EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
even Tarzan might pass these unscathed. He looked up at Sublatus.
“Your plan has failed, Caesar. These that you thought would tear me to pieces are my own people. They will not harm me. If there are any others that you would turn against me let them come now, but be quick, for my patience is growing short and if I should say the word these apes will follow me into the imperial loge and tear you to shreds.”
And that is exactly what Tarzan would have done had he not known that while he doubtless could have killed Sublatus his end would come quickly beneath the pikes of the legionaries. He was not sufficiently well versed in the ways of mobs to know that in their present mood the people would have swarmed to protect him and that the legionaries, with few exceptions, would have joined forces with them against the hated tyrant.
What Tarzan wanted particularly was to effect the escape of Cassius Hasta and Caecilius Metellus simultaneously with his own, so that he might have the advantage of their assistance in his search for Erich von Harben in the Empire of the East; therefore, when the praefect ordered him back to his dungeon he went, taking the apes with him to their cages.
As the arena gates closed behind him he heard again, above the roaring of the populace, the insistent demand: “Down with Sublatus!”
As the jailer opened the cell door, Tarzan saw that its only occupant was Maximus Praeclarus.
“Welcome, Tarzan!” cried the Roman. “I had not thought to see you again. How is it that you are neither dead nor free?”
“It is the justice of Caesar,” replied Tarzan, with a smile, “but at least our friends are free, for I see they are not here.”
“Do not deceive yourself, barbarian,” said the jailer. “Your friends are chained safely in another cell.”
“But they won their freedom,” exclaimed Tarzan.
“And so did you,” retumed the jailer, with a grin; “but are you free?”
“It is an outrage,” cried Praeclarus. “It cannot be done.”
“The jailer shrugged. “But it is already done,” he said.
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