the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第12节
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come。 Could you dream of what lies in store for you； you would seek
death rather than face the future。 I have been loyal to your father；
Virginia； but were you not blind； or indifferent； you would long since have
seen that your welfare means more to me than my loyalty to him more to
me than my life or my honor。
〃You asked where the creature came from that attacked you today。 I
shall tell you。 It is one of a dozen similarly hideous things that your
father has created in his mad desire to solve the problem of life。 He has
solved it； but； God； at what a price in misshapen； soulless； hideous
monsters！〃
The girl looked up at him； horror stricken。
〃Do you mean to say that my father in a mad attempt to usurp the
functions of God created that awful thing？〃 she asked in a low； faint voice；
〃and that there are others like it upon the island？〃
〃In the campong next to yours there are a dozen others；〃 replied von
Horn； 〃nor would it be easy to say which is the most hideous and repulsive。
They are grotesque caricatures of humanitywithout soul and almost
without brain。〃
〃God！〃 murmured the girl； burying her face in her hands； 〃he has gone
mad； he has gone mad。〃
〃I truly believe that he is mad；〃 said von Horn； 〃nor could you doubt it
for a moment were I to tell you the worst。〃
〃The worst！〃 exclaimed the girl。 〃What could be worse than that
which you already have divulged？ Oh； how could you have permitted
it？〃
〃There is much worse than I have told you； Virginia。 So much worse
that I can scarce force my lips to frame the words； but you must be told。
I would be more criminally liable than your father were I to keep it from
you； for my brain； at least； is not crazed。 Virginia； you have in your mind a
picture of the hideous thing that carried you off into the jungle？〃
〃Yes；〃 and as the girl replied a convulsive shudder racked her frame。
Von Horn grasped her arm gently as he went on； as though to support
and protect her during the shock that he was about to administer。
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THE MONSTER MEN
〃Virginia；〃 he said in a very low voice； 〃it is your father's intention to
wed you to one of his creatures。〃
The girl broke from him with an angry cry。
〃It is not true！〃 she exclaimed。 〃It is not true。 Oh； Dr。 von Horn how
could you tell me such a cruel and terrible untruth。〃
〃As God is my judge； Virginia；〃 and the man reverently uncovered as
he spoke； 〃it is the truth。 Your father told me it in so many words when I
asked his permission to pay court to you myselfyou are to marry Number
Thirteen when his education is complete。〃
〃I shall die first！〃 she cried。
〃Why not accept me instead？〃 suggested the man。
For a moment Virginia looked straight into his eyes as though to read
his inmost soul。
〃Let me have time to consider it； Doctor；〃 she replied。 〃I do not know
that I care for you in that way at all。〃
〃Think of Number Thirteen；〃 he suggested。 〃It should not be difficult
to decide。〃
〃I could not marry you simply to escape a worse fate；〃 replied the girl。
〃I am not that cowardlybut let me think it over。 There can be no
immediate danger； I am sure。〃
〃One can never tell；〃 replied von Horn； 〃what strange； new vagaries
may enter a crazed mind to dictate this moment's action or the next。〃
〃Where could we wed？〃 asked Virginia。
〃The Ithaca would bear us to Singapore； and when we returned you
would be under my legal protection and safe。〃
〃I shall think about it from every angle；〃 she answered sadly； 〃and now
good night； my dear friend；〃 and with a wan smile she entered her
quarters。
For the next month Professor Maxon was busy educating Number
Thirteen。 He found the young man intelligent far beyond his most
sanguine hopes； so that the progress made was little short of uncanny。
Von Horn during this time continued to urge upon Virginia the
necessity for a prompt and favorable decision in the matter of his proposal；
but when it came time to face the issue squarely the girl found it
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THE MONSTER MEN
impossible to accede to his requestshe thought that she loved him； but
somehow she dared not say the word that would make her his for life。
Bududreen； the Malay mate was equally harassed by conflicting
desires； though of a different nature； or he had his eye upon the main
chance that was represented to him by the great chest； and also upon the
lesser reward which awaited him upon delivery of the girl to Rajah Muda
Saffir。 The fact that he could find no safe means for accomplishing both
these ends simultaneously was all that had protected either from his
machinations。
The presence of the uncanny creatures of the court of mystery had
become known to the Malay and he used this knowledge as an argument
to foment discord and mutiny in the ignorant and superstitious crew under
his command。 By boring a hole in the partition wall separating their
campong from the inner one he had disclosed to the horrified view of his
men the fearsome brutes harbored so close to them。 The mate； of course；
had no suspicion of the true origin of these monsters； but his knowledge of
the fact that they had not been upon the island when the Ithaca arrived and
that it would have been impossible for them to have landed and reached
the camp without having been seen by himself or some member of his
company； was sufficient evidence to warrant him in attributing their
presence to some supernatural and malignant power。
This explanation the crew embraced willingly； and with it Bududreen's
suggestion that Professor Maxon had power to transform them all into
similar atrocities。 The ball once started gained size and momentum as it
progressed。 The professor's ofttimes strange expression was attributed to
an evil eye； and every ailment suffered by any member of the crew was
blamed upon their employer's Satanic influence。 There was but one
escape from the horrors of such a cursethe death of its author； and when
Bududreen discovered that they had reached this point； and were even
discussing the method of procedure； he added all that was needed to the
dangerously smouldering embers of bloody mutiny by explaining that
should anything happen to the white men he would become sole owner of
their belongings； including the heavy chest； and that the reward of each
member of the crew would be generous。
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Von Horn was really the only stumbling block in Bududreen's path。
With the natural cowardice of the Malay he feared this masterful American
who never moved without a brace of guns slung about his hips； and it was
at just this psychological moment that the doctor played into the hands of
his subordinate； much to the latter's inward elation。
Von Horn had finally despaired of winning Virginia by peaceful court；
and had about decided to resort to force when he was precipitately
confirmed in his decision by a conversation with the girl's father。
He and the professor were talking in the workshop of the remarkable
progress of Number Thirteen toward a complete mastery of English and
the ways and manners of society； in which von Horn had been assisting his
employer to train the young giant。 The breach between the latter and von
Horn had been patched over by Professor Maxon's explanations to
Number Thirteen as soon as the young man was able to comprehendin
the meantime it had been necessary to keep von Horn out of the workshop
except when the giant was confined in his own room off the larger one。
Von Horn had been particularly anxious； for the furtherance of certain
plans he had in mind； to effect a reconciliation with Number Thirteen； to
reach a basis
