第 8 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-18 21:55      字数:9322
  apes; if they be not in one of their occasional fits of bestial
  rageand he growled back at the truculent young bulls; baring
  his canine teeth even as they。  Thus easily he fell back into
  the way of his early life; nor did it seem that he had
  ever tasted association with creatures of his own kind。
  For the better part of a week he roamed the jungle with
  his new friends; partly because of a desire for companionship
  and partially through a well…laid plan to impress himself
  indelibly upon their memories; which at best are none too long;
  for Tarzan from past experience knew that it might serve him
  in good stead to have a tribe of these powerful and terrible
  beasts at his call。
  When he was convinced that he had succeeded to some extent
  in fixing his identity upon them he decided to again take up
  his exploration。  To this end he set out toward the north
  early one day; and; keeping parallel with the shore;
  travelled rapidly until almost nightfall。
  When the sun rose the next morning he saw that it lay almost
  directly to his right as he stood upon the beach instead
  of straight out across the water as heretofore; and so he
  reasoned that the shore line had trended toward the west。
  All the second day he continued his rapid course; and when
  Tarzan of the Apes sought speed; he passed through the middle
  terrace of the forest with the rapidity of a squirrel。
  That night the sun set straight out across the water opposite
  the land; and then the ape…man guessed at last the truth that
  he had been suspecting。
  Rokoff had set him ashore upon an island。
  He might have known it!  If there was any plan that would
  render his position more harrowing he should have known
  that such would be the one adopted by the Russian; and what
  could be more terrible than to leave him to a lifetime of
  suspense upon an uninhabited island?
  Rokoff doubtless had sailed directly to the mainland; where
  it would be a comparatively easy thing for him to find the
  means of delivering the infant Jack into the hands of the cruel
  and savage foster…parents; who; as his note had threatened;
  would have the upbringing of the child。
  Tarzan shuddered as he thought of the cruel suffering the
  little one must endure in such a life; even though he might
  fall into the hands of individuals whose intentions toward
  him were of the kindest。  The ape…man had had sufficient
  experience with the lower savages of Africa to know that even
  there may be found the cruder virtues of charity and humanity;
  but their lives were at best but a series of terrible privations;
  dangers; and sufferings。
  Then there was the horrid after…fate that awaited the child
  as he grew to manhood。  The horrible practices that would
  form a part of his life…training would alone be sufficient
  to bar him forever from association with those of his own race
  and station in life。
  A cannibal!  His little boy a savage man…eater!  It was too
  horrible to contemplate。
  The filed teeth; the slit nose; the little face painted hideously。
  Tarzan groaned。  Could he but feel the throat of the Russ fiend
  beneath his steel fingers!
  And Jane!
  What tortures of doubt and fear and uncertainty she must
  be suffering。  He felt that his position was infinitely less
  terrible than hers; for he at least knew that one of his
  loved ones was safe at home; while she had no idea of the
  whereabouts of either her husband or her son。
  It is well for Tarzan that he did not guess the truth; for the
  knowledge would have but added a hundredfold to his suffering。
  As he moved slowly through the jungle his mind absorbed
  by his gloomy thoughts; there presently came to his ears a
  strange scratching sound which he could not translate。
  Cautiously he moved in the direction from which it emanated;
  presently coming upon a huge panther pinned beneath a fallen tree。
  As Tarzan approached; the beast turned; snarling; toward him;
  struggling to extricate itself; but one great limb across
  its back and the smaller entangling branches pinioning its
  legs prevented it from moving but a few inches in any direction。
  The ape…man stood before the helpless cat fitting an arrow
  to his bow that he might dispatch the beast that otherwise
  must die of starvation; but even as he drew back the shaft a
  sudden whim stayed his hand。
  Why rob the poor creature of life and liberty; when it would
  be so easy a thing to restore both to it!  He was sure from
  the fact that the panther moved all its limbs in its futile
  struggle for freedom that its spine was uninjured; and for
  the same reason he knew that none of its limbs were broken。
  Relaxing his bowstring; he returned the arrow to the quiver and;
  throwing the bow about his shoulder; stepped closer to
  the pinioned beast。
  On his lips was the soothing; purring sound that the great
  cats themselves made when contented and happy。  It was the
  nearest approach to a friendly advance that Tarzan could
  make in the language of Sheeta。
  The panther ceased his snarling and eyed the ape…man closely。
  To lift the tree's great weight from the animal it was
  necessary to come within reach of those long; strong talons;
  and when the tree had been removed the man would be totally
  at the mercy of the savage beast; but to Tarzan of the Apes
  fear was a thing unknown。
  Having decided; he acted promptly。
  Unhesitatingly; he stepped into the tangle of branches close to the
  panther's side; still voicing his friendly and conciliatory purr。
  The cat turned his head toward the man; eyeing him steadilyquestioningly。
  The long fangs were bared; but more in preparedness than threat。
  Tarzan put a broad shoulder beneath the bole of the tree;
  and as he did so his bare leg pressed against the cat's silken side;
  so close was the man to the great beast。
  Slowly Tarzan extended his giant thews。
  The great tree with its entangling branches rose gradually
  from the panther; who; feeling the encumbering weight diminish;
  quickly crawled from beneath。  Tarzan let the tree fall back to earth;
  and the two beasts turned to look upon one another。
  A grim smile lay upon the ape…man's lips; for he knew that he had
  taken his life in his hands to free this savage jungle fellow;
  nor would it have surprised him had the cat sprung upon him
  the instant that it had been released。
  But it did not do so。  Instead; it stood a few paces from the tree
  watching the ape…man clamber out of the maze of fallen branches。
  Once outside; Tarzan was not three paces from the panther。
  He might have taken to the higher branches of the trees
  upon the opposite side; for Sheeta cannot climb to the heights
  to which the ape…man can go; but something; a spirit of bravado
  perhaps; prompted him to approach the panther as though to
  discover if any feeling of gratitude would prompt the beast
  to friendliness。
  As he approached the mighty cat the creature stepped
  warily to one side; and the ape…man brushed past him within
  a foot of the dripping jaws; and as he continued on through
  the forest the panther followed on behind him; as a hound
  follows at heel。
  For a long time Tarzan could not tell whether the beast
  was following out of friendly feelings or merely stalking him
  against the time he should be hungry; but finally he was
  forced to believe that the former incentive it was that
  prompted the animal's action。
  Later in the day the scent of a deer sent Tarzan into the trees;
  and when he had dropped his noose about the animal's neck he
  called to Sheeta; using a purr similar to that which he had
  utilized to pacify the brute's suspicions earlier in the day;
  but a trifle louder and more shrill。
  It was similar to that which he had heard panthers use after
  a kill when they had been hunting in pairs。
  Almost immediately there was a crashing of the underbrush
  close at hand; and the long; lithe body of his strange
  companion broke into view。
  At sight of the body of Bara and the smell of blood the panther
  gave forth a shrill scream; and a moment later two beasts were
  feeding side by side upon the tender meat of the deer。
  For several days this strangely assorted pair roamed
  the jungle together。
  When one made a kill he called the other;
  and thus they fed well and often。
  On one occasion as they were dining upon the carcass of a boar
  that Sheeta had dispatched; Numa; the lion; grim and terrible;
  broke through the tangled grasses close beside them。
  With an angry; warning roar he sprang forward to chase them
  from their kill。  Sheeta bounded into a near…by thicket;
  while Tarzan took to the low branches of an overhanging tree。
  Here the ape…man unloosed his grass rope from about his neck; and
  as Numa stood above the body of the boar; challenging head erect;
  he dropped the sinuous noose about the maned neck;
  drawing the stout strands taut with a sudden jerk。
  At the s