Cassius Hasta split the helmet of a burly thief who opposed him, and as he turned to look for a new opponent he saw a white cast a net over Tarzan's head and shoulders from the rear, while the ape-man was engaged with a professional gladiator. Cassius was nearer the gladiator than Tarzan's other opponent and with a cry he hurled1 himself upon him. Tarzan saw what Cassius Hasta had done and wheeled to face the white who had attacked him from the rear.
The gladiator found Cassius Hasta a very different opponent from Tarzan. Perhaps he was not as skilful2 with his shield. Perhaps he was not as powerful, but never in all his experience had the gladiator met such a swordsman.
The crowd had been watching Tarzan from the beginning of the event because his great height and his nakedness and his leopard-skin marked him from all others. They noted3 that the first cast of his pike had split the shield of his opponent and dropped him dead and they watched his encounter with the gladiator, which did not please them at all. It was far too slow and they hooted4 and voiced catcalls. When the white cast the net over him they howled with delight, for they did not know from one day to the next, or from one minute to the next, what their own minds would be the next day or the next minute. They were cruel and stupid, but they were no different from the crowds of any place or any time.
As Tarzan, entangled5 in the net, turned to face the new menace, the white leaped toward him to finish him with a dagger6 and Tarzan caught the net with the fingers of both his hands and tore it asunder7 as though it had been made of paper, but the fellow was upon him in the same instant. The dagger hand struck as Tarzan seized the dagger wrist. Blood ran from beneath the leopard-skin from a wound over Tarzan's heart, so close had he been to death, but his hand stopped the other just in time and now steel fingers closed upon that wrist until the man cried out with pain as he felt his bones crushed together. The ape-man drew his antagonist8 toward him and seized him by the throat and shook him as a terrier shakes a rat, while the air trembled to the delighted screams of the mob.
An instant later Tarzan cast the lifeless form aside, picked up his sword and shield that he had been forced to abandon, and sought for new foes9. Thus the battle waged around the arena10, each side seeking to gain the advantage in numbers so that they might set upon the remnant of their opponents and destroy them. Cassius Hasta had disposed of the gladiator that he had drawn11 away from Tarzan and was now engaged with another swordsman when a second fell upon him. Two to one are heavy odds12, but Cassius Hasta tried to hold the second off until another red could come to his assistance.
This, however, did not conform with the ideas of the whites who were engaging him, and they fell upon him with redoubled fury to prevent the very thing that he hoped for. He saw an opening and quick as lightning his sword leaped into it, severing13 the jugular14 vein15 of one of his antagonists16, but his guard was down for the instant and a glancing blow struck his helmet and, though it did not pierce it, it sent him stumbling to the sand, half-stunned.
"Habet! Habet!" cried the people, for Cassius Hasta had fallen close to one side of the arena where a great number of people could see him. Standing17 over him, his antagonist raised his forefinger19 to the audience and every thumb went down.
With a smile the white raised his sword to drive it through Hasta's throat, but as he paused an instant, facing the crowd, in a little play to the galleries for effect, Tarzan leaped across the soft sand, casting aside his sword and shield, reverting20 to the primitive21, to the beast, to save his friend.
It was like the charge of a lion. The crowd saw and was frozen into silence. They saw him spring in his stride several yards before he reached the opposing gladiator and, like a jungle beast, fall upon the shoulders and back of his prey22.
Down the two went across the body of Hasta, but instantly the ape-man was upon his feet and in his hands was his antagonist. He shook him as he had shaken the other—shook him into unconsciousness, choking him as he shook, shook him to death, and cast his body from him.
The crowd went wild. They stood upon their benches and shrieked23 and waved scarfs and helmets and threw many flowers and sweetmeats into the arena. Tarzan stopped and lifted Cassius Hasta to his feet as he saw that he was not killed and consciousness was returning.
Scanning the arena quickly, he saw that fifteen reds survived and but ten whites. This was a battle for survival. There were no rules and no ethics24. It was your life or mine and Tarzan gathered the surplus five and set upon the strongest white, who now, surrounded by six swordsmen, went down to death in an instant.
At Tarzan's command the six divided and each three charged another white with the result that by following these tactics the event was brought to a sudden and bloody25 close with fifteen reds surviving and the last white slain26.
The crowd was crying Tarzan's name above all others, but Sublatus was enraged27. The affront28 that had been put upon him by this wild barbarian29 had not been avenged30 as he had hoped, but instead Tarzan had achieved a personal popularity far greater than his own. That it was ephemeral and subject to the changes of the fickle31 public mind did not lessen32 the indignation and chagrin33 of the Emperor. His mind could entertain but one thought toward Tarzan. The creature must be destroyed. He turned to the praefect in charge of the games and whispered a command.
The crowd was loudly demanding that the laurel wreaths be accorded the victors and that they be given their freedom, but instead they were herded34 back to their enclosure, all but Tarzan.
Perhaps, suggested some members of the audience, Sublatus is going to honor him particularly, and this rumor35 ran quickly through the crowd, as rumors36 will, until it became a conviction.
Slaves came and dragged away the corpses37 of the slain and picked up the discarded weapons and scattered38 new sand and raked it, while Tarzan stood where he had been told to stand, beneath the loge of Caesar.
He stood with folded arms, grimly waiting for what he knew not, and then a low groan39 rose from the crowded stands—a groan that grew in volume to loud cries of anger above which Tarzan caught words that sounded like "Tyrant40!" "Coward!" "Traitor41!" and "Down with Sublatus!" He looked around and saw them pointing to the opposite end of the arena and facing in that direction, he saw the thing that had aroused their wrath42, for instead of a laurel wreath and freedom there stood eying him a great, black-maned lion, gaunt with hunger.
Toward the anger of the populace Sublatus exhibited, outwardly, an arrogant43 and indifferent mien44. Contemptuously he permitted his gaze to circle the stands, but he whispered orders that sent three centuries of legionaries among the audience in time to overawe a few agitators45 who would have led them against the imperial loge.
But now the lion was advancing, and the cruel and selfish audience forgot its momentary46 anger against injustice47 in the expected thrill of another bloody encounter. Some, who, a moment before, had been loudly acclaiming48 Tarzan now cheered the lion, though if the lion were vanquished49 they would again cheer Tarzan. That, however, they did not anticipate, but believed that they had taken sides with the assured winner, since Tarzan was armed only with a dagger, not having recovered his other weapons after he had thrown them aside.
Naked, but for loin-cloth and leopard-skin, Tarzan presented a magnificent picture of physical perfection, and the people of Castra Sanguinarius gave him their admiration50.
They had seen other men that week face other lions bravely and hopelessly and they saw the same courageous51 bearing in the giant barbarian, but the hopelessness they took for granted the ape-man did not feel. With head flattened52, half-crouching53, the lion moved slowly toward its prey, the tip of its tail twitching54 in nervous anticipation55, its gaunt sides greedy to be filled. Tarzan waited.
Had he been the lion himself, he scarcely could have better known what was passing in that savage56 brain. He knew to the instant when the final charge would start. He knew the speed of that swift and deadly rush. He knew when and how the lion would rear upon its hind57 legs to seize him with great talons58 and mighty59, yellow fangs60.
He saw the muscles tense. He saw the twitching tail quiet for an instant. His folded arms dropped to his side. The dagger remained in its sheath at his hip61. He waited, crouching almost imperceptibly, his weight upon the balls of his feet, and then the lion charged.
Knowing how accurately62 the beast had timed its final rush, measuring the distance to the fraction of a stride, even as a hunter approaches a jump, the ape-man knew that the surest way in which to gain the first advantage was to disconcert the charging beast by doing that which he would least expect.
Numa the lion knows that his quarry63 usually does one of two things—he either stands paralyzed with terror or he turns and flees. So seldom does he charge to meet Numa that the lion never takes this possibility into consideration and it was, therefore, this very thing that Tarzan did.
As the lion charged, the ape-man leaped to meet him, and the crowd sat breathless and silent. Even Sublatus leaned forward with parted lips, forgetful, for a moment, that he was Caesar.
Numa tried to check himself and rear to meet this presumptuous64 man-thing, but he slipped a little in the sand and the great paw that struck at Tarzan was ill-timed and missed, for the ape-man had dodged65 to one side and beneath it, and in the fraction of a second that it took Numa to recover himself he found that their positions had been reversed and that the prey that he would have leaped upon had turned swiftly and leaped upon him.
Full upon the back of the lion sprang Tarzan of the Apes. A giant forearm encircled the maned throat; steel-thewed legs crossed beneath the gaunt, slim belly66 and locked themselves there. Numa reared and pawed and turned to bite the savage beast upon his back, but the vise-like arm about his throat pressed tighter, holding him so that his fangs could not reach their goal. He leaped into the air and when he alighted on the sand shook himself to dislodge the growling67 man-beast clinging to him.
Holding his position with his legs and one arm, Tarzan, with his free hand, sought the hilt of his dagger. Numa, feeling the life being choked from him, became frantic68. He reared upon his hind legs and threw himself upon the ground, rolling upon his antagonist, and now the crowd found its voice again and shouted hoarse69 delight. Never in the history of the arena had such a contest as this been witnessed. The barbarian was offering such a defense70 as they had not thought possible and they cheered him, though they knew that eventually the lion would win. Then Tarzan found his dagger and drove the thin blade into Numa's side, just back of his left elbow. Again and again the knife struck home, but each blow seemed only to increase the savage efforts of the lunging beast to shake the man from his back and tear him to pieces.
Blood was mixed with the foam71 on Numa's jowls as he stood panting upon trembling legs after a last futile72 effort to dislodge the ape-man. He swayed dizzily. The knife struck deep again. A great stream of blood gushed73 from the mouth and nostrils74 of the dying beast. He lurched forward and fell lifeless upon the crimsoned75 sand.
Tarzan of the Apes leaped to his feet. The savage personal combat, the blood, the contact with the mighty body of the carnivore had stripped from him the last vestige76 of the thin veneer77 of civilization. It was no English Lord who stood there with one foot upon his kill and through narrowed lids glared about him at the roaring populace. It was no man, but a wild beast, that raised its head and voiced the savage victory cry of the bull ape, a cry that stilled the multitude and froze its blood. But, in an instant, the spell that had seized him passed. His expression changed. The shadow of a smile crossed his face as he stooped and, wiping the blood from his dagger upon Numa's mane, returned the weapon to its sheath.
Caesar's jealousy78 had turned to terror as he realized the meaning of the tremendous ovation79 the giant barbarian was receiving from the people of Castra Sanguinarius. He well knew, though he tried to conceal80 the fact, that he held no place in popular favor and that Fastus, his son, was equally hated and despised.
The barbarian was a friend of Maximus Praeclarus, whom he had wronged, and Maximus Praeclarus, whose popularity with the troops was second to none, was loved by Dilecta, the daughter of Dion Splendidus, who might easily aspire81 to the purple with the support of such a popular idol82 as Tarzan must become if he were given his freedom in accordance with the customs and rules governing the contests. While Tarzan waited in the arena and the people cheered themselves hoarse, more legionaries filed into the stands until the wall bristled83 with glittering pikes.
Caesar whispered in consultation84 with the praefect of the games. Trumpets85 blared and the praefect arose and raised his open palm for silence. Gradually the din18 subsided86 and the people waited, listening, expecting the honors that were customarily bestowed87 upon the outstanding hero of the games. The praefect cleared his throat.
"This barbarian has furnished such extraordinary entertainment that Caesar, as a special favor to his loyal subjects, has decided88 to add one more event to the games in which the barbarian may again demonstrate his supremacy89. This event will"—but what further the praefect said was drowned in a murmur90 of surprise, disapproval91, and anger, for the people had sensed by this time the vicious and unfair trick that Sublatus was about to play upon their favorite.
They cared nothing for fair play, for though the individual may prate92 of it at home it has no place in mob psychology93, but the mob knew what it wanted. It wanted to idolize a popular hero. It did not care to see him fight again that day and it wanted to thwart94 Sublatus, whom it hated. Menacing were the cries and threats directed toward Caesar, and only the glittering pikes kept the mob at bay.
In the arena the slaves were working rapidly; fallen Numa had been dragged away, the sands swept, and as the last slave disappeared, leaving Tarzan again alone within the enclosure, those menacing gates at the far end swung open once more.
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1
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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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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hooted
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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11
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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13
severing
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的现在分词 )；断，裂 | |
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jugular
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| n.颈静脉 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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17
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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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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reverting
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| 恢复( revert的现在分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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21
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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23
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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26
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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27
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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30
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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31
fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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32
lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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34
herded
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| 群集，纠结( herd的过去式和过去分词 )； 放牧； （使）向…移动 | |
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35
rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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37
corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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38
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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39
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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40
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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41
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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42
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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43
arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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44
mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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45
agitators
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| n.（尤指政治变革的）鼓动者( agitator的名词复数 )；煽动者；搅拌器；搅拌机 | |
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46
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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47
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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48
acclaiming
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| 向…欢呼( acclaim的现在分词 )； 向…喝彩； 称赞…； 欢呼或拥戴（某人）为… | |
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49
vanquished
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| v.征服( vanquish的过去式和过去分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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50
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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51
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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52
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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53
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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54
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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55
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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56
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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57
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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58
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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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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60
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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61
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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62
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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63
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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64
presumptuous
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| adj.胆大妄为的，放肆的，冒昧的，冒失的 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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66
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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67
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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68
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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69
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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70
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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71
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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72
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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crimsoned
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| 变为深红色（crimson的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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veneer
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| n.(墙上的)饰面，虚饰 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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85
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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prate
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| v.瞎扯，胡说 | |
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psychology
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| n.心理，心理学，心理状态 | |
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thwart
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| v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的) | |
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