Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
The Light of Knowledge
Hisfirstconcernwastolearnthemechanismofthelock,andthishedidbyexaminingitcloselywhilethedoorwasopen,sothathecouldlearnpreciselywhatcausedittoholdthedoor,andbywhatmeansitreleasedathistouch.
Hefoundthathecouldcloseandlockthedoorfromwithin,andthishedidsothattherewouldbenochanceofhisbeingmolestedwhileathisinvestigation.
Hecommencedasystematicsearchofthecabin;buthisattentionwassoonrivetedbythebookswhichseemedtoexertastrangeandpowerfulinfluenceoverhim,sothathecouldscarceattendtoaughtelseforthelureofthewondrouspuzzlewhichtheirpurposepresentedtohim.
Amongtheotherbookswereaprimer,somechild’sreaders,numerouspicturebooks,andagreatdictionary.Alloftheseheexamined,butthepicturescaughthisfancymost,thoughthestrangelittlebugswhichcoveredthepageswheretherewerenopicturesexcitedhiswonderanddeepestthought.
Squattinguponhishaunchesonthetabletopinthecabinhisfatherhadbuilt—hissmooth,brown,nakedlittlebodybentoverthebookwhichrestedinhisstrongslenderhands,andhisgreatshockoflong,blackhairfallingabouthiswell-shapedheadandbright,intelligenteyes—Tarzanoftheapes,littleprimitiveman,presentedapicturefilled,atonce,withpathosandwithpromise—anallegoricalfigureoftheprimordialgropingthroughtheblacknightofignorancetowardthelightoflearning.
