Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Son of Tarzan Edgar Rice Burroughs

Mr. Harold Moore was a bilious-countenanced, studious young man. He took himself veryseriously, and life, and his work, which latter was the tutoring of the young son of a Britishnobleman. He felt that his charge was not making the progress that his parents had a right to expect, and he was now conscientiously explaining this fact to the boy's mother."It's not that he isn't bright," he was saying; "if that were true I should have hopes ofsucceeding, for then I might bring to bear all my energies in overcoming his obtuseness; but thetrouble is that he is exceptionally intelligent, and learns so quickly that I can find no fault in thematter of the preparation of his lessons. What concerns me, however, is the fact that he evidentlytakes no interest whatever in the subjects we are studying. He merely accomplishes each lesson as atask to be rid of as quickly as possible and I am sure that no lesson ever again enters his mind untilthe hours of study and recitation once more arrive. His sole interests seem to be feats of physicalprowess and the reading of everything that he can get hold of relative to savage beasts and the livesand customs of uncivilized peoples; but particularly do stories of animals appeal to him. He will sitfor hours together poring over the work of some African explorer, and upon two occasions I havefound him setting up in bed at night reading Carl Hagenbeck's book on men and beasts."The boy's mother tapped her foot nervously upon the hearth rug."You discourage this, of course?" she ventured. Mr. Moore shuffled embarrassedly."I-ah-essayed to take the book from him," he replied, a slight flush mounting his sallowcheek; "but-ah-your son is quite muscular for one so young.""He wouldn't let you take it?" asked the mother."He would not," confessed the tutor. "He was perfectly good natured about it; but he insistedupon pretending that he was a gorilla and that I was a chimpanzee attempting to steal food fromhim. He leaped upon me with the most savage growls I ever heard, lifted me completely above hishead, hurled me upon his bed, and after going through a pantomime indicative of choking me todeath he stood upon my prostrate form and gave voice to a most fearsome shriek, which heexplained was the victory cry of a bull ape. Then he carried me to the door, shoved me out into thehall and locked me from his room.