登陆注册
5169900000059

第59章

Presently the darkness lessened and at the final turning of the passage he saw before him an area of moonlight.With renewed hope he sprang rapidly forward and emerged from the mouth of the corridor to find himself in a large circular enclosure the towering white walls of which rose high upon every side--smooth perpendicular walls upon the sheer face of which was no slightest foothold.To his left lay a pool of water, one side of which lapped the foot of the wall at this point.It was, doubtless, the wallow and the drinking pool of the gryf.

And now the creature emerged from the corridor and Tarzan retreated to the edge of the pool to make his last stand.There was no staff with which to enforce the authority of his voice, but yet he made his stand for there seemed naught else to do.

Just beyond the entrance to the corridor the gryf paused, turning its weak eyes in all directions as though searching for its prey.

This then seemed the psychological moment for his attempt and raising his voice in peremptory command the ape-man voiced the weird whee-oo! of the Tor-o-don.Its effect upon the gryf was instantaneous and complete--with a terrific bellow it lowered its three horns and dashed madly in the direction of the sound.

To right nor to left was any avenue of escape, for behind him lay the placid waters of the pool, while down upon him from before thundered annihilation.The mighty body seemed already to tower above him as the ape-man turned and dove into the dark waters.

Dead in her breast lay hope.Battling for life during harrowing months of imprisonment and danger and hardship it had fitfully flickered and flamed only to sink after each renewal to smaller proportions than before and now it had died out entirely leaving only cold, charred embers that Jane Clayton knew would never again be rekindled.Hope was dead as she faced Lu-don, the high priest, in her prison quarters in the Temple of the Gryf at A-lur.Both time and hardship had failed to leave their impress upon her physical beauty--the contours of her perfect form, the glory of her radiant loveliness had defied them, yet to these very attributes she owed the danger which now confronted her, for Lu-don desired her.From the lesser priests she had been safe, but from Lu-don, she was not safe, for Lu-don was not as they, since the high priestship of Pal-ul-don may descend from father to son.

Ko-tan, the king, had wanted her and all that had so far saved her from either was the fear of each for the other, but at last Lu-don had cast aside discretion and had come in the silent watches of the night to claim her.Haughtily had she repulsed him, seeking ever to gain time, though what time might bring her of relief or renewed hope she could not even remotely conjecture.

A leer of lust and greed shone hungrily upon his cruel countenance as he advanced across the room to seize her.She did not shrink nor cower, but stood there very erect, her chin up, her level gaze freighted with the loathing and contempt she felt for him.He read her expression and while it angered him, it but increased his desire for possession.Here indeed was a queen, perhaps a goddess; fit mate for the high priest.

"You shall not!" she said as he would have touched her."One of us shall die before ever your purpose is accomplished."

He was close beside her now.His laugh grated upon her ears.

"Love does not kill," he replied mockingly.

He reached for her arm and at the same instant something clashed against the bars of one of the windows, crashing them inward to the floor, to be followed almost simultaneously by a human figure which dove headforemost into the room, its head enveloped in the skin window hangings which it carried with it in its impetuous entry.

Jane Clayton saw surprise and something of terror too leap to the countenance of the high priest and then she saw him spring forward and jerk upon a leather thong that depended from the ceiling of the apartment.Instantly there dropped from above a cunningly contrived partition that fell between them and the intruder, effectively barring him from them and at the same time leaving him to grope upon its opposite side in darkness, since the only cresset the room contained was upon their side of the partition.

Faintly from beyond the wall Jane heard a voice calling, but whose it was and what the words she could not distinguish.Then she saw Lu-don jerk upon another thong and wait in evident expectancy of some consequent happening.He did not have long to wait.She saw the thong move suddenly as though jerked from above and then Lu-don smiled and with another signal put in motion whatever machinery it was that raised the partition again to its place in the ceiling.

Advancing into that portion of the room that the partition had shut off from them, the high priest knelt upon the floor, and down tilting a section of it, revealed the dark mouth of a shaft leading below.Laughing loudly he shouted into the hole: "Return to thy father, O Dor-ul-Otho!"

Making fast the catch that prevented the trapdoor from opening beneath the feet of the unwary until such time as Lu-don chose the high priest rose again to his feet.

"Now, Beautiful One!" he cried, and then, "Ja-don! what do you here?"

Jane Clayton turned to follow the direction of Lu-don's eyes and there she saw framed in the entrance-way to the apartment the mighty figure of a warrior, upon whose massive features sat an expression of stern and uncompromising authority.

"I come from Ko-tan, the king," replied Ja-don, "to remove the beautiful stranger to the Forbidden Garden."

"The king defies me, the high priest of Jad-ben-Otho?" cried Lu-don.

同类推荐
  • A Village Stradivarius

    A Village Stradivarius

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天原发微

    天原发微

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 南宗抉秘

    南宗抉秘

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 嘉定县乙酉纪事

    嘉定县乙酉纪事

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The History of the Telephone

    The History of the Telephone

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 重生之誓不为妃

    重生之誓不为妃

    大婚前夜被夫君扔进蛇窟,重生成为九岁将军府小姐,羽翼渐丰,大仇待报……男子轻倚软榻:美人,山河为聘,娶你可好?“对不起,不嫁!”“哦~这可由不得你喽!”“唔………--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 还珠格格第三部之天上人间(中)

    还珠格格第三部之天上人间(中)

    永琪和知画要成亲了?促成婚事的竟是小燕子?!小燕子和紫薇婚后,到底发生了一些什么事?大而化之、状况不断的小燕子,能够当五阿哥的贤内助吗?乾隆南巡,又发生了什么事?夏盈盈和乾隆的忘年之爱,掀起了怎样的轩然大波?才华洋溢的知画,怎会进了皇宫,成为五阿哥的新娘?紫薇和尔康有了东儿,是不是就拥有了人生最大的幸福?幸福是什么?谁能抓住幸福,让它长长久久?箫剑和晴儿的苦恋,要面对怎样的风暴?清缅战争,永琪、尔康、箫剑都上了战场,付出怎样惨痛的代价?尔康战死沙场,紫薇的幸福在一剎那间瓦解崩裂,她将如何面对?箫剑、小燕子和乾隆间的杀父之仇为什么会揭穿?永琪知道小燕子真正的身世后,该当如何对待小燕子?如何自处?
  • 大乘要语

    大乘要语

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说德光太子经

    佛说德光太子经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 惟愿安好

    惟愿安好

    家国恩怨,皇室雪恨。多舛命途,沉沦起伏。柔弱女子,枭雄手段。她本是侯府一位普通小姐,却意外卷入一场场权力的纷争,最终自己也难逃宿命。念念不忘的竹马,温柔多情的王子,冷漠如冰的恩人,默默守候的骑士,一往情深的未婚夫,哪怕倾世女皇,也不过是揣着“一世一双人”情怀的简单少女,在爱情的天秤里,她又该如何倾斜?既然不能逃避,就迎难而上,看她如何一步步一统山河。
  • 冷血魔君的废柴妃

    冷血魔君的废柴妃

    她是轻冉大陆里赫赫有名的白痴废物花痴。所有听到她颜倾城的名字无不惊恐地抖三抖,只要是男的都怕被她黏上。她是二十一世纪风华绝代的女赛车手!全世界中拥有漂移驾照唯一一个女赛车手,倾城容貌绝代风华。一次意外,一朝穿越,她成为了她。“搞什么?白痴废物?这是说我?”颜倾城指着自己的鼻子惊讶地问道。“你娘亲有没有告诉你不礼貌是要被打的?!”“我要变强!废物白痴这两个词永远都不是属于我的,我颜倾城只能是风华绝代的天之骄子!”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 蜜婚:霸宠娇妻

    蜜婚:霸宠娇妻

    【宠文,爽文,1对1,双洁】他是萧氏帝国的掌权人,尊贵神秘,翻手为云覆手为雨。他说,世上只有我不要的,没有我要不了的。然,终有一日,世上也有他寻而不得之人。是谁在记忆中留下那一绽光芒?是谁在心尖留下一丝悸动?是谁招惹了他,又转身忘却?元家养女苏眠,性情寡淡,此生立志守元氏经年。可不知为何,自从初见起,男人便以强势的姿态入侵。商业版图上,他步步为营。生活细节上,他润物细无声。宠她方式上,没有最宠只有更宠。她爱看他笑,那他便一笑醉红颜。他的人生信条,自此只剩宠妻,宠妻,再宠妻。【一句话简介】这是一个高冷腹黑男追妻路上宠妻无上限的酸爽爱情故事。【精彩片段】片段一:她被男人抱在怀中,心跳如雷。你要干什么?我要吻你,另外再告诉你,我要你!她错愕他吻的心醉神迷。他轻舔一下唇,味道真是好极了。片段二:某日电台专访:主持人问:萧总是如何追上萧夫人的?萧枫:送秋波送吻送人。主持人又问:萧总夫妇平时都是如何互动的?萧枫答:地板,沙发,餐桌,阳台,卫生间,床上,能互动的地方都一直在互动。主持人再问:萧总做的最满意的一件事是什么?萧枫:把自己打包送给萧夫人。主持人抚额,这哪是做节目,这是撒狗粮来了,虐死单身狗的节奏。最后萧总发表爱妻宣言:这一辈子生是萧夫人的人,死是萧夫人的鬼,他要把萧夫人当女儿宠!本书又名《总裁撩妻上瘾》《追妻三十六计》
  • 鬼妃系列2:太子的鬼妃

    鬼妃系列2:太子的鬼妃

    继第一部鬼妃完后,颜兰又为大家推出一部有关鬼妃的小说,希望大家会喜欢。苏小暖,阴曹地府里的一女鬼,将地府搞得鸡飞狗跳,一个头两个大的阎王只好让黑白无常将此妞丢到阳间去。南若轩,南月国的太子,表面斯文如绵羊,内心腹黑如灰太狼,但是,他有一只天眼,能看到别人所看不到的东西。“这是哪来的刁女?拖出去斩咯!”“你说你是鬼,那好,你把你的头摘下来给我踢!”……“你丫的,老娘好不容易找了个身体做人,你丫的一句话就想把老娘打回原形,老娘跟你拼了……”苏小暖讲某人扑倒。“我真的是鬼,你信我啊!”……时而捧腹大笑,时而泪流满面,男女主角演绎一段不同寻常的人鬼恋。
  • 一错再婚:腹黑老公太缠人

    一错再婚:腹黑老公太缠人

    这年头小三神马的都弱爆了,被闺蜜陷害让自己发现自己变成了小三才更雷人。一场闹剧,让我从高高的云端摔倒地面,我一时成了失恋,失业,失去友情的三失青年,更可怕的是婚期早就宣扬了出去,不想父母伤心,唯一的办法就是在三个月内把自己嫁出去。好吧,那就相亲吧。好吧,那就闪婚吧!原本以为婚后的生活会一番风顺,谁知家庭的琐事,夫妻之间的矛盾接踵而来,更年期的公公,有洁癖婆婆,遭遇婚变的大姑,还有一个住在同一屋檐下暗恋我的表小叔……天啊,让一切都来得更猛烈些吧。看新时代的女性如何入的厅堂,下的厨房,斗的小三,打的流氓,最后变成公公婆婆的防火墙!
  • 印帝

    印帝

    马留林,是个都市小青年。在上学的时候,就开始观看火影了。毕业以后,工作了,每周还不忘那最新更新的火影篇章。可以说,就是一个典型的火影忠实粉丝。一天,马留林正在关注的坐在电脑旁边看心爱的火影,突然,一个巨雷响过,正好闪电劈在电脑上。不单单是电脑,马童鞋本人,也随之昏死了过去,等醒来之后,却到了另一番世界。仙界,这是一个很遥远的地方,对于沉迷于幻想世界里的马留林来说,可是一个机会。他在仙界,一个人孤零零的奋斗。在得到了传承之后,结合这自己的想法,闯关斩将,夺城杀魔。