第 28 节
作者:击水三千      更新:2021-02-18 22:45      字数:9320
  contents。     The ape…man was disappointedpossibly not so much because
  of   the loss of   the   colored pebbles   as   with   Numa   for   robbing him  of   the
  pleasures of revenge。
  Wondering what could have become of his possessions; the ape…man
  turned slowly back along the trail in the direction from which he had come。
  In his mind he revolved a plan to enter and search the Arab camp; after
  darkness had again fallen。         Taking to the trees; he moved directly south in
  search of prey; that he might satisfy his hunger before midday; and then lie
  up for the afternoon in some spot far from the camp; where he might sleep
  without fear of discovery until it came time to prosecute his design。
  Scarcely had he quitted the trail when a tall; black warrior; moving at a
  dogged trot; passed toward the east。             It was Mugambi; searching for his
  mistress。 He continued along the trail; halting to examine the body of the
  dead lion。     An expression of puzzlement crossed his features as he bent to
  search   for   the   wounds   which   had   caused   the   death   of   the   jungle   lord。
  Tarzan had removed his arrows; but to Mugambi the proof of death was as
  strong   as   though   both   the   lighter   missiles   and   the   spear   still   protruded
  from the carcass。
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  Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar
  The black looked furtively about him。             The body was still warm; and
  from this fact he reasoned that the killer was close at hand; yet no sign of
  living man appeared。         Mugambi shook his head; and continued along the
  trail; but with redoubled caution。
  All day he traveled; stopping occasionally to call aloud the single word;
  〃Lady;〃 in the hope that at last she might hear and respond; but in the end
  his loyal devotion brought him to disaster。
  From the northeast; for several months; Abdul Mourak; in command of
  a detachment of Abyssinian soldiers; had been assiduously searching for
  the Arab   raider; Achmet   Zek;  who;  six   months   previously;  had   affronted
  the majesty of Abdul Mourak's emperor by conducting a slave raid within
  the boundaries of Menelek's domain。
  And now it happened that Abdul Mourak had halted for a short rest at
  noon     upon    this  very   day   and   along    the  same    trail  that  Werper     and
  Mugambi were following toward the east。
  It  was   shortly   after   the  soldiers   had   dismounted      that  the  Belgian;
  unaware   of   their   presence;   rode   his   tired   mount   almost   into   their   midst;
  before    he   had   discovered     them。    Instantly    he   was   surrounded;     and   a
  volley of questions hurled at him; as he was pulled from his horse and led
  toward the presence of the commander。
  Falling   back   upon   his   European   nationality;   Werper   assured   Abdul
  Mourak that he was a Frenchman; hunting in Africa; and that he had been
  attacked by strangers; his safari killed or scattered; and himself escaping
  only by a miracle。
  From     a  chance    remark    of   the  Abyssinian;     Werper     discovered     the
  purpose of the expedition; and when he realized that these men were the
  enemies      of  Achmet     Zek;   he   took   heart;  and   immediately      blamed     his
  predicament upon the Arab。
  Lest;   however;   he   might   again   fall   into   the   hands   of   the   raider;   he
  discouraged       Abdul    Mourak     in  the   further   prosecution     of  his  pursuit;
  assuring     the   Abyssinian      that  Achmet      Zek    commanded        a  large   and
  dangerous force; and also that he was marching rapidly toward the south。
  Convinced that it would take a long time to overhaul the raider; and
  that the chances of engagement made the outcome extremely questionable;
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  Mourak; none too unwillingly; abandoned his plan and gave the necessary
  orders   for   his   command   to   pitch   camp   where   they   were;   preparatory   to
  taking up the return march toward Abyssinia the following morning。
  It was late in the afternoon that the attention of the camp was attracted
  toward the west by the sound of a powerful voice calling a single word;
  repeated several times: 〃Lady!           Lady!     Lady!〃
  True to their instincts of precaution; a number of Abyssinians; acting
  under orders from Abdul Mourak; advanced stealthily through the jungle
  toward the author of the call。
  A half hour later they returned; dragging Mugambi among them。                      The
  first   person   the   big   black's   eyes   fell   upon   as   he   was   hustled   into   the
  presence of the Abyssinian officer; was M。 Jules Frecoult; the Frenchman
  who had been the guest of his master and whom he last had seen entering
  the   village   of   Achmet     Zek   under    circumstances      which    pointed    to  his
  familiarity and friendship for the raiders。
  Between   the   disasters   that   had   befallen   his   master   and   his   master's
  house;   and   the   Frenchman;   Mugambi   saw   a   sinister   relationship;   which
  kept him from recalling to Werper's attention the identity which the latter
  evidently failed to recognize。
  Pleading that he was but a harmless hunter from a tribe farther south;
  Mugambi begged to be allowed to go upon his way; but Abdul Mourak;
  admiring the warrior's splendid physique; decided to take him back to Adis
  Abeba and present him to Menelek。               A few moments later Mugambi and
  Werper were marched away under guard; and the Belgian learned for the
  first   time;   that   he   too   was   a   prisoner   rather   than   a   guest。 In   vain   he
  protested     against    such   treatment;    until  a  strapping     soldier   struck   him
  across the mouth and threatened to shoot him if he did not desist。
  Mugambi   took   the   matter   less   to   heart;   for   he   had   not   the   slightest
  doubt   but   that   during   the   course   of   the   journey   he   would   find   ample
  opportunity to elude the vigilance of his guards and make good his escape。
  With this idea always uppermost in his mind; he courted the good opinion
  of the Abyssinians; asked   them  many  questions about   their emperor  and
  their country; and evinced a growing desire to reach their destination; that
  he might enjoy all the good things which they assured him the city of Adis
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  Abeba contained。         Thus he disarmed their suspicions; and each day found
  a slight relaxation of their watchfulness over him。
  By taking advantage of the fact that he and Werper always were kept
  together;     Mugambi        sought    to   learn    what    the   other    knew     of   the
  whereabouts of Tarzan; or the authorship of the raid upon the bungalow; as
  well as the fate of Lady Greystoke; but as he was confined to the accidents
  of   conversation   for this information;  not daring   to   acquaint Werper  with
  his true identity; and as Werper was equally anxious to conceal from the
  world     his  part   in  the   destruction    of   his  host's   home     and   happiness;
  Mugambi learned nothingat least in this way。
  But   there   came   a   time   when   he   learned   a   very   surprising   thing;   by
  accident。
  The party had camped early in the afternoon of a sultry day; upon the
  banks of a clear and beautiful stream。 The bottom of the river was gravelly;
  there    was   no   indication    of  crocodiles;    those    menaces     to  promiscuous
  bathing in the rivers of certain portions of the dark continent; and so the
  Abyssinians took advantage of the opportunity to perform long…deferred;
  and much needed; ablutions。
  As Werper; who; with Mugambi; had been given permission to enter
  the water; removed his clothing; the black noted the care   with which he
  unfastened something which circled his waist; and which he took off with
  his shirt; keeping the latter always around and concealing the object of his
  suspicious solicitude。
  It was this very carefulness which attracted the black's attention to the
  thing; arousing a natural curiosity in the warrior's mind; and so it chanced
  that   when   the   Belgian;   in   the   nervousness   of   overcaution;   fumbled   the
  hidden article and dropped it; Mugambi saw it as it fell upon the ground;
  spilling a portion of its contents on the sward。
  Now Mugambi had been to London with his master。 He was not the
  unsophisticated savage that his apparel proclaimed him。                  He had mingled