the return of tarzan-第52部分

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D'Arnot　and　Captain　Dufranne。



〃Who　is　that；　I　wonder；〃　said　Tennington　to　Rokoff；　and

as　the　Russian　raised　his　eyes　and　met　those　of　the　ape…man

full　upon　him；　he　staggered　and　went　white。



〃SAPRISTI！〃　he　cried；　and　before　Tennington　realized　what

he　intended　he　had　thrown　his　gun　to　his　shoulder；　and

aiming　point…blank　at　Tarzan　pulled　the　trigger。　　But　the

Englishman　was　close　to　himso　close　that　his　hand　reached

the　leveled　barrel　a　fraction　of　a　second　before　the　hammer

fell　upon　the　cartridge；　and　the　bullet　that　was　intended　for

Tarzan's　heart　whirred　harmlessly　above　his　head。



Before　the　Russian　could　fire　again　the　ape…man　was

upon　him　and　had　wrested　the　firearm　from　his　grasp。

Captain　Dufranne；　Lieutenant　D'Arnot；　and　a　dozen　sailors　had

rushed　up　at　the　sound　of　the　shot；　and　now　Tarzan　turned

the　Russian　over　to　them　without　a　word。　　He　had　explained

the　matter　to　the　French　commander　before　Rokoff　arrived；

and　the　officer　gave　immediate　orders　to　place　the　Russian

in　irons　and　confine　him　on　board　the　cruiser。



Just　before　the　guard　escorted　the　prisoner　into　the　small

boat　that　was　to　transport　him　to　his　temporary　prison

Tarzan　asked　permission　to　search　him；　and　to　his　delight

found　the　stolen　papers　concealed　upon　his　person。



The　shot　had　brought　Jane　Porter　and　the　others　from

the　cabin；　and　a　moment　after　the　excitement　had　died

down　she　greeted　the　surprised　Lord　Tennington。　　Tarzan　joined

them　after　he　had　taken　the　papers　from　Rokoff；　and；　as　he

approached；　Jane　Porter　introduced　him　to　Tennington。



〃John　Clayton；　Lord　Greystoke；　my　lord；〃　she　said。



The　Englishman　looked　his　astonishment　in　spite　of　his

most　herculean　efforts　to　appear　courteous；　and　it　required

many　repetitions　of　the　strange　story　of　the　ape…man　as　told

by　himself；　Jane　Porter；　and　Lieutenant　D'Arnot　to　convince

Lord　Tennington　that　they　were　not　all　quite　mad。



At　sunset　they　buried　William　Cecil　Clayton　beside　the

jungle　graves　of　his　uncle　and　his　aunt；　the　former　Lord

and　Lady　Greystoke。　　And　it　was　at　Tarzan's　request　that

three　volleys　were　fired　over　the　last　resting　place　of

〃a　brave　man；　who　met　his　death　bravely。〃



Professor　Porter；　who　in　his　younger　days　had　been　ordained

a　minister；　conducted　the　simple　services　for　the　dead。

About　the　grave；　with　bowed　heads；　stood　as　strange

a　company　of　mourners　as　the　sun　ever　looked　down　upon。

There　were　French　officers　and　sailors；　two　English　lords；

Americans；　and　a　score　of　savage　African　braves。



Following　the　funeral　Tarzan　asked　Captain　Dufranne　to

delay　the　sailing　of　the　cruiser　a　couple　of　days　while　he

went　inland　a　few　miles　to　fetch　his　〃belongings；〃　and　the

officer　gladly　granted　the　favor。



Late　the　next　afternoon　Tarzan　and　his　Waziri　returned

with　the　first　load　of　〃belongings；〃　and　when　the　party　saw

the　ancient　ingots　of　virgin　gold　they　swarmed　upon　the　ape…

man　with　a　thousand　questions；　but　he　was　smilingly　obdurate

to　their　appealshe　declined　to　give　them　the　slightest

clew　as　to　the　source　of　his　immense　treasure。　　〃There　are　a

thousand　that　I　left　behind；〃　he　explained；　〃for　every　one

that　I　brought　away；　and　when　these　are　spent　I　may　wish

to　return　for　more。〃



The　next　day　he　returned　to　camp　with　the　balance　of

his　ingots；　and　when　they　were　stored　on　board　the　cruiser

Captain　Dufranne　said　he　felt　like　the　commander　of　an　old…

time　Spanish　galleon　returning　from　the　treasure　cities　of

the　Aztecs。　　〃I　don't　know　what　minute　my　crew　will　cut　my

throat；　and　take　over　the　ship；〃　he　added。



The　next　morning；　as　they　were　preparing　to　embark　upon

the　cruiser；　Tarzan　ventured　a　suggestion　to　Jane　Porter。



〃Wild　beasts　are　supposed　to　be　devoid　of　sentiment；〃　he

said；　〃but　nevertheless　I　should　like　to　be　married　in　the

cabin　where　I　was　born；　beside　the　graves　of　my　mother　and

my　father；　and　surrounded　by　the　savage　jungle　that　always

has　been　my　home。〃



〃Would　it　be　quite　regular；　dear？〃　she　asked。　　〃For　if　it

would　I　know　of　no　other　place　in　which　I　should　rather　be

married　to　my　forest　god　than　beneath　the　shade　of　his

primeval　forest。〃



And　when　they　spoke　of　it　to　the　others　they　were　assured

that　it　would　be　quite　regular；　and　a　most　splendid

termination　of　a　remarkable　romance。　　So　the　entire　party

assembled　within　the　little　cabin　and　about　the　door　to

witness　the　second　ceremony　that　Professor　Porter　was　to

solemnize　within　three　days。



D'Arnot　was　to　be　best　man；　and　Hazel　Strong　bridesmaid；

until　Tennington　upset　all　the　arrangements　by　another

of　his　marvelous　〃ideas。〃



〃If　Mrs。　Strong　is　agreeable；〃　he　said；　taking　the　bridesmaid's

hand　in　his；　〃Hazel　and　I　think　it　would　be　ripping　to　make　it

a　double　wedding。〃



The　next　day　they　sailed；　and　as　the　cruiser　steamed　slowly

out　to　sea　a　tall　man；　immaculate　in　white　flannel；　and　a

graceful　girl　leaned　against　her　rail　to　watch　the　receding

shore　line　upon　which　danced　twenty　naked；　black　warriors

of　the　Waziri；　waving　their　war　spears　above　their　savage

heads；　and　shouting　farewells　to　their　departing　king。



〃I　should　hate　to　think　that　I　am　looking　upon　the　jungle

for　the　last　time；　dear；〃　he　said；　〃were　it　not　that　I　know

that　I　am　going　to　a　new　world　of　happiness　with　you　forever；〃

and；　bending　down；　Tarzan　of　the　Apes　kissed　his

mate　upon　her　lips。








The　End