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第47章

the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第47章

小说: the monster men(魔鬼一样的人) 字数: 每页4000字

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approaching; von Horn sprang into view; while directly behind him came 

her father and Sing Lee。 

     Bulan   saw   them   at   the   same   instant;   and   as   Virginia   ran   forward   to 

greet her father he staggered weakly to his feet。 Von Horn was the first to 

see   the   young   giant;   and   with   an   oath   sprang   toward   him;   drawing   his 

revolver as he came。 

     〃You beast;〃 he cried。        〃We have caught you at last。〃 

     At the words Virginia turned back toward Bulan with a little scream of 

warning and of horror。 Professor Maxon was behind her。 

     〃Shoot the monster; von Horn;〃 he ordered。 〃Do not let him escape。〃 

     Bulan   drew   himself   to   his   full   height;   and   though   he   wavered   from 

weakness;   yet   he   towered   mighty   and   magnificent   above   the   evil   faced 

man who menaced him。 

     〃Shoot!〃 he said calmly。         〃Death cannot come too soon now。〃 

     At the same instant von Horn pulled the trigger。 The giant's head fell 

back;    he   staggered;    whirled    about;   and   crumpled     to  the  earth   just  as 

Virginia Maxon's arms closed about him。 

     Von Horn rushed close and pushing the girl aside pressed the muzzle 

of his gun to   Bulan's   temple; but   an   avalanche of   wrinkled;  yellow  skin 

was upon him before he could pull the trigger a second time; and Sing had 

hurled him back a dozen feet and snatched his weapon。 

     Moaning and sobbing Virginia threw herself upon the body of the man 

she   loved;   while   Professor   Maxon   hurried   to   her   side   to   drag   her   away 

from the soulless thing for whom he had once intended her。 

     Like a tigress the girl turned upon the two white men。 

     〃You     are  murderers;〃     she   cried。   〃Cowardly   murderers。        Weak     and 

exhausted by fever he could not combat you; and so you have robbed the 

world of one of the noblest men that God ever created。〃 

     〃Hush!〃 cried Professor Maxon。            〃Hush; child; you do not know what 



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you say。     The thing was a monster a soulless monster。〃 

     At the words the girl looked up quickly at her father; a faint realization 

of his meaning striking her like a blow in the face。 

     〃What do you mean?〃 she whispered。              〃Who was he?〃 

     It was von Horn who answered。 

     〃No god created that;〃 he said; with a contemptuous glance at the still 

body of the man at their feet。 〃He was one of the creatures of your father's 

mad experimentsthe soulless thing for whose arms his insane obsession 

doomed you。        The thing at your feet; Virginia; was Number Thirteen。〃 

     With a piteous little moan the girl turned back toward the body of the 

young giant。      A faltering step she took toward it; and then to the horror of 

her father she sank upon her knees beside it and lifting the man's head in 

her arms covered the face with kisses。 

     〃Virginia!〃 cried the professor。        〃Are you mad; child?〃 

     〃I am not mad;〃 she moaned; 〃not yet。            I love him。 Man or monster; it 

would have been all the same to me; for I loved him。〃 

     Her father turned away; burying his face in his hands。 

     〃God!〃   he   muttered。     〃What   an   awful   punishment   you   have   visited 

upon me for the sin of the thing I did。〃 

     The   silence   which   followed   was   broken   by   Sing   who   had   kneeled 

opposite Virginia upon the other side of Bulan; where he was feeling the 

giant's wrists and pressing his ear close above his heart。 

     〃Do'n   cly;   Linee;〃   said   the   kindly   old   Chinaman。   〃Him   no   dlead。〃 

Then; as he poured a pinch of brownish powder into the man's mouth from 

a   tiny   sack   he   had   brought   forth   from   the   depths   of   one   of   his   sleeves: 

〃Him no mlonster either; Linee。           Him white man; alsame Mlaxon。             Sing 

know。〃 

     The girl looked up at him in gratitude。 

     〃He is not dead; Sing?         He will live?〃 she cried。 〃I don't care about 

anything else; Sing; if you will only make him live。〃 

     〃Him live。     Gettem lilee flesh wounds。         Las all。〃 

     〃What   do   you   mean   by  saying   that   he   is   not   a   monster?〃   demanded 

von Horn。 

     〃You waitee; you dam flool;〃 cried Sing。             〃I tellee lot more I know。 



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You waitee I flixee him; and then; by God; I flixee you。〃 

     Von Horn took a menacing step toward the Chinaman; his face black 

with wrath; but Professor Maxon interposed。 

     〃This has gone quite far enough; Doctor von Horn;〃 he said。 〃It may 

be that we acted hastily。       I do not know; of course; what Sing means; but I 

intend to find out。       He has been very faithful to us; and deserves   every 

consideration。〃 

     Von   Horn   stepped   back;   still   scowling。    Sing   poured   a   little   water 

between Bulan's lips; and then asked Professor Maxon for his brandy flask。 

With the first few drops of the fiery liquid the giant's eyelids moved; and a 

moment later he raised them and looked about him。 

     The    first  face   he  saw    was   Virginia's。    It   was   full  of  love   and 

compassion。 

     〃They have not told you yet?〃 he asked。 

     〃Yes;〃 she replied。      〃They have told me; but it makes no difference。 

You have given me the right to say it; Bulan; and I do say it now again; 

before    them   all  I  love  you;   and   that  is  all  there  is  that  makes   any 

difference。〃 

     A   look   of   happiness   lighted   his   face   momentarily;   only   to   fade   as 

quickly as it had come。 

     〃No;   Virginia;〃   he   said;   sadly;   〃it   would   not   be   right。   It   would   be 

wicked。     I am not a human being。           I am only a soulless monster。          You 

cannot mate with such as I。 You must go away with your father。                      Soon 

you will forget me。〃 

     〃Never; Bulan!〃 cried the girl; determinedly。 

     The man was about to attempt to dissuade her; when Sing interrupted。 

     〃You keepee still; Bulan;〃 he said。         〃You wait till Sing tellee。 You no 

mlonster。     Mlaxon he no makee you。            Sing he find you in low bloat jus' 

outsidee cove。       You dummy。        No know nothing。 No know namee。                No 

know where comee from。            No talkee。 

     〃Sing   he   jes'   hearee   Mlaxon   tellee   Hornee   'bout   Nlumber   Thlirteen。 

How he makee him for Linee。             Makee Linee mally him。           Sing he know 

what kindee fleaks Mlaxon makee。 Linee always good to old Sing。                     Sing 

he   been    peeking   thlu   clack   in  wallee。   See   blig   vlat  where    Thlirteen 



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growing。 

     〃Sing he takee you to Sing's shackee that night。 Hide you till evlybody 

sleep。    Then he sneak you in workee shop。              Kickee over vlat。       Leaves 

you。 Nex' mlorning Mlaxon makee blig hulabaloo。 Dance up and downee。 

Whoop!       Thlirteen clome too soonee; but allight; him finee; perfec' man。 

Whoop! 

     〃Anyway;   you   heap   better   for   Linee   than   one   Mlaxon's   fleaks;〃   he 

concluded; turning toward Bulan。 

     〃You are lying; you yellow devil;〃 cried von Horn。 

     The   Chinaman   turned   his   shrewd;   slant   eyes   malevolently   upon   the 

doctor。 

     〃Sing lies?〃 he hissed。       〃Mabbeso Sing lies when he ask what for you 

glet Bludleen steal tleasure。 But Lajah Saffir he come and spoil it all while 

you tly glet Linee to the shipSing knows。 

     〃Then you tellee Mlaxon Thlirteen steal Li

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