Tarzan the Untamed · Chapter
Out of the Niche explained
Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick, hiding in a secret niche, observe a mad girl and her lover being served by a slave named Otobu.
What happens
Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick, hiding in a secret niche, observe a mad girl and her lover being served by a slave named Otobu. Tarzan communicates with Otobu in his native tongue, convincing him to help. They emerge, subdue the couple, and discover the corpse of the girl's lover's father hidden under a couch. After a brief confrontation, the prisoners escape when Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick investigate a pounding at the door. The chapter ends with Tarzan carrying Smith-Oldwick onto the roof to continue their search for Bertha Kircher.
Themes in this chapter
Survival and Adaptation
Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick must adapt to the dangerous environment of Xuja, using stealth, communication, and physical strength to survive.
Madness and Rationality
The chapter contrasts the rational behavior of Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick with the unpredictable, mad actions of the Xuja inhabitants, including the girl's rapid mood shifts.
Characters to notice
- Tarzan
Leads the escape from the niche, communicates with Otobu in his native language, and carries Smith-Oldwick to the roof.
- Lieutenant Harold Percy Smith-Oldwick
Guides Tarzan to the niche, reveals he killed the father of the young maniac, and is carried to safety.
- Otobu
A black slave who helps Tarzan and Smith-Oldwick after being addressed in his native tongue; he assists in subduing the mad couple.
- Fräulein Bertha Kircher
Mentioned as having been taken to the king's palace; the search for her motivates Tarzan's actions.
Key passages
““I can tell you Bwana,” replied Otobu. “This man was his father.””
Otobu explains to Tarzan that the dead man is the young maniac's father.
Reveals the familial relationship and the motive for the young man's distress.
““What is he saying to the girl?” asked Tarzan. “He is asking her if she knew that the body of his father was under the couch. And she is saying that she did not know it.””
Tarzan inquires about the conversation; Otobu translates that the young man is accusing the girl of knowing about the hidden corpse, which she denies.
Highlights the girl's possible complicity and the theme of deception.
““If the chap could have seen her removing all evidence of the crime and arranging the hangings of the couch so that the body was concealed after she had helped me drag it across the room, he wouldn’t have very much doubt as to her knowledge of the affair.””
Smith-Oldwick remarks that the young man would be certain of the girl's guilt if he had witnessed her hiding the evidence.
Emphasizes the girl's active role in concealing the murder.