the monster men-第17章

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the　center　of　the　campong。

As　cattle　are　driven；　von　Horn　drove　the　miserable　creatures　toward　the　door　of　the　workshop。　　At　the　threshold　of　the　dark　interior　the　frightened　things　halted　fearfully；　and　then　as　von　Horn　urged　them　on　from　behind　with　his　cruel　whip　they　milled　as　cattle　at　the　entrance　to　a　strange　corral。

Again　and　again　he　urged　them　for　the　door；　but　each　time　they　turned　away；　and　to　escape　the　whip　beat　and　tore　at　the　wall　of　the　palisade　in　a　vain　effort　to　batter　it　from　their　pathway。　　Their　roars　and　shrieks　were　almost　deafening　as　von　Horn；　losing　what　little　remained　of　his　scant　self…control；　dashed　among　them　laying　to　right　and　left　with　the　stern　whip　and　the　butt　of　his　heavy　revolver。

Most　of　the　monsters　scattered　and　turned　back　into　the　center　of　the　enclosure；　but　three　of　them　were　forced　through　the　doorway　into　the　workshop；　from　the　darkness　of　which　they　saw　the　patch　of　moonlight　through　the　open　door　upon　the　opposite　side。　　Toward　this　they　scurried　as　von　Horn　turned　back　into　the　court　of　mystery　for　the　others。

Three　more　herculean　efforts　he　made　before　he　beat　the　last　of　the　creatures　through　the　outer　doorway　of　the　workshop　into　the　north　campong。


Among　the　age　old　arts　of　the　celestials　none　is　more　strangely　inspiring　than　that　of　medicine。　　Odd　herbs　and　unspeakable　things　when　properly　compounded　under　a　favorable　aspect　of　the　heavenly　bodies　are　potent　to　achieve　miraculous　cures；　and　few　are　the　Chinamen　who　do　not　brew　some　special　concoction　of　their　own　devising　for　the　lesser　ills　which　beset　mankind。

Sing　was　no　exception　in　this　respect。　　In　various　queerly　shaped；　bamboo　covered　jars　he　maintained　a　supply　of　tonics；　balms　and　lotions。　　His　first　thought　when　he　had　made　Professor　Maxon　comfortable　upon　the　couch　was　to　fetch　his　pet　nostrum；　for　there　burned　strong　within　his　yellow　breast　the　same　powerful　yearning　to　experiment　that　marks　the　greatest　of　the　profession　to　whose　mysteries　he　aspired。

Though　the　hideous　noises　from　the　inner　campong　rose　threateningly；　the　imperturbable　Sing　left　the　bungalow　and　passed　across　the　north　campong　to　the　little　lean…to　that　he　had　built　for　himself　against　the　palisade　that　separated　the　north　enclosure　from　the　court　of　mystery。

Here　he　rummaged　about　in　the　dark　until　he　had　found　the　two　phials　he　sought。　　The　noise　of　the　monsters　upon　the　opposite　side　of　the　palisade　had　now　assumed　the　dimensions　of　pandemonium；　and　through　it　all　the　Chinaman　heard　the　constant　crack　that　was　the　sharp　voice　of　the　bull　whip。

He　had　completed　his　search　and　was　about　to　return　to　the　bungalow　when　the　first　of　the　monsters　emerged　into　the　north　campong　from　the　workshop。　　At　the　door　of　his　shack　Sing　Lee　drew　back　to　watch；　for　he　knew　that　behind　them　some　one　was　driving　these　horribly　grotesque　creatures　from　their　prison。

One　by　one　they　came　lumbering　into　the　moonlight　until　Sing　had　counted　eleven；　and　then；　after　them；　came　a　white　man；　bull　whip　and　revolver　in　hand。　　It　was　von　Horn。　　The　equatorial　moon　shone　full　upon　himthere　could　be　no　mistake。　　The　Chinaman　saw　him　turn　and　lock　the　workshop　door；　saw　him　cross　the　campong　to　the　outer　gate；　saw　him　pass　through　toward　the　jungle；　closing　the　gate。

Of　a　sudden　there　was　a　sad；　low　moaning　through　the　surrounding　trees；　dense；　black　clouds　obscured　the　radiant　moon；　and　then　with　hideous　thunder　and　vivid　flashes　of　lightning　the　tempest　broke　in　all　its　fury　of　lashing　wind　and　hurtling　deluge。　　It　was　the　first　great　storm　of　the　breaking　up　of　the　monsoon；　and　under　the　cover　of　its　darkness　Sing　Lee　scurried　through　the　monster　filled　campong　to　the　bungalow。　Within　he　found　the　young　man　bathing　Professor　Maxon's　head　as　he　had　directed　him　to　do。

〃All　gettee　out；〃　he　said；　jerking　his　thumb　in　the　direction　of　the　court　of　mystery。　　〃Eleven　devils。　Plenty　soon　come　bung'low。　　What　do？〃

Number　Thirteen　had　seen　von　Horn's　extra　bull　whip　hanging　upon　a　peg　in　the　living　room。　　For　answer　he　stepped　into　that　room　and　took　the　weapon　down。　Then　he　returned　to　the　professor's　side。

Outside　the　frightened　monsters　groped　through　the　blinding　rain　and　darkness　in　search　of　shelter。　Each　vivid　lightning　flash；　and　bellowing　of　booming　thunder　brought　responsive　cries　of　rage　and　terror　from　their　hideous　lips。　　It　was　Number　Twelve　who　first　spied　the　dim　light　showing　through　the　bungalow's　living　room　window。　　With　a　low　guttural　to　his　companions　he　started　toward　the　building。　　Up　the　low　steps　to　the　verandah　they　crept。　　Number　Twelve　peered　through　the　window。　He　saw　no　one　within；　but　there　was　warmth　and　dryness。

His　little　knowledge　and　lesser　reasoning　faculties　suggested　no　thought　of　a　doorway。　　With　a　blow　he　shattered　the　glass　of　the　window。　　Then　he　forced　his　body　through　the　narrow　aperture。　　At　the　same　moment　a　gust　of　wind　sucking　through　the　broken　panes　drew　open　the　door；　and　as　Number　Thirteen；　warned　by　the　sound　of　breaking　glass；　sprang　into　the　living　room　he　was　confronted　by　the　entire　horde　of　misshapen　beings。

His　heart　went　out　in　pity　toward　the　miserable　crew；　but　he　knew　that　his　life　as　well　as　those　of　the　two　men　in　the　adjoining　room　depended　upon　the　force　and　skill　with　which　he　might　handle　the　grave　crisis　which　confronted　them。　　He　had　seen　and　talked　with　most　of　the　creatures　when　from　time　to　time　they　had　been　brought　singly　into　the　workshop　that　their　creator　might　mitigate　the　wrong　he　had　done　by　training　the　poor　minds　with　which　he　had　endowed　them　to　reason　intelligently。

A　few　were　hopeless　imbeciles；　unable　to　comprehend　more　than　the　rudimentary　requirements　of　filling　their　bellies　when　food　was　placed　before　them；　yet　even　these　were　endowed　with　superhuman　strength；　and　when　aroused　battled　the　more　fiercely　for　the　very　reason　of　their　brainlessness。　　Others；　like　Number　Twelve；　were　of　a　higher　order　of　intelligence。　　They　spoke　English；　and；　after　a　fashion；　reasoned　in　a　crude　sort　of　way。　　These　were　by　far　the　most　dangerous；　for　as　the　power　of　comparison　is　the　fundamental　principle　of　reasoning；　so　they　were　able　to　compare　their　lot　with　that　of　the　few　other　men　they　had　seen；　and　with　the　help　of　von　Horn　to　partially　appreciate　the　horrible　wrong　that　had　been　done　them。

Von　Horn；　too；　had　let　them　know　the　identity　of　their　creator；　and　thus　implanted　in　their　malformed　brains　the　insidious　poison　of　revenge。　　Envy　and　jealousy　were　there　as　well；　and　hatred　of　all　beings　other　than　themselves。　　They　envied　the　ease　and　comparative　beauty　of　the　old　professor　and　his　assistant；　and　hated　the　latter　for　the　cruelty　of　the　bull　whip　and　the　constant　menace　of　the　ever　ready　revolver；　and　so　as　they　were　to　them　the　representatives　of　the　great　human　world　of　which　they　could　never　be　a　part；　their　envy　and　jealousy　and　hatred　of　these　men　embraced　the　entire　race　which　they　represented。

It　was　such　that　Number　Thirteen　faced　as　he　emerged　from　the　professor's　apartment。

〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　he　said；　addressing　Number　Twelve；　who　stood　a　little　in　advance　of　the　others。

〃We　have　come　for　Maxon；〃　growled　the　creature。　〃We　have　been　penned　up　long　enough。　　We　want　to　be　out　here。　　We　have　come　to　kill　Maxon　and　you　and　all　who　have　made　us　what　we　are。〃

〃Why　do　you　wish　to　kill　me？〃　asked　the　young　man。　〃I　am　one　of　you。　　I　was　made　in　the　same　way　that　you　were　made。〃

Number　Twelve　opened　his　mismated　eyes　in　astonishment。

〃Then　you　have　already　killed　Maxon？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　　He　was　wounded　by　a　savage　enemy。　　I　have　been　helping　to　make　him　well　again。　　He　has　wronged　me　as　much　as　he　has　you。　　If　I　do　not　wish　to　kill　him；　why　should　you？　　He　did　not　mean　to　wrong　us。　　He　thought　that　he　was　doing　right。　　He　is　in　trouble　now　and　we　should　stay　and　protect　him。〃

〃He　lies；〃　suddenly　shouted　another　of　the　horde。　〃He　is　not　one　of　us。　　Kill　him！　　Kill　him！　　Kill　Maxon；　too；　and　then　we　shall　be　as　other　men；　for　it　is　these　men　who　keep　us　as　we　are。〃

The　fellow　started　forward　toward　Number　Thirteen　as　he　spoke；　and　moved　by　the　impulse　of　imitation　the　others　came　on　with　him。

〃I　have　spoken　fair