the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第19节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
from behind with his cruel whip they milled as cattle at the entrance to a
strange corral。
Again and again he urged them for the door； but each time they turned
away； and to escape the whip beat and tore at the wall of the palisade in a
vain effort to batter it from their pathway。 Their roars and shrieks were
almost deafening as von Horn； losing what little remained of his scant
self…control； dashed among them laying to right and left with the stern
whip and the butt of his heavy revolver。
Most of the monsters scattered and turned back into the center of the
enclosure； but three of them were forced through the doorway into the
workshop； from the darkness of which they saw the patch of moonlight
through the open door upon the opposite side。 Toward this they scurried
as von Horn turned back into the court of mystery for the others。
Three more herculean efforts he made before he beat the last of the
creatures through the outer doorway of the workshop into the north
campong。
Among the age old arts of the celestials none is more strangely
inspiring than that of medicine。 Odd herbs and unspeakable things when
properly compounded under a favorable aspect of the heavenly bodies are
potent to achieve miraculous cures； and few are the Chinamen who do not
brew some special concoction of their own devising for the lesser ills
which beset mankind。
Sing was no exception in this respect。 In various queerly shaped；
bamboo covered jars he maintained a supply of tonics； balms and lotions。
His first thought when he had made Professor Maxon comfortable upon
the couch was to fetch his pet nostrum； for there burned strong within his
yellow breast the same powerful yearning to experiment that marks the
greatest of the profession to whose mysteries he aspired。
Though the hideous noises from the inner campong rose threateningly；
the imperturbable Sing left the bungalow and passed across the north
campong to the little lean…to that he had built for himself against the
65
… Page 66…
THE MONSTER MEN
palisade that separated the north enclosure from the court of mystery。
Here he rummaged about in the dark until he had found the two phials
he sought。 The noise of the monsters upon the opposite side of the
palisade had now assumed the dimensions of pandemonium； and through
it all the Chinaman heard the constant crack that was the sharp voice of the
bull whip。
He had completed his search and was about to return to the bungalow
when the first of the monsters emerged into the north campong from the
workshop。 At the door of his shack Sing Lee drew back to watch； for he
knew that behind them some one was driving these horribly grotesque
creatures from their prison。
One by one they came lumbering into the moonlight until Sing had
counted eleven； and then； after them； came a white man； bull whip and
revolver in hand。 It was von Horn。 The equatorial moon shone full
upon himthere could be no mistake。 The Chinaman saw him turn and
lock the workshop door； saw him cross the campong to the outer gate； saw
him pass through toward the jungle； closing the gate。
Of a sudden there was a sad； low moaning through the surrounding
trees； dense； black clouds obscured the radiant moon； and then with
hideous thunder and vivid flashes of lightning the tempest broke in all its
fury of lashing wind and hurtling deluge。 It was the first great storm of
the breaking up of the monsoon； and under the cover of its darkness Sing
Lee scurried through the monster filled campong to the bungalow。 Within
he found the young man bathing Professor Maxon's head as he had
directed him to do。
〃All gettee out；〃 he said； jerking his thumb in the direction of the court
of mystery。 〃Eleven devils。 Plenty soon come bung'low。 What do？〃
Number Thirteen had seen von Horn's extra bull whip hanging upon a
peg in the living room。 For answer he stepped into that room and took
the weapon down。 Then he returned to the professor's side。
Outside the frightened monsters groped through the blinding rain and
darkness in search of shelter。 Each vivid lightning flash； and bellowing of
booming thunder brought responsive cries of rage and terror from their
hideous lips。 It was Number Twelve who first spied the dim light
66
… Page 67…
THE MONSTER MEN
showing through the bungalow's living room window。 With a low
guttural to his companions he started toward the building。 Up the low
steps to the verandah they crept。 Number Twelve peered through the
window。 He saw no one within； but there was warmth and dryness。
His little knowledge and lesser reasoning faculties suggested no
thought of a doorway。 With a blow he shattered the glass of the window。
Then he forced his body through the narrow aperture。 At the same
moment a gust of wind sucking through the broken panes drew open the
door； and as Number Thirteen； warned by the sound of breaking glass；
sprang into the living room he was confronted by the entire horde of
misshapen beings。
His heart went out in pity toward the miserable crew； but he knew that
his life as well as those of the two men in the adjoining room depended
upon the force and skill with which he might handle the grave crisis which
confronted them。 He had seen and talked with most of the creatures
when from time to time they had been brought singly into the workshop
that their creator might mitigate the wrong he had done by training the
poor minds with which he had endowed them to reason intelligently。
A few were hopeless imbeciles； unable to comprehend more than the
rudimentary requirements of filling their bellies when food was placed
before them； yet even these were endowed with superhuman strength； and
when aroused battled the more fiercely for the very reason of their
brainlessness。 Others； like Number Twelve； were of a higher order of
intelligence。 They spoke English； and； after a fashion； reasoned in a
crude sort of way。 These were by far the most dangerous； for as the
power of comparison is the fundamental principle of reasoning； so they
were able to compare their lot with that of the few other men they had
seen； and with the help of von Horn to partially appreciate the horrible
wrong that had been done them。
Von Horn； too； had let them know the identity of their creator； and thus
implanted in their malformed brains the insidious poison of revenge。
Envy and jealousy were there as well； and hatred of all beings other than
themselves。 They envied the ease and comparative beauty of the old
professor and his assistant； and hated the latter for the cruelty of the bull
67
… Page 68…
THE MONSTER MEN
whip and the constant menace of the ever ready revolver； and so as they
were to them the representatives of the great human world of which they
could never be a part； their envy and jealousy and hatred of these men
embraced the entire race which they represented。
It was such that Number Thirteen faced as he emerged from the
professor's apartment。
〃What do you want here？〃 he said； addressing Number Twelve； who
stood a little in advance of the others。
〃We have come for Maxon；〃 growled the creature。 〃We have been
penned up long enough。 We want to be out here。 We have come to kill
Maxon and you and all who have made us what we are。〃
〃Why do you wish to kill me？〃 asked the young man。 〃I am one of you。
I was
