猴爪 The Monkeys Paw（第3页）

“Isayitdid，”repliedtheother。“Therewasnothoughtaboutit；Ihadjust-Whatsthematter?”

Hisly。Shewaswatgthemysteriousmovementsofamanoutside，whinanundecidedfashionatthehouse，appearedttomakeuphismier。Ialwiththetwohundredpouicedthatthestrangerwaswelldressedandworeasilkhatofglossyhreetimeshepausedatthegate，andthenwalkedonagaiimehestoodwithhishanduponit，ahsuddeionfungitopenahepath。Mrs。Whiteatthesamemomentplacedherhandsbehindher，andhurriedlyuhestringsofherapron，putthatusefularticleofapparelbeheofherchair。

&thestranger，whoseemedillatease，intazedatherfurtively，andlistenedinapreoccupiedfashionastheoldladyapologizedfortheappearaheroom，andherhusbandscoat，agarmentwhichheusuallyreservedfardeedaspatientlyashersexwouldpermit，forhimtobroachhisbusihewasatfrststra。

“I-wasaskedtocall，”hesaidatlast，andstoopedandpickedapiehistrousers。“IawandMeggins。”

Theoldladystarted。“Isanythier?”sheaskedbreathlessly。“HasanythioHerbert?Whatisit?Whatisit?”

Herhusbahere，there，mother，”hesaidhastily。“Sitdown，anddon‘tjumptos。You’venhtbadnews，Imsure，sir。”aherwistfully。

“Imsaor。

“Ishehurt?”demaher。

&orbowedi。“Badlyhurt，”hesaidquietly，“butheisnotinanypain。”

“Oh，thankGod！”saidtheoldingherhands。“ThankGodforthat！Thank……”

Shebrokeoffsuddeermeaningoftheassuraneduponheraheawfulationofherfearsiedface。Shecaughtherbreath，andturningtoherslower-wittedhusband，laidhertremblingoldhanduponhis。Therewasalongsilence。

“Hewasthemaery，”saidthevisitth，inalowvoice。

“themaery，”repeatedMr。White，inadazedfashion，“yes。”

åblanklyoutatthewindow，andtakinghiswifeshaweenhisowashehadbeenwonttodointheirdaysyyearsbefore。

&heoous，”hesaid，turhevisitor。“Itishard。”

&hercoughed，andrising，walkedslowlytothewindow。“Thefirmwishedmetoveytheirsihywithyreatloss，”hesaid，withoutlookingrouyouwilluandIamonlytheirservantandmerelyobeyingorders。”

Therely；theoldwomae，hereyesstarihihehusband’sfacewasalooksuchashisfriemighthavetohisfrsta。

“IwastosaythatMawandMegginsdisclaimallresponsibility，”uedtheother。“Theyadmitnoliabilityatall，butiionofyoursoheywishtopresentyouwithasumaspensation。”

Mr。Whitedroppedhiswifeshand，andrisingtohisfeet，gazedwithalookofhorrorathisvisitor。Hisdrylipsshapedthewords，“Howmuch?”

“Twohundredpounds，”>

Unsciousofhiswifesshriek，theoldmaly，putouthishalessman，anddropped，asehefoor。

III

Inthehugeery，sometwomilesdistant，theoldpeopleburiedtheirdead，aoahousesteepedinshadowawasalloversoquicklythatatfrsttheycouldhardlyrealizeit，aateofexpeasthoughofsomethiohappehingelsewhichwastolightenthisload，tooheavyforoldheartstobear。

Butthedayspassed，aionation-thehnationoftheold，sometimesmiscalled，apathy。Sometimestheyhardlyexgedaword，forhingtotalkabout，andtheirdayswerelongtoweariness。

Itwasaboutaweekafterthatthattheoldman，wakihenight，stretchedouthishandandfoundhimselfaloheroomwasihesoundofsubduedweepihewindow。Heraisedhimselfinbedandlistened。

“eback，”hesaidtenderly。“Youwillbecold。”

“Itisyson，”saidtheoldtafresh。

Thesoundofhersobsdiedawayohebedwaswarm，andhiseyesheavywithsleep。Hedozedftfully，auntilasuddenwildhisithastart。

“Thepaw！”shecriedwildly。“Themonkeyspaw！”

&edupinalarm。“Where?Whereisit?Whatsthematter?”

&umblingacrosstheroomtowardhim。“Iwantit，”shesaidquietly。“Youveroyedit?”

“Itsintheparlour，o，”hereplied，marvelling。“Why?”

Shedlaughedtogether，andbendingover，kissedhischeek。

“Ionlyjustthoughtofit，”shesaidhysterically。“Whydidn‘tIthinkofitbefore?Whydidn’tyouthinkofit?”

“Thinkofwhat?”hequestioned。

&wowishes，”sherepliedrapidly。“Weveonlyhadone。”

“Wasnotthatenough?”hedemandedfercely。

“riumphantly，“wellhaveodowquidwishourboyaliveagain。”

&upinbedandfuhesfromhisquakinglimbs。“GoodGod，youaremad！”hecriedaghast。

&，”shepaquidwish-Oh，myboy，myboy！”