the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第17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！
mouth of the little harbor where she had been moored for so many months
than the tempest broke upon her in all its terrific fury。 Bududreen was no
mean sailor； but he was short handed； nor is it reasonable to suppose that
even with a full crew he could have weathered the terrific gale which beat
down upon the hapless vessel。 Buffeted by great waves； and stripped of
every shred of canvas by the force of the mighty wind that howled about
her； the Ithaca drifted a hopeless wreck soon after the storm struck her。
Below deck the terrified girl clung desperately to a stanchion as the
stricken ship lunged sickeningly before the hurricane。 For half an hour
the awful suspense endured； and then with a terrific crash the vessel struck；
shivering and trembling from stem to stern。
Virginia Maxon sank to her knees in prayer； for this she thought must
surely be the end。 On deck Bududreen and his crew had lashed
themselves to the masts； and as the Ithaca struck the reef before the harbor；
back upon which she had been driven； the tall poles with their living
freight snapped at the deck and went overboard carrying every thing with
them amid shrieks and cries of terror that were drowned and choked by the
wild tumult of the night。
Twice the girl felt the ship strike upon the reef； then a great wave
caught and carried her high into the air； dropping her with a nauseating
lunge which seemed to the imprisoned girl to be carrying the ship to the
very bottom of the ocean。 With closed eyes she clung in silent prayer
beside her berth waiting for the moment that would bring the engulfing
waters and oblivion praying that the end might come speedily and
release her from the torture of nervous apprehension that had terrorized
her for what seemed an eternity。
After the last； long dive the Ithaca righted herself laboriously；
wallowing drunkenly； but apparently upon an even keel in less turbulent
waters。 One long minute dragged after another； yet no suffocating deluge
poured in upon the girl； and presently she realized that the ship had； at
71
… Page 72…
THE MONSTER MEN
least temporarily； weathered the awful buffeting of the savage elements。
Now she felt but a gentle roll； though the wild turmoil of the storm still
came to her ears through the heavy planking of the Ithaca's hull。
For a long hour she lay wondering what fate had overtaken the vessel
and whither she had been driven； and then； with a gentle grinding sound；
the ship stopped； swung around； and finally came to rest with a slight list
to starboard。 The wind howled about her； the torrential rain beat loudly
upon her； but except for a slight rocking the ship lay quiet。
Hours passed with no other sounds than those of the rapidly waning
tempest。 The girl heard no signs of life upon the ship。 Her curiosity
became more and more keenly aroused。 She had that indefinable；
intuitive feeling that she was utterly alone upon the vessel； and at length；
unable to endure the inaction and uncertainty longer； made her way to the
companion ladder where for half an hour she futilely attempted to remove
the hatch。
As she worked she failed to hear the scraping of naked bodies
clambering over the ship's side； or the padding of unshod feet upon the
deck above her。 She was about to give up her work at the hatch when the
heavy wooden cover suddenly commenced to move above her as though
actuated by some supernatural power。 Fascinated； the girl stood gazing
in wide…eyed astonishment as one end of the hatch rose higher and higher
until a little patch of blue sky revealed the fact that morning had come。
Then the cover slid suddenly back and Virginia Maxon found herself
looking into a savage and terrible face。
The dark skin was creased in fierce wrinkles about the eyes and mouth。
Gleaming tiger cat's teeth curved upward from holes pierced to receive
them in the upper half of each ear。 The slit ear lobes supported heavy
rings whose weight had stretched the skin until the long loop rested upon
the brown shoulders。 The filed and blackened teeth behind the loose lips
added the last touch of hideousness to this terrible countenance。
Nor was this all。 A score of equally ferocious faces peered down
from behind the foremost。 With a little scream Virginia Maxon sprang
back to the lower deck and ran toward her stateroom。 Behind her she
heard the commotion of many men descending the companionway。
72
… Page 73…
THE MONSTER MEN
As Number Thirteen came into the campong after quitting the
bungalow his heart was a chaos of conflicting emotions。 His little world
had been wiped out。 His creatorthe man whom he thought his only friend
and benefactorhad suddenly turned against him。 The beautiful creature
he worshipped was either lost or dead； Sing had said so。 He was nothing
but a miserable THING。 There was no place in the world for him； and
even should he again find Virginia Maxon； he had von Horn's word for it
that she would shrink from him and loathe him even more than another。
With no plans and no hopes he walked aimlessly through the blinding
rain； oblivious of it and of the vivid lightning and deafening thunder。
The palisade at length brought him to a sudden stop。 Mechanically he
squatted on his haunches with his back against it； and there； in the midst of
the fury of the storm he conquered the tempest that raged in his own breast。
The murder that rose again and again in his untaught heart he forced back
by thoughts of the sweet； pure face of the girl whose image he had set up
in the inner temple of his being； as a gentle； guiding divinity。
〃He made me without a soul；〃 he repeated over and over again to
himself； 〃but I have found a soulshe shall be my soul。 Von Horn could
not explain to me what a soul is。 He does not know。 None of them
knows。 I am wiser than all the rest； for I have learned what a soul is。
Eyes cannot see itfingers cannot feel it； but he who possess it knows that
it is there for it fills his whole breast with a great； wonderful love and
worship for something infinitely finer than man's dull senses can gauge
something that guides him into paths far above the plain of soulless beasts
and bestial men。
〃Let those who will say that I have no soul； for I am satisfied with the
soul I have found。 It would never permit me to inflict on others the
terrible wrong that Professor Maxon has inflicted on meyet he never
doubts his own possession of a soul。 It would not allow me to revel in
the coarse brutalities of von Hornand I am sure that von Horn thinks he
has a soul。 And if the savage men who came tonight to kill have souls；
then I am glad that my soul is after my own choosingI would not care for
one like theirs。〃
The sudden equatorial dawn found the man still musing。 The storm
73
… Page 74…
THE MONSTER MEN
had ceased and as the daylight brought the surroundings to view Number
Thirteen became aware that he was not alone in the campong。 All about
him lay the eleven terrible men whom he had driven from the bungalow
the previous night。 The sight of them brought a realization of new
responsibilities。 To leave them here in the campong would mean the
immediate death of Professor Maxon and the Chinaman。 To turn them
into the jungle might mean a similar fate for Virginia Maxon were she
wandering about in search of the encampment Number Thirteen could
not believe that she was dead。 It seemed too monstrous to believe that he
should never see her again； and he knew so little of death that it was
impossible for him to realize that that beautiful creature ever could cease
to be filled with the vivacity of life。
The young man had determined to leave the camp himself partly on
account of the cruel words Professor Maxon had hurled at him the night
before； but principally in order that he might search for the lost girl。 Of
course he had not the remotest idea where to look for her； but as von Horn
had explained that they were upon a small island he felt reasonably sure
that he should find her in time。
As he looked at the sleeping monsters near him he determined that the
only solution of his problem was to take them all with him。 Number
Twelve lay closest to him； and stepping to his side he nudged him with the
butt of the bull whip he still carried。 The creature opened his dull eyes。
〃Get up；〃 said Number Thirteen。
Number Twelve rose； looking askance at the bull whip。
〃We are not wanted here；〃 said Number Thirteen。 〃I am going away
and you are all going with me。 We shall find a place where we may live
in peace and freedom。 Are you not tired of always being penned up？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Number Twelve； still looking at the whip。
〃You need not fear the whip；〃 said the young man。 〃I shall not use it on
those who make no trouble。 Wake the others and tell them what I have said。
All must come with methose who refuse shall feel the whip。〃
Number Twelve did as he was bid。 The creatures mumbled among
themselves for a few minutes。 Finally Number Thirteen cracked his long
whip to attract their attention。
74
… Page 75…
THE MONSTER MEN
〃Come！〃 he said。
Nine of them shuffled after him as he turned toward the outer gate
only Number Ten
