tooksomethingoutofhisocketandrofferedit。Mrs。Whitedrewbackwithagrimace,butherson,takingit,examineditcuriously。
"Andwhatistheresecialaboutit?
"inquiredMr。White,ashetookitfromhissonand,havingexaminedit,lacedituonthetable。
"Ithadasellutonitbyanoldfakir,
"saidthesergeant-major,
"averyholyman。Hewantedtoshowthatfateruledeoleslives,andthatthosewhointerferedwithitdidsototheirsorrow。Heutasellonitsothatthreesearatemencouldeachhavethreewishesfromit。
"
Hismannerwassoimressivethathishearerswereconsciousthattheirlightlaughterjarredsomewhat。
"Well,whydontyouhavethree,sir?
"saidHerbertWhitecleverly。
Thesoldierregardedhiminthewaythatmiddleageiswonttoregardresumtuousyouth。
"Ihave,
"hesaidquietly,andhisblotchyfacewhitened。
"Anddidyoureallyhavethethreewishesgranted?
"askedMrs。White。
"Idid,
"saidthesergeant-major,andhisglasstaedagainsthisstrongteeth。
"Andhasanybodyelsewished?
"inquiredtheoldlady。
"Thefirstmanhadhisthreewishes,yes,
"wastherely。
"Idontknowwhatthefirsttwowere,butthethirdwasfordeath。ThatshowIgottheaw。
"
Histonesweresogravethatahushfelluonthegrou。
"Ifyouvehadyourthreewishes,itsnogoodtoyounow,then,Morris,
"saidtheoldmanatlast。
"Whatdoyoukeeitfor?
"
Thesoldiershookhishead。
"Fancy,Isuose,
"hesaidslowly。
"Ifyoucouldhaveanotherthreewishes,
"saidtheoldman,eyeinghimkeenly,
"wouldyouhavethem?
"
"Idontknow,
"saidtheother。
"Idontknow。
"