was　repeated

continuously；　he　kept　his　shoulder　to　the　door　until　it　gave

before　his　giant　strength　to　swing　open　upon　creaking　wooden　hinges。



Within　all　was　black　as　the　tomb。　　There　was　no　window

to　let　in　the　faintest　ray　of　light；　and　as　the　corridor　upon

which　it　opened　was　itself　in　semi…darkness；　even　the　open　door

shed　no　relieving　rays　within。　　Feeling　before　him　upon　the　floor

with　the　butt　of　his　spear；　Tarzan　entered　the　Stygian　gloom。

Suddenly　the　door　behind　him　closed；　and　at　the　same　time

hands　clutched　him　from　every　direction　out　of　the　darkness。



The　ape…man　fought　with　all　the　savage　fury　of　self…

preservation　backed　by　the　herculean　strength　that　was　his。

But　though　he　felt　his　blows　land；　and　his　teeth　sink　into　soft

flesh；　there　seemed　always　two　new　hands　to　take　the　place

of　those　that　he　fought　off。　　At　last　they　dragged　him　down；

and　slowly；　very　slowly；　they　overcame　him　by　the　mere

weight　of　their　numbers。　　And　then　they　bound　himhis

hands　behind　his　back　and　his　feet　trussed　up　to　meet　them。

He　had　heard　no　sound　except　the　heavy　breathing　of　his

antagonists；　and　the　noise　of　the　battle。　　He　knew　not　what

manner　of　creatures　had　captured　him；　but　that　they　were

human　seemed　evident　from　the　fact　that　they　had　bound　him。



Presently　they　lifted　him　from　the　floor；　and　half　dragging；

half　pushing　him；　they　brought　him　out　of　the　black

chamber　through　another　doorway　into　an　inner　courtyard

of　the　temple。　　Here　he　saw　his　captors。　　There　must　have

been　a　hundred　of　themshort；　stocky　men；　with　great　beards

that　covered　their　faces　and　fell　upon　their　hairy　breasts。



The　thick；　matted　hair　upon　their　heads　grew　low　over

their　receding　brows；　and　hung　about　their　shoulders　and

their　backs。　　Their　crooked　legs　were　short　and　heavy；　their

arms　long　and　muscular。　　About　their　loins　they　wore　the

skins　of　leopards　and　lions；　and　great　necklaces　of　the

claws　of　these　same　animals　depended　upon　their　breasts。

Massive　circlets　of　virgin　gold　adorned　their　arms　and　legs。

For　weapons　they　carried　heavy；　knotted　bludgeons；　and　in　the

belts　that　confined　their　single　garments　each　had　a　long；

wicked…looking　knife。



But　the　feature　of　them　that　made　the　most　startling

impression　upon　their　prisoner　was　their　white　skinsneither

in　color　nor　feature　was　there　a　trace　of　the　negroid　about　them。

Yet；　with　their　receding　foreheads；　wicked　little　close…set　eyes；

and　yellow　fangs；　they　were　far　from　prepossessing　in　appearance。



During　the　fight　within　the　dark　chamber；　and　while

they　had　been　dragging　Tarzan　to　the　inner　court；　no　word

had　been　spoken；　but　now　several　of　them　exchanged　grunting；

monosyllabic　conversation　in　a　language　unfamiliar　to

the　ape…man；　and　presently　they　left　him　lying　upon　the

concrete　floor　while　they　trooped　off　on　their　short　legs　into

another　part　of　the　temple　beyond　the　court。



As　Tarzan　lay　there　upon　his　back　he　saw　that　the　temple

entirely　surrounded　the　little　inclosure；　and　that　on　all　sides

its　lofty　walls　rose　high　above　him。　　At　the　top　a　little　patch

of　blue　sky　was　visible；　and；　in　one　direction；　through　an

embrasure；　he　could　see　foliage；　but　whether　it　was　beyond

or　within　the　temple　he　did　not　know。



About　the　court；　from　the　ground　to　the　top　of　the　temple；

were　series　of　open　galleries；　and　now　and　then　the　captive

caught　glimpses　of　bright　eyes　gleaming　from　beneath　masses

of　tumbling　hair；　peering　down　upon　him　from　above。



The　ape…man　gently　tested　the　strength　of　the　bonds　that

held　him；　and　while　he　could　not　be　sure　it　seemed　that　they

were　of　insufficient　strength　to　withstand　the　strain　of　his

mighty　muscles　when　the　time　came　to　make　a　break　for

freedom；　but　he　did　not　dare　to　put　them　to　the　crucial　test

until　darkness　had　fallen；　or　he　felt　that　no　spying　eyes　were

upon　him。



He　had　lain　within　the　court　for　several　hours　before

the　first　rays　of　sunlight　penetrated　the　vertical　shaft；

almost　simultaneously　he　heard　the　pattering　of　bare　feet

in　the　corridors　about　him；　and　a　moment　later　saw　the

galleries　above　fill　with　crafty　faces　as　a　score　or　more

entered　the　courtyard。



For　a　moment　every　eye　was　bent　upon　the　noonday　sun；

and　then　in　unison　the　people　in　the　galleries　and　those　in

the　court　below　took　up　the　refrain　of　a　low；　weird　chant。

Presently　those　about　Tarzan　began　to　dance　to　the　cadence

of　their　solemn　song。　　They　circled　him　slowly；　resembling　in

their　manner　of　dancing　a　number　of　clumsy；　shuffling　bears；

but　as　yet　they　did　not　look　at　him；　keeping　their　little　eyes

fixed　upon　the　sun。



For　ten　minutes　or　more　they　kept　up　their　monotonous

chant　and　steps；　and　then　suddenly；　and　in　perfect　unison；

they　turned　toward　their　victim　with　upraised　bludgeons

and　emitting　fearful　howls；　the　while　they　contorted　their

features　into　the　most　diabolical　expressions；　they　rushed

upon　him。



At　the　same　instant　a　female　figure　dashed　into　the　midst

of　the　bloodthirsty　horde；　and；　with　a　bludgeon　similar　to

their　own；　except　that　it　was　wrought　from　gold；　beat　back

the　advancing　men。







Chapter　20





La





For　a　moment　Tarzan　thought　that　by　some　strange　freak

of　fate　a　miracle　had　saved　him；　but　when　he　realized　the

ease　with　which　the　girl　had；　single…handed；　beaten　off

twenty　gorilla…like　males；　and　an　instant　later；　as　he　saw

them　again　take　up　their　dance　about　him　while　she　addressed

them　in　a　singsong　monotone；　which　bore　every　evidence　of

rote；　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　all　but　a　part

of　the　ceremony　of　which　he　was　the　central　figure。



After　a　moment　or　two　the　girl　drew　a　knife　from　her　girdle；

and；　leaning　over　Tarzan；　cut　the　bonds　from　his　legs。

Then；　as　the　men　stopped　their　dance；　and　approached；　she

motioned　to　him　to　rise。　　Placing　the　rope　that　had　been

about　his　legs　around　his　neck；　she　led　him　across　the

courtyard；　the　men　following　in　twos。



Through　winding　corridors　she　led；　farther　and　farther

into　the　remoter　precincts　of　the　temple；　until　they　came　to　a

great　chamber　in　the　center　of　which　stood　an　altar。　　Then　it

was　that　Tarzan　translated　the　strange　ceremony　that　had

preceded　his　introduction　into　this　holy　of　holies。



He　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　descendants　of　the　ancient

sun　worshippers。　　His　seeming　rescue　by　a　votaress　of　the

high　priestess　of　the　sun　had　been　but　a　part　of　the　mimicry

of　their　heathen　ceremonythe　sun　looking　down　upon　him

through　the　opening　at　the　top　of　the　court　had　claimed　him

as　his　own；　and　the　priestess　had　come　from　the　inner

temple　to　save　him　from　the　polluting　hands　of　worldlings

to　save　him　as　a　human　offering　to　their　flaming　deity。



And　had　he　needed　further　assurance　as　to　the　correctness

of　his　theory　he　had　only　to　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　brownish…

red　stains　that　caked　the　stone　altar　and　covered　the　floor

in　its　immediate　vicinity；　or　to　the　human　skulls　which

grinned　from　countless　niches　in　the　towering　walls。



The　priestess　led　the　victim　to　the　altar　steps。　　Again　the

galleries　above　filled　with　watchers；　while　from　an　arched

doorway　at　the　east　end　of　the　chamber　a　procession　of　females

filed　slowly　into　the　room。　　They　wore；　like　the　men；

only　skins　of　wild　animals　caught　about　their　waists　with

rawhide　belts　or　chains　of　gold；　but　the　black　masses　of　their

hair　were　incrusted　with　golden　headgear　composed　of　many

circular　and　oval　pieces　of　gold　ingeniously　held　together　to

form　a　metal　cap　from　which　depended　at　each　side　of

the　head；　long　strings　of　oval　pieces　falling　to　the　waist。



The　females　were　more　symmetrically　proportioned　than

the　males；　their　features　were　much　more　perfect；　the　shapes

of　their　heads　and　their　large；　soft；　black　eyes　denoting　far

greater　intelligence　and　humanity　than　was　possessed　by

their　lords　and　masters。



Each　priestess　bore　two　golden　cups；　and　as　they　formed　in

line　along　one　side　of　the　altar　the　men　formed　opposite　them；

advancing　and　taking　each　a　cup　from　the　female　opposite。

Then　the　chant　began　once　more；　and　presently　from

a　dark　passageway　beyond　the　altar　another　female

emerged　from　the　cavernous　depths　beneath　the　chamber。



The　high　priestess；　thought　Tarzan。　　She　was　a　young　woman

with　a　rather　intelligent　and　shapely　face。　　Her　ornaments

were　similar　to　those　worn　by　her　votaries；　but　much　more

elaborate；　many　being　set　with　diamonds。　　Her　bare　arms

and　legs　were　almost　concealed　by　the　massive；　bejeweled

ornaments　which　covered　them；　while　her　single　leopard

skin　was　supported　by　a　close…fitting　girdle　of　golden　rings

set　in　strange　designs　with　innumerable　small　diamonds。

In　the　girdle　she　carried　a　long；　jeweled　knife；　and　in　her

hand　a　slender　wand　in　lieu　of　a　bludgeon。



As　she　advanced　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　altar　she

halted；　and　the　chanting　ceased。　　The　priests　and　priestesses

knelt　before　her；　while　with　wand　extended　above　them　she

recited　a　long　and　tiresome　prayer。　　Her　voice　was　soft　and

musicalTarzan　could　scarce　realize　that　its　possessor

in　a　moment　more　would　be　transformed　by　the　fanatical

ecstasy　of　religious　zeal　into　a　wild…eyed　and　bloodthirsty

executioner；　who；　with　dripping　knife；　would　be　the　first　to

drink　her　victim's　red；　warm　blood　from　the　little　golden　cup

that　stood　upon　the　altar。



As　she　finished　her　prayer　she　let　her　eyes　rest　for　the　first

time　upon　Tarzan。　　With　every　indication　of　considerable

curiosity　she　examined　him　from　head　to　foot。　　Then　she

addressed　him；　and　when　she　had　finished　stood　waiting；　as

though　she　expected　a　reply。



〃I　do　not　understand　y