the monster men-第6部分

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ed　idleness　and　solitude。　　For　a　time　she　wandered　about　the　little　compound　which　had　been　reserved　for　the　whites；　but　tiring　of　this　she　decided　to　extend　her　stroll　beyond　the　palisade；　a　thing　which　she　had　never　before　done　unless　accompanied　by　von　Horn　a　thing　both　he　and　her　father　had　cautioned　her　against。

〃What　danger　can　there　be？〃　she　thought。　　〃We　know　that　the　island　is　uninhabited　by　others　than　ourselves；　and　that　there　are　no　dangerous　beasts。　　And；　anyway；　there　is　no　one　now　who　seems　to　care　what　becomes　of　me；　unlessunlessI　wonder　if　he　does　care。　　I　wonder　if　I　care　whether　or　not　he　cares。　　Oh；　dear；　I　wish　I　knew；〃　and　as　she　soliloquized　she　wandered　past　the　little　clearing　and　into　the　jungle　that　lay　behind　the　campong。


As　von　Horn　and　Professor　Maxon　talked　together　in　the　laboratory　before　the　upsetting　of　vat　Number　Thirteen；　a　grotesque　and　horrible　creature　had　slunk　from　the　low　shed　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　campong　until　it　had　crouched　at　the　flimsy　door　of　the　building　in　which　the　two　men　conversed。　　For　a　while　it　listened　intently；　but　when　von　Horn　urged　the　necessity　for　dispatching　certain　〃terrible；　soulless　creatures〃　an　expression　of　intermingled　fear　and　hatred　convulsed　the　hideous　features；　and　like　a　great　grizzly　it　turned　and　lumbered　awkwardly　across　the　campong　toward　the　easterly；　or　back　wall　of　the　enclosure。

Here　it　leaped　futilely　a　half　dozen　times　for　the　top　of　the　palisade；　and　then　trembling　and　chattering　in　rage　it　ran　back　and　forth　along　the　base　of　the　obstacle；　just　as　a　wild　beast　in　captivity　paces　angrily　before　the　bars　of　its　cage。

Finally　it　paused　to　look　once　more　at　the　senseless　wood　that　barred　its　escape；　as　though　measuring　the　distance　to　the　top。　　Then　the　eyes　roamed　about　the　campong　to　rest　at　last　upon　the　slanting　roof　of　the　thatched　shed　which　was　its　shelter。　　Presently　a　slow　idea　was　born　in　the　poor；　malformed　brain。

The　creature　approached　the　shed。　　He　could　just　reach　the　saplings　that　formed　the　frame　work　of　the　roof。　Like　a　huge　sloth　he　drew　himself　to　the　roof　of　the　structure。　　From　here　he　could　see　beyond　the　palisade；　and　the　wild　freedom　of　the　jungle　called　to　him。　　He　did　not　know　what　it　was　but　in　its　leafy　wall　he　perceived　many　breaks　and　openings　that　offered　concealment　from　the　creatures　who　were　plotting　to　take　his　life。

Yet　the　wall　was　not　fully　six　feet　from　him；　and　the　top　of　it　at　least　five　feet　above　the　top　of　the　shed　those　who　had　designed　the　campong　had　been　careful　to　set　this　structure　sufficiently　far　from　the　palisade　to　prevent　its　forming　too　easy　an　avenue　of　escape。

The　creature　glanced　fearfully　toward　the　workshop。　He　remembered　the　cruel　bull　whip　that　always　followed　each　new　experiment　on　his　part　that　did　not　coincide　with　the　desires　of　his　master；　and　as　he　thought　of　von　Horn　a　nasty　gleam　shot　his　mismated　eyes。

He　tried　to　reach　across　the　distance　between　the　roof　and　the　palisade；　and　in　the　attempt　lost　his　balance　and　nearly　precipitated　himself　to　the　ground　below。　Cautiously　he　drew　back；　still　looking　about　for　some　means　to　cross　the　chasm。　　One　of　the　saplings　of　the　roof；　protruding　beyond　the　palm　leaf　thatch；　caught　his　attention。　　With　a　single　wrench　he　tore　it　from　its　fastenings。　　Extending　it　toward　the　palisade　he　discovered　that　it　just　spanned　the　gap；　but　he　dared　not　attempt　to　cross　upon　its　single　slender　strand。

Quickly　he　ripped　off　a　half　dozen　other　poles　from　the　roof；　and　laying　them　side　by　side；　formed　a　safe　and　easy　path　to　freedom。　　A　moment　more　and　he　sat　astride　the　top　of　the　wall。　　Drawing　the　poles　after　him；　he　dropped　them　one　by　one　to　the　ground　outside　the　campong。　　Then　he　lowered　himself　to　liberty。

Gathering　the　saplings　under　one　huge　arm　he　ran；　lumberingly；　into　the　jungle。　　He　would　not　leave　evidence　of　the　havoc　he　had　wrought；　the　fear　of　the　bull　whip　was　still　strong　upon　him。　　The　green　foliage　closed　about　him　and　the　peaceful　jungle　gave　no　sign　of　the　horrid　brute　that　roamed　its　shadowed　mazes。


As　von　Horn　stepped　into　the　campong　his　quick　eye　perceived　the　havoc　that　had　been　wrought　with　the　roof　at　the　east　end　of　the　shed。　　Quickly　he　crossed　to　the　low　structure。　　Within　its　compartments　a　number　of　deformed　monsters　squatted　upon　their　haunches；　or　lay　prone　upon　the　native　mats　that　covered　the　floor。

As　the　man　entered　they　looked　furtively　at　the　bull　whip　which　trailed　from　his　right　hand；　and　then　glanced　fearfully　at　one　another　as　though　questioning　which　was　the　malefactor　on　this　occasion。

Von　Horn　ran　his　eyes　over　the　hideous　assemblage。

〃Where　is　Number　One？〃　he　asked；　directing　his　question　toward　a　thing　whose　forehead　gave　greater　promise　of　intelligence　than　any　of　his　companions。

The　one　addressed　shook　his　head。

Von　Horn　turned　and　made　a　circuit　of　the　campong。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　missing　one　and　no　indication　of　any　other　irregularity　than　the　demolished　portion　of　the　roof。　　With　an　expression　of　mild　concern　upon　his　face　he　entered　the　workshop。

〃Number　One　has　escaped　into　the　jungle；　Professor；〃　he　said。

Professor　Maxon　looked　up　in　surprise；　but　before　he　had　an　opportunity　to　reply　a　woman's　scream；　shrill　with　horror；　smote　upon　their　startled　ears。

Von　Horn　was　the　first　to　reach　the　campong　of　the　whites。　　Professor　Maxon　was　close　behind　him；　and　the　faces　of　both　were　white　with　apprehension。　The　enclosure　was　deserted。　　Not　even　Sing　was　there。　Without　a　word　the　two　men　sprang　through　the　gateway　and　raced　for　the　jungle　in　the　direction　from　which　that　single；　haunting　cry　had　come。

Virginia　Maxon；　idling　beneath　the　leafy　shade　of　the　tropical　foliage；　became　presently　aware　that　she　had　wandered　farther　from　the　campong　than　she　had　intended。　The　day　was　sultry；　and　the　heat；　even　in　the　dense　shade　of　the　jungle；　oppressive。　　Slowly　she　retraced　her　steps；　her　eyes　upon　the　ground；　her　mind　absorbed　in　sad　consideration　of　her　father's　increasing　moodiness　and　eccentricity。

Possibly　it　was　this　very　abstraction　which　deadened　her　senses　to　the　near　approach　of　another。　　At　any　rate　the　girl's　first　intimation　that　she　was　not　alone　came　when　she　raised　her　eyes　to　look　full　into　the　horrid　countenance　of　a　fearsome　monster　which　blocked　her　path　toward　camp。

The　sudden　shock　brought　a　single　involuntary　scream　from　her　lips。　　And　who　can　wonder！　　The　thing　thrust　so　unexpectedly　before　her　eyes　was　hideous　in　the　extreme。　　A　great　mountain　of　deformed　flesh　clothed　in　dirty；　white　cotton　pajamas！　　Its　face　was　of　the　ashen　hue　of　a　fresh　corpse；　while　the　white　hair　and　pink　eyes　denoted　the　absence　of　pigment；　a　characteristic　of　albinos。

One　eye　was　fully　twice　the　diameter　of　the　other；　and　an　inch　above　the　horizontal　plane　of　its　tiny　mate。　The　nose　was　but　a　gaping　orifice　above　a　deformed　and　twisted　mouth。　　The　thing　was　chinless；　and　its　small；　foreheadless　head　surrounded　its　colossal　body　like　a　cannon　ball　on　a　hill　top。　　One　arm　was　at　least　twelve　inches　longer　than　its　mate；　which　was　itself　long　in　proportion　to　the　torso；　while　the　legs；　similarly　mismated　and　terminating　in　huge；　flat　feet　that　protruded　laterally；　caused　the　thing　to　lurch　fearfully　from　side　to　side　as　it　lumbered　toward　the　girl。

A　sudden　grimace　lighted　the　frightful　face　as　the　grotesque　eyes　fell　upon　this　new　creature。　　Number　One　had　never　before　seen　a　woman；　but　the　sight　of　this　one　awoke　in　the　unplumbed　depths　of　his　soulless　breast　a　great　desire　to　lay　his　hands　upon　her。　　She　was　very　beautiful。　　Number　One　wished　to　have　her　for　his　very　own；　nor　would　it　be　a　difficult　matter；　so　fragile　was　she；　to　gather　her　up　in　those　great；　brute　arms　and　carry　her　deep　into　the　jungle　far　out　of　hearing　of　the　bull…whip　man　and　the　cold；　frowning　one　who　was　continually　measuring　and　weighing　Number　One　and　his　companions；　the　while　he　scrutinized　them　with　those　strange；　glittering　eyes　that　frightened　one　even　more　than　the　cruel　lash　of　the　bull　whip。

Number　One　lurched　forward；　his　arms　outstretched　toward　the　horror　stricken　girl。　　Virginia　tried　to　cry　out　againshe　tried　to　turn　and　run；　but　the　horror　of　her　impending　fate　and　the　terror　that　those　awful　features　induced　left　her　paralyzed　and　helpless。

The　thing　was　almost　upon　her　now。　　The　mouth　was　wide　in　a　hideous　attempt　to　smile。　　The　great　hands　would　grasp　her　in　another　secondand　then　there　was　a　sudden　crashing　of　the　underbrush　behind　her；　a　yellow；　wrinkled　face　and　a　flying　pig…tail　shot　past　her；　and　the　brave　old　Sing　Lee　grappled　with　the　mighty　monster　that　threatened　her。

The　battle　was　shortshort　and　terrible。　　The　valiant　Chinaman　sought　the　ashen　throat　of　his　antagonist；　but　his　wiry；　sinewy　muscles　were　as　reeds　beneath　the　force　of　that　inhuman　power　that　opposed　them。　　Holding　the　girl　at　arm's　length　in　one　hand；　Number　One　tore　the　battling　Chinaman　from　him　with　the　other；　and　lifting　him　bodily　above　his　head；　hurled　him　stunned　and　bleeding　against　the　bole　of　a　giant　buttress　tree。　Then　lifting　Virginia　in　his　arms　once　more　he　dived　into　the　impenetrable　mazes　of　the　jungle　that　lined　the　more　open　pathway　between　the　beach　and　camp。



4

A　NEW　FACE


As　Professor　Maxon　and　von　Horn　rushed　from　the　workshop　to　their　own　campong；　they　neglected；　in　their　haste；　to　lock　the　door　between；　and　for　the　first　time　since　the　camp　was　completed　it　stood　unlatched　and　ajar。

The　professor　had　been　engaged　in　taking　careful　measurements　of　the　head　of　his　latest　experiment；　the　while　he　coached　the　young　man　in　the　first　rudiments　of　spoken　language；　and　now　the　subject　of　his　labors　found　himself　suddenly　deserted　and　alone。　　He　had　not　yet　been　without　the　four　walls　of　the　workshop；　as　the　professor　had　wished　to　keep　him　from　association　with　the　grotesque　results　of　his　earlier　experiments；　and　now　a　natural　curiosity　tempted　him　to　approach　the　door　through　which　his　creator　and　the　man　with　the　bull　whip　had　so　suddenly　disappeared。

He　saw　before　him　a　great　walled　enclosure　roofed　by　a　lofty　azure　dome；　and　beyond　the　walls　the　tops　of　green　trees　swaying　gently　in　the　soft　breezes。　　His　nostrils　tas