Latest / Tarzan and the Lost Empire / Chapter 23

Transcript

Chapter 23 · Tarzan and the Lost Empire

• 0:00
  Chapter twenty three of Tarzan and the Lost Empire by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This
• 0:07
  LibriVox recording is in the public domain Tarzan and the Lost Empire, Chapter twenty
• 0:14
  three. By the time that Cassius Hasta had disposed his forces and placed his
• 0:20
  engines of war before the defenses of Castro Mare, he discovered that it was
• 0:24
  too dark to open his assault that day, but he could carry out another
• 0:29
  plan that he had, and so he advanced toward the gate, accompanied by
• 0:34
  Tarzan Metellus and Preclarus, and preceded by torch bearers and a legionary bearing a
• 0:39
  flag of truce. Within the fort, great excitement had rained from the moment
• 0:44
  that the advancing troops had been sighted. Word had been said to Fulvus Fupus,
• 0:49
  and reinforcements had been hurried to the fort. He was assumed by all
• 0:53
  that Subladis had inaugurated a new rate upon a larger scale than usual, But
• 0:58
  they were ready to meet it, nor did they anticipate defeat. As the
• 1:02
  officer commanding the defender saw the party approaching with a flag of truce, he
• 1:07
  demanded from a tower gate the nature of their mission. I have two demands
• 1:11
  to make upon Validus Augustus, said Cassius Hasta. One is that he free
• 1:17
  Malius Leppis and Eric van Harbon, and the other is that he permit me
• 1:22
  to return to Costro Maree and enjoy the privileges of my station. Who are
• 1:26
  you, demanded the officer. I am Cassius Hasta. You should know me
• 1:32
  well. The gods are good, cried the officer. Long live Cassius Hesta.
• 1:38
  Down with Fulvas Pupus, cried a hoarse chorus of rough voices. Someone
• 1:45
  threw open the gates, and the officer, an old friend of Cassius Hasta,
• 1:49
  rushed out and embraced him. What is the meeting of all this,
• 1:53
  demanded Cassius Hasta. What has happened? Validus Augustus is dead. He was
• 2:00
  assassinated at the games to day, and Pholvas Phupus has assumed the title of
• 2:04
  Caesar. You are indeed come in time. All kstro Maari will welcome you.
• 2:10
  Along the Villa Mai from the castle to the lake shore, and across
• 2:14
  the Pontoum bridge to the island, marched the army of the new Emperor of
• 2:17
  the East. While the news spread through the city and crowds gathered and shrieked
• 2:22
  their welcome to Cassius Hasta. In a deserted house across the avenue from the
• 2:28
  coliseum, four fugitives awaited the coming of the legionaries of polvs Fupus. It
• 2:34
  was evident that the soldiers intended to take no chances. They entirely surrounded the
• 2:38
  building, and they seemed to be in no hurry to enter. Van Harbin
• 2:44
  had had ample time to cover Favonia with the rags, so that she was
• 2:47
  entirely concealed before the legionaries entered simultaneously from the garden the avenue and the roof
• 2:53
  torch bears lighting their way. It is useless to resist, said Malius Lepis
• 3:00
  to the officer who accompanied the men in from the avenue. We will return
• 3:04
  to the dungeons peaceably. Not so fast, said the officer. Where is
• 3:08
  the girl? What girl? Demanded Malius Lepis, the daughter of Septimus Favonius.
• 3:15
  Of course, how should we know, demanded Van Harbin. You abducted
• 3:21
  her and brought her here, replied the officer. Searched the room he commanded,
• 3:25
  and a moment later a legionary uncovered Favonium and raised her to her feet.
• 3:30
  The officer laughed as he ordered the three men disarmed. Wait, said
• 3:36
  Van Harbin, what are you going to do with the daughter of Septimus Favonius.
• 3:39
  Will you see that she has a safe escort to her father's house.
• 3:44
  I am taking my orders from Caesar, replied the officer. What has Caesar
• 3:50
  to do with this, demanded Van Harbin. He has ordered us to bring
• 3:53
  Favonia to the palace and to slay her abductors on the spot. Then Caesar
• 4:00
  shall pay for us all with legionaries, cry von Harbin, and with his
• 4:03
  sword he fell upon the officer in the doorway, while Gaboula and Malius Lepis,
• 4:09
  spurred by a similar determination to sell their lives as dearly as possible,
• 4:13
  rushed those who were descending the ladder and entering the kitchen door. Taken by
• 4:18
  surprise and momentarily disconcerted by the sudden and unexpected assault, the legionaries fell back.
• 4:25
  The officer, who managed to elude Von Harbin's thrust, escaped from the
• 4:29
  building and summoned a number of the legionaries who were armed with pikes. There
• 4:33
  are three men in that room, he said, and a woman. Kill
• 4:38
  the men, but be sure that the woman is not harmed. In the
• 4:43
  avenue, the officer saw people running, heard them shouting. He saw them
• 4:46
  stop as they were questioned by some of his legionaries, whom he had left
• 4:50
  in the avenue. He had not given the final order for his pikemen to
• 4:55
  enter the building, because his curiosity had momentarily distracted his attention. As he
• 5:00
  turned now, however, to order them in, his attention was again distracted
• 5:04
  by a tumult of voices that rose in great cheers and rolled up the avenue
• 5:10
  from the direction of the bridge that connects the city with the villamari and the
• 5:14
  fort. As he turned to look, he saw the flare of many torches,
• 5:18
  and now he heard the blare of trumpets and the thud of marching feet.
• 5:24
  What had happened? He had known, as had every one in costum
• 5:28
  Mari, that the forces of Sabladas were camped before the fort. But he
• 5:31
  knew that there had been no battle, and so this could not be the
• 5:34
  army of Sablatus entering costru Mari. But it was equally strange if the defenders
• 5:41
  of Costro Mari should be marching away from the fort while it was menaced by
• 5:45
  an enemy army. He could not understand these things, nor could he understand
• 5:49
  why the people were cheering. As he stood there watching the approach of the
• 5:55
  marching column, the shouts of the people took on form, and he heard
• 5:59
  the name of Kashus Hasta distinctly. What has happened, he demanded, shouting
• 6:03
  to the men in the street. Cassius Hasta has returned at the head of
• 6:08
  a big army, and Pholvus Phupus has already fled and is in hiding.
• 6:14
  The shouted question and the equally loud reply were heard by all within the room.
• 6:18
  We are saved, cried Malius Lepis, for Cassius has to will harm
• 6:23
  no friend of Septimus Favonius aside now, you fools, if you know when
• 6:28
  you are well off, and he advanced toward the doorway Back men cried the
• 6:32
  officer back to the avenue. Let no hand be raised against Malius Lepus or
• 6:38
  these other friends of Cassius Hasta, Emperor of the East. I guess this
• 6:43
  fellow knows which side his bread is butted on, commented von Harbin with a
• 6:46
  grin. Together Favonia, von Harbin, Lepus, and Gobula stepped from the
• 6:53
  deserted building into the avenue. Approaching them, they saw the head of a
• 6:57
  column of marching men. Flaming torches lighted the scene until it was almost as
• 7:01
  bright as day. There is Cassius, Hasta, exclaimed Malius Leppis. It
• 7:08
  is indeed he. But who are those with him? They must be Sanguinarians,
• 7:14
  said Favonia. But look one of them is garbed like a barbarian.
• 7:17
  And see the strange black warriors with their white plumes that are marching behind them.
• 7:24
  I have never seen the like in all my life, exclaimed Malius Leppis.
• 7:29
  Neither have I said von Harbin. But I am sure that I recognize
• 7:32
  them, for their fame is great. And they answer the description that I
• 7:36
  have heard a thousand times. Who are they asked Favonia. The white giant
• 7:43
  is Tarzan of the Apes, and the black warriors are his Wazi fighting men.
• 7:47
  At sight of the legionary standing before the house, Cassius has to halt
• 7:51
  at the column. Where is the centurion in command of these troops? He
• 7:57
  demanded? It is glorious Caesar, replied the officer who had come to arrest
• 8:03
  the abductors of Favonia. Does it happen that you are one of the detachments
• 8:07
  sent out by Fulvus Pupus to search for Malius Leppus and the Barbarian von Harbon.
• 8:13
  We are here, Caesar, cried Malius Leppis, while Favonia, Von
• 8:16
  Harben and Gaboulah followed behind him. May that gods be praised, exclaimed Cassius
• 8:22
  Hasta as he embraced his old friend. But where is the Barbarian chieftain from
• 8:28
  Germania whose fame has reached even to Castor Sanguinarius? This is, he said
• 8:35
  Malius Leppis, This is Eric van Harben. Tarzan stepped nearer. You are
• 8:41
  Eric van Harbin, he asked in English. And you are Tarzan of the
• 8:46
  Apes I know, returned Von Harbin in the same language. You look every
• 8:50
  inch of Roman, said Tarzan with a smile. I feel every inch of
• 8:56
  Barbarian. However, grinned Van Harbin, Roman or Barbarian. Your father will
• 9:01
  be glad when I bring you back to him. You came here in search
• 9:05
  of me, Tarzan of the Apes, demanded Von Herbin, and I seem
• 9:09
  to have arrived just in time, said the ape man. How can I
• 9:15
  ever thank you, exclaimed Von Harbin. Do not thank me, my friend,
• 9:20
  said the ape man, Thank little inn Chema. End of chapter twenty
• 9:26
  three. The End of Tarzan and the Lost Empire by Edgar Rice Burroughs