the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第39节
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gave a quick little cry of pleasure and relief。
〃Thank God！〃 she cried fervently。 〃Thank God that you are a manI
thought that I was in the clutches of the hideous and soulless monster；
Number Thirteen。〃
The smile upon the young man's face died。 An expression of pain；
and hopelessness； and sorrow swept across his features。 The girl saw the
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change； and wondered； but how could she guess the grievous wound her
words had inflicted？
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15 TOO LATE
For a moment the two stood in silence； Bulan tortured by thoughts of
the bitter humiliation that he must suffer when the girl should learn his
identity； Virginia wondering at the sad lines that had come into the young
man's face； and at his silence。
It was the girl who first spoke。 〃Who are you；〃 she asked； 〃to whom
I owe my safety？〃
The man hesitated。 To speak aught than the truth had never occurred
to him during his brief existence。 He scarcely knew how to lie。 To him a
question demanded but one manner of replythe facts。 But never before
had he had to face a question where so much depended upon his answer。
He tried to form the bitter； galling words； but a vision of that lovely face
suddenly transformed with horror and disgust throttled the name in his
throat。
〃I am Bulan；〃 he said； at last； quietly。
〃Bulan；〃 repeated the girl。 〃Bulan。 Why that is a native name。
You are either an Englishman or an American。 What is your true name？〃
〃My name is Bulan；〃 he insisted doggedly。
Virginia Maxon thought that he must have some good reason of his
own for wishing to conceal his identity。 At first she wondered if he could
be a fugitive from justicethe perpetrator of some horrid crime； who dared
not divulge his true name even in the remote fastness of a Bornean
wilderness； but a glance at his frank and noble countenance drove every
vestige of the traitorous thought from her mind。 Her woman's intuition
was sufficient guarantee of the nobility of his character。
〃Then let me thank you； Mr。 Bulan；〃 she said； 〃for the service that you
have rendered a strange and helpless woman。〃
He smiled。
〃Just Bulan；〃 he said。 〃There is no need for Miss or Mister in the
savage jungle； Virginia。〃
The girl flushed at the sudden and unexpected use of her given name；
and was surprised that she was not offended。
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〃How do you know my name？〃 she asked。
Bulan saw that he would get into deep water if he attempted to explain
too much； and； as is ever the way； discovered that one deception had led
him into another； so he determined to forestall future embarrassing queries
by concocting a story immediately to explain his presence and his
knowledge。
〃I lived upon the island near your father's camp；〃 he said。 〃I knew
you allby sight。〃
〃How long have you lived there？〃 asked the girl。 〃We thought the
island uninhabited。〃
〃All my life；〃 replied Bulan truthfully。
〃It is strange；〃 she mused。 〃I cannot understand it。 But the monsters
how is it that they followed you and obeyed your commands？〃
Bulan touched the bull whip that hung at his side。
〃Von Horn taught them to obey this；〃 he said。
〃He used that upon them？〃 cried the girl in horror。
〃It was the only way；〃 said Bulan。 〃They were almost brainless
they could understand nothing else； for they could not reason。〃
Virginia shuddered。
〃Where are they nowthe balance of them？〃 she asked。
〃They are dead； poor things；〃 he replied； sadly。 〃Poor； hideous；
unloved； unloving monstersthey gave up their lives for the daughter of
the man who made them the awful； repulsive creatures that they were。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 cried the girl。
〃I mean that all have been killed searching for you； and battling with
your enemies。 They were soulless creatures； but they loved the mean
lives they gave up so bravely for you whose father was the author of their
misery you owe a great deal to them； Virginia。〃
〃Poor things；〃 murmured the girl； 〃but yet they are better off； for
without brains or souls there could be no happiness in life for them。 My
father did them a hideous wrong； but it was an unintentional wrong。 His
mind was crazed with dwelling upon the wonderful discovery he had
made； and if he wronged them he contemplated a still more terrible wrong
to be inflicted upon me； his daughter。〃
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〃I do not understand；〃 said Bulan。
〃It was his intention to give me in marriage to one of his soulless
monstersto the one he called Number Thirteen。 Oh； it is terrible even to
think of the hideousness of it； but now they are all dead he cannot do it
even though his poor mind； which seems well again； should suffer a
relapse。〃
〃Why do you loathe them so？〃 asked Bulan。 〃Is it because they are
hideous； or because they are soulless？〃
〃Either fact were enough to make them repulsive；〃 replied the girl；
〃but it is the fact that they were without souls that made them totally
impossible one easily overlooks physical deformity； but the moral
depravity that must be inherent in a creature without a soul must forever
cut him off from intercourse with human beings。〃
〃And you think that regardless of their physical appearance the fact
that they were without souls would have been apparent？〃 asked Bulan。
〃I am sure of it；〃 cried Virginia。 〃I would know the moment I set my
eyes upon a creature without a soul。〃
With all the sorrow that was his； Bulan could scarce repress a smile；
for it was quite evident either that it was impossible to perceive a soul； or
else that he possessed one。
〃Just how do you distinguish the possessor of a soul？〃 he asked。
The girl cast a quick glance up at him。
〃You are making fun of me；〃 she said。
〃Not at all；〃 he replied。 〃I am just curious as to how souls make
themselves apparent。 I have seen men kill one another as beasts kill。 I
have seen one who was cruel to those within his power； yet they were all
men with souls。 I have seen eleven soulless monsters die to save the
daughter of a man whom they believed had wronged them terriblya man
with a soul。 How then am I to know what attributes denote the
possession of the immortal spark？ How am I to know whether or not I
possess a soul？〃
Virginia smiled。
〃You are courageous and honorable and chivalrous those are enough
to warrant the belief that you have a soul； were it not apparent from your
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countenance that you are of the higher type of mankind；〃 she said。
〃I hope that you will never change your opinion of me； Virginia；〃 said
the man； but he knew that there lay before her a severe shock； and before
him a great sorrow when they should come to where her father was and
the girl should learn the truth concerning him。
That he did not himself tell her may be forgiven him； for he had only a
life of misery to look forward to after she should know that he； too； was
equally a soulless monster with the twelve that had preceded him to a
merciful death。 He would have envied them but for the anticipation of
the time that he might be alone with her before she learned the truth。
As he pondered the future there came to him the thought that should
they never find Professor Maxon or von Horn the girl need never know
but that he was a human being。 He need not lose her then； but always be
near her。 The idea grew and with it the mighty tem
