the monster men-第5部分

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t。　　A　few　more　weeks　and　we　shall　see　such　a　being　as　I　have　long　dreamed。〃　Again　the　queer　light　flickered　for　a　moment　in　the　once　kindly　and　jovial　eyes　of　the　scientist。

Von　Horn　was　horrified。　　He　was　a　man　of　little　sentiment。　He　could　in　cold　blood　have　married　this　girl　for　the　wealth　he　knew　that　she　would　inherit；　but　the　thought　that　she　was　to　be　united　with　such　a　THING　〃Lord！　　It　is　horrible；〃　and　his　mind　pictured　the　fearful　atrocity　which　was　known　as　Number　One。

Without　a　word　he　turned　and　left　the　campong。　　A　moment　later　Sing's　knock　aroused　Professor　Maxon　from　the　reverie　into　which　he　had　fallen；　and　he　stepped　to　the　trap　door　to　receive　his　evening　meal。　


3

BEAUTY　AND　THE　BEAST


One　day；　about　two　weeks　later；　von　Horn　and　the　professor　were　occupied　closely　with　their　work　in　the　court　of　mystery。　　Developments　were　coming　in　riotous　confusion。　　A　recent　startling　discovery　bade　fare　to　simplify　and　expedite　the　work　far　beyond　the　fondest　dreams　of　the　scientist。

Von　Horn's　interest　in　the　marvellous　results　that　had　been　obtained　was　little　short　of　the　professor's　but　he　foresaw　a　very　different　outcome　of　it　all；　and　by　day　never　moved　without　a　gun　at　either　hip；　and　by　night　both　of　them　were　beside　him。

Sing　Lee；　the　noonday　meal　having　been　disposed　of；　set　forth　with　rod；　string　and　bait　to　snare　gulls　upon　the　beach。　　He　moved　quietly　through　the　jungle；　his　sharp　eyes　and　ears　always　alert　for　anything　that　might　savor　of　the　unusual；　and　so　it　was　that　he　saw　the　two　men　upon　the　beach；　while　they　did　not　see　him　at　all。

They　were　Bududreen　and　the　same　tall　Malay　whom　Sing　had　seen　twice　beforeonce　in　splendid　raiment　and　commanding　the　pirate　prahu；　and　again　as　a　simple　boatman　come　to　the　Ithaca　to　trade；　but　without　the　goods　to　carry　out　his　professed　intentions。

The　two　squatted　on　the　beach　at　the　edge　of　the　jungle　a　short　distance　above　the　point　at　which　Sing　had　been　about　to　emerge　when　he　discovered　them；　so　that　it　was　but　the　work　of　a　moment　or　two　for　the　Chinaman　to　creep　stealthily　through　the　dense　underbrush　to　a　point　directly　above　them　and　not　three　yards　from　where　they　conversed　in　low　tonesyet　sufficiently　loud　that　Sing　missed　not　a　word。

〃I　tell　you；　Bududreen；　that　it　will　be　quite　safe；〃　the　tall　Malay　was　saying。　　〃You　yourself　tell　me　that　none　knows　of　the　whereabouts　of　these　white　men；　and　if　they　do　not　return　your　word　will　be　accepted　as　to　their　fate。　　Your　reward　will　be　great　if　you　bring　the　girl　to　me；　and　if　you　doubt　the　loyalty　of　any　of　your　own　people　a　kris　will　silence　them　as　effectually　as　it　will　silence　the　white　men。〃

〃It　is　not　fear　of　the　white　men；　oh；　Rajah　Muda　Saffir；　that　deters　me；〃　said　Bududreen；　〃but　how　shall　I　know　that　after　I　have　come　to　your　country　with　the　girl　I　shall　not　myself　be　set　upon　and　silenced　with　a　golden　kristhere　be　many　that　will　be　jealous　of　the　great　service　I　have　done　for　the　mighty　rajah。〃

Muda　Saffir　knew　perfectly　well　that　Bududreen　had　but　diplomatically　expressed　a　fear　as　to　his　own　royal　trustworthiness；　but　it　did　not　anger　him；　since　the　charge　was　not　a　direct　one；　but　what　he　did　not　know　was　of　the　heavy　chest　and　Bududreen's　desire　to　win　the　price　of　the　girl　and　yet　be　able　to　save　for　himself　a　chance　at　the　far　greater　fortune　which　he　knew　lay　beneath　that　heavy　oaken　lid。

Both　men　had　arisen　now　and　were　walking　across　the　beach　toward　a　small；　native　canoe　in　which　Muda　Saffir　had　come　to　the　meeting　place。　　They　were　out　of　earshot　before　either　spoke　again；　so　that　what　further　passed　between　them　Sing　could　not　even　guess；　but　he　had　heard　enough　to　confirm　the　suspicions　he　had　entertained　for　a　long　while。

He　did　not　fish　for　gulls　that　day。　　Bududreen　and　Muda　Saffir　stood　talking　upon　the　beach；　and　the　Chinaman　did　not　dare　venture　forth　for　fear　they　might　suspect　that　he　had　overheard　them。　　If　old　Sing　Lee　knew　his　Malays；　he　was　also　wise　enough　to　give　them　credit　for　knowing　their　Chinamen；　so　he　waited　quietly　in　hiding　until　Muda　Saffir　had　left；　and　Bududreen　returned　to　camp。


Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　were　standing　over　one　of　the　six　vats　that　were　arranged　in　two　rows　down　the　center　of　the　laboratory。　　The　professor　had　been　more　communicative　and　agreeable　today　than　for　some　time　past；　and　their　conversation　had　assumed　more　of　the　familiarity　that　had　marked　it　during　the　first　month　of　their　acquaintance　at　Singapore。

〃And　what　of　these　first　who　are　so　imperfect？〃　asked　von　Horn。　　〃You　cannot　take　them　into　civilization；　nor　would　it　be　right　to　leave　them　here　upon　this　island。　What　will　you　do　with　them？〃

Professor　Maxon　pondered　the　question　for　a　moment。

〃I　have　given　the　matter　but　little　thought；〃　he　said　at　length。　　〃They　are　but　the　accidents　of　my　great　work。　　It　is　unfortunate　that　they　are　as　they　are；　but　without　them　I　could　have　never　reached　the　perfection　that　I　am　sure　we　are　to　find　here；〃　and　he　tapped　lovingly　upon　the　heavy　glass　cover　of　the　vat　before　which　he　stood。　　〃And　this　is　but　the　beginning。　　There　can　be　no　more　mistakes　now；　though　I　doubt　if　we　can　ever　improve　upon　that　which　is　so　rapidly　developing　here。〃　Again　he　passed　his　long；　slender　hand　caressingly　over　the　coffin…like　vat　at　the　head　of　which　was　a　placard　bearing　the　words；　NUMBER　THIRTEEN。

〃But　the　others；　Professor！〃　insisted　von　Horn。　〃We　must　decide。　　Already　they　have　become　a　problem　of　no　small　dimensions。　　Yesterday　Number　Five　desired　some　plantains　that　I　had　given　to　Number　Seven。　　I　tried　to　reason　with　him；　but；　as　you　know；　he　is　mentally　defective；　and　for　answer　he　rushed　at　Number　Seven　to　tear　the　coveted　morsel　from　him。　　The　result　was　a　battle　royal　that　might　have　put　to　shame　two　Bengal　tigers。　　Twelve　is　tractable　and　intelligent。　　With　his　assistance　and　my　bull　whip　I　succeeded　in　separating　them　before　either　was　killed。　　Your　greatest　error　was　in　striving　at　first　for　such　physical　perfection。　　You　have　overdone　it；　with　the　result　that　the　court　of　mystery　is　peopled　by　a　dozen　brutes　of　awful　muscularity；　and　scarcely　enough　brain　among　the　dozen　to　equip　three　properly。〃

〃They　are　as　they　are；〃　replied　the　professor。　〃I　shall　do　for　them　what　I　canwhen　I　am　gone　they　must　look　to　themselves。　　I　can　see　no　way　out　of　it。〃

〃What　you　have　given　you　may　take　away；〃　said　von　Horn；　in　a　low　tone。

Professor　Maxon　shuddered。　　Those　three　horrid　days　in　the　workshop　at　Ithaca　flooded　his　memory　with　all　the　gruesome　details　he　had　tried　for　so　many　months　to　forget。　　The　haunting　ghosts　of　the　mental　anguish　that　had　left　him　an　altered　manso　altered　that　there　were　times　when　he　had　feared　for　his　sanity！

〃No；　no！〃　he　almost　shouted。　　〃It　would　be　murder。　They　are〃

〃They　are　THINGS；〃　interrupted　von　Horn。　　〃They　are　not　humanthey　are　not　even　beast。　　They　are　terrible；　soulless　creatures。　　You　have　no　right　to　permit　them　to　live　longer　than　to　substantiate　your　theory。　　None　but　us　knows　of　their　existenceno　other　need　know　of　their　passing。　　It　must　be　done。　　They　are　a　constant　and　growing　menace　to　us　all；　but　most　of　all　to　your　daughter。〃

A　cunning　look　came　into　the　professor's　eyes。

〃I　understand；〃　he　said。　　〃The　precedent　once　established；　all　must　perish　by　its　edicteven　those　which　may　not　be　grotesque　or　bestialeven　this　perfect　one；〃　and　he　touched　again　the　vat；　〃and　thus　you　would　rid　yourself　of　rival　suitors。　But　no！〃　he　went　on　in　a　high；　trembling　voice。　　〃I　shall　not　be　led　to　thus　compromise　myself；　and　be　thwarted　in　my　cherished　plan。　Be　this　one　what　he　may　he　shall　wed　my　daughter！〃

The　man　had　raised　himself　upon　his　toes　as　he　reached　his　climaxhis　clenched　hand　was　high　above　his　head　his　voice　fairly　thundered　out　the　final　sentence；　and　with　the　last　word　he　brought　his　fist　down　upon　the　vat　before　him。　　In　his　eyes　blazed　the　light　of　unchained　madness。

Von　Horn　was　a　brave　man；　but　he　shuddered　at　the　maniacal　ferocity　of　the　older　man；　and　shrank　back。　The　futility　of　argument　was　apparent；　and　he　turned　and　left　the　workshop。

Sing　Lee　was　late　that　night。　　In　fact　he　did　not　return　from　his　fruitless　quest　for　gulls　until　well　after　dark；　nor　would　he　vouchsafe　any　explanation　of　the　consequent　lateness　of　supper。　　Nor　could　he　be　found　shortly　after　the　evening　meal　when　Virginia　sought　him。

Not　until　the　camp　was　wrapped　in　the　quiet　of　slumber　did　Sing　Lee　returnstealthy　and　mysteriousto　creep　under　cover　of　a　moonless　night　to　the　door　of　the　workshop。　　How　he　gained　entrance　only　Sing　Lee　knows；　but　a　moment　later　there　was　a　muffled　crash　of　broken　glass　within　the　laboratory；　and　the　Chinaman　had　slipped　out；　relocked　the　door；　and　scurried　to　his　nearby　shack。　　But　there　was　no　occasion　for　his　haste　no　other　ear　than　his　had　heard　the　sound　within　the　workshop。

It　was　almost　nine　the　following　morning　before　Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　entered　the　laboratory。　Scarcely　had　the　older　man　passed　the　doorway　than　he　drew　up　his　hands　in　horrified　consternation。　　Vat　Number　Thirteen　lay　dashed　to　the　floorthe　glass　cover　was　broken　to　a　million　piecesa　sticky；　brownish　substance　covered　the　matting。　Professor　Maxon　hid　his　face　in　his　hands。

〃God！〃　he　cried。　　〃It　is　all　ruined。　　Three　more　days　would　have〃

〃Look！〃　cried　von　Horn。　　〃It　is　not　too　soon。〃

Professor　Maxon　mustered　courage　to　raise　his　eyes　from　his　hands；　and　there　he　beheld；　seated　in　a　far　corner　of　the　room　a　handsome　giant；　physically　perfect。　　The　creature　looked　about　him　in　a　dazed；　uncomprehending　manner。　　A　great　question　was　writ　large　upon　his　intelligent　countenance。　　Professor　Maxon　stepped　forward　and　took　him　by　the　hand。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　and　led　him　toward　a　smaller　room　off　the　main　workshop。　　The　giant　followed　docilely；　his　eyes　roving　about　the　roomthe　pitiful　questioning　still　upon　his　handsome　features。　　Von　Horn　turned　toward　the　campong。

Virginia；　deserted　by　all；　even　the　faithful　Sing；　who；　cheated　of　his　sport　on　the　preceding　day；　had　again　gone　to　the　beach　to　snare　gulls；　became　restless　of　the　enforced　idleness　and　solitude。　　For　a　time　she　wandered　about　the　little　compound　which　had　been　reserved