登陆注册
15329300000021

第21章

There was less litter within than she had found without and what there was was mostly an accumulation of dust.Beside the doorway was the niche in which wood and tinder were kept, but there remained nothing now other than mere dust.She had however saved a little pile of twigs from the debris on the porch.In a short time she had made a light by firing a bundle of twigs and lighting others from this fire she explored some of the inner rooms.Nor here did she find aught that was new or strange nor any relic of the departed owners other than a few broken stone dishes.She had been looking for something soft to sleep upon, but was doomed to disappointment as the former owners had evidently made a leisurely departure, carrying all their belongings with them.Below, in the gorge were leaves and grasses and fragrant branches, but Pan-at-lee felt no stomach for descending into that horrid abyss for the gratification of mere creature comfort--only the necessity for food would drive her there.

And so, as the shadows lengthened and night approached she prepared to make as comfortable a bed as she could by gathering the dust of ages into a little pile and spreading it between her soft body and the hard floor--at best it was only better than nothing.But Pan-at-lee was very tired.She had not slept since two nights before and in the interval she had experienced many dangers and hardships.What wonder then that despite the hard bed, she was asleep almost immediately she had composed herself for rest.

She slept and the moon rose, casting its silver light upon the cliff's white face and lessening the gloom of the dark forest and the dismal gorge.In the distance a lion roared.There was a long silence.From the upper reaches of the gorge came a deep bellow.

There was a movement in the trees at the cliff's foot.Again the bellow, low and ominous.It was answered from below the deserted village.Something dropped from the foliage of a tree directly below the cave in which Pan-at-lee slept--it dropped to the ground among the dense shadows.Now it moved, cautiously.It moved toward the foot of the cliff, taking form and shape in the moonlight.It moved like the creature of a bad dream--slowly, sluggishly.It might have been a huge sloth--it might have been a man, with so grotesque a brush does the moon paint--master cubist.

Slowly it moved up the face of the cliff--like a great grubworm it moved, but now the moon-brush touched it again and it had hands and feet and with them it clung to the stone pegs and raised itself laboriously aloft toward the cave where Pan-at-lee slept.From the lower reaches of the gorge came again the sound of bellowing, and it was answered from above the village.

Tarzan of the Apes opened his eyes.He was conscious of a pain in his head, and at first that was about all.A moment later grotesque shadows, rising and falling, focused his arousing perceptions.Presently he saw that he was in a cave.A dozen Waz-don warriors squatted about, talking.A rude stone cresset containing burning oil lighted the interior and as the flame rose and fell the exaggerated shadows of the warriors danced upon the walls behind them.

"We brought him to you alive, Gund," he heard one of them saying, "because never before was Ho-don like him seen.He has no tail--he was born without one, for there is no scar to mark where a tail had been cut off.The thumbs upon his hands and feet are unlike those of the races of Pal-ul-don.He is more powerful than many men put together and he attacks with the fearlessness of ja.

We brought him alive, that you might see him before he is slain."

The chief rose and approached the ape-man, who closed his eyes and feigned unconsciousness.He felt hairy hands upon him as he was turned over, none too gently.The gund examined him from head to foot, making comments, especially upon the shape and size of his thumbs and great toes.

"With these and with no tail," he said, "it cannot climb."

"No," agreed one of the warriors, "it would surely fall even from the cliff pegs."

"I have never seen a thing like it," said the chief."It is neither Waz-don nor Ho-don.I wonder from whence it came and what it is called."

"The Kor-ul-ja shouted aloud, 'Tarzan-jad-guru!' and we thought that they might be calling this one," said a warrior."Shall we kill it now?"

"No," replied the chief, "we will wait until it's life returns into its head that I may question it.Remain here, In-tan, and watch it.When it can again hear and speak call me."

He turned and departed from the cave, the others, except In-tan, following him.As they moved past him and out of the chamber Tarzan caught snatches of their conversation which indicated that the Kor-ul-ja reinforcements had fallen upon their little party in great numbers and driven them away.Evidently the swift feet of Id-an had saved the day for the warriors of Om-at.The ape-man smiled, then he partially opened an eye and cast it upon In-tan.

The warrior stood at the entrance to the cave looking out--his back was toward his prisoner.Tarzan tested the bonds that secured his wrists.They seemed none too stout and they had tied his hands in front of him! Evidence indeed that the Waz-don took few prisoners--if any.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 金刚顶胜初瑜伽普贤菩萨念诵法

    金刚顶胜初瑜伽普贤菩萨念诵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 梦醒成圣

    梦醒成圣

    姬涛是一个211工程大学毕业的学生,毕业后没有找到合适的工作,开饭店,毒死处长儿子,后穿越到异界成为轩辕家族的废柴二少爷---轩辕涛。从此后,炼丹、炼器、阵法,只要我喜欢,随时可以弄出来。杀戮?我说了算。证道?我说的话就是道.........
  • 何处寻找你

    何处寻找你

    “再给我一次机会吧,如果再让我选择一次,那么我会说我只要你!真的,其他的都不算什么,我只要你,你知道么!”“你还要我说几遍?我们结束了,你清醒一点可以吗?我不爱你了,我不喜欢你了!”有些人,错过了就真的没有了。你说,当初我那么喜欢你,你为什么就不喜欢我呢?可现在,对不起,我真的没办法让自己的心再像以前那样,毫无保留,满怀热情了。
  • 生死札记

    生死札记

    离山野人,阴阳双鱼,大千世界,无奇不有。惊悚的传说,泯灭的历史。古往今来,究竟有多少不为人知的奇闻异事。一回回生死的较量,一次次命运的斗争。生死札记,这里一定有你想听的故事。
  • 大塔防时代

    大塔防时代

    拟真网游《大塔防时代》问世,玩家可通过天马行空的构思,组合出不同能力的英雄来辅佐战斗。曲鸣是个游戏狂人,由于选取最强、同时也最鸡肋的种族‘先知’,而让他一朝落魄,游戏三年,却始终不曾逾越30级这一门槛。命运给他重生的机会,他又能否借助这一优势,以及对组合英雄方面的过人天赋,在游戏中叱咤风云?☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆首创新元素,邀大家同览一款与众不同的网游!
  • 开在掌心的花朵

    开在掌心的花朵

    那年,她年芳二八,正是闺中待嫁,少女怀春的好时候,而他,就那样不经意的闯进她的心里,从此便再也容不下他人。他是爹爹为她请来的老师,名叫叶翔,是个眉目祥和安宁的男子,总是一把纸扇,一袭白衫,一副清澈的样子,她在见他第一眼时,便觉得内心有碎裂的声音。世间有种奇毒名叫情种,传闻中毒者会在掌心开出一朵花来,含笑而死……
  • 梦萦绕

    梦萦绕

    那一地的落花,唱尽世间繁华;那一丝光明,被黑暗笼罩暗化;那曾经的誓言,早已随风飘散;那姣好的容貌,因你而苍老;那满天的繁星,因你而闪耀。岁月无痕,一曲终了。当箭缠绕上弓,威力撼天动地。而你——到底在哪里……我依然——在寻找你的踪影……
  • 活见鬼的爱人

    活见鬼的爱人

    女主懦弱善良,车祸醒来,对陌生男主一见钟情,事后发现男主是自己结婚两年的老公。女主正沉浸在美梦幻想中,深爱的渣男霸气回归,屌丝逆袭成亿万总裁腹黑无敌,不择手段欲挽回女主。在渣渣前男友的残害下,失忆后的女主竟能看到鬼魂,懦弱善良成了人鬼共欺的借口。就这样,女主成了完成鬼魂临终遗愿的差使,在人与鬼的斗争中女主一步步走向强大……
  • 万帝主宰

    万帝主宰

    【免费精品,千万读者力荐】拥有圣人之资的林子凡被堂弟恩将仇报,夺走七窍玲珑心,大难不死,得至宝天心珠,凤凰涅槃,强势崛起。对我背信弃义者,杀!待我薄情寡义者,杀!今日你高高在上,视我如蝼蚁,他日我必凌霄九天,只手灭你万世万代!
  • 理财高手(现代生活实用丛书)

    理财高手(现代生活实用丛书)

    本书着眼于我国经济社会发展对家庭、个人财产进行管理提出的新要求,立足于成为理财高手,从理财观念、理财规划、理财工具三个方面人手,将家庭、个人理财作为一项系统工程,结合相关案例,由浅入深进行了阐述,提出了具体的操作建议,具有知识性、通俗性和可操作性,是家庭和个人理财的指南。