the son of tarzan-第33部分

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He　came　when　Korak　called。　　He　wound　his　trunk　about　the　ape…man's　body　and　lifted　him　to　his　broad　neck　in　response　to　a　gesture；　and　there　would　Korak　lie　at　full　length　kicking　his　toes　affectionately　into　the　thick　hide　and　brushing　the　flies　from　about　the　tender　ears　of　his　colossal　chum　with　a　leafy　branch　torn　from　a　nearby　tree　by　Tantor　for　the　purpose。

And　all　the　while　Meriem　was　scarce　a　hundred　miles　away。



Chapter　16

To　Meriem；　in　her　new　home；　the　days　passed　quickly。　　At　first　she　was　all　anxiety　to　be　off　into　the　jungle　searching　for　her　Korak。　　Bwana；　as　she　insisted　upon　calling　her　benefactor；　dissuaded　her　from　making　the　attempt　at　once　by　dispatching　a　head　man　with　a　party　of　blacks　to　Kovudoo's　village　with　instructions　to　learn　from　the　old　savage　how　he　came　into　possession　of　the　white　girl　and　as　much　of　her　antecedents　as　might　be　culled　from　the　black　chieftain。　　Bwana　particularly　charged　his　head　man　with　the　duty　of　questioning　Kovudoo　relative　to　the　strange　character　whom　the　girl　called　Korak；　and　of　searching　for　the　ape…man　if　he　found　the　slightest　evidence　upon　which　to　ground　a　belief　in　the　existence　of　such　an　individual。　　Bwana　was　more　than　fully　convinced　that　Korak　was　a　creature　of　the　girl's　disordered　imagination。　　He　believed　that　the　terrors　and　hardships　she　had　undergone　during　captivity　among　the　blacks　and　her　frightful　experience　with　the　two　Swedes　had　unbalanced　her　mind　but　as　the　days　passed　and　he　became　better　acquainted　with　her　and　able　to　observe　her　under　the　ordinary　conditions　of　the　quiet　of　his　African　home　he　was　forced　to　admit　that　her　strange　tale　puzzled　him　not　a　little；　for　there　was　no　other　evidence　whatever　that　Meriem　was　not　in　full　possession　of　her　normal　faculties。

The　white　man's　wife；　whom　Meriem　had　christened　〃My　Dear〃　from　having　first　heard　her　thus　addressed　by　Bwana；　took　not　only　a　deep　interest　in　the　little　jungle　waif　because　of　her　forlorn　and　friendless　state；　but　grew　to　love　her　as　well　for　her　sunny　disposition　and　natural　charm　of　temperament。　　And　Meriem；　similarly　impressed　by　little　attributes　in　the　gentle；　cultured　woman；　reciprocated　the　other's　regard　and　affection。

And　so　the　days　flew　by　while　Meriem　waited　the　return　of　the　head　man　and　his　party　from　the　country　of　Kovudoo。　　They　were　short　days；　for　into　them　were　crowded　many　hours　of　insidious　instruction　of　the　unlettered　child　by　the　lonely　woman。　She　commenced　at　once　to　teach　the　girl　English　without　forcing　it　upon　her　as　a　task。　　She　varied　the　instruction　with　lessons　in　sewing　and　deportment；　nor　once　did　she　let　Meriem　guess　that　it　was　not　all　play。　　Nor　was　this　difficult；　since　the　girl　was　avid　to　learn。　　Then　there　were　pretty　dresses　to　be　made　to　take　the　place　of　the　single　leopard　skin　and　in　this　she　found　the　child　as　responsive　and　enthusiastic　as　any　civilized　miss　of　her　acquaintance。

A　month　passed　before　the　head　man　returneda　month　that　had　transformed　the　savage；　half…naked　little　tarmangani　into　a　daintily　frocked　girl　of　at　least　outward　civilization。　　Meriem　had　progressed　rapidly　with　the　intricacies　of　the　English　language；　for　Bwana　and　My　Dear　had　persistently　refused　to　speak　Arabic　from　the　time　they　had　decided　that　Meriem　must　learn　English；　which　had　been　a　day　or　two　after　her　introduction　into　their　home。

The　report　of　the　head　man　plunged　Meriem　into　a　period　of　despondency；　for　he　had　found　the　village　of　Kovudoo　deserted　nor；　search　as　he　would；　could　he　discover　a　single　native　anywhere　in　the　vicinity。　　For　some　time　he　had　camped　near　the　village；　spending　the　days　in　a　systematic　search　of　the　environs　for　traces　of　Meriem's　Korak；　but　in　this　quest；　too；　had　he　failed。　　He　had　seen　neither　apes　nor　ape…man。　　Meriem　at　first　insisted　upon　setting　forth　herself　in　search　of　Korak；　but　Bwana　prevailed　upon　her　to　wait。　　He　would　go　himself；　he　assured　her；　as　soon　as　he　could　find　the　time；　and　at　last　Meriem　consented　to　abide　by　his　wishes；　but　it　was　months　before　she　ceased　to　mourn　almost　hourly　for　her　Korak。

My　Dear　grieved　with　the　grieving　girl　and　did　her　best　to　comfort　and　cheer　her。　　She　told　her　that　if　Korak　lived　he　would　find　her；　but　all　the　time　she　believed　that　Korak　had　never　existed　beyond　the　child's　dreams。　　She　planned　amusements　to　distract　Meriem's　attention　from　her　sorrow；　and　she　instituted　a　well…designed　campaign　to　impress　upon　the　child　the　desirability　of　civilized　life　and　customs。　　Nor　was　this　difficult；　as　she　was　soon　to　learn；　for　it　rapidly　became　evident　that　beneath　the　uncouth　savagery　of　the　girl　was　a　bed　rock　of　innate　refinementa　nicety　of　taste　and　predilection　that　quite　equaled　that　of　her　instructor。

My　Dear　was　delighted。　　She　was　lonely　and　childless；　and　so　she　lavished　upon　this　little　stranger　all　the　mother　love　that　would　have　gone　to　her　own　had　she　had　one。　　The　result　was　that　by　the　end　of　the　first　year　none　might　have　guessed　that　Meriem　ever　had　existed　beyond　the　lap　of　culture　and　luxury。

She　was　sixteen　now；　though　she　easily　might　have　passed　for　nineteen；　and　she　was　very　good　to　look　upon；　with　her　black　hair　and　her　tanned　skin　and　all　the　freshness　and　purity　of　health　and　innocence。　　Yet　she　still　nursed　her　secret　sorrow；　though　she　no　longer　mentioned　it　to　My　Dear。　　Scarce　an　hour　passed　that　did　not　bring　its　recollection　of　Korak；　and　its　poignant　yearning　to　see　him　again。

Meriem　spoke　English　fluently　now；　and　read　and　wrote　it　as　well。　　One　day　My　Dear　spoke　jokingly　to　her　in　French　and　to　her　surprise　Meriem　replied　in　the　same　tongueslowly；　it　is　true；　and　haltingly；　but　none　the　less　in　excellent　French；　such；　though；　as　a　little　child　might　use。　　Thereafter　they　spoke　a　little　French　each　day；　and　My　Dear　often　marveled　that　the　girl　learned　this　language　with　a　facility　that　was　at　times　almost　uncanny。　　At　first　Meriem　had　puckered　her　narrow；　arched；　little　eye　brows　as　though　trying　to　force　recollection　of　something　all　but　forgotten　which　the　new　words　suggested；　and　then；　to　her　own　astonishment　as　well　as　to　that　of　her　teacher　she　had　used　other　French　words　than　those　in　the　lessonsused　them　properly　and　with　a　pronunciation　that　the　English　woman　knew　was　more　perfect　than　her　own；　but　Meriem　could　neither　read　nor　write　what　she　spoke　so　well；　and　as　My　Dear　considered　a　knowledge　of　correct　English　of　the　first　importance；　other　than　conversational　French　was　postponed　for　a　later　day。

〃You　doubtless　heard　French　spoken　at　times　in　your　father's　douar；〃　suggested　My　Dear；　as　the　most　reasonable　explanation。

Meriem　shook　her　head。

〃It　may　be；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　do　not　recall　ever　having　seen　a　Frenchman　in　my　father's　companyhe　hated　them　and　would　have　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　them；　and　I　am　quite　sure　that　I　never　heard　any　of　these　words　before；　yet　at　the　same　time　I　find　them　all　familiar。　　I　cannot　understand　it。〃

〃Neither　can　I；〃　agreed　My　Dear。

It　was　about　this　time　that　a　runner　brought　a　letter　that；　when　she　learned　the　contents；　filled　Meriem　with　excitement。　　Visitors　were　coming！　　A　number　of　English　ladies　and　gentlemen　had　accepted　My　Dear's　invitation　to　spend　a　month　of　hunting　and　exploring　with　them。　　Meriem　was　all　expectancy。　　What　would　these　strangers　be　like？　　Would　they　be　as　nice　to　her　as　had　Bwana　and　My　Dear；　or　would　they　be　like　the　other　white　folk　she　had　knowncruel　and　relentless。　　My　Dear　assured　her　that　they　all　were　gentle　folk　and　that　she　would　find　them　kind；　considerate　and　honorable。

To　My　Dear's　surprise　there　was　none　of　the　shyness　of　the　wild　creature　in　Meriem's　anticipation　of　the　visit　of　strangers。

She　looked　forward　to　their　coming　with　curiosity　and　with　a　certain　pleasurable　anticipation　when　once　she　was　assured　that　they　would　not　bite　her。　　In　fact　she　appeared　no　different　than　would　any　pretty　young　miss　who　had　learned　of　the　expected　coming　of　company。

Korak's　image　was　still　often　in　her　thoughts；　but　it　aroused　now　a　less　well…defined　sense　of　bereavement。　　A　quiet　sadness　pervaded　Meriem　when　she　thought　of　him；　but　the　poignant　grief　of　her　loss　when　it　was　young　no　longer　goaded　her　to　desperation。　　Yet　she　was　still　loyal　to　him。　　She　still　hoped　that　some　day　he　would　find　her；　nor　did　she　doubt　for　a　moment　but　that　he　was　searching　for　her　if　he　still　lived。　　It　was　this　last　suggestion　that　caused　her　the　greatest　perturbation。　　Korak　might　be　dead。　　It　scarce　seemed　possible　that　one　so　well…equipped　to　meet　the　emergencies　of　jungle　life　should　have　succumbed　so　young；　yet　when　she　had　last　seen　him　he　had　been　beset　by　a　horde　of　armed　warriors；　and　should　he　have　returned　to　the　village　again；　as　she　well　knew　he　must　have；　he　may　have　been　killed。　　Even　her　Korak　could　not；　single　handed；　slay　an　entire　tribe。

At　last　the　visitors　arrived。　　There　were　three　men　and　two　womenthe　wives　of　the　two　older　men。　　The　youngest　member　of　the　party　was　Hon。　Morison　Baynes；　a　young　man　of　considerable　wealth　who；　having　exhausted　all　the　possibilities　for　pleasure　offered　by　the　capitals　of　Europe；　had　gladly　seized　upon　this　opportunity　to　turn　to　another　continent　for　excitement　and　adventure。