第 26 节
作者:西门在线      更新:2021-02-18 21:55      字数:9322
  days of the constant dangers that would confront her there;
  but the knowledge that she had already passed through
  so many perils unscathed; and that somewhere out in the
  faraway world a little child was doubtless at that very moment
  crying for her; filled her with determination to make
  the effort to accomplish the seemingly impossible and cross
  that awful land of horror in search of the sea and the remote
  chance of succour she might find there。
  Rokoff's tent stood almost exactly in the centre of the boma。
  Surrounding it were the tents and shelters of his white
  companions and the natives of his safari。  To pass through
  these and find egress through the boma seemed a task too
  fraught with insurmountable obstacles to warrant even the
  slightest consideration; and yet there was no other way。
  To remain in the tent until she should be discovered would
  be to set at naught all that she had risked to gain her freedom;
  and so with stealthy step and every sense alert she approached
  the back of the tent to set out upon the first stage
  of her adventure。
  Groping along the rear of the canvas wall; she found that
  there was no opening there。  Quickly she returned to the side
  of the unconscious Russian。  In his belt her groping fingers
  came upon the hilt of a long hunting…knife; and with this she
  cut a hole in the back wall of the tent。
  Silently she stepped without。  To her immense relief she
  saw that the camp was apparently asleep。  In the dim and
  flickering light of the dying fires she saw but a single sentry;
  and he was dozing upon his haunches at the opposite side of
  the enclosure。
  Keeping the tent between him and herself; she crossed
  between the small shelters of the native porters to the
  boma wall beyond。
  Outside; in the darkness of the tangled jungle; she could
  hear the roaring of lions; the laughing of hyenas; and the
  countless; nameless noises of the midnight jungle。
  For a moment she hesitated; trembling。  The thought of the
  prowling beasts out there in the darkness was appalling。
  Then; with a sudden brave toss of her head; she attacked the
  thorny boma wall with her delicate hands。  Torn and bleeding
  though they were; she worked on breathlessly until she had
  made an opening through which she could worm her body;
  and at last she stood outside the enclosure。
  Behind her lay a fate worse than death; at the hands of
  human beings。
  Before her lay an almost certain fatebut it was only death
  sudden; merciful; and honourable death。
  Without a tremor and without regret she darted away from the camp;
  and a moment later the mysterious jungle had closed about her。
  Chapter 14
  Alone in the Jungle
  Tambudza; leading Tarzan of the Apes toward the camp of
  the Russian; moved very slowly along the winding jungle
  path; for she was old and her legs stiff with rheumatism。
  So it was that the runners dispatched by M'ganwazam to warn
  Rokoff that the white giant was in his village and that he
  would be slain that night reached the Russian's camp before
  Tarzan and his ancient guide had covered half the distance。
  The guides found the white man's camp in a turmoil。
  Rokoff had that morning been discovered stunned and bleeding
  within his tent。  When he had recovered his senses and realized
  that Jane Clayton had escaped; his rage was boundless。
  Rushing about the camp with his rifle; he had sought to
  shoot down the native sentries who had allowed the young
  woman to elude their vigilance; but several of the other
  whites; realizing that they were already in a precarious
  position owing to the numerous desertions that Rokoff's
  cruelty had brought about; seized and disarmed him。
  Then came the messengers from M'ganwazam; but scarce
  had they told their story and Rokoff was preparing to depart
  with them for their village when other runners; panting from
  the exertions of their swift flight through the jungle; rushed
  breathless into the firelight; crying that the great white giant
  had escaped from M'ganwazam and was already on his way
  to wreak vengeance against his enemies。
  Instantly confusion reigned within the encircling boma。
  The blacks belonging to Rokoff's safari were terror…stricken at the
  thought of the proximity of the white giant who hunted through
  the jungle with a fierce pack of apes and panthers at his heels。
  Before the whites realized what had happened the superstitious
  fears of the natives had sent them scurrying into the bush
  their own carriers as well as the messengers from M'ganwazam
  but even in their haste they had not neglected to take with them
  every article of value upon which they could lay their hands。
  Thus Rokoff and the seven white sailors found themselves
  deserted and robbed in the midst of a wilderness。
  The Russian; following his usual custom; berated his companions;
  laying all the blame upon their shoulders for the events which
  had led up to the almost hopeless condition in which they now
  found themselves; but the sailors were in no mood to brook
  his insults and his cursing。
  In the midst of this tirade one of them drew a revolver and fired
  point…blank at the Russian。  The fellow's aim was poor; but
  his act so terrified Rokoff that he turned and fled for his tent。
  As he ran his eyes chanced to pass beyond the boma to the
  edge of the forest; and there he caught a glimpse of that
  which sent his craven heart cold with a fear that almost
  expunged his terror of the seven men at his back; who by this
  time were all firing in hate and revenge at his retreating figure。
  What he saw was the giant figure of an almost naked white
  man emerging from the bush。
  Darting into his tent; the Russian did not halt in his flight;
  but kept right on through the rear wall; taking advantage of
  the long slit that Jane Clayton had made the night before。
  The terror…stricken Muscovite scurried like a hunted rabbit
  through the hole that still gaped in the boma's wall at the
  point where his own prey had escaped; and as Tarzan approached
  the camp upon the opposite side Rokoff disappeared into the
  jungle in the wake of Jane Clayton。
  As the ape…man entered the boma with old Tambudza at his elbow
  the seven sailors; recognizing him; turned and fled in the
  opposite direction。  Tarzan saw that Rokoff was not among them;
  and so he let them go their wayhis business was with the Russian;
  whom he expected to find in his tent。  As to the sailors; he was
  sure that the jungle would exact from them expiation for their
  villainies; nor; doubtless; was he wrong; for his were the last
  white man's eyes to rest upon any of them。
  Finding Rokoff's tent empty; Tarzan was about to set out
  in search of the Russian when Tambudza suggested to him
  that the departure of the white man could only have resulted
  from word reaching him from M'ganwazam that Tarzan was
  in his village。
  〃He has doubtless hastened there;〃 argued the old woman。
  〃If you would find him let us return at once。〃
  Tarzan himself thought that this would probably prove to
  be the fact; so he did not waste time in an endeavour to locate
  the Russian's trail; but; instead; set out briskly for the village
  of M'ganwazam; leaving Tambudza to plod slowly in his wake。
  His one hope was that Jane was still safe and with Rokoff。
  If this was the case; it would be but a matter of an hour or
  more before he should be able to wrest her from the Russian。
  He knew now that M'ganwazam was treacherous and that
  he might have to fight to regain possession of his wife。
  He wished that Mugambi; Sheeta; Akut; and the balance of the
  pack were with him; for he realized that single…handed it
  would be no child's play to bring Jane safely from the clutches
  of two such scoundrels as Rokoff and the wily M'ganwazam。
  To his surprise he found no sign of either Rokoff or Jane
  in the village; and as he could not trust the word of the chief;
  he wasted no time in futile inquiry。  So sudden and unexpected
  had been his return; and so quickly had he vanished into the jungle
  after learning that those he sought were not among the Waganwazam;
  that old M'ganwazam had no time to prevent his going。
  Swinging through the trees; he hastened back to the deserted camp
  he had so recently left; for here; he knew; was the logical place
  to take up the trail of Rokoff and Jane。
  Arrived at the boma; he circled carefully about the outside
  of the enclosure until; opposite a break in the thorny wall;
  he came to indications that something had recently passed
  into the jungle。  His acute sense of smell told him that both
  of those he sought had fled from the camp in this direction;
  and a moment later he had taken up the trail and was following
  the faint spoor。
  Far ahead of him a terror…stricken young woman was slinking
  along a narrow game…trail; fearful that the next moment
  would bring her face to face with some