The Return of Tarzan · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Chapter 1
The Affair on the Liner
Tarzan, contemplating his return to the jungle, witnesses a plot by Nikolas Rokoff and Alexis Paulvitch to frame Count de Coude for cheating at cards. Tarzan intervenes, exposing the scheme and earning the count's gratitude, while also making a dangerous enemy of Rokoff.
Chapter 2
II: Forging Bonds of Hate and ⸻?
Tarzan intervenes to protect a young woman from Rokoff and Paulvitch, first on deck and later in her cabin, where Paulvitch attempts to strangle her. Tarzan threatens the two men and warns them against further harassment, but the woman refuses to involve the ship's officers. Tarzan reflects on the cruelty and selfishness of civilized society compared to the jungle.
Chapter 3
III: What Happened in the Rue Maule
Tarzan visits his friend D'Arnot in Paris, who urges him to claim his title and estates as Lord Greystoke. Tarzan refuses, preferring to remain a nameless vagabond and not rob Jane Porter of the wealth and position her marriage to Clayton will bring. Later, Tarzan is lured to a room in the Rue Maule by a woman's cries for help, where he is ambushed by apaches led by Rokoff. Tarzan fights them off with savage ferocity, but the woman falsely accuses him of attacking her when the police arrive. Tarzan resists arrest, overpowering the officers.
Chapter 4
IV: The Countess Explains
Tarzan recounts his Rue Maule adventure to D'Arnot, criticizing civilized brutality versus jungle law. D'Arnot warns him about the police. They visit a police official to resolve the matter. Later at the opera, Tarzan sees Countess de Coude, who invites him to her home to explain Rokoff's persecution. She reveals Rokoff and Paulvitch are Russian spies seeking state secrets from her husband. After Tarzan leaves, Rokoff confronts her, threatening to fabricate evidence of an affair, and she remains silent out of fear.
Chapter 5
The Plot That Failed
Tarzan's growing friendship with Countess Olga de Coude is observed with malice by her brother Nikolas Rokoff, who plots with Paulvitch to trap Tarzan in a compromising situation. They trick Tarzan into visiting the countess late at night, leading to a confrontation with Count de Coude. Tarzan, provoked by a blow, nearly kills de Coude but is restrained by Olga. After the incident, Tarzan confronts Rokoff and Paulvitch, forcing them to write a confession and promise to suppress the scandal, threatening further violence if they do not comply.
Chapter 6
VI: A Duel
Tarzan confesses to D'Arnot his regret over the incident with the Countess de Coude, feeling his 'civilization' is only skin deep and considering a return to the jungle. Count de Coude challenges Tarzan to a duel; Tarzan insists on pistols despite D'Arnot's warnings. At dawn, the duel proceeds, but Tarzan fires into the air, revealing Rokoff's written confession that exonerates the countess. De Coude embraces Tarzan, and they become friends. Tarzan is wounded twice but recovers, and De Coude later secures him a position as a special agent in the Ministry of War.
Chapter 7
VII: The Dancing Girl of Sidi Aissa
Tarzan's first mission as a secret agent takes him to Algeria, where he is tasked with surveilling Lieutenant Gernois, a French officer suspected of treason. After a month of uneventful observation, Gernois is transferred south to Bou Saada. Tarzan accompanies the detachment, and during a stop at Sidi Aissa, he encounters a mysterious stranger who seems familiar. At a local café, an Ouled-Nail dancer warns Tarzan that two men plan to harm him. Later, an Arab insults him, leading to a brawl when several men attack Tarzan and his servant Abdul.
Chapter 8
VIII: The Fight in the Desert
Tarzan befriends the tribe of Kadour ben Saden and learns their ways, but after returning to Bou Saada he is ambushed by Arab assassins hired by a mysterious enemy. With the help of Abdul and the sheik's daughter, he escapes and fights off the attackers. Kadour ben Saden and his daughter depart for the south, leaving Tarzan to ponder his duties.
Chapter 9
IX: Numa El Adrea
Tarzan joins Captain Gerard and Lieutenant Gernois on a military expedition south into Algeria, where he suspects Gernois and a band of Arab assassins are plotting against him. During a hunting excursion, Tarzan is abandoned by Gernois and left alone in the mountains. He falls asleep in a valley and awakens to face Numa el Adrea, a black lion. After a fierce confrontation, Tarzan kills the lion with his rifle and instinctively lets out the victory cry of a bull ape, which echoes through the wilderness and alarms both the wild animals and the nearby Arab tribesmen.
Chapter 10
X: Through the Valley of the Shadow
Tarzan is captured by Arabs after being shot and bound, then held in a douar. He is freed by the Ouled-Nail of Sisi Aissa, who reveals herself as the daughter of Sheik Kabour ben Saden and saves him from execution. Later, Tarzan faces a black lion (Numa) in a canyon, armed only with a knife, while the girl watches in admiration.
Chapter 11
John Caldwell, London
Tarzan, traveling under the alias John Caldwell, boards a ship to Cape Town after a tedious wait in Algiers. He encounters Hazel Strong, Jane Porter's best friend, and reflects on his past. Later, in Bou Saada, he spies on Rokoff and Gernois, overhearing their blackmail and threats. After a week with Kadour ben Saden, Tarzan returns to Bou Saada, receives orders to proceed to Cape Town, and meets Captain Gerard, who believed him dead.
Chapter 12
Ships That Pass
William Cecil Clayton grapples with the moral dilemma of whether to reveal Tarzan's true identity as Lord Greystoke, ultimately choosing self-interest over honesty. He pressures Jane Porter to marry him, but she repeatedly delays, leading to a transatlantic voyage. Meanwhile, aboard a yacht, Tarzan (under the alias Mr. Caldwell) encounters Rokoff in disguise as Monsieur Thuran. Rokoff and Paulvitch steal incriminating documents from Tarzan's cabin and later ambush him on deck, throwing him overboard into the Atlantic.
Chapter 13
The Wreck of the Lady Alice
After Tarzan's disappearance from the ship, Hazel Strong grows concerned and reports him missing. The captain orders a search, but no trace is found. Monsieur Thuran, having obtained what he came for, decides to pursue Hazel Strong for her fortune. He follows her to Cape Town, where he becomes a frequent visitor and eventually proposes. Hazel asks for time to consider. Meanwhile, Jane Porter unexpectedly reunites with Hazel, but is despondent. A series of misfortunes plague the yacht Lady Alice, culminating in a collision with a derelict that rips open the hull. The ship sinks, but all four boats are safely launched.
Chapter 14
XIV: Back to the Primitive
Tarzan, thrown overboard by Rokoff, swims to a derelict and then uses a lifeboat to reach land, finding himself at his own cabin. He reverts to his jungle ways, hunting and foraging, and sets out to find weapons. After days of travel, he encounters a black warrior being stalked by a lion. Tarzan saves the man, and together they kill the lion, forming a bond of friendship.
Chapter 15
From Ape to Savage
Tarzan integrates into a native village after saving a warrior from a lion, learning their language and customs, participating in an elephant hunt, and discovering gold ornaments that spark his lust for wealth. He reflects on his dual identity as both a civilized man and a savage, ultimately feeling more aligned with the primitive life.
Chapter 16
The Ivory Raiders
Tarzan orchestrates a guerrilla campaign against Arab ivory raiders who have attacked a native village. He frees enslaved prisoners, leads the warriors in a strategy of silent attacks from the trees, and attempts to avoid a direct frontal assault. Despite his advice, the old chief Waziri orders a charge that ends in disaster, with Waziri killed. Tarzan later infiltrates the village alone, kills the sentry, and leads the chained prisoners to safety. He then devises a plan to harass the raiders and force them to flee, emphasizing stealth and psychological warfare over brute force.
Chapter 17
XVII: The White Chief of the Waziri
Tarzan leads the Waziri in battle against Arab raiders and is chosen as their king after the death of old Waziri. He uses guerrilla tactics to harass the raiders, killing sentries and causing panic. The chapter culminates in Tarzan being crowned 'Waziri, king of the Waziri' in a primal ceremony, fully embracing his savage heritage.
Chapter 18
XVIII: The Lottery of Death
After the wreck of the Lady Alice, Jane Porter, Clayton, Monsieur Thuran, and two sailors find themselves adrift in a lifeboat, separated from the other boats. Tensions rise over leadership and provisions, and the discovery that the oars have been lost adds to their desperation. As starvation looms, the corpse of a dead sailor becomes a source of gruesome temptation. Wilson, driven mad by hunger, attacks Clayton and then leaps overboard. Monsieur Thuran proposes a lottery to decide who will be sacrificed so the others may live. Despite Clayton's objections, the majority agrees, and Thuran manipulates the drawing using his trained touch to avoid the fatal coin. The lottery continues, leaving the survivors in a state of horror and suspense.
Chapter 19
XIX: The City of Gold
Tarzan becomes chief of the Waziri and leads an expedition to find a legendary city of gold. After a long march, they discover an ancient, ruined city with towering walls and mysterious inhabitants. Tarzan enters a temple, is captured by a white-skinned, bearded people, and is held prisoner in an inner courtyard.
Chapter 20
La
Tarzan is captured by the descendants of an ancient sun-worshipping civilization in the lost city of Opar. He is about to be sacrificed by the high priestess La, but when a mad priest attacks her, Tarzan breaks free and saves her. La then explains the history of her people, who are the degenerate remnants of a once-great civilization that sank into the sea. She is fascinated by Tarzan's nobility and strength.
Chapter 21
The Castaways
Clayton, Jane Porter, and Monsieur Thuran survive a month on a jungle beach, building a tree shelter and struggling for food. Thuran's true character emerges as selfish, cowardly, and menacing, leading to conflicts with Clayton. Jane reflects on Tarzan's bravery and rejects Thuran's slander. A lion attack nearly kills them, but a mysterious spear fells the beast. In the aftermath, Jane breaks her engagement to Clayton, declaring she cannot marry a less brave man. Meanwhile, the other castaways from the Lady Alice, including Lord Tennington's well-armed party, camp a few miles north, unaware of the trio's plight.
Chapter 22
XXII: The Treasure Vaults of Opar
Tarzan reunites with his Waziri warriors and leads them back to Opar to retrieve gold ingots from the treasure vaults. After transporting the gold to a hidden jungle amphitheater, he buries it. Later, while hunting, he witnesses a woman praying and a man about to be attacked by a lion. Tarzan kills the lion with a spear, only to discover the woman is Jane Porter and the man is William Cecil Clayton. Overcome with jealousy, he initially aims a poisoned arrow at Clayton but ultimately spares him and retreats into the jungle.
Chapter 23
The Fifty Frightful Men
Tarzan, overwhelmed by sorrow and jealousy, returns to the ape tribe and is accepted back as their leader. He learns from a young bull that a band of strange apes has captured a white woman, likely Jane Porter, and is dragging her eastward toward Opar. Tarzan immediately sets off to rescue her.
Chapter 24
XXIV: How Tarzan Came Again to Opar
Clayton frantically searches for Jane Porter after she goes missing, but fails to find her trail. He falls ill with fever, and the Russian Thuran, now recovered, cruelly refuses him water and later abandons him to die, stealing his spear and heading north. Thuran reaches a cabin by the beach and continues on, eventually arriving at Lord Tennington's camp, where he falsely reports that Jane, Clayton, and the sailors are dead. Meanwhile, Jane Porter, held captive in Opar, slowly regains her strength and is led to a ceremonial courtyard with a stone altar, unaware she is to be a sacrifice.
Chapter 25
XXV: Through the Forest Primeval
Tarzan rescues Jane Porter from the sacrificial altar in Opar, carrying her unconscious through the forest. Meanwhile, they discover the dying William Cecil Clayton, who confesses his wrongdoing and reveals a note from D'Arnot proving Tarzan's identity as Lord Greystoke. Tarzan and Jane reunite, affirming their love.
Chapter 26
The Passing of the Ape-Man
The chapter follows the party as they journey to Tarzan's cabin to bury Clayton. They encounter Professor Porter, who had been led to believe Tarzan was dead. D'Arnot's ship arrives, and plans are made to return to civilization. Rokoff attempts to shoot Tarzan but is subdued and handed over to French authorities. Tarzan retrieves stolen papers and reveals his gold treasure. The chapter culminates in a double wedding between Tarzan and Jane, and Tennington and Hazel, held at Tarzan's cabin. The party sails away, with Tarzan leaving his jungle home behind.
