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 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 ship—Sing knows.
“Then you tellee Mlaxon Thlirteen steal Linee. You lie then and you
knew you lie. You lie again when Thlirteen savee Linee flom Oulang
Outang—you say you savee Linee.
“Then you make bad talkee with Lajah Saffir at long-house. Sing hear
you all timee. You tly getee tleasure away from Dlyaks for your self.
Then—”
“Stop!” roared von Horn. “Stop! You lying yellow sneak, before I put a
bullet in you.”
“Both of you may stop now,” said Professor Maxon authoritatively.
“There have been charges made here that cannot go unnoticed. Can you
prove these things Sing?” he asked turning to the Chinaman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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