the monster men-第4节

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〃Oh；　Sing；〃　she　cried；　〃I　do　indeed！　　But　unless　you　had　reminded　me　I　should　never　have　thought　to　connect　him　with　our　visitor　of　todaythey　do　look　very　much　alike；　don't　they？〃

〃Lookeelike！　　Ugh；　they　all　samee　one　man。　　Sing　know。　You　lookee　out；　Linee；〃　which　was　the　closest　that　Sing　had　ever　been　able　to　come　to　pronouncing　Virginia。

〃Why　should　I　look　out？　　He　doesn't　want　me；〃　said　the　girl；　laughingly。

〃Don't　you　bee　too　damee　sure　'bout　lat；　Linee；〃　was　Sing's　inelegant　but　convincing　reply；　as　he　turned　toward　his　galley。

The　following　morning　the　party；　with　the　exception　of　three　Malays　who　were　left　to　guard　the　Ithaca；　set　out　for　the　new　camp。　　The　journey　was　up　the　bed　of　the　small　stream　which　emptied　into　the　harbor；　so　that　although　fifteen　men　had　passed　back　and　forth　through　the　jungle　from　the　beach　to　the　camp　every　day　for　two　weeks；　there　was　no　sign　that　human　foot　had　ever　crossed　the　narrow　strip　of　sand　that　lay　between　the　dense　foliage　and　the　harbor。

The　gravel　bottom　of　the　rivulet　made　fairly　good　walking；　and　as　Virginia　was　borne　in　a　litter　between　two　powerful　lascars　it　was　not　even　necessary　that　she　wet　her　feet　in　the　ascent　of　the　stream　to　the　camp。　The　distance　was　short；　the　center　of　the　camp　being　but　a　mile　from　the　harbor；　and　less　than　half　a　mile　from　the　opposite　shore　of　the　island　which　was　but　two　miles　at　its　greatest　breadth；　and　two　and　a　quarter　at　its　greatest　length。

At　the　camp　Virginia　found　that　a　neat　clearing　had　been　made　upon　a　little　tableland；　a　palisade　built　about　it；　and　divided　into　three　parts；　the　most　northerly　of　which　contained　a　small　house　for　herself　and　her　father；　another　for　von　Horn；　and　a　common　cooking　and　eating　house　over　which　Sing　was　to　preside。

The　enclosure　at　the　far　end　of　the　palisade　was　for　the　Malay　and　lascar　crew　and　there　also　were　quarters　for　Bududreen　and　the　Malay　second　mate。　　The　center　enclosure　contained　Professor　Maxon's　workshop。　　This　compartment　of　the　enclosure　Virginia　was　not　invited　to　inspect；　but　as　members　of　the　crew　carried　in　the　two　great　chests　which　the　professor　had　left　upon　the　Ithaca　until　the　last　moment；　Virginia　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　two　buildings　that　had　been　erected　within　this　central　spacea　small；　square　house　which　was　quite　evidently　her　father's　laboratory；　and　a　long；　low　thatched　shed　divided　into　several　compartments；　each　containing　a　rude　bunk。　　She　wondered　for　whom　they　could　be　intended。　　Quarters　for　all　the　party　had　already　been　arranged　for　elsewhere；　nor；　thought　she；　would　her　father　wish　to　house　any　in　such　close　proximity　to　his　workshop；　where　he　would　desire　absolute　quiet　and　freedom　from　interruption。　　The　discovery　perplexed　her　not　a　little；　but　so　changed　were　her　relations　with　her　father　that　she　would　not　question　him　upon　this　or　any　other　subject。

As　the　two　chests　were　being　carried　into　the　central　campong；　Sing；　who　was　standing　near　Virginia；　called　her　attention　to　the　fact　that　Bududreen　was　one　of　those　who　staggered　beneath　the　weight　of　the　heavier　burden。

〃Bludleen；　him　mate。　　Why　workee　alsame　lascar　boy？　　Eh？〃　But　Virginia　could　give　no　reason。

〃I　am　afraid　you　don't　like　Bududreen；　Sing；〃　she　said。　〃Has　he　ever　harmed　you　in　any　way？〃

〃Him？　　No；　him　no　hurt　Sing。　　Sing　poor；〃　with　which　more　or　less　enigmatical　rejoinder　the　Chinaman　returned　to　his　work。　　But　he　muttered　much　to　himself　the　balance　of　the　day；　for　Sing　knew　that　a　chest　that　strained　four　men　in　the　carrying　could　contain　but　one　thing；　and　he　knew　that　Bududreen　was　as　wise　in　such　matters　as　he。

For　a　couple　of　months　the　life　of　the　little　hidden　camp　went　on　peacefully　and　without　exciting　incident。　The　Malay　and　lascar　crew　divided　their　time　between　watch　duty　on　board　the　Ithaca；　policing　the　camp；　and　cultivating　a　little　patch　of　clearing　just　south　of　their　own　campong。

There　was　a　small　bay　on　the　island's　east　coast；　only　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　camp；　in　which　oysters　were　found；　and　one　of　the　Ithaca's　boats　was　brought　around　to　this　side　of　the　island　for　fishing。　　Bududreen　often　accompanied　these　expeditions；　and　on　several　occasions　the　lynx…eyed　Sing　had　seen　him　returning　to　camp　long　after　the　others　had　retired　for　the　night。

Professor　Maxon　scarcely　ever　left　the　central　enclosure。　　For　days　and　nights　at　a　time　Virginia　never　saw　him；　his　meals　being　passed　in　to　him　by　Sing　through　a　small　trap　door　that　had　been　cut　in　the　partition　wall　of　the　〃court　of　mystery〃　as　von　Horn　had　christened　the　section　of　the　camp　devoted　to　the　professor's　experimentations。

Von　Horn　himself　was　often　with　his　employer　as　he　enjoyed　the　latter's　complete　confidence；　and　owing　to　his　early　medical　training　was　well　fitted　to　act　as　a　competent　assistant；　but　he　was　often　barred　from　the　workshop；　and　at　such　times　was　much　with　Virginia。

The　two　took　long　walks　through　the　untouched　jungle；　exploring　their　little　island；　and　never　failing　to　find　some　new　and　wonderful　proof　of　Nature's　creative　power　among　its　flora　and　fauna。

〃What　a　marvellous　thing　is　creation；〃　exclaimed　Virginia　as　she　and　von　Horn　paused　one　day　to　admire　a　tropical　bird　of　unusually　brilliant　plumage。　〃How　insignificant　is　man's　greatest　achievement　beside　the　least　of　Nature's　works。〃

〃And　yet；〃　replied　von　Horn；　〃man　shall　find　Nature's　secret　some　day。　　What　a　glorious　accomplishment　for　him　who　first　succeeds。　　Can　you　imagine　a　more　glorious　consummation　of　a　man's　life　workyour　father's；　for　example？〃

The　girl　looked　at　von　Horn　closely。

〃Dr。　von　Horn；〃　she　said；　〃pride　has　restrained　me　from　asking　what　was　evidently　intended　that　I　should　not　know。　　For　years　my　father　has　been　interested　in　an　endeavor　to　solve　the　mystery　of　lifethat　he　would　ever　attempt　to　utilize　the　secret　should　he　have　been　so　fortunate　as　to　discover　it　had　never　occurred　to　me。　　I　mean　that　he　should　try　to　usurp　the　functions　of　the　Creator　I　could　never　have　believed；　but　my　knowledge　of　him；　coupled　with　what　you　have　said；　and　the　extreme　lengths　to　which　he　has　gone　to　maintain　absolute　secrecy　for　his　present　experiments　can　only　lead　to　one　inference；　and　that；　that　his　present　work；　if　successful；　would　have　results　that　would　not　be　countenanced　by　civilized　society　or　government。　Am　I　right？〃

Von　Horn　had　attempted　to　sound　the　girl　that　he　might；　if　possible；　discover　her　attitude　toward　the　work　in　which　her　father　and　he　were　engaged。　　He　had　succeeded　beyond　his　hopes；　for　he　had　not　intended　that　she　should　guess　so　much　of　the　truth　as　she　had。　　Should　her　interest　in　the　work　have　proved　favorable　it　had　been　his　intention　to　acquaint　her　fully　with　the　marvellous　success　which　already　had　attended　their　experiments；　and　to　explain　their　hopes　and　plans　for　the　future；　for　he　had　seen　how　her　father's　attitude　had　hurt　her　and　hoped　to　profit　himself　by　reposing　in　her　the　trust　and　confidence　that　her　father　denied　her。

And　so　it　was　that　her　direct　question　left　him　floundering　in　a　sea　of　embarrassment；　for　to　tell　her　the　truth　now　would　gain　him　no　favor　in　her　eyes；　while　it　certainly　would　lay　him　open　to　the　suspicion　and　distrust　of　her　father　should　he　learn　of　it。

〃I　cannot　answer　your　question；　Miss　Maxon；〃　he　said；　finally；　〃for　your　father's　strictest　injunction　has　been　that　I　divulge　to　no　one　the　slightest　happening　within　the　court　of　mystery。　　Remember　that　I　am　in　your　father's　employ；　and　that　no　matter　what　my　personal　convictions　may　be　regarding　the　work　he　has　been　doing　I　may　only　act　with　loyalty　to　his　lightest　command　while　I　remain　upon　his　payroll。　　That　you　are　here；〃　he　added；　〃is　my　excuse　for　continuing　my　connection　with　certain　things　of　which　my　conscience　does　not　approve。〃

The　girl　glanced　at　him　quickly。　　She　did　not　fully　understand　the　motive　for　his　final　avowal；　and　a　sudden　intuition　kept　her　from　questioning　him。　　She　had　learned　to　look　upon　von　Horn　as　a　very　pleasant　companion　and　a　good　friendshe　was　not　quite　certain　that　she　would　care　for　any　change　in　their　relations；　but　his　remark　had　sowed　the　seed　of　a　new　thought　in　her　mind　as　he　had　intended　that　it　should。

When　von　Horn　returned　to　the　court　of　mystery；　he　narrated　to　Professor　Maxon　the　gist　of　his　conversation　with　Virginia；　wishing　to　forestall　anything　which　the　girl　might　say　to　her　father　that　would　give　him　an　impression　that　von　Horn　had　been　talking　more　than　he　should。　　Professor　Maxon　listened　to　the　narration　in　silence。　　When　von　Horn　had　finished；　he　cautioned　him　against　divulging　to　Virginia　anything　that　took　place　within　the　inner　campong。

〃She　is　only　a　child；〃　he　said；　〃and　would　not　understand　the　importance　of　the　work　we　are　doing。　All　that　she　would　be　able　to　see　is　the　immediate　moral　effect　of　these　experiments　upon　the　subjects　themselvesshe　would　not　look　into　the　future　and　appreciate　the　immense　advantage　to　mankind　that　must　accrue　from　a　successful　termination　of　our　research。　The　future　of　the　world　will　be　assured　when　once　we　have　demonstrated　the　possibility　of　the　chemical　production　of　a　perfect　race。〃

〃Number　One；　for　example；〃　suggested　von　Horn。

Professor　Maxon