the monster men-第28部分

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ll　rising　straight　across　the　narrow　trail　he　had　been　following。　　Ahead　there　was　no　waya　cat　could　scarce　have　scaled　that　formidable　barrierbut　to　the　right　he　discerned　what　appeared　to　be　a　steep　and　winding　pathway　up　the　canyon's　side；　and　with　a　bound　he　clambered　along　it　to　where　it　surmounted　the　rocky　wall。

There　he　turned；　winded；　to　await　the　oncoming　foe。　Here　was　a　spot　where　a　single　man　might　defy　an　army；　and　Bulan　had　been　quick　to　see　the　natural　advantages　of　it。　　He　placed　the　girl　upon　her　feet　behind　a　protruding　shoulder　of　the　canyon's　wall　which　rose　to　a　considerable　distance　still　above　them。　　Then　he　turned　to　face　the　mob　that　was　surging　up　the　narrow　pathway　toward　him。

At　his　feet　lay　an　accumulation　of　broken　rock　from　the　hillside　above；　and　as　a　spear　sped；　singing；　close　above　his　shoulder；　the　occurrence　suggested　a　use　for　the　rough　and　jagged　missiles　which　lay　about　him　in　such　profusion。　　Many　of　the　pieces　were　large；　weighing　twenty　and　thirty　pounds；　and　some　even　as　much　as　fifty。　　Picking　up　one　of　the　larger　Bulan　raised　it　high　above　his　head；　and　then　hurled　it　down　amongst　the　upclimbing　warriors。　　In　an　instant　pandemonium　reigned；　for　the　heavy　boulder　had　mowed　down　a　score　of　the　pursuers；　breaking　arms　and　legs　in　its　meteoric　descent。

Missile　after　missile　Bulan　rained　down　upon　the　struggling；　howling　Dyaks；　until；　seized　by　panic；　they　turned　and　fled　incontinently　down　into　the　depths　of　the　canyon　and　back　along　the　narrow　trail　they　had　come；　and　then　superstitious　fear　completed　the　rout　that　the　flying　rocks　had　started；　for　one　whispered　to　another　that　this　was　the　terrible　Bulan　and　that　he　had　but　lured　them　on　into　the　hills　that　he　might　call　forth　all　his　demons　and　destroy　them。

For　a　moment　Bulan　stood　watching　the　retreating　savages；　a　smile　upon　his　lips；　and　then　as　the　sudden　equatorial　dawn　burst　forth　he　turned　to　face　the　girl。

As　Virginia　Maxon　saw　the　fine　features　of　the　giant　where　she　had　expected　to　find　the　grotesque　and　hideous　lineaments　of　a　monster；　she　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　change；　and　wondered；　but　how　could　she　guess　the　grievous　wound　her　words　had　inflicted？



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。

〃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　monstershow　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。〃

〃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　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　temptation　to　lead　Virginia　Maxon　far　into　the　jungle；　and　keep　her　forever　from　the　sight　of　men。　　And　why　not？　Had　he　not　saved　her　where　others　had　failed？　　Was　she　not；　by　all　that　was　just　and　fair；　his？

Did　he　owe　any　loyalty　to　either　her　father　or　von　Horn？　Already　he　had　saved　Professor　Maxon's　life；　so　the　obligation；　if　there　was　any；　lay　all　against　the　older　man；　and　three　times　he　had　saved　Virginia。　　He　would　be　very　kind　and　good　to　her。　She　should　be　much　happier　and　a　thousand　times　safer　than　with　those　others　who　were　so　poorly　equipped　to　protect　her。

As　he　stood　silently　gazing　out　across　the　jungle　beneath　them　toward　the　new　sun　the　girl　watched　him　in　a　spell　of　admiration　of　his　strong　and　noble　face；　and　his　perfect　physique。　　What　would　have　been　her　emotions　had　she　guessed　what　thoughts　were　his！　It　was　she　who　broke　the　silence。

〃Can　you　find　the　way　to　the　long…house　where　my　father　is？〃　she　asked。

Bulan；　startled　at　the