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 rudiments1 of spoken language, and now the subject of his labors2 found himself suddenly deserted3 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 grotesque4 results of his earlier experiments, and now a natural curiosity tempted5 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 azure6 dome7, and beyond the walls the tops of green trees swaying gently in the soft breezes. His nostrils8 tasted the incense9 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 stuffy10 confines of his prison.
His virgin11 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 gateway12 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 naught13 but glorious green beauty shot with splashes of gorgeous color that made him gasp14 in wonderment.
Brilliant birds rose from amidst it all, skimming hither and thither15 above his head—he 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 standing16 in a little open place in the jungle when the discordant17 note first fell upon his ears, and as he turned his head in the direction of the sound he was startled at the hideous18 aspect of the thing which broke through the foliage19 before him.
What a horrid20 creature! But on the same instant his eyes fell upon another borne in the arms of the terrible one. This one was different—very 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 distress22. 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 pajamas23, confronting her and the misshapen beast that was bearing her away to what frightful24 fate she could but conjecture25.
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 filch26 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 succumbed27 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 whit21 less powerful than his deformed28 predecessor29.
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 futilely31 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 mighty32 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 battled over her. She saw that her would-be rescuer was young and strong featured—all together a very fine specimen33 of manhood; and to her great wonderment it was soon apparent that he was no unequal match for the great mountain of muscle that he fought.
Both tore and struck and clawed and bit in the frenzy34 of mad, untutored strife35, rolling about on the soft carpet of the jungle almost noiselessly except for their heavy breathing and an occasional beast-like snarl36 from Number One. For several minutes they fought thus until the younger man succeeded in getting both hands upon the throat of his adversary37, and then, choking relentlessly38, he raised the brute39 with him from the ground and rushed him fiercely backward against the stem of a tree. Again and again he hurled40 the monstrous41 thing upon the unyielding wood, until at last it hung helpless and inert42 in his clutches, then he cast it from him, and without another glance at it turned toward the girl.
Here was a problem indeed. Now that he had won her, what was he to do with her? He was but an adult child, with the brain and brawn43 of a man, and the ignorance and inexperience of the new-born. And so he acted as a child acts, in imitation of what it has seen others do. The brute had been carrying the lovely creature, therefore that must be the thing for him to do, and so he stooped and gathered Virginia Maxon in his great arms.
She tried to tell him that she could walk after a moment's rest, but it was soon evident that he did not understand her, as a puzzled expression came to his face and he did not put her down as she asked. Instead he stood irresolute44 for a time, and then moved slowly through the jungle. By chance his direction was toward the camp, and this fact so relieved the girl's mind that presently she was far from loath45 to remain quietly in his arms.
After a moment she gained courage to look up into his face. She thought that she never had seen so marvellously clean cut features, or a more high and noble countenance46, and she wondered how it was that this white man was upon the island and she not have known it. Possibly he was a new arrival—his presence unguessed even by her father. That he was neither English nor American was evident from the fact that he could not understand her native tongue. Who could he be! What was he doing upon their island!
As she watched his face he suddenly turned his eyes down upon her, and as she looked hurriedly away she was furious with herself as she felt a crimson47 flush mantle48 her cheek. The man only half sensed, in a vague sort of way, the meaning of the tell tale color and the quickly averted49 eyes; but he became suddenly aware of the pressure of her delicate body against his, as he had not been before. Now he kept his eyes upon her face as he walked, and a new emotion filled his breast. He did not understand it, but it was very pleasant, and he knew that it was because of the radiant thing that he carried in his arms.
The scream that had startled von Horn and Professor Maxon led them along the trail toward the east coast of the island, and about halfway50 of the distance they stumbled upon the dazed and bloody51 Sing just as he was on the point of regaining53 consciousness.
"For God's sake, Sing, what is the matter?" cried von Horn. "Where is Miss Maxon?"
"Big blute, he catchem Linee. Tly kill Sing. Head hit tlee. No see any more. Wakee up—all glone," moaned the Chinaman as he tried to gain his feet.
"Which way did he take her?" urged von Horn.
Sing's quick eyes scanned the surrounding jungle, and in a moment, staggering to his feet, he cried, "Look see, klick! Foot plint!" and ran, weak and reeling drunkenly, along the broad trail made by the giant creature and its prey54.
Von Horn and Professor Maxon followed closely in Sing's wake, the younger man horrified55 by the terrible possibilities that obtruded56 themselves into his imagination despite his every effort to assure himself that no harm could come to Virginia Maxon before they reached her. The girl's father had not spoken since they discovered that she was missing from the campong, but his face was white and drawn57; his eyes wide and glassy as those of one whose mind is on the verge58 of madness from a great nervous shock.
The trail of the creature was bewilderingly erratic59. A dozen paces straight through the underbrush, then a sharp turn at right angles for no apparent reason, only to veer60 again suddenly in a new direction! Thus, turning and twisting, the tortuous61 way led them toward the south end of the island, until Sing, who was in advance, gave a sharp cry of surprise.
"Klick! Look see!" he cried excitedly. "Blig blute dead—vely muchee dead."
Von Horn rushed forward to where the Chinaman was leaning over the body of Number One. Sure enough, the great brute lay motionless, its horrid face even more hideous in death than in life, if it were possible. The face was black, the tongue protruded62, the skin was bruised63 from the heavy fists of his assailant and the thick skull64 crushed and splintered from terrific impact with the tree.
Professor Maxon leaned over von Horn's shoulder. "Ah, poor Number One," he sighed, "that you should have come to such an untimely end—my child, my child."
Von Horn looked at him, a tinge65 of compassion66 in his rather hard face. It touched the man that his employer was at last shocked from the obsession67 of his work to a realization68 of the love and duty he owed his daughter; he thought that the professor's last words referred to Virginia.
"Though there are twelve more," continued Professor Maxon, "you were my first born son and I loved you most, dear child."
The younger man was horrified.
"My God, Professor!" he cried. "Are you mad? Can you call this thing 'child' and mourn over it when you do not yet know the fate of your own daughter?"
Professor Maxon looked up sadly. "You do not understand, Dr. von Horn," he replied coldly, "and you will oblige me, in the future, by not again referring to the offspring of my labors as 'things.'"
With an ugly look upon his face von Horn turned his back upon the older man—what little feeling of loyalty69 and affection he had ever felt for him gone forever. Sing was looking about for evidences of the cause of Number One's death and the probable direction in which Virginia Maxon had disappeared.
"What on earth could have killed this enormous brute, Sing? Have you any idea?" asked von Horn.
The Chinaman shook his head.
"No savvy," he replied. "Blig flight. Look see," and he pointed70 to the torn and trampled71 turf, the broken bushes, and to one or two small trees that had been snapped off by the impact of the two mighty bodies that had struggled back and forth72 about the little clearing.
"This way," cried Sing presently, and started off once more into the brush, but this time in a northwesterly direction, toward camp.
In silence the three men followed the new trail, all puzzled beyond measure to account for the death of Number One at the hands of what must have been a creature of superhuman strength. What could it have been! It was impossible that any of the Malays or lascars could have done the thing, and there were no other creatures, brute or human, upon the island large enough to have coped even for an instant with the ferocious73 brutality74 of the dead monster, except—von Horn's brain came to a sudden halt at the thought. Could it be? There seemed no other explanation. Virginia Maxon had been rescued from one soulless monstrosity to fall into the hands of another equally irresponsible and terrifying.
Others then must have escaped from the campong. Von Horn loosened his guns in their holsters, and took a fresh grip upon his bull whip as he urged Sing forward upon the trail. He wondered which one it was, but not once did it occur to him that the latest result of Professor Maxon's experiments could be the rescuer of Virginia Maxon. In his mind he could see only the repulsive75 features of one of the others.
Quite unexpectedly they came upon the two, and with a shout von Horn leaped forward, his bull whip upraised. Number Thirteen turned in surprise at the cry, and sensing a new danger for her who lay in his arms, he set her gently upon the ground behind him and advanced to meet his assailant.
"Out of the way, you—monstrosity," cried von Horn. "If you have harmed Miss Maxon I'll put a bullet in your heart!"
Number Thirteen did not understand the words that the other addressed to him but he interpreted the man's actions as menacing, not to himself, but to the creature he now considered his particular charge; and so he met the advancing man, more to keep him from the girl than to offer him bodily injury for he recognized him as one of the two who had greeted his first dawning consciousness.
Von Horn, possibly intentionally76, misinterpreted the other's motive77, and raising his bull whip struck Number Thirteen a vicious cut across the face, at the same time levelling his revolver point blank at the broad breast. But before ever he could pull the trigger an avalanche78 of muscle was upon him, and he went down to the rotting vegetation of the jungle with five sinewy79 fingers at his throat.
His revolver exploded harmlessly in the air, and then another hand wrenched80 it from him and hurled it far into the underbrush. Number Thirteen knew nothing of the danger of firearms, but the noise had startled him and his experience with the stinging cut of the bull whip convinced him that this other was some sort of instrument of torture of which it would be as well to deprive his antagonist81.
Virginia Maxon looked on in horror as she realized that her rescuer was quickly choking Dr. von Horn to death. With a little cry she sprang to her feet and ran toward them, just as her father emerged from the underbrush through which he had been struggling in the trail of the agile82 Chinaman and von Horn. Placing her hand upon the great wrist of the giant she tried to drag his fingers from von Horn's throat, pleading meanwhile with both voice and eyes for the life of the man she thought loved her.
Again Number Thirteen translated the intent without understanding the words, and releasing von Horn permitted him to rise. With a bound he was upon his feet and at the same instant brought his other gun from his side and levelled it upon the man who had released him; but as his finger tightened83 upon the trigger Virginia Maxon sprang between them and grasping von Horn's wrist deflected84 the muzzle85 of the gun just as the cartridge86 exploded. Simultaneously87 Professor Maxon sprang from his grasp and hurled him back with the superhuman strength of a maniac88.
"Fool!" he cried. "What would you do? Kill—," and then of a sudden he realized his daughter's presence and the necessity for keeping the origin of the young giant from her knowledge.
"I am surprised at you, Dr. von Horn," he continued in a more level voice. "You must indeed have forgotten yourself to thus attack a stranger upon our island until you know whether he be friend or foe30. Come! Escort my daughter to the camp, while I make the proper apologies to this gentleman." As he saw that both Virginia and von Horn hesitated, he repeated his command in a peremptory89 tone, adding; "Quick, now; do as I bid you."
The moment had given von Horn an opportunity to regain52 his self-control, and realizing as well as did his employer, but from another motive, the necessity of keeping the truth from the girl, he took her arm and led her gently from the scene. At Professor Maxon's direction Sing accompanied them.
Now in Number Thirteen's brief career he had known no other authority than Professor Maxon's, and so it was that when his master laid a hand upon his wrist he remained beside him while another walked away with the lovely creature he had thought his very own.
Until after dark the professor kept the young man hidden in the jungle, and then, safe from detection, led him back to the laboratory.
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1
rudiments
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| n.基础知识，入门 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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dome
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| n.圆屋顶，拱顶 | |
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8
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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9
incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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10
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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13
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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14
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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15
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
discordant
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| adj.不调和的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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19
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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20
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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21
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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23
pajamas
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| n.睡衣裤 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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25
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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26
filch
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| v.偷窃 | |
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succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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28
deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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futilely
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| futile（无用的）的变形； 干 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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relentlessly
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| adv.不屈不挠地；残酷地；不间断 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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42
inert
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| adj.无活动能力的，惰性的；迟钝的 | |
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43
brawn
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| n.体力 | |
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44
irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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45
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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46
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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47
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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48
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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49
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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51
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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52
regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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53
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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54
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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55
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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56
obtruded
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| v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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58
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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59
erratic
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| adj.古怪的，反复无常的，不稳定的 | |
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60
veer
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| vt.转向，顺时针转，改变；n.转向 | |
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61
tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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62
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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64
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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65
tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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66
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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67
obsession
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| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
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68
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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69
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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71
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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intentionally
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| ad.故意地，有意地 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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deflected
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| 偏离的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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peremptory
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| adj.紧急的，专横的，断然的 | |
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