the return of tarzan-第9部分

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am　a　good　woman。　　After　tonight　you　will　not　dare　to　annoy

me；　for　I　shall　tell　Raoul　all。　　He　will　understand；　and　then；

Monsieur　Nikolas；　beware！〃



〃You　shall　tell　him　nothing；〃　said　Rokoff。　　〃I　have　this　affair

now；　and　with　the　help　of　one　of　your　servants　whom　I　may　trust

it　will　lack　nothing　in　the　telling　when　the　time　comes　that　the

details　of　the　sworn　evidence　shall　be　poured　into　your　husband's

ears。　　The　other　affair　served　its　purpose　wellwe　now　have

something　tangible　to　work　on；　Olga。　　A　real　AFFAIR

and　you　a　trusted　wife。　　Shame；　Olga；〃　and　the　brute　laughed。



So　the　countess　told　her　count　nothing；　and　matters　were

worse　than　they　had　been。　　From　a　vague　fear　her　mind　was

transferred　to　a　very　tangible　one。　　It　may　be；　too；　that

conscience　helped　to　enlarge　it　out　of　all　proportion。







Chapter　5





The　Plot　That　Failed





For　a　month　Tarzan　was　a　regular　and　very　welcome

devotee　at　the　shrine　of　the　beautiful　Countess　de　Coude。

Often　he　met　other　members　of　the　select　little　coterie　that

dropped　in　for　tea　of　an　afternoon。　　More　often　Olga　found

devices　that　would　give　her　an　hour　of　Tarzan　alone。



For　a　time　she　had　been　frightened　by　what　Nikolas　had

insinuated。　　She　had　not　thought　of　this　big；　young　man

as　anything　more　than　friend；　but　with　the　suggestion

implanted　by　the　evil　words　of　her　brother　she　had　grown　to

speculate　much　upon　the　strange　force　which　seemed　to　attract

her　toward　the　gray…eyed　stranger。　　She　did　not　wish　to

love　him；　nor　did　she　wish　his　love。



She　was　much　younger　than　her　husband；　and　without　having

realized　it　she　had　been　craving　the　haven　of　a　friendship

with　one　nearer　her　own　age。　　Twenty　is　shy　in　exchanging

confidences　with　forty。　　Tarzan　was　but　two　years

her　senior。　　He　could　understand　her；　she　felt。　　Then　he　was

clean　and　honorable　and　chivalrous。　　She　was　not　afraid　of

him。　　That　she　could　trust　him　she　had　felt　instinctively

from　the　first。



From　a　distance　Rokoff　had　watched　this　growing　intimacy

with　malicious　glee。　　Ever　since　he　had　learned　that

Tarzan　knew　that　he　was　a　Russian　spy　there　had　been

added　to　his　hatred　for　the　ape…man　a　great　fear　that　he

would　expose　him。　　He　was　but　waiting　now　until　the　moment

was　propitious　for　a　master　stroke。　　He　wanted　to　rid　himself

forever　of　Tarzan；　and　at　the　same　time　reap　an　ample　revenge

for　the　humiliations　and　defeats　that　he　had　suffered

at　his　hands。



Tarzan　was　nearer　to　contentment　than　he　had　been　since

the　peace　and　tranquility　of　his　jungle　had　been　broken　in

upon　by　the　advent　of　the　marooned　Porter　party。　He　enjoyed

the　pleasant　social　intercourse　with　Olga's　friends；　while

the　friendship　which　had　sprung　up　between　the　fair　countess

and　himself　was　a　source　of　never…ending　delight。　　It　broke

in　upon　and　dispersed　his　gloomy　thoughts；　and　served　as　a

balm　to　his　lacerated　heart。



Sometimes　D'Arnot　accompanied　him　on　his　visits　to　the

De　Coude　home；　for　he　had　long　known　both　Olga　and　the

count。　　Occasionally　De　Coude　dropped　in；　but　the

multitudinous　affairs　of　his　official　position　and　the

never…ending　demands　of　politics　kept　him　from　home

usually　until　late　at　night。



Rokoff　spied　upon　Tarzan　almost　constantly；　waiting　for　the

time　that　he　should　call　at　the　De　Coude　palace　at　night；

but　in　this　he　was　doomed　to　disappointment。　　On　several

occasions　Tarzan　accompanied　the　countess　to　her　home

after　the　opera；　but　he　invariably　left　her　at　the　entrance

much　to　the　disgust　of　the　lady's　devoted　brother。



Finding　that　it　seemed　impossible　to　trap　Tarzan　through

any　voluntary　act　of　his　own；　Rokoff　and　Paulvitch　put　their

heads　together　to　hatch　a　plan　that　would　trap　the　ape…man

in　all　the　circumstantial　evidence　of　a　compromising　position。



For　days　they　watched　the　papers　as　well　as　the　movements

of　De　Coude　and　Tarzan。　　At　length　they　were　rewarded。

A　morning　paper　made　brief　mention　of　a　smoker　that　was

to　be　given　on　the　following　evening　by　the　German　minister。

De　Coude's　name　was　among　those　of　the　invited　guests。

If　he　attended　this　meant　that　he　would　be　absent　from

his　home　until　after　midnight。



On　the　night　of　the　banquet　Paulvitch　waited　at　the　curb

before　the　residence　of　the　German　minister；　where　he　could

scan　the　face　of　each　guest　that　arrived。　　He　had　not　long

to　wait　before　De　Coude　descended　from　his　car　and　passed　him。

That　was　enough。　　Paulvitch　hastened　back　to　his　quarters；

where　Rokoff　awaited　him。　　There　they　waited　until　after

eleven；　then　Paulvitch　took　down　the　receiver　of　their　telephone。

He　called　a　number。



〃The　apartments　of　Lieutenant　D'Arnot？〃　he　asked；　when

he　had　obtained　his　connection。



〃A　message　for　Monsieur　Tarzan；　if　he　will　be　so　kind　as

to　step　to　the　telephone。〃



For　a　minute　there　was　silence。



〃Monsieur　Tarzan？〃



〃Ah；　yes；　monsieur；　this　is　Francoisin　the　service　of

the　Countess　de　Coude。　　Possibly　monsieur　does　poor　Francois

the　honor　to　recall　himyes？



〃Yes；　monsieur。　　I　have　a　message；　an　urgent　message　from

the　countess。　　She　asks　that　you　hasten　to　her　at　onceshe

is　in　trouble；　monsieur。



〃No；　monsieur；　poor　Francois　does　not　know。　　Shall　I

tell　madame　that　monsieur　will　be　here　shortly？



〃Thank　you；　monsieur。　　The　good　God　will　bless　you。〃



Paulvitch　hung　up　the　receiver　and　turned　to　grin　at　Rokoff。



〃It　will　take　him　thirty　minutes　to　get　there。　　If　you

reach　the　German　minister's　in　fifteen；　De　Coude　should　arrive

at　his　home　in　about　forty…five　minutes。　　It　all　depends

upon　whether　the　fool　will　remain　fifteen　minutes　after　he

finds　that　a　trick　has　been　played　upon　him；　but　unless　I　am

mistaken　Olga　will　be　loath　to　let　him　go　in　so　short　a　time

as　that。　　Here　is　the　note　for　De　Coude。　　Hasten！〃



Paulvitch　lost　no　time　in　reaching　the　German　minister's。

At　the　door　he　handed　the　note　to　a　footman。　　〃This　is　for　the

Count　de　Coude。　　It　is　very　urgent。　　You　must　see　that　it　is

placed　in　his　hands　at　once；〃　and　he　dropped　a　piece　of　silver

into　the　willing　hand　of　the　servant。　　Then　he　returned

to　his　quarters。



A　moment　later　De　Coude　was　apologizing　to　his　host　as　he

tore　open　the　envelope。　　What　he　read　left　his　face　white　and

his　hand　trembling。



MONSIEUR　LE　COUNT　DE　COUDE：



One　who　wishes　to　save　the　honor　of　your　name　takes　this

means　to　warn　you　that　the　sanctity　of　your　home　is　this

minute　in　jeopardy。



A　certain　man　who　for　months　has　been　a　constant　visitor

there　during　your　absence　is　now　with　your　wife。　　If

you　go　at　once　to　your　countess'　boudoir　you　will　find

them　together。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　FRIEND。





Twenty　minutes　after　Paulvitch　had　called　Tarzan；　Rokoff

obtained　a　connection　with　Olga's　private　line。　　Her　maid

answered　the　telephone　which　was　in　the　countess'　boudoir。



〃But　madame　has　retired；〃　said　the　maid；　in　answer　to　Rokoff's

request　to　speak　with　her。



〃This　is　a　very　urgent　message　for　the　countess'　ears

alone；〃　replied　Rokoff。　　〃Tell　her　that　she　must　arise　and

slip　something　about　her　and　come　to　the　telephone。　　I　shall

call　up　again　in　five　minutes。〃　　Then　he　hung　up　his　receiver。

A　moment　later　Paulvitch　entered。



〃The　count　has　the　message？〃　asked　Rokoff。



〃He　should　be　on　his　way　to　his　home　by　now；〃　replied　Paulvitch。



〃Good！　　My　lady　will　be　sitting　in　her　boudoir；　very　much

in　negligee；　about　now。　　In　a　minute　the　faithful　Jacques　will

escort　Monsieur　Tarzan　into　her　presence　without　announcing　him。

It　will　take　a　few　minutes　for　explanations。　　Olga　will

look　very　alluring　in　the　filmy　creation　that　is　her　night…

dress；　and　the　clinging　robe　which　but　half　conceals　the

charms　that　the　former　does　not　conceal　at　all。　　Olga　will　be

surprised；　but　not　displeased。



〃If　there　is　a　drop　of　red　blood　in　the　man　the　count

will　break　in　upon　a　very　pretty　love　scene　in　about　fifteen

minutes　from　now。　　I　think　we　have　planned　marvelously；　my

dear　Alexis。　　Let　us　go　out　and　drink　to　the　very　good

health　of　Monsieur　Tarzan　in　some　of　old　Plancon's

unparalleled　absinth；　not　forgetting　that　the　Count　de　Coude

is　one　of　the　best　swordsmen　in　Paris；　and　by　far　the　best

shot　in　all　France。〃



When　Tarzan　reached　Olga's；　Jacques　was　awaiting　him　at

the　entrance。



〃This　way；　Monsieur；〃　he　said；　and　led　the　way　up　the　broad；

marble　staircase。　　In　another　moment　he　had　opened　a　door；

and；　drawing　aside　a　heavy　curtain；　obsequiously　bowed

Tarzan　into　a　dimly　lighted　apartment。　　Then　Jacques　vanished。



Across　the　room　from　him　Tarzan　saw　Olga　seated　before

a　little　desk　on　which　stood　her　telephone。　　She　was　tapping

impatiently　upon　the　polished　surface　of　the　desk。　　She　had

not　heard　him　enter。



〃Olga；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　wrong？〃



She　turned　toward　him　with　a　little　cry　of　alarm。



〃Jean！〃　she　cried。　　〃What　are　you　doing　here？

Who　admitted　you？　　What　does　it　mean？〃



Tarzan　was　thunderstruck；　but　in　an　instant　he　realized

a　part　of　the　truth。



〃Then　you　did　not　send　for　me；　Olga？〃



〃Send　for　you　at　this　time　of　night？　　MON　DIEU！　　Jean；　do

you　think　that　I　am　quite　mad？〃



〃Francois　telephoned　me　to　come　at　once；　that　you　were

in　trouble　and　wanted　me。〃



〃Francois？　　Who　in　the　world　is　Francois？〃



〃He　said　that　he　was　in　your　service。　　He　spoke　as　though

I　should　recall　the　fact。〃



〃There　is　no　one　by　that　name　in　my　employ。　　Some　one

has　played　a　joke　upon　you；　Jean；〃　and　Olga　laughed。



〃I　fear　that　it　may　be　a　most　sinister　‘joke；'　Olga；〃　he　replied。

〃There　is　more　back　of　it　than　humor。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？　　You　do　not　think　that〃



〃Where　is　the　count？〃　he　interrupted。



〃At　the　German　ambassador's。〃



〃This　is　another　move　by　your　estimable　brother。

Tomorrow　the　count　will　hear　of　it。　　He　will　question

the　s