Slowly he rose to a sitting posture—listening. No sound reached to the buried depths of his sepulcher5. He staggered to his feet, and groped his way about among the tiers of ingots. What was he? Where was he? His head ached; but otherwise he felt no ill effects from the blow that had felled him. The accident he did not recall, nor did he recall aught of what had led up to it.
He let his hands grope unfamiliarly over his limbs, his torso, and his head. He felt of the quiver at his back, the knife in his loin cloth. Something struggled for recognition within his brain. Ah! he had it. There was something missing. He crawled about upon the floor, feeling with his hands for the thing that instinct warned him was gone. At last he found it—the heavy war spear that in past years had formed so important a feature of his daily life, almost of his very existence, so inseparably had it been connected with his every action since the long-gone day that he had wrested6 his first spear from the body of a black victim of his savage7 training.
Tarzan was sure that there was another and more lovely world than that which was confined to the darkness of the four stone walls surrounding him. He continued his search and at last found the doorway8 leading inward beneath the city and the temple. This he followed, most incautiously. He came to the stone steps leading upward to the higher level. He ascended9 them and continued onward10 toward the well.
Nothing spurred his hurt memory to a recollection of past familiarity with his surroundings. He blundered on through the darkness as though he were traversing an open plain under the brilliance11 of a noonday sun, and suddenly there happened that which had to happen under the circumstances of his rash advance.
He reached the brink12 of the well, stepped outward into space, lunged forward, and shot downward into the inky depths below. Still clutching his spear, he struck the water, and sank beneath its surface, plumbing13 the depths.
The fall had not injured him, and when he rose to the surface, he shook the water from his eyes, and found that he could see. Daylight was filtering into the well from the orifice far above his head. It illumined the inner walls faintly. Tarzan gazed about him. On the level with the surface of the water he saw a large opening in the dark and slimy wall. He swam to it, and drew himself out upon the wet floor of a tunnel.
Along this he passed; but now he went warily14, for Tarzan of the Apes was learning. The unexpected pit had taught him care in the traversing of dark passageways—he needed no second lesson.
For a long distance the passage went straight as an arrow. The floor was slippery, as though at times the rising waters of the well overflowed15 and flooded it. This, in itself, retarded16 Tarzan's pace, for it was with difficulty that he kept his footing.
The foot of a stairway ended the passage. Up this he made his way. It turned back and forth17 many times, leading, at last, into a small, circular chamber, the gloom of which was relieved by a faint light which found ingress through a tubular shaft18 several feet in diameter which rose from the center of the room's ceiling, upward to a distance of a hundred feet or more, where it terminated in a stone grating through which Tarzan could see a blue and sun-lit sky.
Curiosity prompted the ape-man to investigate his surroundings. Several metal-bound, copper19-studded chests constituted the sole furniture of the round room. Tarzan let his hands run over these. He felt of the copper studs, he pulled upon the hinges, and at last, by chance, he raised the cover of one.
An exclamation20 of delight broke from his lips at sight of the pretty contents. Gleaming and glistening21 in the subdued22 light of the chamber, lay a great tray full of brilliant stones. Tarzan, reverted23 to the primitive24 by his accident, had no conception of the fabulous25 value of his find. To him they were but pretty pebbles26. He plunged27 his hands into them and let the priceless gems28 filter through his fingers. He went to others of the chests, only to find still further stores of precious stones. Nearly all were cut, and from these he gathered a handful and filled the pouch29 which dangled30 at his side—the uncut stones he tossed back into the chests.
Unwittingly, the ape-man had stumbled upon the forgotten jewel-room of Opar. For ages it had lain buried beneath the temple of the Flaming God, midway of one of the many inky passages which the superstitious31 descendants of the ancient Sun Worshipers had either dared not or cared not to explore.
Tiring at last of this diversion, Tarzan took up his way along the corridor which led upward from the jewel-room by a steep incline. Winding32 and twisting, but always tending upward, the tunnel led him nearer and nearer to the surface, ending finally in a low-ceiled room, lighter33 than any that he had as yet discovered.
Above him an opening in the ceiling at the upper end of a flight of concrete steps revealed a brilliant sunlit scene. Tarzan viewed the vine-covered columns in mild wonderment. He puckered34 his brows in an attempt to recall some recollection of similar things. He was not sure of himself. There was a tantalizing35 suggestion always present in his mind that something was eluding36 him—that he should know many things which he did not know.
His earnest cogitation37 was rudely interrupted by a thunderous roar from the opening above him. Following the roar came the cries and screams of men and women. Tarzan grasped his spear more firmly and ascended the steps. A strange sight met his eyes as he emerged from the semi-darkness of the cellar to the brilliant light of the temple.
The creatures he saw before him he recognized for what they were—men and women, and a huge lion. The men and women were scuttling38 for the safety of the exits. The lion stood upon the body of one who had been less fortunate than the others. He was in the center of the temple. Directly before Tarzan, a woman stood beside a block of stone. Upon the top of the stone lay stretched a man, and as the ape-man watched the scene, he saw the lion glare terribly at the two who remained within the temple. Another thunderous roar broke from the savage throat, the woman screamed and swooned across the body of the man stretched prostrate39 upon the stone altar before her.
The lion advanced a few steps and crouched40. The tip of his sinuous41 tail twitched42 nervously43. He was upon the point of charging when his eyes were attracted toward the ape-man.
Werper, helpless upon the altar, saw the great carnivore preparing to leap upon him. He saw the sudden change in the beast's expression as his eyes wandered to something beyond the altar and out of the Belgian's view. He saw the formidable creature rise to a standing44 position. A figure darted45 past Werper. He saw a mighty46 arm upraised, and a stout47 spear shoot forward toward the lion, to bury itself in the broad chest.
He saw the lion snapping and tearing at the weapon's shaft, and he saw, wonder of wonders, the naked giant who had hurled48 the missile charging upon the great beast, only a long knife ready to meet those ferocious49 fangs50 and talons51.
The lion reared up to meet this new enemy. The beast was growling53 frightfully, and then upon the startled ears of the Belgian, broke a similar savage growl52 from the lips of the man rushing upon the beast.
By a quick side step, Tarzan eluded54 the first swinging clutch of the lion's paws. Darting55 to the beast's side, he leaped upon the tawny56 back. His arms encircled the maned neck, his teeth sank deep into the brute's flesh. Roaring, leaping, rolling and struggling, the giant cat attempted to dislodge this savage enemy, and all the while one great, brown fist was driving a long keen blade repeatedly into the beast's side.
During the battle, La regained57 consciousness. Spellbound, she stood above her victim watching the spectacle. It seemed incredible that a human being could best the king of beasts in personal encounter and yet before her very eyes there was taking place just such an improbability.
At last Tarzan's knife found the great heart, and with a final, spasmodic struggle the lion rolled over upon the marble floor, dead. Leaping to his feet the conqueror58 placed a foot upon the carcass of his kill, raised his face toward the heavens, and gave voice to so hideous59 a cry that both La and Werper trembled as it reverberated60 through the temple.
Then the ape-man turned, and Werper recognized him as the man he had left for dead in the treasure room.
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1
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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clotted
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| adj.凝结的v.凝固( clot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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sepulcher
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| n.坟墓 | |
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wrested
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| （用力）拧( wrest的过去式和过去分词 )； 费力取得； （从…）攫取； （ 从… ） 强行取去… | |
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7
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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8
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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9
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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12
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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13
plumbing
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| n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究 | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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overflowed
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| 溢出的 | |
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retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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20
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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21
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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23
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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24
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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fabulous
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| adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的 | |
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26
pebbles
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| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
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27
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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28
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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30
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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31
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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32
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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33
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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34
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
tantalizing
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| adj.逗人的；惹弄人的；撩人的；煽情的v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的现在分词 ) | |
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36
eluding
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的现在分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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37
cogitation
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| n.仔细思考，计划，设计 | |
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38
scuttling
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| n.船底穿孔，打开通海阀（沉船用）v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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39
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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40
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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42
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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43
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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44
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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45
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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46
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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48
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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49
ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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50
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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51
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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52
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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53
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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54
eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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55
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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56
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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57
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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58
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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59
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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60
reverberated
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| 回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射 | |
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