第 25 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-18 21:55      字数:9321
  She would have liked to have flaunted the fact in his face;
  but she dared not。  If he continued to believe that the child
  had been hers; so much safer would be the real Jack wherever
  he might be。  She had; of course; no knowledge of the whereabouts
  of her little sonshe did not know; even; that he still
  lived; and yet there was the chance that he might。
  It was more than possible that without Rokoff's knowledge
  this child had been substituted for hers by one of the Russian's
  confederates; and that even now her son might be safe
  with friends in London; where there were many; both able
  and willing; to have paid any ransom which the traitorous
  conspirator might have asked for the safe release of Lord
  Greystoke's son。
  She had thought it all out a hundred times since she had
  discovered that the baby which Anderssen had placed in her
  arms that night upon the Kincaid was not her own; and it had
  been a constant and gnawing source of happiness to her to
  dream the whole fantasy through in its every detail。
  No; the Russian must never know that this was not her baby。
  She realized that her position was hopelesswith Anderssen
  and her husband dead there was no one in all the world with
  a desire to succour her who knew where she might be found。
  Rokoff's threat; she realized; was no idle one。  That he
  would do; or attempt to do; all that he had promised; she
  was perfectly sure; but at the worst it meant but a little earlier
  release from the hideous anguish that she had been enduring。
  She must find some way to take her own life before the Russian
  could harm her further。
  Just now she wanted timetime to think and prepare herself
  for the end。  She felt that she could not take the last;
  awful step until she had exhausted every possibility of escape。
  She did not care to live unless she might find her way
  back to her own child; but slight as such a hope appeared
  she would not admit its impossibility until the last moment
  had come; and she faced the fearful reality of choosing between
  the final alternativesNikolas Rokoff on one hand and
  self…destruction upon the other。
  〃Go away!〃 she said to the Russian。  〃Go away and leave me
  in peace with my dead。  Have you not brought sufficient misery
  and anguish upon me without attempting to harm me further?
  What wrong have I ever done you that you should persist
  in persecuting me?〃
  〃You are suffering for the sins of the monkey you chose
  when you might have had the love of a gentlemanof Nikolas
  Rokoff;〃 he replied。  〃But where is the use in discussing
  the matter?  We shall bury the child here; and you will
  return with me at once to my own camp。  Tomorrow I shall
  bring you back and turn you over to your new husbandthe
  lovely M'ganwazam。  Come!〃
  He reached out for the child。  Jane; who was on her feet
  now; turned away from him。
  〃I shall bury the body;〃 she said。  〃Send some men to dig
  a grave outside the village。〃
  Rokoff was anxious to have the thing over and get back to
  his camp with his victim。  He thought he saw in her apathy a
  resignation to her fate。  Stepping outside the hut; he motioned
  her to follow him; and a moment later; with his men; he
  escorted Jane beyond the village; where beneath a great tree
  the blacks scooped a shallow grave。
  Wrapping the tiny body in a blanket; Jane laid it tenderly
  in the black hole; and; turning her head that she might not
  see the mouldy earth falling upon the pitiful little bundle;
  she breathed a prayer beside the grave of the nameless waif
  that had won its way to the innermost recesses of her heart。
  Then; dry…eyed but suffering; she rose and followed the Russian
  through the Stygian blackness of the jungle; along the winding;
  leafy corridor that led from the village of M'ganwazam; the
  black cannibal; to the camp of Nikolas Rokoff; the white fiend。
  Beside them; in the impenetrable thickets that fringed the path;
  rising to arch above it and shut out the moon; the girl could
  hear the stealthy; muffled footfalls of great beasts; and ever
  round about them rose the deafening roars of hunting lions;
  until the earth trembled to the mighty sound。
  The porters lighted torches now and waved them upon either
  hand to frighten off the beasts of prey。  Rokoff urged
  them to greater speed; and from the quavering note in his
  voice Jane Clayton knew that he was weak from terror。
  The sounds of the jungle night recalled most vividly the
  days and nights that she had spent in a similar jungle with
  her forest godwith the fearless and unconquerable Tarzan
  of the Apes。  Then there had been no thoughts of terror;
  though the jungle noises were new to her; and the roar of a
  lion had seemed the most awe…inspiring sound upon the great earth。
  How different would it be now if she knew that he was
  somewhere there in the wilderness; seeking her!  Then; indeed;
  would there be that for which to live; and every reason
  to believe that succour was close at handbut he was dead!
  It was incredible that it should be so。
  There seemed no place in death for that great body and
  those mighty thews。  Had Rokoff been the one to tell her of
  her lord's passing she would have known that he lied。
  There could be no reason; she thought; why M'ganwazam should
  have deceived her。  She did not know that the Russian had
  talked with the savage a few minutes before the chief had
  come to her with his tale。
  At last they reached the rude boma that Rokoff's porters
  had thrown up round the Russian's camp。  Here they found
  all in turmoil。  She did not know what it was all about;
  but she saw that Rokoff was very angry; and from bits of
  conversation which she could translate she gleaned that there
  had been further desertions while he had been absent; and that
  the deserters had taken the bulk of his food and ammunition。
  When he had done venting his rage upon those who remained
  he returned to where Jane stood under guard of a couple
  of his white sailors。  He grasped her roughly by the arm
  and started to drag her toward his tent。  The girl struggled
  and fought to free herself; while the two sailors stood by;
  laughing at the rare treat。
  Rokoff did not hesitate to use rough methods when he found
  that he was to have difficulty in carrying out his designs。
  Repeatedly he struck Jane Clayton in the face; until at
  last; half…conscious; she was dragged within his tent。
  Rokoff's boy had lighted the Russian's lamp; and now at
  a word from his master he made himself scarce。  Jane had
  sunk to the floor in the middle of the enclosure。  Slowly her
  numbed senses were returning to her and she was commencing
  to think very fast indeed。  Quickly her eyes ran round the
  interior of the tent; taking in every detail of its equipment
  and contents。
  Now the Russian was lifting her to her feet and attempting
  to drag her to the camp cot that stood at one side of the tent。
  At his belt hung a heavy revolver。  Jane Clayton's eyes riveted
  themselves upon it。  Her palm itched to grasp the huge butt。
  She feigned again to swoon; but through her half…closed lids
  she waited her opportunity。
  It came just as Rokoff was lifting her upon the cot。  A noise
  at the tent door behind him brought his head quickly about
  and away from the girl。  The butt of the gun was not an inch
  from her hand。  With a single; lightning…like move she
  snatched the weapon from its holster; and at the same instant
  Rokoff turned back toward her; realizing his peril。
  She did not dare fire for fear the shot would bring his
  people about him; and with Rokoff dead she would fall into
  hands no better than his and to a fate probably even worse
  than he alone could have imagined。  The memory of the two brutes
  who stood and laughed as Rokoff struck her was still vivid。
  As the rage and fear…filled countenance of the Slav turned
  toward her Jane Clayton raised the heavy revolver high above
  the pasty face and with all her strength dealt the man a terrific
  blow between the eyes。
  Without a sound he sank; limp and unconscious; to the ground。
  A moment later the girl stood beside himfor a moment at
  least free from the menace of his lust。
  Outside the tent she again heard the noise that had distracted
  Rokoff's attention。  What it was she did not know; but; fearing
  the return of the servant and the discovery of her deed;
  she stepped quickly to the camp table upon which burned the
  oil lamp and extinguished the smudgy; evil…smelling flame。
  In the total darkness of the interior she paused for a moment to
  collect her wits and plan for the next step in her venture for freedom。
  About her was a camp of enemies。  Beyond these foes a black
  wilderness of savage jungle peopled by hideous beasts of prey
  and still more hideous human beasts。
  There was little or no chance that she could survive even a few
  days of the constant dangers that would confront her there;
  but the