the monster men-第26章

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Bulan　touched　the　bull　whip　that　hung　at　his　side。

〃Von　Horn　taught　them　to　obey　this；〃　he　said。

〃He　used　that　upon　them？〃　cried　the　girl　in　horror。

〃It　was　the　only　way；〃　said　Bulan。　　〃They　were　almost　brainless　they　could　understand　nothing　else；　for　they　could　not　reason。〃

Virginia　shuddered。

〃Where　are　they　nowthe　balance　of　them？〃　she　asked。

〃They　are　dead；　poor　things；〃　he　replied；　sadly。　〃Poor；　hideous；　unloved；　unloving　monstersthey　gave　up　their　lives　for　the　daughter　of　the　man　who　made　them　the　awful；　repulsive　creatures　that　they　were。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　cried　the　girl。

〃I　mean　that　all　have　been　killed　searching　for　you；　and　battling　with　your　enemies。　　They　were　soulless　creatures；　but　they　loved　the　mean　lives　they　gave　up　so　bravely　for　you　whose　father　was　the　author　of　their　misery　you　owe　a　great　deal　to　them；　Virginia。〃

〃Poor　things；〃　murmured　the　girl；　〃but　yet　they　are　better　off；　for　without　brains　or　souls　there　could　be　no　happiness　in　life　for　them。　　My　father　did　them　a　hideous　wrong；　but　it　was　an　unintentional　wrong。　His　mind　was　crazed　with　dwelling　upon　the　wonderful　discovery　he　had　made；　and　if　he　wronged　them　he　contemplated　a　still　more　terrible　wrong　to　be　inflicted　upon　me；　his　daughter。〃

〃I　do　not　understand；〃　said　Bulan。

〃It　was　his　intention　to　give　me　in　marriage　to　one　of　his　soulless　monstersto　the　one　he　called　Number　Thirteen。　　Oh；　it　is　terrible　even　to　think　of　the　hideousness　of　it；　but　now　they　are　all　dead　he　cannot　do　it　even　though　his　poor　mind；　which　seems　well　again；　should　suffer　a　relapse。〃

〃Why　do　you　loathe　them　so？〃　asked　Bulan。　　〃Is　it　because　they　are　hideous；　or　because　they　are　soulless？〃

〃Either　fact　were　enough　to　make　them　repulsive；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃but　it　is　the　fact　that　they　were　without　souls　that　made　them　totally　impossible　one　easily　overlooks　physical　deformity；　but　the　moral　depravity　that　must　be　inherent　in　a　creature　without　a　soul　must　forever　cut　him　off　from　intercourse　with　human　beings。〃

〃And　you　think　that　regardless　of　their　physical　appearance　the　fact　that　they　were　without　souls　would　have　been　apparent？〃　asked　Bulan。

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　cried　Virginia。　　〃I　would　know　the　moment　I　set　my　eyes　upon　a　creature　without　a　soul。〃

With　all　the　sorrow　that　was　his；　Bulan　could　scarce　repress　a　smile；　for　it　was　quite　evident　either　that　it　was　impossible　to　perceive　a　soul；　or　else　that　he　possessed　one。

〃Just　how　do　you　distinguish　the　possessor　of　a　soul？〃　he　asked。

The　girl　cast　a　quick　glance　up　at　him。

〃You　are　making　fun　of　me；〃　she　said。

〃Not　at　all；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　am　just　curious　as　to　how　souls　make　themselves　apparent。　　I　have　seen　men　kill　one　another　as　beasts　kill。　　I　have　seen　one　who　was　cruel　to　those　within　his　power；　yet　they　were　all　men　with　souls。　　I　have　seen　eleven　soulless　monsters　die　to　save　the　daughter　of　a　man　whom　they　believed　had　wronged　them　terriblya　man　with　a　soul。　　How　then　am　I　to　know　what　attributes　denote　the　possession　of　the　immortal　spark？　　How　am　I　to　know　whether　or　not　I　possess　a　soul？〃

Virginia　smiled。

〃You　are　courageous　and　honorable　and　chivalrous　those　are　enough　to　warrant　the　belief　that　you　have　a　soul；　were　it　not　apparent　from　your　countenance　that　you　are　of　the　higher　type　of　mankind；〃　she　said。

〃I　hope　that　you　will　never　change　your　opinion　of　me；　Virginia；〃　said　the　man；　but　he　knew　that　there　lay　before　her　a　severe　shock；　and　before　him　a　great　sorrow　when　they　should　come　to　where　her　father　was　and　the　girl　should　learn　the　truth　concerning　him。

That　he　did　not　himself　tell　her　may　be　forgiven　him；　for　he　had　only　a　life　of　misery　to　look　forward　to　after　she　should　know　that　he；　too；　was　equally　a　soulless　monster　with　the　twelve　that　had　preceded　him　to　a　merciful　death。　　He　would　have　envied　them　but　for　the　anticipation　of　the　time　that　he　might　be　alone　with　her　before　she　learned　the　truth。

As　he　pondered　the　future　there　came　to　him　the　thought　that　should　they　never　find　Professor　Maxon　or　von　Horn　the　girl　need　never　know　but　that　he　was　a　human　being。　He　need　not　lose　her　then；　but　always　be　near　her。　The　idea　grew　and　with　it　the　mighty　temptation　to　lead　Virginia　Maxon　far　into　the　jungle；　and　keep　her　forever　from　the　sight　of　men。　　And　why　not？　Had　he　not　saved　her　where　others　had　failed？　　Was　she　not；　by　all　that　was　just　and　fair；　his？

Did　he　owe　any　loyalty　to　either　her　father　or　von　Horn？　Already　he　had　saved　Professor　Maxon's　life；　so　the　obligation；　if　there　was　any；　lay　all　against　the　older　man；　and　three　times　he　had　saved　Virginia。　　He　would　be　very　kind　and　good　to　her。　She　should　be　much　happier　and　a　thousand　times　safer　than　with　those　others　who　were　so　poorly　equipped　to　protect　her。

As　he　stood　silently　gazing　out　across　the　jungle　beneath　them　toward　the　new　sun　the　girl　watched　him　in　a　spell　of　admiration　of　his　strong　and　noble　face；　and　his　perfect　physique。　　What　would　have　been　her　emotions　had　she　guessed　what　thoughts　were　his！　It　was　she　who　broke　the　silence。

〃Can　you　find　the　way　to　the　long…house　where　my　father　is？〃　she　asked。

Bulan；　startled　at　the　question；　looked　up　from　his　reverie。　The　thing　must　be　faced；　then；　sooner　than　he　thought。　How　was　he　to　tell　her　of　his　intention？　　It　occurred　to　him　to　sound　her　firstpossibly　she　would　make　no　objection　to　the　plan。

〃You　are　anxious　to　return？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　yes；　of　course；　I　am；〃　she　replied。　　〃My　father　will　be　half　mad　with　apprehension；　until　he　knows　that　I　am　safe。　　What　a　strange　question；　indeed。〃　　Still；　however；　she　did　not　doubt　the　motives　of　her　companion。

〃Suppose　we　should　be　unable　to　find　our　way　to　the　long…house？〃　he　continued。

〃Oh；　don't　say　such　a　thing；〃　cried　the　girl。　〃It　would　be　terrible。　　I　should　die　of　misery　and　fright　and　loneliness　in　this　awful　jungle。　Surely　you　can　find　your　way　to　the　river　it　was　but　a　short　march　through　the　jungle　from　where　we　landed　to　the　spot　at　which　you　took　me　away　from　that　fearful　Malay。〃

The　girl's　words　cast　a　cloud　over　Bulan's　hopes。　The　future　looked　less　roseate　with　the　knowledge　that　she　would　be　unhappy　in　the　life　that　he　had　been　mapping　for　them。　　He　was　silentthinking。　　In　his　breast　a　riot　of　conflicting　emotions　were　waging　the　first　great　battle　which　was　to　point　the　trend　of　the　man's　characterwould　the　selfish　and　the　base　prevail；　or　would　the　noble？

With　the　thought　of　losing　her　his　desire　for　her　companionship　became　almost　a　mania。　　To　return　her　to　her　father　and　von　Horn　would　be　to　lose　her　of　that　there　could　be　no　doubt；　for　they　would　not　leave　her　long　in　ignorance　of　his　origin。　　Then；　in　addition　to　being　deprived　of　her　forever；　he　must　suffer　the　galling　mortification　of　her　scorn。

It　was　a　great　deal　to　ask　of　a　fledgling　morality　that　was　yet　scarcely　cognizant　of　its　untried　wings；　but　even　as　the　man　wavered　between　right　and　wrong　there　crept　into　his　mind　the　one　great　and　burning　question　of　his　lifehad　he　a　soul？　　And　he　knew　that　upon　his　decision　of　the　fate　of　Virginia　Maxon　rested　to　some　extent　the　true　answer　to　that　question；　for；　unconsciously；　he　had　worked　out　his　own　crude　soul　hypothesis　which　imparted　to　this　invisible　entity　the　power　to　direct　his　actions　only　for　good。　Therefore　he　reasoned　that　wickedness　presupposed　a　small　and　worthless　soul；　or　the　entire　lack　of　one。

That　she　would　hate　a　soulless　creature　he　accepted　as　a　foregone　conclusion。　　He　desired　her　respect；　and　that　fact　helped　him　to　his　final　decision；　but　the　thing　that　decided　him　was　born　of　the　truly　chivalrous　nature　he　possessedhe　wanted　Virginia　Maxon　to　be　happy；　it　mattered　not　at　what　cost　to　him。

The　girl　had　been　watching　him　closely　as　he　stood　silently　thinking　after　her　last　words。　　She　did　not　know　the　struggle　that　the　calm　face　hid；　yet　she　felt　that　the　dragging　moments　were　big　with　the　question　of　her　fate。

〃Well？〃　she　said　at　length。

〃We　must　eat　first；〃　he　replied　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone；　and　not　at　all　as　though　he　was　about　to　renounce　his　life's　happiness；　〃and　then　we　shall　set　out　in　search　of　your　father。　　I　shall　take　you　to　him；　Virginia；　if　man　can　find　him。〃

〃I　knew　that　you　could；〃　she　said；　simply；　〃but　how　my　father　and　I　ever　can　repay　you　I　do　not　knowdo　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Bulan；　and　there　was　a　sudden　rush　of　fire　to　his　eyes　that　kept　Virginia　Maxon　from　urging　a　detailed　explanation　of　just　how　she　might　repay　him。

In　truth　she　did　not　know　whether　to　be　angry；　or　frightened；　or　glad　of　the　truth　that　she　read　there；　or　mortified　that　it　had　awakened　in　her　a　realization　that　possibly　an　analysis　of　her　own　interest　in　this　young　stranger　might　reveal　more　than　she　had　imagined。

The　constraint　that　suddenly　fell　upon　them　was　relieved　when　Bulan　motioned　her　to　follow　him　back　down　the　trail　into　the　gorge　in　search　of　food。　There　they　sat　together　upon　a　fallen　tree　beside　a　tiny　rivulet；　eating　the　fruit　that　the　man　gathered。　Often　their　eyes　met　as　they　talked；　but　always　the　girl's　fell　before　the　open　worship　of　the　man's。

Many　were　the　men　who　had　looked　in　admiration　at　Virginia　Maxon　in　the　past；　but　never；　she　felt；　with　eyes　so　clean　and　brave　and　honest。　　There　was　no　guile　or　evil　in　them；　and　because　of　it　she　wondered　all　the　more　that　she　could　not　face　them。

〃What　a　wonderful　soul　those　eyes　portray；〃　she　thought；　〃and　how　perfectly　they　assure　the　safety　of　my　life　and　honor　while　their　owner　is　near　me。〃

And　the　man　thought：　〃Would　that　I　owned　a　soul　that　I　might　aspire　to　live　always　near　heralways　to　protect　her。〃

When　they　had　eaten　the　two　set　out　once　more　in　search　of　the　river；　and　the　confidence　that　is　born　of　ignorance　was　theirs；　so　that　beyond　each　succeeding　tangled　barrier　of　vines　and　creepers　they　looked　to　see　the　swirling　stream　that　would　lead　them　to　the　girl's　father。

On　and　on　they　trudged；　the　man　often　carrying　the　girl　across　the　rougher　obstacles　and　through　the　little　streams　that　crossed　their　path；　until　at　last　came　noon；　and　yet　no　sign　of　the　river　they　sought。　The　combined　jungle　craft　of　the　two　had　been　insufficient　either　to　trace　the　way　that　they　had　come；　or　point　the　general　direction　of　the　river。

As　the　afternoon　drew　to　a　close　Virginia　Maxon　commenced　to　lose　heartshe　was　confident　that　they　were　lost。　　Bulan　made　no　pretence　of　knowing　the　way；　the　most　that　he　would　say　being　that　eventually　they　must　come　to　the　river。　　As　a　matter…of…fact　had　it　not　been　for　the　girl's　evident　concern　he　would　have　been　glad　to　know　that　they　were　irretrievably　lost；　but　for　her　sake　his　efforts　to　find　the　river　were　conscientious。

When　at　last　night　closed　down　upon　them　the　girl　was；　at　heart；　terror　stricken；　but　she　hid　her　true　state　from　the　man；　because　she　knew　that　their　plight　was　no　fault　of　his。　　The　strange　and　uncanny　noises　of　the　jungle　night　filled　her　with　the　most　dreadful　forebodings；　and　when　a　cold；　drizzling　rain　set　in　upon　them　her　cup　of　misery　was　full。

Bulan　rigged　a　rude　shelter　for　her；　making　her　lie　down　beneath　it；　and　then　he　removed　his　Dyak　war…coat　and　threw　it　over　her；　but　it　was　hours　before　her　exhausted　body　overpower