登陆注册
5232000000003

第3章 Tarzan's First Love(3)

There were lulls in the fighting when the two would stand panting for breath, facing each other, mustering their wits and their forces for a new onslaught. It was during a pause such as this that Taug chanced to let his eyes rove beyond his foeman. Instantly the entire aspect of the ape altered. Rage left his countenance to be supplanted by an expression of fear.

With a cry that every ape there recognized, Taug turned and fled. No need to question him--his warning proclaimed the near presence of their ancient enemy.

Tarzan started to seek safety, as did the other members of the tribe, and as he did so he heard a panther's scream mingled with the frightened cry of a she-ape.

Taug heard, too; but he did not pause in his flight.

With the ape-boy, however, it was different. He looked back to see if any member of the tribe was close pressed by the beast of prey, and the sight that met his eyes filled them with an expression of horror.

Teeka it was who cried out in terror as she fled across a little clearing toward the trees upon the opposite side, for after her leaped Sheeta, the panther, in easy, graceful bounds. Sheeta appeared to be in no hurry.

His meat was assured, since even though the ape reached the trees ahead of him she could not climb beyond his clutches before he could be upon her.

Tarzan saw that Teeka must die. He cried to Taug and the other bulls to hasten to Teeka's assistance, and at the same time he ran toward the pursuing beast, taking down his rope as he came. Tarzan knew that once the great bulls were aroused none of the jungle, not even Numa, the lion, was anxious to measure fangs with them, and that if all those of the tribe who chanced to be present today would charge, Sheeta, the great cat, would doubtless turn tail and run for his life.

Taug heard, as did the others, but no one came to Tarzan's assistance or Teeka's rescue, and Sheeta was rapidly closing up the distance between himself and his prey.

The ape-boy, leaping after the panther, cried aloud to the beast in an effort to turn it from Teeka or otherwise distract its attention until the she-ape could gain the safety of the higher branches where Sheeta dared not go.

He called the panther every opprobrious name that fell to his tongue. He dared him to stop and do battle with him;but Sheeta only loped on after the luscious titbit now almost within his reach.

Tarzan was not far behind and he was gaining, but the distance was so short that he scarce hoped to overhaul the carnivore before it had felled Teeka. In his right hand the boy swung his grass rope above his head as he ran.

He hated to chance a miss, for the distance was much greater than he ever had cast before except in practice.

It was the full length of his grass rope which separated him from Sheeta, and yet there was no other thing to do.

He could not reach the brute's side before it overhauled Teeka.

He must chance a throw.

And just as Teeka sprang for the lower limb of a great tree, and Sheeta rose behind her in a long, sinuous leap, the coils of the ape-boy's grass rope shot swiftly through the air, straightening into a long thin line as the open noose hovered for an instant above the savage head and the snarling jaws. Then it settled--clean and true about the tawny neck it settled, and Tarzan, with a quick twist of his rope-hand, drew the noose taut, bracing himself for the shock when Sheeta should have taken up the slack.

Just short of Teeka's glossy rump the cruel talons raked the air as the rope tightened and Sheeta was brought to a sudden stop--a stop that snapped the big beast over upon his back. Instantly Sheeta was up--with glaring eyes, and lashing tail, and gaping jaws, from which issued hideous cries of rage and disappointment.

He saw the ape-boy, the cause of his discomfiture, scarce forty feet before him, and Sheeta charged.

Teeka was safe now; Tarzan saw to that by a quick glance into the tree whose safety she had gained not an instant too soon, and Sheeta was charging. It was useless to risk his life in idle and unequal combat from which no good could come; but could he escape a battle with the enraged cat? And if he was forced to fight, what chance had he to survive? Tarzan was constrained to admit that his position was aught but a desirable one. The trees were too far to hope to reach in time to elude the cat.

Tarzan could but stand facing that hideous charge.

In his right hand he grasped his hunting knife--a puny, futile thing indeed by comparison with the great rows of mighty teeth which lined Sheeta's powerful jaws, and the sharp talons encased within his padded paws;yet the young Lord Greystoke faced it with the same courageous resignation with which some fearless ancestor went down to defeat and death on Senlac Hill by Hastings.

From safety points in the trees the great apes watched, screaming hatred at Sheeta and advice at Tarzan, for the progenitors of man have, naturally, many human traits.

Teeka was frightened. She screamed at the bulls to hasten to Tarzan's assistance; but the bulls were otherwise engaged--principally in giving advice and making faces.

Anyway, Tarzan was not a real Mangani, so why should they risk their lives in an effort to protect him?

And now Sheeta was almost upon the lithe, naked body, and--the body was not there. Quick as was the great cat, the ape-boy was quicker. He leaped to one side almost as the panther's talons were closing upon him, and as Sheeta went hurtling to the ground beyond, Tarzan was racing for the safety of the nearest tree.

The panther recovered himself almost immediately and, wheeling, tore after his prey, the ape-boy's rope dragging along the ground behind him. In doubling back after Tarzan, Sheeta had passed around a low bush.

It was a mere nothing in the path of any jungle creature of the size and weight of Sheeta--provided it had no trailing rope dangling behind. But Sheeta was handicapped by such a rope, and as he leaped once again after Tarzan of the Apes the rope encircled the small bush, became tangled in it and brought the panther to a sudden stop.

同类推荐
  • Historic Girls

    Historic Girls

    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。
  • 家塾教学法

    家塾教学法

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Puppet Crown

    The Puppet Crown

    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。
  • 道中有感

    道中有感

    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。
  • 檐曝杂记

    檐曝杂记

    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
  • 修罗公主

    修罗公主

    是你们给予,却又要收回。回不了头,也不想回头。下了地狱,便是修罗。一步错步步错,一招落招招落。待吾涅槃重生之时,便是汝等泪下九泉之日。
  • 重回大明之还我河山

    重回大明之还我河山

    “蛟龙”特战队员,穿越回了烽火连天的明末,面对的是暴戾凶残的强敌、愚昧自私的朝臣、以及居心叵测的异族……
  • 以月骑士之名

    以月骑士之名

    在一桩灾难中幸存的少年,在修炼的道路上,通过不懈的努力,打破世间的枷锁,为了种族荣耀与世界和平而战。
  • 远东审判

    远东审判

    本书以前后长达三年的远东军事法庭对日本战犯的审判为主线,以32个分镜头,全面再现了远东审判的全过程,充分展现出这是人民的胜利,这是正义的胜利这一主题。但是,如同阳光总会有阴影相伴,远东审判在澄清战争事实、宣判战犯罪责的同时,也不可避免地受到政治因素的影响,尤其是当时行将登场的冷战的影响,不追究天皇的战争责任,日本731部队头子居然不是战犯,等等,“正义的遗憾”不一而足;当读到由于中国内战阴云渐浓,国民政府不惜以牺牲中国的国家利益为打赢内战增加筹码时,不禁令人扼腕……今天,当人们面对日本军国主义死恢复燃的危险时,尤其值得回顾这段历史。
  • 心情·百味卷(散文精品)

    心情·百味卷(散文精品)

    《心情:百味卷》收录的散文包括:“你是我梦中的期待”、“请把我的情感留下”、“将芳年写在心灵”、“珍视心中的爱”、“淡淡柳如烟”五个栏目。
  • 总裁的绯闻妻

    总裁的绯闻妻

    不小心和帅帅的总裁睡到了一起。第二天,全市各种各样的八卦杂志,都印满了他们的不雅相片。而她因为和某总裁有一腿而闻名全市。从此之后,她的生活产生了翻天覆地的变化。首先,是她的男友,抱着别的女孩子来到她的面前,恬不知耻地向她要分手费。接着,禽兽后爸,向她索要巨额的赡养费,还把某总裁逼得焦头烂额。总之,一场绯闻,让她成了家喻户晓,妇孺皆知的大名人,而她也只有一声叹息,做女人难,做个名女人更难!他,邪魅,无赖,偏偏长的俊美。他从来不会把哪个女人放在心上,就算那个女人出现在他的床上也不行,就算她哭着喊着告诉他,他得到她最宝贵的第一次也不行。
  • 苏联末日观察

    苏联末日观察

    本书从总体上记叙和分析了当年世界第二超级大国沦落过程中的内外重大事件,反映了作者对这些事件的看法。
  • 习惯是生活的基石(青少年心理健康指导丛书)

    习惯是生活的基石(青少年心理健康指导丛书)

    本书主要内容为:好习惯才健康,摆正习惯与健康的关系,别让习惯“漏”掉健康。
  • 影响孩子一生的读物(红色卷)

    影响孩子一生的读物(红色卷)

    这是作家们在以真诚、朴实而又温馨的文字,讲述关于阅读的故事;这是作家们伸出有力的大手,牵着小手快乐地走在成长之路的证明。这些文章,有的是作家们在讲述自己阅读的经验,告诉读者,要想在成长之路上走得从容些,阅读是很重要的;有的是作家们在谈阅读的技巧和方法,他们或直接告诉小读者怎样选择图书,或间接地表达阅读的一些诀窍;有的是作者在阅读过程中发生的故事,或幽默有趣,或富有启发,让你感受到最初的生命脚步的韵律……凡此种种,这些作品很亲切很友好,它们会给你展示一个美好的文字世界,让你感受到阅读的重要与快乐。书的最后收录了一些作家给小读者推荐的书单,让小读者学会选书,学会阅读。
  • 三万年前的星空

    三万年前的星空

    这是谷川俊太郎在晚年时写给生命、自我、孤独和宇宙的唯美诗篇。这些诗篇穿越了语言、时间与空间,语言简练纯粹,禅意而空灵,透出一种感性的东方智慧。乘载了深厚丰饶的意义,在文字的轻与意义的重之间,悠游穿梭。诗集中,前半部有几首几乎是可以对号入座的写实作品,尤其是《自我介绍》一诗,简直就是诗人真实的自我写照。个人经验建立在想象之上,现实与虚拟交织其中,亦真亦幻,既有强烈的生活气息,又有回味不尽的缭绕诗情。后半部的许多作品则是想象力编织出的产物,尤其是十二首“少年”组诗,虽都是虚构与想象,但丝毫没有乏味枯燥、空洞的抽象性,阅读时不仅使读者产生似有非有的复杂感受,且能激发读者更多的想象。