the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第38部分
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〃Hush！〃 cried Professor Maxon。 〃Hush； child； you do not know what
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you say。 The thing was a monster a soulless monster。〃
At the words the girl looked up quickly at her father； a faint realization
of his meaning striking her like a blow in the face。
〃What do you mean？〃 she whispered。 〃Who was he？〃
It was von Horn who answered。
〃No god created that；〃 he said； with a contemptuous glance at the still
body of the man at their feet。 〃He was one of the creatures of your father's
mad experimentsthe soulless thing for whose arms his insane obsession
doomed you。 The thing at your feet； Virginia； was Number Thirteen。〃
With a piteous little moan the girl turned back toward the body of the
young giant。 A faltering step she took toward it； and then to the horror of
her father she sank upon her knees beside it and lifting the man's head in
her arms covered the face with kisses。
〃Virginia！〃 cried the professor。 〃Are you mad； child？〃
〃I am not mad；〃 she moaned； 〃not yet。 I love him。 Man or monster； it
would have been all the same to me； for I loved him。〃
Her father turned away； burying his face in his hands。
〃God！〃 he muttered。 〃What an awful punishment you have visited
upon me for the sin of the thing I did。〃
The silence which followed was broken by Sing who had kneeled
opposite Virginia upon the other side of Bulan； where he was feeling the
giant's wrists and pressing his ear close above his heart。
〃Do'n cly； Linee；〃 said the kindly old Chinaman。 〃Him no dlead。〃
Then； as he poured a pinch of brownish powder into the man's mouth from
a tiny sack he had brought forth from the depths of one of his sleeves：
〃Him no mlonster either； Linee。 Him white man； alsame Mlaxon。 Sing
know。〃
The girl looked up at him in gratitude。
〃He is not dead； Sing？ He will live？〃 she cried。 〃I don't care about
anything else； Sing； if you will only make him live。〃
〃Him live。 Gettem lilee flesh wounds。 Las all。〃
〃What do you mean by saying that he is not a monster？〃 demanded
von Horn。
〃You waitee； you dam flool；〃 cried Sing。 〃I tellee lot more I know。
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You waitee I flixee him； and then； by God； I flixee you。〃
Von Horn took a menacing step toward the Chinaman； his face black
with wrath； but Professor Maxon interposed。
〃This has gone quite far enough； Doctor von Horn；〃 he said。 〃It may
be that we acted hastily。 I do not know； of course； what Sing means； but I
intend to find out。 He has been very faithful to us； and deserves every
consideration。〃
Von Horn stepped back； still scowling。 Sing poured a little water
between Bulan's lips； and then asked Professor Maxon for his brandy flask。
With the first few drops of the fiery liquid the giant's eyelids moved； and a
moment later he raised them and looked about him。
The first face he saw was Virginia's。 It was full of love and
compassion。
〃They have not told you yet？〃 he asked。
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃They have told me； but it makes no difference。
You have given me the right to say it； Bulan； and I do say it now again；
before them all I love you； and that is all there is that makes any
difference。〃
A look of happiness lighted his face momentarily； only to fade as
quickly as it had come。
〃No； Virginia；〃 he said； sadly； 〃it would not be right。 It would be
wicked。 I am not a human being。 I am only a soulless monster。 You
cannot mate with such as I。 You must go away with your father。 Soon
you will forget me。〃
〃Never； Bulan！〃 cried the girl； determinedly。
The man was about to attempt to dissuade her； when Sing interrupted。
〃You keepee still； Bulan；〃 he said。 〃You wait till Sing tellee。 You no
mlonster。 Mlaxon he no makee you。 Sing he find you in low bloat jus'
outsidee cove。 You dummy。 No know nothing。 No know namee。 No
know where comee from。 No talkee。
〃Sing he jes' hearee Mlaxon tellee Hornee 'bout Nlumber Thlirteen。
How he makee him for Linee。 Makee Linee mally him。 Sing he know
what kindee fleaks Mlaxon makee。 Linee always good to old Sing。 Sing
he been peeking thlu clack in wallee。 See blig vlat where Thlirteen
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growing。
〃Sing he takee you to Sing's shackee that night。 Hide you till evlybody
sleep。 Then he sneak you in workee shop。 Kickee over vlat。 Leaves
you。 Nex' mlorning Mlaxon makee blig hulabaloo。 Dance up and downee。
Whoop！ Thlirteen clome too soonee； but allight； him finee； perfec' man。
Whoop！
〃Anyway； you heap better for Linee than one Mlaxon's fleaks；〃 he
concluded； turning toward Bulan。
〃You are lying； you yellow devil；〃 cried von Horn。
The Chinaman turned his shrewd； slant eyes malevolently upon the
doctor。
〃Sing lies？〃 he hissed。 〃Mabbeso Sing lies when he ask what for you
glet Bludleen steal tleasure。 But Lajah Saffir he come and spoil it all while
you tly glet Linee to the shipSing knows。
〃Then you tellee Mlaxon Thlirteen steal Linee。 You lie then and you
knew you lie。 You lie again when Thlirteen savee Linee flom Oulang
Outang you say you savee Linee。
〃Then you make bad talkee with Lajah Saffir at long…house。 Sing hear
you all timee。 You tly getee tleasure away from Dlyaks for your self。
Then〃
〃Stop！〃 roared von Horn。 〃Stop！ You lying yellow sneak； before I
put a bullet in you。〃
〃Both of you may stop now；〃 said Professor Maxon authoritatively。
〃There have been charges made here that cannot go unnoticed。 Can you
prove these things Sing？〃 he asked turning to the Chinaman。
〃I plove much by Bludleen's lascar。 Bludleen tell him all 'bout
Hornee。 I plove some more by Dyak chief at long…house。 He knows
lots。 Lajah Saffir tell him。 It all tlue； Mlaxon。〃
〃And it is true about this manthe thing that you have told us is true？
He is not one of those created in the laboratory？〃
〃No； Mlaxon。 You no makee fine young man like Blulan you know
lat； Mlaxon。 You makee One； Two； Thlee all up to Twelve。 All fleaks。
You ought to know； Mlaxon； lat you no can makee a Blulan。〃
During these revelations Bulan had sat with his eyes fixed upon the
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Chinaman。 There was a puzzled expression upon his wan； blood…
streaked face。 It was as though he were trying to wrest from the inner
temple of his consciousness a vague and tantalizing memory that eluded
him each time that he felt he had it within his graspthe key to the strange
riddle that hid his origin。
The girl kneeled close beside him； one small hand in his。 Hope and
happiness had supplanted the sorrow in her face。 She tore the hem from
her skirt； to bandage the bloody furrow that creased the man's temple。
Professor Maxon stood silently by； watching the loving tenderness that
marked each deft； little movement of her strong； brown hands。
The revelations of the past few minutes had shocked the old man into
stupefied silence。 It was difficult； almost impossible； for him to believe
that Sing had spoken the truth and that this man was not one of the
creatures of his own creation； yet from the bottom of his heart he prayed
that it might prove the truth； for he saw that his daughter loved the man
with a love that would be stayed by no obstacle or bound by no man…made
law； or social custom。
The Chinaman's indictment of von Horn had come as an added blow to
Professor Maxon； but it had brought its own supporting evidence in the
flood of recollections it had induced in the professor's mind。 Now he
recalled a hundred chance incidents and conversations with his assistant
that pointed squarely toward the man's disloyalty and villainy。 He
wondered that he had been so blind as not to have suspected his lieutenant
long before。
Virginia had at last succeeded in adjusting her rude bandage and
stopping the flow of blood。 Bulan had risen weakly to his feet。 The girl
supported him upon one side； and Sing upon the other。 Professor Maxon
approached the little group。
〃I do not know what to make of all that Sing has told us；〃 he said。 〃If
you are not Number Thirteen who are you？ Where did you come from？
It seems very strange indeed impossible； in fact。 However； if you will
explain who you are； I shall be glad toahconsiderahpermitting you
