the monster men-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　tasted　the　incense　of　fresh　earth　and　growing　things。　　For　the　first　time　he　felt　the　breath　of　Nature；　free　and　unconfined；　upon　his　brow。

He　drew　his　giant　frame　to　its　full　height　and　drank　in　the　freedom　and　the　sweetness　of　it　all；　filling　his　great　lungs　to　their　fullest；　and　with　the　first　taste　he　learned　to　hate　the　close　and　stuffy　confines　of　his　prison。

His　virgin　mind　was　filled　with　wonder　at　the　wealth　of　new　impressions　which　surged　to　his　brain　through　every　sense。　　He　longed　for　more；　and　the　open　gateway　of　the　campong　was　a　scarce　needed　invitation　to　pass　to　the　wide　world　beyond。　　With　the　free　and　easy　tread　of　utter　unconsciousness　of　self；　he　passed　across　the　enclosure　and　stepped　out　into　the　clearing　which　lay　between　the　palisade　and　the　jungle。

Ah；　here　was　a　still　more　beautiful　world！　　The　green　leaves　nodded　to　him；　and　at　their　invitation　he　came　and　the　jungle　reached　out　its　million　arms　to　embrace　him。　　Now　before　him；　behind；　on　either　side　there　was　naught　but　glorious　green　beauty　shot　with　splashes　of　gorgeous　color　that　made　him　gasp　in　wonderment。

Brilliant　birds　rose　from　amidst　it　all；　skimming　hither　and　thither　above　his　headhe　thought　that　the　flowers　and　the　birds　were　the　same；　and　when　he　reached　out　and　plucked　a　blossom；　tenderly；　he　wondered　that　it　did　not　flutter　in　his　hand。　On　and　on　he　walked；　but　slowly；　for　he　must　not　miss　a　single　sight　in　the　strange　and　wonderful　place；　and　then；　of　a　sudden；　the　quiet　beauty　of　the　scene　was　harshly　broken　by　the　crashing　of　a　monster　through　the　underbrush。

Number　Thirteen　was　standing　in　a　little　open　place　in　the　jungle　when　the　discordant　note　first　fell　upon　his　ears；　and　as　he　turned　his　head　in　the　direction　of　the　sound　he　was　startled　at　the　hideous　aspect　of　the　thing　which　broke　through　the　foliage　before　him。

What　a　horrid　creature！　　But　on　the　same　instant　his　eyes　fell　upon　another　borne　in　the　arms　of　the　terrible　one。　This　one　was　differentvery　different；　soft　and　beautiful　and　white。　　He　wondered　what　it　all　meant；　for　everything　was　strange　and　new　to　him；　but　when　he　saw　the　eyes　of　the　lovely　one　upon　him；　and　her　arms　outstretched　toward　him；　though　he　did　　not　understand　the　words　upon　her　lips；　he　knew　that　she　was　in　distress。　　Something　told　him　that　it　was　the　ugly　thing　that　carried　her　that　was　the　author　of　her　suffering。

Virginia　Maxon　had　been　half　unconscious　from　fright　when　she　suddenly　saw　a　white　man；　clothed　in　coarse；　white；　native　pajamas；　confronting　her　and　the　misshapen　beast　that　was　bearing　her　away　to　what　frightful　fate　she　could　but　conjecture。

At　the　sight　of　the　man　her　voice　returned　with　returning　hope；　and　she　reached　her　arms　toward　him；　calling　upon　him　to　save　her。　　Although　he　did　not　respond　she　thought　that　he　understood　for　he　sprang　toward　them　before　her　appeal　was　scarce　uttered。

As　before；　when　Sing　had　threatened　to　filch　his　new　possession　from　him；　Number　One　held　the　girl　with　one　hand　while　he　met　the　attack　of　this　new　assailant　with　the　other；　but　here　was　very　different　metal　than　had　succumbed　to　him　before。

It　is　true　that　Number　Thirteen　knew　nothing　whatever　of　personal　combat；　but　Number　One　had　but　little　advantage　of　him　in　the　matter　of　experience；　while　the　former　was　equipped　with　great　natural　intelligence　as　well　as　steel　muscles　no　whit　less　powerful　than　his　deformed　predecessor。

So　it　was　that　the　awful　giant　found　his　single　hand　helpless　to　cope　with　the　strength　of　his　foeman；　and　in　a　brief　instant　felt　powerful　fingers　clutching　at　his　throat。　　Still　reluctant　to　surrender　his　hold　upon　his　prize；　he　beat　futilely　at　the　face　of　his　enemy；　but　at　last　the　agony　of　choking　compelled　him　to　drop　the　girl　and　grapple　madly　with　the　man　who　choked　him　with　one　hand　and　rained　mighty　and　merciless　blows　upon　his　face　and　head　with　the　other。

His　captive　sank　to　the　ground；　too　weak　from　the　effects　of　nervous　shock　to　escape；　and　with　horror…　filled　eyes　watched　the　two　who　battle