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in wide…eyed astonishment。
〃And you； madame； will confer a great favor upon me if you
will but let me know if either of those rascals troubles
you further。〃
〃Ah； monsieur；〃 she answered； 〃I hope that you will not
suffer for the kind deed you attempted。 You have made a
very wicked and resourceful enemy； who will stop at nothing
to satisfy his hatred。 You must be very careful indeed；
Monsieur〃
〃Pardon me； madame； my name is Tarzan。〃
〃Monsieur Tarzan。 And because I would not consent to
notify the officers； do not think that I am not sincerely
grateful to you for the brave and chivalrous protection you
rendered me。 Good night； Monsieur Tarzan。 I shall never
forget the debt I owe you；〃 and； with a most winsome smile
that displayed a row of perfect teeth； the girl curtsied to
Tarzan； who bade her good night and made his way on deck。
It puzzled the man considerably that there should be two
on boardthis girl and Count de Coudewho suffered
indignities at the hands of Rokoff and his companion； and yet
would not permit the offenders to be brought to justice。
Before he turned in that night his thoughts reverted many
times to the beautiful young woman into the evidently tangled
web of whose life fate had so strangely introduced him。
It occurred to him that he had not learned her name。
That she was married had been evidenced by the narrow gold
band that encircled the third finger of her left hand。
Involuntarily he wondered who the lucky man might be。
Tarzan saw nothing further of any of the actors in the
little drama that he had caught a fleeting glimpse of until
late in the afternoon of the last day of the voyage。 Then he
came suddenly face to face with the young woman as the
two approached their deck chairs from opposite directions。
She greeted him with a pleasant smile； speaking almost
immediately of the affair he had witnessed in her cabin two
nights before。 It was as though she had been perturbed by a
conviction that he might have construed her acquaintance
with such men as Rokoff and Paulvitch as a personal
reflection upon herself。
〃I trust monsieur has not judged me；〃 she said； 〃by the
unfortunate occurrence of Tuesday evening。 I have suffered
much on account of itthis is the first time that I
have ventured from my cabin since； I have been ashamed；〃
she concluded simply。
〃One does not judge the gazelle by the lions that attack
it；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃I had seen those two work beforein
the smoking…room the day prior to their attack on you； if I
recollect it correctly； and so； knowing their methods； I am
convinced that their enmity is a sufficient guarantee of the
integrity of its object。 Men such as they must cleave only
to the vile； hating all that is noblest and best。〃
〃It is very kind of you to put it that way；〃 she replied；
smiling。 〃I have already heard of the matter of the card
game。 My husband told me the entire story。 He spoke
especially of the strength and bravery of Monsieur Tarzan；
to whom he feels that he owes an immense debt of gratitude。〃
〃Your husband？〃 repeated Tarzan questioningly。
〃Yes。 I am the Countess de Coude。〃
〃I am already amply repaid； madame； in knowing that I
have rendered a service to the wife of the Count de Coude。〃
〃Alas； monsieur； I already am so greatly indebted to you
that I may never hope to settle my own account； so pray
do not add further to my obligations；〃 and she smiled so
sweetly upon him that Tarzan felt that a man might easily
attempt much greater things than he had accomplished； solely
for the pleasure of receiving the benediction of that smile。
He did not see her again that day； and in the rush of
landing on the following morning he missed her entirely；
but there had been something in the expression of her eyes
as they parted on deck the previous day that haunted him。
It had been almost wistful as they had spoken of the
strangeness of the swift friendships of an ocean crossing；
and of the equal ease with which they are broken forever。
Tarzan wondered if he should ever see her again。
Chapter 3
What Happened in the Rue Maule
On his arrival in Paris； Tarzan had gone directly to
the apartments of his old friend； D'Arnot； where the
naval lieutenant had scored him roundly for his decision
to renounce the title and estates that were rightly his
from his father； John Clayton； the late Lord Greystoke。
〃You must be mad； my friend；〃 said D'Arnot； 〃thus lightly
to give up not alone wealth and position； but an opportunity
to prove beyond doubt to all the world that in your veins
flows the noble blood of two of England's most honored
housesinstead of the blood of a savage she…ape。 It is
incredible that they could have believed youMiss Porter
least of all。
〃Why； I never did believe it； even back in the wilds of
your African jungle； when you tore the raw meat of your
kills with mighty jaws； like some wild beast； and wiped your
greasy hands upon your thighs。 Even then； before there was
the slightest proof to the contrary； I knew that you were
mistaken in the belief that Kala was your mother。
〃And now； with your father's diary of the terrible life
led by him and your mother on that wild African shore；
with the account of your birth； and； final and most
convincing proof of all； your own baby finger prints upon the
pages of it； it seems incredible to me that you are willing
to remain a nameless； penniless vagabond。〃
〃I do not need any better name than Tarzan；〃 replied the
ape…man； 〃and as for remaining a penniless vagabond； I
have no intention of so doing。 In fact； the next； and let us
hope the last； burden that I shall be forced to put upon your
unselfish friendship will be the finding of employment for me。〃
〃Pooh； pooh！〃 scoffed D'Arnot。 〃You know that I did not
mean that。 Have I not told you a dozen times that I have
enough for twenty men； and that half of what I have is
yours？ And if I gave it all to you； would it represent even
the tenth part of the value I place upon your friendship；
my Tarzan？ Would it repay the services you did me in Africa？
I do not forget； my friend； that but for you and your
wondrous bravery I had died at the stake in the village
of Mbonga's cannibals。 Nor do I forget that to your self…
sacrificing devotion I owe the fact that I recovered from the
terrible wounds I received at their handsI discovered later
something of what it meant to you to remain with me in the
amphitheater of apes while your heart was urging you on to
the coast。
〃When we finally came there； and found that Miss Porter
and her party had left； I commenced to realize something of
what you had done for an utter stranger。 Nor am I trying to
repay you with money； Tarzan。 It is that just at present you
need money； were it sacrifice that I might offer you it were
the samemy friendship must always be yours； because our
tastes