the return of tarzan-第2部分

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〃But　why；　monsieur？〃　exclaimed　the　other　petulantly。

〃Permit　me　to　pass；　monsieur。〃



〃Wait；〃　said　Tarzan。　　〃I　think　that　there　is　a　matter　in　here

that　you　may　doubtless　be　able　to　explain。〃



The　fellow　had　lost　his　temper　by　this　time；　and　with　a　low

oath　seized　Tarzan　to　push　him　to　one　side。　　The　ape…man

but　smiled　as　he　twisted　the　big　fellow　about　and；　grasping

him　by　the　collar　of　his　coat；　escorted　him　back　to　the　table；

struggling；　cursing；　and　striking　in　futile　remonstrance。

It　was　Nikolas　Rokoff's　first　experience　with　the　muscles　that

had　brought　their　savage　owner　victorious　through　encounters

with　Numa；　the　lion；　and　Terkoz；　the　great　bull　ape。



The　man　who　had　accused　De　Coude；　and　the　two　others　who

had　been　playing；　stood　looking　expectantly　at　the　count。

Several　other　passengers　had　drawn　toward　the　scene　of　the

altercation；　and　all　awaited　the　denouement。



〃The　fellow　is　crazy；〃　said　the　count。　　〃Gentlemen；　I　implore

that　one　of　you　search　me。〃



〃The　accusation　is　ridiculous。〃　　This　from　one　of　the　players。



〃You　have　but　to　slip　your　hand　in　the　count's　coat　pocket

and　you　will　see　that　the　accusation　is　quite　serious；〃　insisted

the　accuser。　　And　then；　as　the　others　still　hesitated　to　do　so：

〃Come；　I　shall　do　it　myself　if　no　other　will；〃　and　he　stepped

forward　toward　the　count。



〃No；　monsieur；〃　said　De　Coude。　　〃I　will　submit　to　a　search

only　at　the　hands　of　a　gentleman。〃



〃It　is　unnecessary　to　search　the　count。　　The　cards　are　in

his　pocket。　　I　myself　saw　them　placed　there。〃



All　turned　in　surprise　toward　this　new　speaker；　to　behold

a　very　well…built　young　man　urging　a　resisting　captive　toward

them　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck。



〃It　is　a　conspiracy；〃　cried　De　Coude　angrily。　　〃There　are　no

cards　in　my　coat；〃　and　with　that　he　ran　his　hand　into　his

pocket。　　As　he　did　so　tense　silence　reigned　in　the　little　group。

The　count　went　dead　white；　and　then　very　slowly　he　withdrew

his　hand；　and　in　it　were　three　cards。



He　looked　at　them　in　mute　and　horrified　surprise；　and　slowly

the　red　of　mortification　suffused　his　face。　　Expressions　of

pity　and　contempt　tinged　the　features　of　those　who　looked

on　at　the　death　of　a　man's　honor。



〃It　is　a　conspiracy；　monsieur。〃　　It　was　the　gray…eyed　stranger

who　spoke。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　continued；　〃monsieur　le　count

did　not　know　that　those　cards　were　in　his　pocket。　　They　were

placed　there　without　his　knowledge　as　he　sat　at　play。

From　where　I　sat　in　that　chair　yonder　I　saw　the　reflection　of　it

all　in　the　mirror　before　me。　　This　person　whom　I　just　intercepted

in　an　effort　to　escape　placed　the　cards　in　the　count's　pocket。〃



De　Coude　had　glanced　from　Tarzan　to　the　man　in　his　grasp。



〃MON　DIEU；　Nikolas！〃　he　cried。　　〃You？〃



Then　he　turned　to　his　accuser；　and　eyed　him　intently　for　a　moment。



〃And　you；　monsieur；　I　did　not　recognize　you　without　your

beard。　　It　quite　disguises　you；　Paulvitch。　　I　see　it　all　now。

It　is　quite　clear；　gentlemen。〃



〃What　shall　we　do　with　them；　monsieur？〃　asked　Tarzan。

〃Turn　them　over　to　the　captain？〃



〃No；　my　friend；〃　said　the　count　hastily。　　〃It　is　a　personal

matter；　and　I　beg　that　you　will　let　it　drop。　　It　is　sufficient

that　I　have　been　exonerated　from　the　charge。　　The　less　we　have

to　do　with　such　fellows；　the　better。　　But；　monsieur；　how　can

I　thank　you　for　the　great　kindness　you　have　done　me？

Permit　me　to　offer　you　my　card；　and　should　the　time　come

when　I　may　serve　you；　remember　that　I　am　yours　to　command。〃



Tarzan　had　released　Rokoff；　who；　with　his　confederate；

Paulvitch；　had　hastened　from　the　smoking…room。　　Just　as　he

was　leaving；　Rokoff　turned　to　Tarzan。　　〃Monsieur　will　have

ample　opportunity　to　regret　his　interference　in　the　affairs

of　others。〃



Tarzan　smiled；　and　then；　bowing　to　the　count；　handed　him

his　own　card。



The　count　read：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。　JEAN　C。　TARZAN





〃Monsieur　Tarzan；〃　he　said；　〃may　indeed　wish　that　he　had

never　befriended　me；　for　I　can　assure　him　that　he　has　won

the　enmity　of　two　of　the　most　unmitigated　scoundrels　in　all

Europe。　　Avoid　them；　monsieur；　by　all　means。〃



〃I　have　had　more　awe…inspiring　enemies；　my　dear　count；〃　replied

Tarzan　with　a　quiet　smile；　〃yet　I　am　still　alive　and　unworried。

I　think　that　neither　of　these　two　will　ever　find　the　means　to　harm　me。〃



〃Let　us　hope　not；　monsieur；〃　said　De　Coude；　〃but　yet　it　will

do　no　harm　to　be　on　the　alert；　and　to　know　that　you　have　made

at　least　one　enemy　today　who　never　forgets　and　never　forgives；

and　in　whose　malignant　brain　there　are　always　hatching　new

atrocities　to　perpetrate　upon　those　who　have　thwarted　or

offended　him。　　To　say　that　Nikolas　Rokoff　is　a　devil　would

be　to　place　a　wanton　affront　upon　his　satanic　majesty。〃



That　night　as　Tarzan　entered　his　cabin　he　found　a　folded

note　upon　the　floor　that　had　evidently　been　pushed　beneath

the　door。　　He　opened　it　and　read：



M。　TARZAN：



Doubtless　you　did　not　realize　the　gravity　of　your　offense；

or　you　would　not　have　done　the　thing　you　did　today。

I　am　willing　to　believe　that　you　acted　in　ignorance　and

without　any　intention　to　offend　a　stranger。　　For　this　reason

I　shall　gladly　permit　you　to　offer　an　apology；　and　on　receiving

your　assurances　that　you　will　not　again　interfere　in　affairs

that　do　not　concern　you；　I　shall　drop　the　matter。



Otherwisebut　I　am　sure　that　you　will　see　the　wisdom　of

adopting　the　course　I　suggest。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Very　respectfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NIKOLAS　ROKOFF。





Tarzan　permitted　a　grim　smile　to　play　about　his　lips　for　a

moment；　then　he　promptly　dropped　the　matter　from　his　mind；

and　went　to　bed。



In　a　nearby　cabin　the　Countess　de　Coude　was　speaking　to　her　husband。



〃Why　so　grave；　my　dear　Raoul？〃　she　asked。　　〃You　have　been

as　glum　as　could　be　all　evening。　　What　worries　you？〃



〃Olga；　Nikolas　is　on　board。　　Did　you　know　it？〃



〃Nikolas！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃But　it　is　impossible；　Raoul。

It　cannot　be。　　Nikolas　is　under　arrest　in　Germany。〃



〃So　I　thought　myself　until　I　saw　him　todayhim　and　that

other　arch　scoundrel；　Paulvitch。　　Olga；　I　cannot　endure　his

persecution　much　longer。　　No；　not　even　for　you。　　Sooner　or　later

I　shall　turn　him　over　to　the　authorities。　　In　fact；　I　am　half

minded　to　explain　all　to　the　captain　before　we　land。　　On　a

French　liner　it　were　an　easy　matter；　Olga；　permanently　to

settle　this　Nemesis　of　ours。〃



〃Oh；　no；　Raoul！〃　cried　the　countess；　sinking　to　her　knees

before　him　as　he　sat　with　bowed　head　upon　a　divan。　　〃Do　not

do　that。　　Remember　your　promise　to　me。　　Tell　me；　Raoul；　that

you　will　not　do　that。　　Do　not　even　threaten　him；　Raoul。〃



De　Coude　took　his　wife's　hands　in　his；　and　gazed　upon

her　pale　and　troubled　countenance　for　some　time　before　he

spoke；　as　though　he　would　wrest　from　those　beautiful　eyes

the　real　reason　which　prompted　her　to　shield　this　man。



〃Let　it　be　as　you　wish；　Olga；〃　he　said　at　length。　　〃I　cannot

understand。　　He　has　forfeited　all　claim　upon　your　love；　loyalty；

or　respect。　　He　is　a　menace　to　your　life　and　honor；　and　the

life　and　honor　of　your　husband。　　I　trust　you　may　never　regret

championing　him。〃



〃I　do　not　champion　him；　Raoul；〃　she　interrupted　vehemently。

〃I　believe　that　I　hate　him　as　much　as　you　do；　butOh；　Raoul；

blood　is　thicker　than　water。〃



〃I　should　today　have　liked　to　sample　the　consistency　of

his；〃　growled　De　Coude　grimly。　　〃The　two　deliberately

attempted　to　besmirch　my　honor；　Olga；〃　and　then　he　told　her

of　all　that　had　happened　in　the　smoking…room。　　〃Had　it

not　been　for　this　utter　stranger；　they　had　succeeded；　for　who

would　have　accepted　my　unsupported　word　against　the　damning

evidence　of　those　cards　hidden　on　my　person？　　I　had　almost

begun　to　doubt　myself　when　this　Monsieur　Tarzan　dragged

your　precious　Nikolas　before　us；　and　explained　the

whole　cowardly　transaction。〃



〃Monsieur　Tarzan？〃　asked　the　countess；　in　evident　surprise。



〃Yes。　　Do　you　know　him；　Olga？〃



〃I　have　seen　him。　　A　steward　pointed　him　out　to　me。〃



〃I　did　not　know　that　he　was　a　celebrity；〃　said　the　count。



Olga　de　Coude　changed　the　subject。　　She　discovered　suddenly

that　she　might　find　it　difficult　to　explain　just　why

the　steward　had　pointed　out　the　handsome　Monsieur　Tarzan

to　her。　　Perhaps　she　flushed　the　least　little　bit；　for　was

not　the　count；　her　husband；　gazing　at　her　with　a　strangely

quizzical　expression。　　〃Ah；〃　she　thought；　〃a　guilty

conscience　is　a　most　suspicious　thing。〃







Chapter　2





Forging　Bonds　of　Hate　and　？





It　was　not　until　late　the　following　afternoon　that　Tarzan

saw　anything　more　of　the　fellow　passengers　into　the　midst

of　whose　affairs　his　love　of　fair　play　had　thrust　him。

And　then　he　came　most　unexpectedly　upon　Rokoff　and　Paulvitch

at　a　moment　when　of　all　others　the　two　might　least

appreciate　his　company。



They　were　standing　on　deck　at　a　point　which　was　temporarily

deserted；　and　as　Tarzan　came　upon　them　they　were　in

heated　argument　with　a　woman。　　Tarzan　noted　that　she　was

richly　appareled；　and　that　her　slender；　well…modeled　figure

denoted　youth；　but　as　she　was　heavily　veiled　he　could　not

discern　her　features。



The　men　were　standing　on　either　side　of　her；　and　the

backs　of　all　were　toward　Tarzan；　so　that　he　was　quite　close

to　them　without　their　being　aware　of　his　presence。

He　noticed　that　Rokoff　seemed　to　be　threatening；　the　woman

pleading；　but　they　spoke　in　a　strange　tongue；　and　he　could

only　guess　from　appearances　that　the　girl　was　afraid。



Rokoff's　attitude　was　so　distinctly　filled　with　the　threat　of

physical　violence　that　the　ape…man　paused　for　an　instant　just

behind　the　trio；　instinctively　sensing　an　atmosphere　of　danger。

Scarcely　had　he　hesitated　ere　the　man　seized　the　woman

roughly　by　the　wrist；　twisting　it　as　though　to　wring　a　promise

from　her　through　torture。　　What　w