登陆注册
5169900000070

第70章

And thus began a seemingly endless sequence of frightful days and horror-laden nights as the two fought their way toward the south in the face of almost inconceivable hardships, privations, and dangers.The east coast was nearer but Obergatz positively refused to chance throwing himself into the hands of the British by returning to the territory which they now controlled, insisting instead upon attempting to make his way through an unknown wilderness to South Africa where, among the Boers, he was convinced he would find willing sympathizers who would find some way to return him in safety to Germany, and the woman was perforce compelled to accompany him.

And so they had crossed the great thorny, waterless steppe and come at last to the edge of the morass before Pal-ul-don.They had reached this point just before the rainy season when the waters of the morass were at their lowest ebb.At this time a hard crust is baked upon the dried surface of the marsh and there is only the open water at the center to materially impede progress.It is a condition that exists perhaps not more than a few weeks, or even days at the termination of long periods of drought, and so the two crossed the otherwise almost impassable barrier without realizing its latent terrors.Even the open water in the center chanced to be deserted at the time by its frightful denizens which the drought and the receding waters had driven southward toward the mouth of Pal-ul-don's largest river which carries the waters out of the Valley of Jad-ben-Otho.

Their wanderings carried them across the mountains and into the Valley of Jad-ben-Otho at the source of one of the larger streams which bears the mountain waters down into the valley to empty them into the main river just below The Great Lake on whose northern shore lies A-lur.As they had come down out of the mountains they had been surprised by a party of Ho-don hunters.

Obergatz had escaped while Jane had been taken prisoner and brought to A-lur.She had neither seen nor heard aught of the German since that time and she did not know whether he had perished in this strange land, or succeeded in successfully eluding its savage denizens and making his way at last into South Africa.

For her part, she had been incarcerated alternately in the palace and the temple as either Ko-tan or Lu-don succeeded in wresting her temporarily from the other by various strokes of cunning and intrigue.And now at last she was in the power of a new captor, one whom she knew from the gossip of the temple and the palace to be cruel and degraded.And she was in the stern of the last canoe, and every enemy back was toward her, while almost at her feet Mo-sar's loud snores gave ample evidence of his unconsciousness to his immediate surroundings.

The dark shore loomed closer to the south as Jane Clayton, Lady Greystoke, slid quietly over the stern of the canoe into the chill waters of the lake.She scarcely moved other than to keep her nostrils above the surface while the canoe was yet discernible in the last rays of the declining moon.Then she struck out toward the southern shore.

Alone, unarmed, all but naked, in a country overrun by savage beasts and hostile men, she yet felt for the first time in many months a sensation of elation and relief.She was free! What if the next moment brought death, she knew again, at least a brief instant of absolute freedom.Her blood tingled to the almost forgotten sensation and it was with difficulty that she restrained a glad triumphant cry as she clambered from the quiet waters and stood upon the silent beach.

Before her loomed a forest, darkly, and from its depths came those nameless sounds that are a part of the night life of the jungle--the rustling of leaves in the wind, the rubbing together of contiguous branches, the scurrying of a rodent, all magnified by the darkness to sinister and awe-inspiring proportions; the hoot of an owl, the distant scream of a great cat, the barking of wild dogs, attested the presence of the myriad life she could not see--the savage life, the free life of which she was now a part.

And then there came to her, possibly for the first time since the giant ape-man had come into her life, a fuller realization of what the jungle meant to him, for though alone and unprotected from its hideous dangers she yet felt its lure upon her and an exaltation that she had not dared hope to feel again.

Ah, if that mighty mate of hers were but by her side! What utter joy and bliss would be hers! She longed for no more than this.

The parade of cities, the comforts and luxuries of civilization held forth no allure half as insistent as the glorious freedom of the jungle.

A lion moaned in the blackness to her right, eliciting delicious thrills that crept along her spine.The hair at the back of her head seemed to stand erect--yet she was unafraid.The muscles bequeathed her by some primordial ancestor reacted instinctively to the presence of an ancient enemy--that was all.The woman moved slowly and deliberately toward the wood.Again the lion moaned; this time nearer.She sought a low-hanging branch and finding it swung easily into the friendly shelter of the tree.

同类推荐
  • 佛藏经

    佛藏经

    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。
  • 藏书纪事诗

    藏书纪事诗

    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。
  • 毅斋诗文集

    毅斋诗文集

    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。
  • 云山燕居申禅师语录

    云山燕居申禅师语录

    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。
  • 异授眼科

    异授眼科

    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
  • 闪夏暗冬

    闪夏暗冬

    一个桀骜不驯的少年,人们只能看到他的放荡不羁,却不能看到他的伤痛,他需要暖阳来温暖他;一个古灵精怪的少女,满脑子鬼点子,看似对谁都冷漠,其实包裹着一颗火辣辣的心,犹如冬日里的暖阳。
  • 没有泪的夜晚是天堂

    没有泪的夜晚是天堂

    既然无法摆脱前世的定数,今生的束缚,为何,为何要让我们相遇?可如果不能相遇,那我的今生将如何走下去?相遇是一种折磨,不遇却是一种生不如死的痛楚。
  • 古龙文集:楚留香新传(2)蝙蝠传奇

    古龙文集:楚留香新传(2)蝙蝠传奇

    楚留香与胡铁花无意间看到华山掌门枯梅大师穿着俗服在江湖中走动,便想一探究竟。他们先后结识了金灵芝、华真真、原随云等人,并一步步踏上了寻找蝙蝠岛之路,也经历了一场惊险、刺激的冒险旅程……
  • 偷袭战俘营

    偷袭战俘营

    1969年10月的第二个星期六,是侵越美国空军的“黑色周末”:从基地起飞的28架轰炸机返回时只剩9架,其余的全被越共击落。当天深夜,越共在电视台里讽刺道:“又有13名美国飞行英雄加入了战俘行列。至此,被我军民俘虏的美军飞行员已达256人。”美国国防部一片怒火,质问特种兵——“绿色贝雷帽”司令官艾伦将军:“你们配备全球最好的装备,享受最好的待遇,竟让美国战机钻进了北越的防空网,你们是干什么吃的?”
  • 被领导的艺术

    被领导的艺术

    为了帮助你成为上级最赏识的那个人,《被领导的艺术》将管理学、处世艺术、励志成功、心理学等知识巧妙地融合在一起,从摆正下属的位置、懂得和领导交往的艺术、沟通的技巧、提升职场能力、职场情商等方面切入,对“被领导的艺术”进行了细致入微的分析与讲解。开卷有益。祝读者朋友们通过阅读《被领导的艺术》,能举一反三掌握更多“被领导的艺术”,从而实现上下级的和谐、和睦,做更好的自己。
  • 金牌营销员必备

    金牌营销员必备

    这是一本看了就能懂,拿来就能用,来源于实践,又能全盘指导实践的营销培训手册。本书从专业角度出发,针对性强,内容翔实生动,但阅读门槛低,便于各种层次受训人员快速掌握。本书涵盖了大量经典的营销实例,举一反三之后你将受益无穷,因而本书不仅是营销员提高自身水平的专业宝典,更是企业提升管理水平的必备读物。读者能够在轻松阅读的同时,领悟掌握相关的理论和技巧。结合实际工作,你将很快成长为一名万众瞩目的金牌营销员。
  • 蜜罐

    蜜罐

    如果《欢宴》会让你流泪,那么《蜜罐》会让你心痛!四年墨小芭,十年花火印记,献礼美好青春……那些成长的躁动与张惶,那些对爱的渴望和偏执,那些期冀又失落过的岁月……你读懂的不仅仅是墨小芭,更是自己整个的年少青春!14个精典短篇+全新虐恋主题小说+答21个读者劲爆问+23张珍贵生活私照+小狮、独木舟、夏七夕、烟罗等花火众大神与你一起镌刻美好花火时光=年度最值得珍藏青春合集:《蜜罐》!
  • 落跑新娘凯弗瑞

    落跑新娘凯弗瑞

    拥有悬殊身份地位陌生男女,人生本来不会有任何交集。因女主林恩与男主Leo(里奥)消失的前女友凯弗瑞长得非常相似,两人为达到各自的目的,立下订婚契约,共同生活在一起。从最初的灰姑娘改造,男主的强迫症,洁癖,一路走来太多摩擦和曲折,两个人却因生活中点滴的细节渐渐熟悉和了解,在不断相处的过程中彼此内心慢慢相互欣赏,依赖。只是两人承载着不同梦想都无法面对各自真实的内心。外表骄傲冷酷、不擅表白心意里奥心中一直铭记与前女友的誓言,不敢忘却。林恩一直独立、倔强的活着,想抓到一丝寻找父母的机会,没有勇气去爱。他们的心在无数的谎言中靠的越来越近,但事实是,他们爱的越深,却把对方推的更远。阳光温暖帅气的堂弟杰瑞的出现和隐藏让整个局面陷入了混乱,之后的故事告诉你:你看见的,并不一定是真实的。
  • 一个女人的史诗(赵薇、刘烨主演)

    一个女人的史诗(赵薇、刘烨主演)

    同名电视剧由赵薇、刘烨主演。本书讲述一个生存在“爱我的人我不爱,我爱的人不爱我”的情感矛盾与红色历史双重困境中的女性——田苏菲,以其挚爱一生的经历表现了一个女人在爱情中的无奈及不甘。小菲是个活泼纯净的美丽少女,在文工团里深受都汉首长的宠爱。当她遇到出身于上海世家、有着艺术家气质的老革命兼文人欧阳萸时,一种近乎着魔的爱情攫住了她的心。尔后三十多年,小菲从她最灿烂的青春,到渐归于平淡的中年,始终如一地痴爱着不断出轨、意欲寻求红颜知己的丈夫欧阳萸。从解放前夕至“文革”结束,历史风云变幻,小菲在舞台上演着各种各样的时代人物,而她自己却始终置身于大历史之外,在一个女人的小格局里左冲右突,演绎着无怨无悔的情感史。
  • 阿毗达磨藏显宗论

    阿毗达磨藏显宗论

    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。