Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
“King of the Apes”
Suddenlytherecameahailfromtheedgeoftheclearing.
Tarzanlooked.
Itwasapartyofbelatedhuntersreturningfromthenorth,andamongthemtheyhalfled,halfcarriedastrugglinganimal.
Astheyapproachedthevillagethegateswerethrownopentoadmitthem,andthen,asthepeoplesawthevictimofthechase,asavagecryrosetotheheavens,forthequarrywasaman.
Ashewasdragged,stillresisting,intothevillagestreet,thewomenandchildrensetuponhimwithsticksandstones,andTarzanoftheApes,youngandsavagebeastofthejungle,wonderedatthecruelbrutalityofhisownkind.
Sheeta,theleopard,aloneofallthejunglefolk,torturedhisprey.Theethicsofalltheothersmetedaquickandmercifuldeathtotheirvictims.
Tarzanhadlearnedfromhisbooksbutscatteredfragmentsofthewaysofhumanbeings.
WhenhehadfollowedKulongathroughtheforesthehadexpectedtocometoacityofstrangehousesonwheels,puffingcloudsofblacksmokefromahugetreestuckintheroofofoneofthem—ortoaseacoveredwithmightyfloatingbuildingswhichhehadlearnedwerecalled,variously,shipsandboatsandsteamersandcraft.
Hehadbeensorelydisappointedwiththepoorlittlevillageoftheblacks,hiddenawayinhisownjungle,andwithnotasinglehouseaslargeashisowncabinuponthedistantbeach.
