the monster men-第1部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！




The　Monster　Men
by　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs


1

THE　RIFT


As　he　dropped　the　last　grisly　fragment　of　the　dismembered　and　mutilated　body　into　the　small　vat　of　nitric　acid　that　was　to　devour　every　trace　of　the　horrid　evidence　which　might　easily　send　him　to　the　gallows；　the　man　sank　weakly　into　a　chair　and　throwing　his　body　forward　upon　his　great；　teak　desk　buried　his　face　in　his　arms；　breaking　into　dry；　moaning　sobs。

Beads　of　perspiration　followed　the　seams　of　his　high；　wrinkled　forehead；　replacing　the　tears　which　might　have　lessened　the　pressure　upon　his　overwrought　nerves。　　His　slender　frame　shook；　as　with　ague；　and　at　times　was　racked　by　a　convulsive　shudder。　　A　sudden　step　upon　the　stairway　leading　to　his　workshop　brought　him　trembling　and　wide　eyed　to　his　feet；　staring　fearfully　at　the　locked　and　bolted　door。

Although　he　knew　perfectly　well　whose　the　advancing　footfalls　were；　he　was　all　but　overcome　by　the　madness　of　apprehension　as　they　came　softly　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　barred　door。　　At　last　they　halted　before　it；　to　be　followed　by　a　gentle　knock。

〃Daddy！〃　came　the　sweet　tones　of　a　girl's　voice。

The　man　made　an　effort　to　take　a　firm　grasp　upon　himself　that　no　tell…tale　evidence　of　his　emotion　might　be　betrayed　in　his　speech。

〃Daddy！〃　called　the　girl　again；　a　trace　of　anxiety　in　her　voice　this　time。　　〃What　IS　the　matter　with　you；　and　what　ARE　you　doing？　　You've　been　shut　up　in　that　hateful　old　room　for　three　days　now　without　a　morsel　to　eat；　and　in　all　likelihood　without　a　wink　of　sleep。　　You'll　kill　yourself　with　your　stuffy　old　experiments。〃

The　man's　face　softened。

〃Don't　worry　about　me；　sweetheart；〃　he　replied　in　a　well　controlled　voice。　　〃I'll　soon　be　through　nowsoon　be　throughand　then　we'll　go　away　for　a　long　vacation　for　a　long　vacation。〃

〃I'll　give　you　until　noon；　Daddy；〃　said　the　girl　in　a　voice　which　carried　a　more　strongly　defined　tone　of　authority　than　her　father's　soft　drawl；　〃and　then　I　shall　come　into　that　room；　if　I　have　to　use　an　axe；　and　bring　you　outdo　you　understand？〃

Professor　Maxon　smiled　wanly。　　He　knew　that　his　daughter　was　equal　to　her　threat。

〃All　right；　sweetheart；　I'll　be　through　by　noon　for　sureby　noon　for　sure。　　Run　along　and　play　now；　like　a　good　little　girl。〃

Virginia　Maxon　shrugged　her　shapely　shoulders　and　shook　her　head　hopelessly　at　the　forbidding　panels　of　the　door。

〃My　dolls　are　all　dressed　for　the　day；〃　she　cried；　〃and　I'm　tired　of　making　mud　piesI　want　you　to　come　out　and　play　with　me。〃　　But　Professor　Maxon　did　not　reply　he　had　returned　to　view　his　grim　operations；　and　the　hideousness　of　them　had　closed　his　ears　to　the　sweet　tones　of　the　girl's　voice。

As　she　turned　to　retrace　her　steps　to　the　floor　below　Miss　Maxon　still　shook　her　head。

〃Poor　old　Daddy；〃　she　mused；　〃were　I　a　thousand　years　old；　wrinkled　and　toothless；　he　would　still　look　upon　me　as　his　baby　girl。〃

If　you　chance　to　be　an　alumnus　of　Cornell　you　may　recall　Professor　Arthur　Maxon；　a　quiet；　slender；　white…haired　gentleman；　who　for　several　years　was　an　assistant　professor　in　one　of　the　departments　of　natural　science。　　Wealthy　by　inheritance；　he　had　chosen　the　field　of　education　for　his　life　work　solely　from　a　desire　to　be　of　some　material　benefit　to　mankind　since　the　meager　salary　which　accompanied　his　professorship　was　not　of　sufficient　import　to　influence　him　in　the　slightest　degree。

Always　keenly　interested　in　biology；　his　almost　unlimited　means　had　permitted　him　to　undertake；　in　secret；　a　series　of　daring　experiments　which　had　carried　him　so　far　in　advance　of　the　biologists　of　his　day　that　he　had；　while　others　were　still　groping　blindly　for　the　secret　of　life；　actually　reproduced　by　chemical　means　the　great　phenomenon。

Fully　alive　to　the　gravity　and　responsibilities　of　his　marvellous　discovery　he　had　kept　the　results　of　his　experimentation；　and　even　the　experiments　themselves；　a　profound　secret　not　only　from　his　colleagues；　but　from　his　only　daughter；　who　heretofore　had　shared　his　every　hope　and　aspiration。

It　was　the　very　success　of　his　last　and　most　pretentious　effort　that　had　placed　him　in　the　horrifying　predicament　in　which　he　now　found　himself　with　the　corpse　of　what　was　apparently　a　human　being　in　his　workshop　and　no　available　explanation　that　could　possibly　be　acceptable　to　a　matter…of…fact　and　unscientific　police。

Had　he　told　them　the　truth　they　would　have　laughed　at　him。　　Had　he　said：　〃This　is　not　a　human　being　that　you　see；　but　the　remains　of　a　chemically　produced　counterfeit　created　in　my　own　laboratory；〃　they　would　have　smiled；　and　either　hanged　him　or　put　him　away　with　the　other　criminally　insane。

This　phase　of　the　many　possibilities　which　he　had　realized　might　be　contingent　upon　even　the　partial　success　of　his　work　alone　had　escaped　his　consideration；　so　that　the　first　wave　of　triumphant　exultation　with　which　he　had　viewed　the　finished　result　of　this　last　experiment　had　been　succeeded　by　overwhelming　consternation　as　he　saw　the　thing　which　he　had　created　gasp　once　or　twice　with　the　feeble　spark　of　life　with　which　he　had　endowed　it；　and　expireleaving　upon　his　hands　the　corpse　of　what　was；　to　all　intent　and　purpose；　a　human　being；　albeit　a　most　grotesque　and　misshapen　thing。

Until　nearly　noon　Professor　Maxon　was　occupied　in　removing　the　remaining　stains　and　evidences　of　his　gruesome　work；　but　when　he　at　last　turned　the　key　in　the　door　of　his　workshop　it　was　to　leave　behind　no　single　trace　of　the　successful　result　of　his　years　of　labor。

The　following　afternoon　found　him　and　Virginia　crossing　the　station　platform　to　board　the　express　for　New　York。　So　quietly　had　their　plans　been　made　that　not　a　friend　was　at　the　train　to　bid　them　farewellthe　scientist　felt　that　he　could　not　bear　the　strain　of　attempting　explanations　at　this　time。

But　there　were　those　there　who　recognized　them；　and　one　especially　who　noted　the　lithe；　trim　figure　and　beautiful　face　of　Virginia　Maxon　though　he　did　not　know　even　the　name　of　their　possessor。　　It　was　a　tall　well　built　young　man　who　nudged　one　of　his　younger　companions　as　the　girl　crossed　the　platform　to　enter　her　Pullman。

〃I　say；　Dexter；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃who　is　that　beauty？〃

The　one　addressed　turned　in　the　direction　indicated　by　his　friend。

〃By　jove！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Why　it's　Virginia　Maxon　and　the　professor；　her　father。　　Now　where　do　you　suppose　they're　going？〃

〃I　don't　knownow；〃　replied　the　first　speaker；　Townsend　J。　Harper；　Jr。；　in　a　half　whisper；　〃but　I'll　bet　you　a　new　car　that　I　find　out。〃


A　week　later；　with　failing　health　and　shattered　nerves；　Professor　Maxon　sailed　with　his　daughter　for　a　long　ocean　voyage；　which　he　hoped　would　aid　him　in　rapid　recuperation；　and　permit　him　to　forget　the　nightmare　memory　of　those　three　horrible　days　and　nights　in　his　workshop。

He　believed　that　he　had　reached　an　unalterable　decision　never　again　to　meddle　with　the　mighty；　awe　inspiring　secrets　of　creation；　but　with　returning　health　and　balance　he　found　himself　viewing　his　recent　triumph　with　feelings　of　renewed　hope　and　anticipation。

The　morbid　fears　superinduced　by　the　shock　following　the　sudden　demise　of　the　first　creature　of　his　experiments　had　given　place　to　a　growing　desire　to　further　prosecute　his　labors　until　enduring　success　had　crowned　his　efforts　with　an　achievement　which　he　might　exhibit　with　pride　to　the　scientific　world。

His　recent　disastrous　success　had　convinced　him　that　neither　Ithaca　nor　any　other　abode　of　civilization　was　a　safe　place　to　continue　his　experiments；　but　it　was　not　until　their　cruising　had　brought　them　among　the　multitudinous　islands　of　the　East　Indies　that　the　plan　occurred　to　him　that　he　finally　adopteda　plan　the　outcome　of　which　could　he　then　have　foreseen　would　have　sent　him　scurrying　to　the　safety　of　his　own　country　with　the　daughter　who　was　to　bear　the　full　brunt　of　the　horrors　it　entailed。

They　were　steaming　up　the　China　Sea　when　the　idea　first　suggested　itself；　and　as　he　sat　idly　during　the　long；　hot　days　the　thought　grew　upon　him；　expanding　into　a　thousand　wonderful　possibilities；　until　it　became　crystalized　into　what　was　a　little　short　of　an　obsession。

The　result　was　that　at　Manila；　much　to　Virginia's　surprise；　he　announced　the　abandonment　of　the　balance　of　their　purposed　voyage；　taking　immediate　return　passage　to　Singapore。　　His　daughter　did　not　question　him　as　to　the　cause　of　this　change　in　plans；　for　since　those　three　days　that　her　father　had　kept　himself　locked　in　his　workroom　at　home　the　girl　had　noticed　a　subtle　change　in　her　parenta　marked　disinclination　to　share　with　her　his　every　confidence　as　had　been　his　custom　since　the　death　of　her　mother。

While　it　grieved　her　immeasurably　she　was　both　too　proud　and　too　hurt　to　sue　for　a　reestablishment　of　the　old　relations。　　On　all　other　topics　than　his　scientific　work　their　interests　were　as　mutual　as　formerly；　but　by　what　seemed　a　manner　of　tacit　agreement　this　subject　was　taboo。　　And　so　it　was　that　they　came　to　Singapore　without　the　girl　having　the　slightest　conception　of　her　father's　plans。

Here　they　spent　nearly　a　month；　during　which　time　Professor　Maxon　was　daily　engaged　in　interviewing　officials；　English　residents　and　a　motley　horde　of　Malays　and　Chinamen。

Virginia　met　socially　several　of　the　men　with　whom　her　father　was　engaged　but　it　was　only　at　the　last　moment　that　one　of　them　let　drop　a　hint　of　the　purpose　of　the　month's　activity。　　When　Virginia　was　present　the　conversation　seemed　always　deftly　guided　from　the　subject　of　her　father's　immediate　future；　and　she　was　not　long　in　discerning　that　it　was　in　no　sense　through　accident　that　this　was　true。　　Thereafter　her　wounded　pride　made　easy　the　task　of　those　who　seemed　combined　to　keep　her　in　ignorance。

It　was　a　Dr。　von　Horn；　who　had　been　oftenest　with　her　father；　who　gave　her　the　first　intimation　of　what　was　forthcoming。　　Afterward；　in　recollecting　the　conversation；　it　seemed　to　Virginia　that　the　young　man　had　been　directed　to　break　the　news　to　her；　that　her　father　might　be　spared　the　ordeal。　　It　was　evident　then　that　he　expected　opposition；　but　the　girl　was　too　loyal　to　let　von　Horn　know　if　she　felt　other　than　in　harmony　with　the　proposal；　and　too　proud　to　evince　by　surprise　the　fact　that　she　was　not　wholly　conversant　with　its　every　detail。