the beasts of tarzan-第25章
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〃You were kind to me to whom none is now kind； and I have come
to warn you in payment of your kindness；〃 answered the old hag。
〃Warn me of what？〃
〃M'ganwazam has chosen the young men who are to sleep in the
hut with you；〃 replied Tambudza。 〃I was near as he talked
with them； and heard him issuing his instructions to them。
When the dance is run well into the morning they are
to come to the hut。
〃If you are awake they are to pretend that they have come
to sleep； but if you sleep it is M'ganwazam's command that
you be killed。 If you are not then asleep they will wait quietly
beside you until you do sleep； and then they will all fall upon
you together and slay you。 M'ganwazam is determined to
win the reward the white man has offered。〃
〃I had forgotten the reward；〃 said Tarzan； half to himself；
and then he added； 〃How may M'ganwazam hope to collect
the reward now that the white men who are my enemies
have left his country and gone he knows not where？〃
〃Oh； they have not gone far；〃 replied Tambudza。
〃M'ganwazam knows where they camp。 His runners could
quickly overtake themthey move slowly。〃
〃Where are they？〃 asked Tarzan。
〃Do you wish to come to them？〃 asked Tambudza in way of reply。
Tarzan nodded。
〃I cannot tell you where they lie so that you could come
to the place yourself； but I could lead you to them； bwana。〃
In their interest in the conversation neither of the speakers
had noticed the little figure which crept into the darkness of
the hut behind them； nor did they see it when it slunk
noiselessly out again。
It was little Buulaoo； the chief's son by one of his younger
wivesa vindictive； degenerate little rascal who hated Tambudza；
and was ever seeking opportunities to spy upon her and report her
slightest breach of custom to his father。
〃Come； then；〃 said Tarzan quickly； 〃let us be on our way。〃
This Buulaoo did not hear； for he was already legging it up
the village street to where his hideous sire guzzled native
beer； and watched the evolutions of the frantic dancers
leaping high in the air and cavorting wildly in their
hysterical capers。
So it happened that as Tarzan and Tambudza sneaked warily
from the village and melted into the Stygian darkness of
the jungle two lithe runners took their way in the same
direction； though by another trail。
When they had come sufficiently far from the village to
make it safe for them to speak above a whisper； Tarzan asked
the old woman if she had seen aught of a white woman and
a little child。
〃Yes； bwana；〃 replied Tambudza； 〃there was a woman
with them and a little childa little white piccaninny。
It died here in our village of the fever and they buried it！〃
Chapter 12
A Black Scoundrel
When Jane Clayton regained consciousness she saw Anderssen
standing over her； holding the baby in his arms。 As her eyes
rested upon them an expression of misery and horror
overspread her countenance。
〃What is the matter？〃 he asked。 〃You ban sick？〃
〃Where is my baby？〃 she cried； ignoring his questions。
Anderssen held out the chubby infant； but she shook her head。
〃It is not mine；〃 she said。 〃You knew that it was not mine。
You are a devil like the Russian。〃
Anderssen's blue eyes stretched in surprise。
〃Not yours！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You tole me the kid aboard
the Kincaid ban your kid。〃
〃Not this one；〃 replied Jane dully。 〃The other。 Where is the other？
There must have been two。 I did not know about this one。〃
〃There vasn't no other kid。 Ay tank this ban yours。 Ay am very sorry。〃
Anderssen fidgeted about； standing first on one foot and then upon
the other。 It was perfectly evident to Jane that he was honest in
his protestations of ignorance of the true identity of the child。
Presently the baby commenced to crow； and bounce up and
down in the Swede's arms； at the same time leaning forward
with little hands out…reaching toward the young woman。
She could not withstand the appeal； and with a low cry
she sprang to her feet and gathered the baby to her breast。
For a few minutes she wept silently； her face buried in the
baby's soiled little dress。 The first shock of disappointment
that the tiny thing had not been her beloved Jack was giving
way to a great hope that after all some miracle had occurred
to snatch her baby from Rokoff's hands at the last instant
before the Kincaid sailed from England。
Then； too； there was the mute appeal of this wee waif alone
and unloved in the midst of the horrors of the savage jungle。
It was this thought more than any other that had sent her
mother's heart out to the innocent babe； while still she
suffered from disappointment that she had been deceived in
its identity。
〃Have you no idea whose child this is？〃 she asked Anderssen。
The man shook his head。
〃Not now；〃 he said。 〃If he ain't ban your kid； Ay don' know whose
kid he do ban。 Rokoff said it was yours。 Ay tank he tank so； too。
〃What do we do with it now？ Ay can't go back to the Kincaid。
Rokoff would have me shot； but you can go back。 Ay take you to the sea；
and then some of these black men they take you to the shipeh？〃
〃No！ no！〃 cried Jane。 〃Not for the world。 I would rather die
than fall into the hands of that man again。 No； let us go on
and take this poor little creature with us。 If God is willing
we shall be saved in one way or another。〃
So they again took up their flight through the wilderness；
taking with them a half…dozen of the Mosulas to carry
provisions and the tents that Anderssen had smuggled aboard
the small boat in preparation for the attempted escape。
The days and nights of torture that the young woman suffered
were so merged into one long； unbroken nightmare of
hideousness that she soon lost all track of time。 Whether they
had been wandering for days or years she could not tell。
The one bright spot in that eternity of fear and suffering was the
little child whose tiny hands had long since fastened their
softly groping fingers firmly about her heart。
In a way the little thing took the place and filled the aching
void that the theft of her own baby had left。 It could never be
the same； of course； but yet； day by day； she found her
mother…love； enveloping the waif more closely until she
sometimes sat with closed eyes lost in the sweet imagining
that the little bundle of humanity at her breast was truly her own。
For some time their progress inland was extremely slow。
Word came to them from time to time through natives passing
from the coast on hunting excursions that Rokoff had not
yet guessed the direction of their flight。 This； and the desire
to make the journey as light as possible for the gently bred
woman； kept Anderssen to a slow advance of short and easy
marches with many rests。
The Swede insisted upon carrying the child while they
travelled； and in countless other ways did what he could to
help Jane Clayton conserve her strength。 He had been terribly
chagrined on discovering the mistake he had made in the
identity of the baby； but once the young woman became
convinced that his motives were truly chivalrous she would not
permit him longer to upbraid himself for the error that he
could not by any means have avoided。
At the close of each day's march Anderssen saw to the
erection of a comfortable shelter for Jane and the child。
Her tent was always pitched in the most favourable location。
The thorn boma round it was the strongest and most
impregnable that the Mosula could construct。
Her food was the best that their limited stores and the rifle
of the Swede could provide； but the thing that touched her
heart the closest was the gentle consideration and courtesy
which the man always accorded her。
That such nobility of character could lie beneath so repulsive
an exterior never
