the monster men-第34节

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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　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　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　to　pay　court　to　my　daughter。〃

〃I　do　not　know　who　I　am；〃　replied　Bulan。　　〃I　had　always　thought　that　I　was　only　Number　Thirteen；　until　Sing　just　spoke。　　Now　I　have　a　faint　recollection　of　drifting　for　days　upon　the　sea　in　an　open　boat　beyond　that　all　is　blank。　　I　shall　not　force　my　attentions　upon　Virginia　until　I　can　prove　my　identity；　and　that　my　past　is　one　which　I　can　lay　before　her　without　shame　until　then　I　shall　not　see　her。〃

〃You　shall　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　cried　the　girl。　〃You　love　me；　and　I　you。　　My　father　intended　to　force　me　to　marry　you　while　he　still　thought　that　you　were　a　soulless　thing。　　Now　that　it　is　quite　apparent　that　you　are　a　human　being；　and　a　gentleman；　he　hesitates；　but　I　do　not。　　As　I　have　told　you　before；　it　makes　no　difference　to　me　what　you　are。　　You　have　told　me　that　you　love　me。　　You　have　demonstrated　a　love　that　is　high；　and　noble；　and　self…sacrificing。　　More　than　that　no　girl　needs　to　know。　　I　am　satisfied　to　be　the　wife　of　Bulan　if　Bulan　is　satisfied　to　have　the　daughter　of　the　man　who　has　so　cruelly　wronged　him。〃

An　arm　went　around　the　girl's　shoulders　and　drew　her　close　to　the　man　she　had　glorified　with　her　loyalty　and　her　love。　　The　other　hand　was　stretched　out　toward　Professor　Maxon。

〃Professor；〃　said　Bulan；　〃in　the　face　of　what　Sing　has　told　us；　in　the　face　of　a　disinterested　comparison　between　myself　and　the　miserable　creatures　of　your　experiments；　is　it　not　folly　to　suppose　that　I　am　one　of　them？　　Some　day　I　shall　recall　my　past；　until　that　time　shall　prove　my　worthiness　I　shall　not　ask　for　Virginia's　hand；　and　in　this　decision　she　must　concur；　for　the　truth　might　reveal　some　insurmountable　obstacle　to　our　marriage。　　In　the　meantime　let　us　be　friends；　professor；　for　we　are　both　actuated　by　the　same　desire　the　welfare　and　happiness　of　your　daughter。〃

The　old　man　stepped　forward　and　took　Bulan's　hand。　The　expression　of　doubt　and　worry　had　left　his　face。

〃I　cannot　believe；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　other　than　a　gentleman；　and　if；　in　my　desire　to　protect　Virginia；　I　have　said　aught　to　wound　you　I　ask　your　forgiveness。〃

Bulan　responded　only　with　a　tighter　pressure　of　the　hand。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　professor；　〃let　us　return　to　the　long…house。　　I　wish　to　have　a　few　words　in　private　with　you；　von　Horn；〃　and　he　turned　to　face　his　assistant；　but　the　man　had　disappeared。

〃Where　is　Doctor　von　Horn？〃　exclaimed　the　scientist；　addressing　Sing。

〃Hornee；　him　vamoose　long　time　'go；〃　replied　the　Chinaman。　　〃He　hear　all　he　likee。〃

Slowly　the　little　party　wound　along　the　jungle　trail；　and　in　less　than　a　mile；　to　Virginia's　infinite　surprise；　came　out　upon　the　river　and　the　long…house　that　she　and　Bulan　had　searched　for　in　vain。

〃And　to　think；〃　she　cried；　〃that　all　these　awful　days　we　have　been　almost　within　sound　of　your　voices。　What　strange　freak　of　fate　sent　you　to　us　today？〃

〃We　had　about　given　up　hope；〃　replied　her　father；　〃when　Sing　suggested　to　me　that　we　cut　across　the　highlands　that　separate　this　valley　from　the　one　adjoining　it　upon　the　northeast；　where　we　should　strike　other　tribes　and　from　them　glean　some　clue　to　your　whereabouts　in　case　your　abductors　had　attempted　to　carry　you　back　to　the　sea　by　another　route。　　This　seemed　likely　in　view　of　the　fact　that　we　were　assured　by　enemies　of　Muda　Saffir　that　you　were　not　in　his　possession；　and　that　the　river　we　were　bound　for　would　lead　your　captors　most　quickly　out　of　the　domains　of　that　rascally　Malay。　You　may　imagine　our　surprise；　Virginia；　when　after　proceeding　for　but　a　mile　we　discovered　you。〃

No　sooner　had　the　party　entered　the　verandah　of　the　long…house　than　Professor　Maxon　made　inquiries　for　von　Horn；　only　to　learn　that　he　had　departed　up　str