XIV. — NKIMA FORGETS ／
訳：小川温
NAIKA, the daughter of Gupingu, the witch-doctor, accompanied her new captor because the only alternative was to be left alone in the jungle, a prey not only to wild beasts but to the numerous demons that infest the grim forest. At first, she momentarily expected the worst; but as time went on and no harm befell her, she gained confidence in the tall, bronzed warrior who accompanied her. Eventually all fear of him vanished.
But if she were no longer afraid of Tarzan, she was far from being without fear; for the jungle night was very black and she conjured in that Stygian gloom all manner of horrifying creatures lying in wait to spring upon her. She could not understand how he traveled so surely through the darkness, and she marvelled at his great courage.
She knew that few men are so brave, and therefore it occurred to her that he must be a demon.
Here, indeed, was an adventure, one that she, Naika, could boast about as long as she lived; for had she not traveled at night through the jungle with a demon? She should have liked to ask him point-blank, but of course there was always the danger of offending a demon. Perhaps if she questioned him adroitly, he might accidentally reveal the truth.
It took quite a little will-power to screw up her courage to the point where she might ask him any question at all; but finally she succeeded. "What country are you from?" she asked.
"I am from the land of the Waziri."
"What sort of men are they?"
"They are black men."
"But you are white."
"Yes," he replied, "but many years ago, when I was much younger, I was adopted into the tribe."
"Have you ever met a demon?" she asked.
"No, there are no such things."
"Then you are not a demon?"
"I am Tarzan of the Apes."
"Then you are not a Kavuru?"
"I told you I am from the land of the Waziri. When you are back among your people, tell them that Tarzan of the Apes is not a Kavuru. Tell them also that he rescued you from the Kavuru, and that they must always be friends with Tarzan and the Waziri."
"I will tell them," said Naika; and, after a moment, "I am very tired."
"We will stop here the rest of the night," said the ape-man.
Picking her up, he carried her high among the trees until she was very much afraid; and when he set her down upon a branch she clung frantically to the bole of the tree.
Here the moon was filtering through the foliage, and it was much less dark than on the ground. In this semi-light, Tarzan cut branches and built a platform upon which Naika could lie during the night.
In the early morning, Tarzan gathered food for himself and the girl; and after they had eaten, they resumed their journey toward the village of the Bukena.
Feeling that she was approaching her home, and with all her fears dissipated, Naika's spirits rose. She laughed and chatted happily; and so at last they came to the edge of the clearing that encircles the village of the Bukena.
"You are safe now, Naika," said the ape-man. "Return to your people and tell them that Tarzan of the Apes is not their enemy." Then he turned and disappeared into the forest, but not before a pair of sharp little eyes had seen him; and as Naika ran shouting toward the gates of the village, little Nkima swung through the trees screaming at the top of his voice, as he pursued his lord and master into the forest.
The diminutive monkey soon overtook the ape-man, and with a final ecstatic yelp leaped to one of his broad shoulders.
Tarzan reached up and took the little fellow in his hand. "So Nkima is back again," he said; "Sheeta did not get him."
"Nkima is not afraid of Sheeta," boasted the monkey. "Sheeta came into the trees hunting for little Nkima; crouching, he crept; he came close. Little Nkima took a stick and beat Sheeta on the head. Sheeta was afraid, and ran away."
"Yes," said Tarzan, "little Nkima is very brave."
Thus encouraged, the monkey became enthusiastic and still more imaginative. "Then came the gomangani, many gomangani; they were going to kill little Nkima and eat him. Little Nkima took two sticks and beat them on the head. They were afraid; they ran away."
"Yes," said Tarzan, "everyone is afraid of little Nkima."
Nkima stood up in the palm of Tarzan's hand and beat his chest. He grimaced, showing his teeth, and looked very fierce. "Everyone is afraid of Nkima," he said.
Back along the trail to the north, in search of the village of the Kavuru went Tarzan and Nkima; and in the village of the Bukena, Naika was the center of an admiring and curious throng.
She told her story well, omitting nothing, adding considerable embroidery; it was a good story and it held her listeners spellbound. She told it many times, for the blacks like repetition; and always she stressed the fact that Tarzan had saved her, that he was the friend of the Bukena and that they must never harm Tarzan or the Waziri; and at that time she did not know that ten Waziri lay bound in a nearby hut waiting for the orgy that would spell their doom.
The Bukena warriors looked at one another and at Udalo, their chief. Udalo was slightly disconcerted; his runners had long since reached their destinations, and by this time the inhabitants of several villages must be on their way toward his kraal. Udalo did not know what to do about it.
Gupingu was troubled, too. He realized now that the giant white, whom he had liberated, had not stolen his daughter as he had thought, but had rescued her and returned her to him. Udalo looked at him questioningly, but Gupingu did not know what to say.
At last the chief spoke, for he saw the question in the eyes of his warriors. "You said, Naika, that you thought this Tarzan of the Apes was a demon; you said that he was fearless in the dark, and that he did things that no man could do; you said also that he went through the trees even more easily than the Kavuru. All these things we believe, but we could not believe them if we knew that he were a man like ourselves. He must therefore be a demon. None but a demon could have escaped from his bonds and left the village as easily as he did."
"If he were a demon, why did he save me from the Kavuru and return me to the village?" demanded Naika.
"The ways of demons are strange," said Udalo. "I think that he wanted to make our fears dead, so that he could come safely into our village and harm us as he pleases. No, I am sure that he is a demon and a Kavuru, and that the prisoners we have taken are Kavuru. We shall not let them escape; they might come back and kill us, and furthermore the Bukena are coming from every village to dance and feast and eat the hearts of our enemies."
Thus did the highest court of the Bukena uphold itself and place its final seal upon the death warrant of Muviro and his warriors.
Through the brooding forest, moving northward, went the Lord of the Jungle, ignorant of the impending fate of his people; and on his shoulder rode Nkima, his little mind fully occupied with his boasting and the present.
Short is the memory of Manu, the monkey. Great is his egotism and his selfishness. Little Nkima had not meant to forget the Waziri; they were his friends and he loved them.
But being wholly occupied with thoughts of himself and with relief at being safe again in the arms of his master, the plight of the Waziri had been crowded into the background of his consciousness. Eventually he would think of them again, but perhaps only after it was too late to be of any benefit to them.
And so the afternoon was half gone, and Nkima was happy, and Tarzan was satisfied; for once again he was on the trail of the Kavuru, concerning whom his curiosity had been intrigued by his brief contact with Ydeni and the suggestion of mystery that the Kavuru's few words had lent to the manners and customs of this strange and savage tribe.
Tarzan had not forgotten the Waziri; but his mind was at rest concerning them for he felt that now, because of his rescue of Naika, they would be welcomed in the village of Udalo and directed on their way toward the Kavuru country.
The ape-man seldom spoke unless that which he had to say warranted expression. Ordinarily he kept his thoughts to himself, especially in the presence of men; but he often relaxed with little Nkima and with Tantor, the elephant, for of such were the friendships of his childhood; and deep-rooted within him was the sense of their loyalty and sympathy.
Thus it happened that while he was thinking of the Waziri, he spoke of them to Nkima. "Muviro must be close to the village of the Bukena," he said; "so he and his warriors will not be far behind us when we reach the village of the Kavuru. Then little Nkima will have many good friends to defend him from Sheeta, the leopard, and from Histah, the snake, and from all the gomangani who would catch and devour him."
For a moment Nkima was silent. He was gathering his thoughts and his memory. Then suddenly he began to leap up and down upon Tarzan's shoulder and screech in his ear.
"What is the matter with you, Nkima?" demanded the ape-man. "Are your brains chasing one another around in your head? Stop screaming in my ear."
"Tarzan, the Waziri! the Waziri!" cried the little monkey.
Tarzan looked quickly around. "What of them?" he demanded. "They are not here."
"They are there," cried Nkima. "They are back there in the village of the gomangani. Their feet and their hands are wrapped with cord; they lie in the hut where Tarzan lay. The gomangani will kill them and eat them."
Tarzan halted in his tracks. "What are you saying, Nkima?" he demanded, and then as best he could in the simple language that is common to the greater apes, and the lesser apes, and the little monkeys, and to their cousin Tongani, the baboon, and to their friend Tarzan, he narrated all that he had witnessed since he had met the Waziri in the forest.
The ape-man turned about then, and started back toward the village of the Bukena. He did not ask Nkima why he had not told him this before because he knew full well; nor did he scold the little monkey, nor reproach him, for he knew that it would do no good. Little Nkima would always be a monkey; he was born that way, and he would never have the mind of a man, even though in many other respects he was more admirable than man.
The sun had not been long down when Tarzan came to the village. From a tall tree at the edge of the clearing, he looked down at the scene beyond the palisade. He saw that there were many people there, many more than there had been before; and he guessed that they were gathered for a feast. But his knowledge of the customs of the blacks told him that it would not be this night. Doubtless they were awaiting others that would come upon the morrow; perhaps then the feast would be held, and he guessed that the Waziri were being saved for sacrifice at that time.
When boldness is necessary, the ape-man acts boldly. No spirit of bravado animates him; and when no emergency confronts him, his acts reflect only the caution and stealth of the wild beasts who, impelled by instinct, avoid all unnecessary risks and dangers.
Tonight he reasoned that if the Waziri were already dead he could accomplish nothing by boldly entering the kraal of the Bukena; if they were still alive there was little likelihood that they would be harmed before the following night; but if he were wrong, and this night were the night set for their destruction, he would know it in ample time; for they would be brought out into the open where they would be tortured and killed for the edification of the assembled Bukena. Then he would have to do something about it; in the meantime, he would go closer where he could see and hear what transpired in the village.
"Tarzan goes into the village," he whispered to Nkima. "If Nkima comes, he will make no noise. Does Nkima understand?"
"No noise, no talk," repeated the monkey.
Moving quietly through the trees, Tarzan circled the village; and close beside him, silent as he, moved little Nkima.
At last the two came opposite the rear of the kraal. That part of the village seemed dark and deserted, for all were congregated in the wide street before the hut of Udalo, the chief.
Tarzan dropped to the ground and moved toward the palisade. When a few paces from it, he sprang swiftly forward, leaped into the air, and ran up the barrier with all the agility of little Nkima, who followed close behind him. Then the two dropped silently into the shadows among the huts in the rear of the village.
Creeping stealthily, noiseless as the shadow of a shadow, the two crept toward the hut of the chief. Separated biologically by countless ages, one a little monkey, the other a peer of England, yet there was little difference in the way they passed through the night and swung nimbly into the tree that overshadowed Udalo's hut.
As Tarzan looked down at close range upon the dancing, shouting blacks, he realized that they had been partaking too freely of their native beer; and he knew that under such circumstances anything might happen.
A big black, half drunk, was haranguing Udalo. The man was evidently a sub-chief from another village.
"Bring out the Kavuru," he said; "let us have a look at them; we'll give them a taste of what they are going to get tomorrow night."
"The others are not here," said Udalo; "we should wait for the rest of the tribe."
"Bring them out," demanded another; "we have not seen them; we want to see the Kavuru who steal our girls."
"Bring them out," shrieked a woman. "They stole my daughter; let me burn out their eyes with a red-hot coal, that they may suffer as I have suffered."
Then Tarzan heard the voice of a child. "Do not harm the Waziri," she said; "they are the friends of Tarzan, and Tarzan is a friend of the Bukena. He saved me from the Kavuru and brought me back to my village."
"You cannot trust the Kavuru or a demon," said Udalo. He turned to some of his warriors. "Bring the prisoners," he said, "but see that they are not killed tonight."
Already Tarzan of the Apes was on the ground behind the hut of the chief. Here was an emergency. Every danger, every risk, must be faced without hesitation, boldly, after the manner of the Lord of the Jungle.
He moved quickly to the hut where he had been confined; and as he stooped and entered it, his sensitive nostrils told him that the Waziri were there.
"Silence," he whispered; "it is I, Tarzan. They are coming for you. I will cut your bonds. We will fall upon the warriors who come and take their weapons from them; bind and gag them; let them make no noise. Then bring them where Tarzan leads, to the rear of the chief's hut."
He worked quickly as he talked; and when the three warriors came to fetch the prisoners, all of them were free and waiting, waiting in silence in the darkness.呪い師グピングの娘ナイカは、野獣の餌食でなければおぞましい森のいたる所にいるおびただしい悪霊の餌食、それ以外に、ただ一つ残された選択ということで新しい捕獲者に同行していた。最初、少し間最悪を予想した。しかし時間が経っても彼女には何の危害も無く、彼女は自分と同行しているその背の高い青銅のような戦士を信頼するようになった。結局その男に対する恐れは消えて無くなった。
しかしターザンに対する恐れが無くなったとはいえ、恐れそのものが無くなったわけではなかった。ジャングルの夜はそれは暗く自分に飛びかかるために待機しているありとあらゆる恐ろしい生き物のひそむ地獄のような闇の中で彼女は呪文を唱えていた。彼女にはその男がなぜそんなにも確信を持って暗闇を進んで行けるのか理解出来なかったし、また彼女はその大いなる勇気に感嘆した。
彼女にはそんなに勇気のある男が居ないことは分かっており、だからこそこの男は魔神に違いないと思うようになった。
これは、まぎれもなく、冒険であり、それについて彼女ナイカは、生涯自慢することができた。自分は夜ジャングルの中を魔神と一緒に旅したのじゃないのか？ 彼女は率直に尋ねたい思いで一杯だったが、もちろん魔神を不愉快にさせる危険をいつも感じていた。もしかするとうまく質問すれば、本当のところが聞き出せるかも知れない。
とにかく何か質問をする勇気を振り絞るためには少しばかりの知識欲が必要だった。しかし結局彼女は成功した。「どこからいらっしゃったのですか？」と質問した。
「ワジリ族の土地から来た」
「それはどんな種族ですか？」
「黒人だ」
「でもあなたは白人です」
「そうだね」と彼は応えて、「しかし随分前、私がもっと若い頃、その種族に選ばれたのだ」
「魔神にお会いになったことありますか？」と彼女は訊いた。
「いや、そんなものは居ないよ」
「それじゃあなたは魔神じゃないんですか？」
「私は類猿人ターザンだ」
「それじゃあなたはカヴルーではないんですか？」
「私はワジリ族の土地から来たといっただろう。君の家族の所に戻ったら、類猿人ターザンはカヴルーじゃないことを話してくれ。君をカヴルーから救ったことも話してくれたらみんなはこれからターザンやワジリ族と友達になるに違いない」
「話します」とナイカは言った。そしてその後、「本当に疲れました」
「明るくなくまでここで休もう」猿人は言った。
彼女を担ぎ上げ、樹々の中を彼女が相当に怖がるほどの高さまで運んだ。そして枝の上に下ろした時彼女は必死になって幹にしがみついた。
そこでは月の光が群葉を通して漏れており、地面よりはかなり明るかった。その薄明かりの中で、ターザンは枝を切りナイカが夜の間横になれるテラスを作った。
早朝、ターザンは自分と娘用の食べ物を調達してきた。食後、二人はブケナの村に向かう旅を再開した。
我が家に近づいているのを感じ、恐れも無くなり、ナイカの元気は回復した。彼女は笑い幸せそうにおしゃべりした。そしてついに二人はブケナの村を取り囲む空き地の端までやってきた。
「もう安全だ、ナイカ」と猿人は言った。 「家族のもとに戻って類猿人ターザンは敵じゃないと話してくれ」それから彼は向きを変え森の中に消えて行ったが、その前に一対の小さな眼が彼を目にした。そしてナイカが村の門に向かって叫びながら走って行った時、小さなンキマは森においての自分の王で主人に追い付こうと、女性の声の最高音域で叫びながら樹の間を飛んでいた。
その小柄な猿はすぐに猿人に追い付き、最高の歓喜の叫び声を上げながら猿人の広い片肩に飛び乗った。
ターザンは手を上げ小さな友人を抱いた。「さあンキマは戻って来たか」と言った。「シータはンキマを食わなかったようだな」
「ンキマはシータを怖がらない」とその猿は得意気に言った。「シータは小さなンキマを捕えようと樹にやって来た。かがみながら這って、近くまで来た。小さなンキマは棒でシータの頭を叩いた。シータは怖がって、逃げて行った」
「そうか」とターザンは言って、「小さなンキマはとっても勇敢だ」
こんな風に励まされて、その猿は有頂天になりさらに想像力豊かになった。「それからゴマンダニが、大勢のゴマンガニが来た。やつらは小さなンキマを殺して食べようとした。小さなンキマは二本の棒を持ってそいつらの頭を叩いた。そいつらは怖がった。そいつらは逃げて行った」
「そうか」とターザンは言って、「みんな小さなンキマを怖がってるな」
ンキマはターザンの手のひらの上で立ち上がり自分の胸を叩いた。彼は気取って、歯を見せ、強そうにした。「みんなンキマを怖がる」と言った。
その道を北に戻り、ターザンとンキマはカヴルー族の村を探しに行った。そしてブケナの村ではナイカが称賛する詮索好きな群衆の真ん中に居た。
彼女は自分の話を上手に語った、何も省かず、かなり装飾を加えて。それはよくできた話だったので聞いている者を虜にした。彼女が何回も話したのは黒人たちは繰り返しを好んだからだった。そして彼女はそのたびにターザンが自分を助けたこと、彼はブケナ族の友達でみんなはターザンやワジリ族に危害を加えてはならないことを強調した。そしてこの時彼女は十人のワジリ族が近くの小屋で縛られ彼らの最後になるお祭り騒ぎを待っていることを知らなかった。
ブケナ族の戦士達はお互い目を合わせ酋長ユダロを見た。ユダロは少しばかり落ち着きを無くした。自分の使者が目的地に着いてからかなりの時間が経ち、この時までに幾つかの村の住民が自分の部落に向かっている途中に違いない。ユダロはどうしていいか分からなかった。
グピングも当惑していた。彼は今、自分が解放した白い巨人は自分の想像したように娘を盗んだのでは無く、娘を救い自分のもとに返してくれたことに気付いた。ユダロはグピンクを不審そうに見たがグピングはどう言ったらいいのか分からなかった。
ついに酋長が口を開いたのは、戦士達の眼の中の疑惑を感じたからだった。「お前は言ったな、ナイカ、類猿人ターザンが魔神だと思ったと。そして彼は暗闇でも怖がらないし彼は誰もできないことをやったと言った。そしてまた彼はカヴルー族よりずっとたやすく樹を渡って行ったと言った。このことは全部信じるが、わしらは彼がわしらのような人間だと思っている限りそれを信じることは出来ない。だから彼は魔神に違いない。魔神以外彼の縄を抜けることはできないしあんなふうに簡単に村から逃げることはできない」
「もし彼が魔神なら、なぜ私をカヴルーから救って村に返してくれたの？」とナイカは尋ねた。
「魔神のやることは人間には分からないのだ」とユダロは言った。彼はわしらから恐れを取り去ろうとしたのだと思う、そうすれば彼は簡単に村に入れるし我々を好きな様に傷つけることができる。いや、きっと彼は魔神でカヴルーなのだ、そしてわしらが捕えた捕虜はカヴルーなのだ。やつらを逃がしてはならん。戻ってきてわしらを殺すからな、それに全てブケナが踊って宴会をやり敵の心臓を喰う為に集合しているのだ」
こうしてブケナ族の最高裁判所は自身を弁護しムヴィロとその戦士に死刑の最終判決を下した。
夕闇のたれこめた森を通り、北へ向かって、ジャングルの王は進んでいた、自分の部下の切迫した運命を知らぬままに。そして肩にはンキマが乗って、誇りと現状に心を満たしていた。
マヌ（猿）の記憶は短かった。マヌの自己中心癖と自己本位性は大きかった。小さなンキマはワジリ族のことを忘れたわけでは無かった。彼らは自分の友人であり愛してもいた。
しかし彼は再び主人の腕の中に戻った安心感で満たされワジリの窮状は彼の意識の背後に押し込められていたのだった。それでも結局ンキマは再びワジリのことを思い出すのだが、ことが終ってからではワジリにとっては遅きに失することとなる。
そうこうするうちに午後も半分は過ぎ、ンキマは幸せで、ターザンも満足していた。というのも彼はカヴルー族に向かっており、カヴルーについてはイデニとこの奇妙な未開種族の風俗や習慣に加えてその寡黙な言葉による謎の暗示との短い接触で好奇心をそそられていた。
ターザンはワジリ族のことを忘れてはいなかったが、彼らについては今は休息状態で、自分がナイカを救出したので、ワジリ族はユダロの村に歓迎されてカヴルーの土地へ案内されるだろうくらいに考えていた。
猿人はそれなりの理由が無い限り滅多に口は開かなかった。普通彼は自分の気持ちを外に表すことは無かった、特に人間の前では。しかし小さなンキマやタンター（象）と一緒の時にたいていよくくつろげたのは彼らが子供のころからの友人関係にあったからであり、そして心の奥深くにあったのは彼らに対する誠実さと思いやりだった。
こんなふうにターザンは考えンキマにワジリ族のことを話した時次の様なことが起こった。「ムヴィロはそろそろブケナの村に近づいたころだな」とターザンは言った。「俺達がカヴルーの村に着くころにはムヴィロと戦士たちは俺達の後ろに来ているぞ。そしたら小さなンキマはンキマを殺して食べる豹のシータ、蛇のヒスタ、そして全てのゴマンガニからンキマを守ってくれる良い友人と一緒になれるな」
少しンキマは静かになった。彼は自分の考えと記憶を集中していた。それから突然飛び上がりターザンの肩にとまり耳にキーキー鳴きついた。
「どうしたんだ、ンキマ？」と猿人は尋ねた。 「お前の脳は頭の中で追いかけっこしてるのか？ 耳のそばでわめくのは止めろよ」
「ターザン、ワジリ！ ワジリ！」と小さなンキマは叫んだ。
ターザンはすぐに見回した。「彼らがどうした？」と尋ねた。「ここには居ないぞ」
「あそこに居る」とンキマは叫んだ。「ゴマンガニの村に戻っている。足と手に紐が巻かれている。ターザンが寝ていた小屋に寝ている。ゴマンガニが殺して食べる」
ターザンは道で歩みを止めた。「何を言ってる、ンキマ？」と尋ねると、ンキマは巨大類人猿、小さな類人猿、小さな猿、いとこのトンガニ（ヒヒ）、そして友人ターザンに通じる単純な言葉をできるだけ駆使して、森でワジリ族に会ってから見たことを全て話した。
するとターザンは向きを変え、ブケナの村に戻り始めた。ターザンはンキマにそんなに知っているのならもっと前になぜ話さなかったのかとは聞かなかったし、怒ったり、叱ったりもしなかった、何にもならないことを知っていたので。小さなンキマは終始猿だった。そういう風に生まれつき、人間の心は持っていないのだ、人間よりも称賛すべき多くの別のものをもっているとはいえ。
ターザンが村に着いた時太陽が落ちてそれほど経ってはいなかった。広場の端にある一本の高い樹から、柵の向こうの光景を見下ろした。そこに大勢の人間を見た、以前よりも大勢だった。宴会のために集められたのだと察した。しかし彼が知っているその黒人たちの習慣では今夜ではないはずだ。彼らは他の連中が明日やって来るのを待っているに違いなかった。多分それから宴会が開かれ、そのときの生贄としてワジリは生かされているのだと思った。
大胆さが必要な時、猿人は大胆に行動する。空威張りの気持ちなどは無い。緊急事態でない時、彼の行動は、本能のおもむくまま、不必要な冒険や危険を避け、ただ野生動物そのままに用心深くひっそりとしたものになる。
この夜考えたのはもしワジリがすでに死んでいたらブケナ族の村に思い切って入っても何もできない、もしワジリがまだ生きているなら次の夜まで危害が及ぶ心配はほとんどない、しかし自分がもし間違っていて、今夜がワジリを殺す予定の夜でも、はっきり分かるまでに時間はたっぷりある、なにしろワジリ達は集められたブケナ族への見せしめに苦しめられ殺される広場に連れ出されるのだから。その時ターザンは何かしなければならない。それまでに、村の中で起こっていることを見聞き出来る場所に近づこう。
「ターザンは村に入る」とターザンはンキマにささやいた。「ンキマも来るなら、音はだめだぞ。ンキマ分かるか？」
「音はだめ、話すのだめ」とその猿は繰り返した。
樹々の中を音もなく動きながら、ターザンは村の回りをめぐった。そしてそのそば近くを、やはり音もなく、小さなンキマが進んだ。
やがてふたりは向こう側にある村の背後にやって来た。村の中でもこの場所が薄暗く人も居なかったのは、全員が酋長ユダロの小屋の前にある広い通りに集まっていたからだった。
ターザンは地面に降り柵に向かって進んだ。柵から数歩の所で前方に向かって跳んだ、空中に躍り上がり、後ろにぴったりと寄り添っている、小さなンキマと同じ敏捷さでその柵に上がった。それからふたりは静かに村の背後にある小屋との間の陰に降りた。
こっそりと忍びながら、陰の中の影のように音もなく、酋長の小屋に這い寄った。生物学上の分化の後数えきれないくらいの時代を経て、片方は小さな猿、もう片方はイギリス貴族として、彼らが夜を過ごしユダロの小屋に陰を落とす樹の上を素早い動作で揺れ動くそのやり方に殆ど違いは見られなかった。
ターザンは、踊り、騒いでいる黒人達をすぐ近くまで来て見下ろして、みんながかなり放縦に酒を飲んでいるのに気付き、こんな状況では何かが起きると察した。
一人の大きな黒人で、かなりきこしめした奴が、ユダロに熱弁を振るっていた。そいつは明らかに他の村から来た副酋長だった。
「カヴルーを連れて来いよ」と言った。 「俺達に披露してくれ。今夜どういう目に合うかちょっと教えてやろうじゃないか」
「まだみんな集まってないからな」とユダロが言った。「残りの連中が来るまで待つんだ」
「連れて来いよ」と他のが催促した。「まだ見たことが無いんだ。俺達の娘を攫（さら）ったカヴルーが見たい」
「連れ出せ」と一人の女が金切り声を上げた。 「あいつらは私の娘を盗んだ。真っ赤な薪で眼を焼いてやったら、私の苦しみが分かるんだ」
その時ターザンは一人の子供の声を聞いた。 「ワジリを傷つけてはいけないわ」とその娘は言った。「あの人達はターザンの友達で、ターザンはブケナの友達よ。私をカヴルーから助けてくれて村に返してくれたのよ」
「カヴルーや魔神を信じるんじゃない」とユダロが言った。彼は自分の戦士たちの方を向いた。「捕虜を連れて来い」と言って、「だが今夜は殺されないようにちゃんと見ておけ」
すでにターザンは酋長の小屋の背後の地面に居た。緊急事態だった。あらゆる危険、あらゆるリスクに、躊躇なく、大胆に、ジャングルの王の振る舞いに恥じることなく、立ち向かわなければならない。
彼は自分が閉じ込められていた小屋に素早く向かった。そしてかがみこんで中に入った時、敏感な鼻はワジリがそこに居ることを教えた。
「静かに」と囁（ささや）いた。「俺だ、ターザンだ。やつらが連れに来る。紐を切る。やって来る戦士を襲いやつらの武器を奪う。縛って猿轡をかませる。やつらに音を立てさせるな。それからやつらをターザンが行く所に連れて行く、酋長の小屋の裏だ」
彼は自分が言った通りに動いた。そして三人の戦士が捕虜を連れて行くためにやって来た時、ワジリは全員自由になり待機していた、闇の中で音もなく。