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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£º¡¡¡¨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¡¡th

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