the monster men-第25节

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laces　of　the　world。

So　it　was　that　as　Bulan　advanced　he　found　the　long…houses　in　his　path　deserted；　and　came　to　the　larger　river　and　turned　up　toward　its　head　without　meeting　with　resistance　or　even　catching　a　glimpse　of　the　brown…skinned　people　who　watched　him　from　their　hiding　places　in　the　brush。

That　night　they　slept　in　the　long…house　near　the　bank　of　the　greater　stream；　while　its　rightful　occupants　made　the　best　of　it　in　the　jungle　behind。　　The　next　morning　found　the　four　again　on　the　march　ere　the　sun　had　scarcely　lighted　the　dark　places　of　the　forest；　for　Bulan　was　now　sure　that　he　was　on　the　right　trail　and　that　the　new　river　that　he　had　come　to　was　indeed　the　same　that　he　had　traversed　in　the　Prahu　with　Barunda。

It　must　have　been　close　to　noon　when　the　young　giant's　ears　caught　the　sound　of　the　movement　of　some　animal　in　the　jungle　a　short　distance　to　his　right　and　away　from　the　river。　　His　experience　with　men　had　taught　him　to　be　wary；　for　it　was　evident　that　every　man's　hand　was　against　him；　so　he　determined　to　learn　at　once　whether　the　noise　he　heard　came　from　some　human　enemy　lurking　along　his　trail　ready　to　spring　upon　him　with　naked　parang　at　a　moment　that　he　was　least　prepared；　or　merely　from　some　jungle　brute。

Cautiously　he　threaded　his　way　through　the　matted　vegetation　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　　Although　a　parang　from　the　body　of　a　vanquished　Dyak　hung　at　his　side　he　grasped　his　bull　whip　ready　in　his　right　hand；　preferring　it　to　the　less　accustomed　weapon　of　the　head　hunter。　　For　a　dozen　yards　he　advanced　without　sighting　the　object　of　his　search；　but　presently　his　efforts　were　rewarded　by　a　glimpse　of　a　reddish；　hairy　body；　and　a　pair　of　close　set；　wicked　eyes　peering　at　him　from　behind　a　giant　tree。

At　the　same　instant　a　slight　movement　at　one　side　attracted　his　attention　to　where　another　similar　figure　crouched　in　the　underbrush；　and　then　a　third；　fourth　and　fifth　became　evident　about　him。　　Bulan　looked　in　wonderment　upon　the　strange；　man…like　creatures　who　eyed　him　threateningly　from　every　hand。　　They　stood　fully　as　high　as　the　brown　Dyak　warriors；　but　their　bodies　were　naked　except　for　the　growth　of　reddish　hair　which　covered　them；　shading　to　black　upon　the　face　and　hands。

The　lips　of　the　nearest　were　raised　in　an　angry　snarl　that　exposed　wicked　looking　fighting　fangs；　but　the　beasts　did　not　seem　inclined　to　initiate　hostilities；　and　as　they　were　unarmed　and　evidently　but　engaged　upon　their　own　affairs　Bulan　decided　to　withdraw　without　arousing　them　further。　　As　he　turned　to　retrace　his　steps　he　found　his　three　companions　gazing　in　wide…eyed　astonishment　upon　the　strange　new　creatures　which　confronted　them。

Number　Ten　was　grinning　broadly；　while　Number　Three　advanced　cautiously　toward　one　of　the　creatures；　making　a　low　guttural　noise；　that　could　only　be　interpreted　as　peaceful　and　conciliatorymore　like　a　feline　purr　it　was　than　anything　else。

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　cried　Bulan。　　〃Leave　them　alone。　They　have　not　offered　to　harm　us。〃

〃They　are　like　us；〃　replied　Number　Three。　　〃They　must　be　our　own　people。　　I　am　going　with　them。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Number　Ten。

〃And　I；〃　echoed　Number　Twelve。　　〃At　last　we　have　found　our　own；　let　us　all　go　with　them　and　live　with　them；　far　away　from　the　men　who　would　beat　us　with　great　whips；　and　cut　us　with　their　sharp　swords。〃

〃They　are　not　human　beings；〃　exclaimed　Bulan。　　〃We　cannot　live　with　them。〃

〃Neither　are　we　human　beings；〃　retorted　Number　Twelve。　〃Has　not　von　Horn　told　us　so　many　times？〃

〃If　I　am　not　now　a　human　being；〃　replied　Bulan；　〃I　intend　to　be　one；　and　so　I　shall　act　as　a　human　being　should　act。　I　shall　not　go　to　live　with　savage　beasts；　nor　shall　you。　Come　with　me　as　I　tell　you；　or　you　shall　again　taste　the　bull　whip。〃

〃We　shall　do　as　we　please；〃　growled　Number　Ten；　baring　his　fangs。　　〃You　are　not　our　master。　　We　have　followed　you　as　long　as　we　intend　to。　　We　are　tired　of　forever　walking；　walking；　walking　through　the　bushes　that　tear　our　flesh　and　hurt　us。　　Go　and　be　a　human　being　if　you　think　you　can；　but　do　not　longer　interfere　with　us　or　we　shall　kill　you；〃　and　he　looked　first　at　Number　Three　and　then　at　Number　Twelve　for　approval　of　his　ultimatum。

Number　Three　nodded　his　grotesque　and　hideous　head　he　was　so　covered　with　long　black　hair　that　he　more　nearly　resembled　an　ourang　outang　than　a　human　being。　Number　Twelve　looked　doubtful。

〃I　think　Number　Ten　is　right；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃We　are　not　human。　　We　have　no　souls。　　We　are　things。　And　while　you；　Bulan；　are　beautiful；　yet　you　are　as　much　a　soulless　thing　as　wethat　much　von　Horn　taught　us　well。　So　I　believe　that　it　would　be　better　were　we　to　keep　forever　from　the　sight　of　men。　　I　do　not　much　like　the　thought　of　living　with　these　strange；　hairy　monsters；　but　we　might　find　a　place　here　in　the　jungle　where　we　could　live　alone　and　in　peace。〃

〃I　do　not　want　to　live　alone；〃　cried　Number　Three。　〃I　want　a　mate；　and　I　see　a　beautiful　one　yonder　now。　I　am　going　after　her；〃　and　with　that　he　again　started　toward　a　female　ourang　outang；　but　the　lady　bared　her　fangs　and　retreated　before　his　advance。

〃Even　the　beasts　will　have　none　of　us；〃　cried　Number　Ten　angrily。　〃Let　us　take　them　by　force　then；〃　and　he　started　after　Number　Three。

〃Come　back！〃　shouted　Bulan；　leaping　after　the　two　deserters。

As　he　raised　his　voice　there　came　an　answering　cry　from　a　little　distance　aheada　cry　for　help；　and　it　was　in　the　agonized　tones　of　a　woman's　voice。

〃I　am　coming！〃　shouted　Bulan；　and　without　another　glance　at　his　mutinous　crew　he　sprang　through　the　line　of　menacing　ourang　outangs。



12

PERFIDY


On　the　morning　that　Bulan　set　out　with　his　three　monsters　from　the　deserted　long…house　in　which　they　had　spent　the　night；　Professor　Maxon's　party　was　speeding　up　the　river；　constantly　buoyed　with　hope　by　the　repeated　reports　of　natives　that　the　white　girl　had　been　seen　passing　in　a　war　prahu。

In　translating　this　information　to　Professor　Maxon；　von　Horn　habitually　made　it　appear　that　the　girl　was　in　the　hands　of　Number　Thirteen；　or　Bulan；　as　they　had　now　come　to　call　him　owing　to　the　natives'　constant　use　of　that　name　in　speaking　of　the　strange；　and　formidable　white　giant　who　had　invaded　their　land。

At　the　last　long…house　below　the　gorge；　the　head　of　which　had　witnessed　Virginia　Maxon's　escape　from　the　clutches　of　Ninaka　and　Barunda；　the　searching　party　was　forced　to　stop　owing　to　a　sudden　attack　of　fever　which　had　prostrated　the　professor。　　Here　they　found　a　woman　who　had　a　strange　tale　to　relate　of　a　remarkable　sight　she　had　witnessed　that　very　morning。

It　seemed　that　she　had　been　straining　tapioca　in　a　little　stream　which　flowed　out　of　the　jungle　at　the　rear　of　the　long…house　when　her　attention　was　attracted　by　the　crashing　of　an　animal　through　the　bushes　a　few　yards　above　her。　　As　she　looked　she　saw　a　huge　MIAS　PAPPAN　cross　the　stream；　bearing　in　his　arms　the　dead；　or　unconscious　form　of　a　white…skinned　girl　with　golden　hair。

Her　description　of　the　MIAS　PAPPAN　was　such　as　to　half　convince　von　Horn　that　she　might　have　seen　Number　Three　carrying　Virginia　Maxon；　although　he　could　not　reconcile　the　idea　with　the　story　that　the　two　Dyaks　had　told　him　of　losing　all　of　Bulan's　monsters　in　the　jungle。

Of　course　it　was　possible　that　they　might　have　made　their　way　over　land　to　this　point；　but　it　seemed　scarcely　credibleand　then；　how　could　they　have　come　into　posession　of　Virginia　Maxon；　whom　every　report　except　this　last　agreed　was　still　in　the　hands　of　Ninaka　and　Barunda。　　There　was　always　the　possibility　that　the　natives　had　lied　to　him；　and　the　more　he　questioned　the　Dyak　woman　the　more　firmly　convinced　he　became　that　this　was　the　fact。

The　outcome　of　it　was　that　von　Horn　finally　decided　to　make　an　attempt　to　follow　the　trail　of　the　creature　that　the　woman　had　seen；　and　with　this　plan　in　view　persuaded　Muda　Saffir　to　arrange　with　the　chief　of　the　long…house　at　which　they　then　were　to　furnish　him　with　trackers　and　an　escort　of　warriors；　promising　them　some　splendid　heads　should　they　be　successful　in　overhauling　Bulan　and　his　pack。

Professor　Maxon　was　too　ill　to　accompany　the　expedition；　and　von　Horn　set　out　alone　with　his　Dyak　allies。　For　a　time　after　they　departed　Sing　Lee　fretted　and　fidgeted　upon　the　verandah　of　the　long…house。　He　wholly　distrusted　von　Horn；　and　from　motives　of　his　own　finally　decided　to　follow　him。　The　trail　of　the　party　was　plainly　discernible；　and　the　Chinaman　had　no　difficulty　in　following　them；　so　that　they　had　gone　no　great　way　before　he　came　within　hearing　distance　of　them。　Always　just　far　enough　behind　to　be　out　of　sight；　he　kept　pace　with　the　little　column　as　it　marched　through　the　torrid　heat　of　the　morning；　until　a　little　after　noon　he　was　startled　by　the　sudden　cry　of　a　woman　in　distress；　and　the　answering　shout　of　a　man。

The　voices　came　from　a　point　in　the　jungle　a　little　to　his　right　and　behind　him；　and　without　waiting　for　the　column　to　return；　or　even　to　ascertain　if　they　had　heard　the　cries；　Sing　ran　rapidly　in　the　direction　of　the　alarm。　　For　a　time　he　saw　nothing；　but　was　guided　by　the　snapping　of　twigs　and　the　rustling　of　bushes　ahead；　where　the　authors　of　the　commotion　were　evidently　moving　swiftly　through　the　jungle。