"You will ruin the subject,"

but the man only backed away, dragging the corpse along the floor after him. It

was then that the attendants came and with their help we subdued and bound the

poor creature. Then Ras Thavas had the attendants bring the body of the ape and

he told them to remain, as we might need them.

The subject was a large specimen of the Barsoomian white ape, one of the most

savage and fearsome denizens of the Red Planet, and because of the creature's

great strength and ferocity Ras Thavas took the precaution to see that it was

securely bound before resurgence.

It was a colossal creature about ten or fifteen feet tall, standing erect, and

had an intermediary set of arms or legs midway between its upper and lower

limbs. The eyes were close together and nonprotruding; the ears were high set,

while its snout and teeth were strikingly like those of our African gorilla.

With returning consciousness the creature eyed us questioningly. Several times

it seemed to essay to speak but only inarticulate sounds issued from its throat.

Then it lay still for a period.

Ras Thavas spoke to it. "If you understand my words, nod your head." The

creature nodded.

"Would you like to be freed of your bonds?" asked the surgeon.

Again the creature nodded an affirmative.

"I fear that you will attempt to injure us, or escape," said Ras Thavas.

The ape was apparently trying very hard to articulate and at last there issued

from its lips a sound that could not be misunderstood. It was the single word

no.

"You will not harm us or try to escape?" Ras Thavas repeated his question.

"No," said the ape, and this time the word was clearly enunciated.

"We shall see," said Ras Thavas. "But remember that with our weapons we may

dispatch you quickly if you attack us."

The ape nodded, and then, very laboriously: "I will not harm you."

At a sign from Ras Thavas the attendants removed the bonds and the creature sat

up. It stretched its limbs and slid easily to the floor, where it stood erect

upon two feet, which was not surprising, since the white ape goes more often

upon two feet than six; a fact of which I was not cognizant at the time, but

which Ras Thavas explained to we later in commenting upon the fact that the

human subject had gone upon all fours, which, to Ras Thavas, indicated a

reversion to type in the fractional ape-brain transplanted to the human skull.

Ras Thavas examined the subject at considerable length and then resumed his

examination of the human subject which continued to evince more simian

characteristics than human, though it spoke more easily than the ape, because,

undoubtedly, of its more perfect vocal organs. It was only by exerting the

closest attention that the diction of the ape became understandable at all.

"There is nothing remarkable about these subjects," said Ras Thavas, after

devoting half a day to them. "They bear out what I had already determined years

ago in the transplanting of entire brains; that the act of transplanting

stimulates growth and activity of brain cells. You will note that in each

subject the transplanted portions of the brains are more active – they, in a

considerable measure, control. That is why we have the human subject displaying

distinctly simian characteristics, while the ape behaves in a more human manner;

though if longer and closer observation were desirable you would doubtless find

that each reverted at times to his own nature – that is the ape would be more

wholly an ape and the human more manlike – but it is not worth the time, of

which I have already given too much to a rather unprofitable forenoon. I shall

leave you now to restore the subjects to anaesthesia while I return to the

laboratories above. The attendants will remain here to assist you, if required."

The ape, who had been an interested listener, now stepped forward. "Oh, please,

I pray you," it mumbled, "do not again condemn me to these horrid shelves. I

recall the day that I was brought here securely bound, and though I have no

recollection of what has transpired since I can but guess from the appearance of

my own skin and that of these dusty corpses that I have lain here long. I beg

that you will permit me to live and either restore me to my fellows or allow me

to serve in some capacity in this establishment, of which I saw something

between the time of my capture and the day that I was carried into this

laboratory, bound and helpless, to one of your cold, ersite slabs."

Ras Thavas made a gesture of impatience. "Nonsense!" he cried. "You are better

off here, where you can be preserved in the interests of science."

"Accede to his request," I begged, "and I will myself take over all

responsibility for him while I profit by the study that he will afford me."

"Do as you are directed," snapped Ras Thavas as he quit the room.

I shrugged my shoulders. "There is nothing for it, then," I said.

"I might dispatch you all and escape," mused the ape, aloud, "but you would have

helped me. I could not kill one who would have befriended me – yet I shrink from

the thought of another death. How long have I lain here?"

I referred to the history of his case that had been brought and suspended at the

head of the table. "Twelve years," I told him.

"And yet, why not?" he demanded of himself. "This man would slay me – why should

I not slay him first."

"It would do you no good," I assured him, "for you could never escape. Instead

you would be really killed, dying a death from which Ras Thavas would probably

think it not worth while ever to recall you, while I, who might find the

opportunity at some later date and who have the inclination, would be dead at

your hands and thus incapable of saving you."

I had been speaking in a low voice, close to his ear, that the attendants might

not overhear me. The ape listened intently.

"You will do as you suggest?" he asked.

"At the first opportunity that presents itself," I assured him.

"Very well," he said, "I will submit, trusting to you."

A half hour later both subjects had been returned to their shelves.

THE COMPACT

DAYS ran into weeks, weeks into months, as day by day I labored at the side of

Ras Thavas, and more and more the old surgeon took me into his confidence, more

and more he imparted to me the secrets of his skill and his profession.

Gradually he permitted me to perform more and more important functions in the

actual practice of his vast laboratory. I started transferring limbs from one

subject to another, then internal organs of the digestive tract.