the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第7章
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its escape； as though measuring the distance to the top。 Then the eyes
roamed about the campong to rest at last upon the slanting roof of the
thatched shed which was its shelter。 Presently a slow idea was born in
the poor； malformed brain。
The creature approached the shed。 He could just reach the saplings
that formed the frame work of the roof。 Like a huge sloth he drew himself
to the roof of the structure。 From here he could see beyond the palisade；
and the wild freedom of the jungle called to him。 He did not know what
it was but in its leafy wall he perceived many breaks and openings that
offered concealment from the creatures who were plotting to take his life。
Yet the wall was not fully six feet from him； and the top of it at least
five feet above the top of the shed those who had designed the campong
had been careful to set this structure sufficiently far from the palisade to
prevent its forming too easy an avenue of escape。
The creature glanced fearfully toward the workshop。 He remembered
the cruel bull whip that always followed each new experiment on his part
that did not coincide with the desires of his master； and as he thought of
von Horn a nasty gleam shot his mismated eyes。
He tried to reach across the distance between the roof and the palisade；
and in the attempt lost his balance and nearly precipitated himself to the
ground below。 Cautiously he drew back； still looking about for some
means to cross the chasm。 One of the saplings of the roof； protruding
beyond the palm leaf thatch； caught his attention。 With a single wrench
he tore it from its fastenings。 Extending it toward the palisade he
discovered that it just spanned the gap； but he dared not attempt to cross
upon its single slender strand。
Quickly he ripped off a half dozen other poles from the roof； and
laying them side by side； formed a safe and easy path to freedom。 A
moment more and he sat astride the top of the wall。 Drawing the poles
after him； he dropped them one by one to the ground outside the campong。
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Then he lowered himself to liberty。
Gathering the saplings under one huge arm he ran； lumberingly； into
the jungle。 He would not leave evidence of the havoc he had wrought；
the fear of the bull whip was still strong upon him。 The green foliage
closed about him and the peaceful jungle gave no sign of the horrid brute
that roamed its shadowed mazes。
As von Horn stepped into the campong his quick eye perceived the
havoc that had been wrought with the roof at the east end of the shed。
Quickly he crossed to the low structure。 Within its compartments a
number of deformed monsters squatted upon their haunches； or lay prone
upon the native mats that covered the floor。
As the man entered they looked furtively at the bull whip which trailed
from his right hand； and then glanced fearfully at one another as though
questioning which was the malefactor on this occasion。
Von Horn ran his eyes over the hideous assemblage。
〃Where is Number One？〃 he asked； directing his question toward a
thing whose forehead gave greater promise of intelligence than any of his
companions。
The one addressed shook his head。
Von Horn turned and made a circuit of the campong。 There was no
sign of the missing one and no indication of any other irregularity than the
demolished portion of the roof。 With an expression of mild concern upon
his face he entered the workshop。
〃Number One has escaped into the jungle； Professor；〃 he said。
Professor Maxon looked up in surprise； but before he had an
opportunity to reply a woman's scream； shrill with horror； smote upon
their startled ears。
Von Horn was the first to reach the campong of the whites。 Professor
Maxon was close behind him； and the faces of both were white with
apprehension。 The enclosure was deserted。 Not even Sing was there。
Without a word the two men sprang through the gateway and raced for the
jungle in the direction from which that single； haunting cry had come。
Virginia Maxon； idling beneath the leafy shade of the tropical foliage；
became presently aware that she had wandered farther from the campong
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THE MONSTER MEN
than she had intended。 The day was sultry； and the heat； even in the dense
shade of the jungle； oppressive。 Slowly she retraced her steps； her eyes
upon the ground； her mind absorbed in sad consideration of her father's
increasing moodiness and eccentricity。
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
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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。
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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 th
