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猴爪 the nkey aw（第1页）

W。雅各布斯

W。W。Jacobs

W。W。雅各布斯（W。W。Jacobs，1863—1943），英国小说家，生于伦敦，毕业于伯克拜克大学。他是一个多产的小说家，写过大量的讽刺小说和恐怖小说。其中最著名的恐怖小说是《猴爪》（1901），曾被多次改编为电影和剧本，斯蒂芬·金的小说《宠物公墓》深受其影响。

I

Without，thenightwascoldandwet，butinthesmallarlourofLaburnamVillatheblindsweredrawnandthefireburnedbrightly。Fatherandsonwereatchess，theformer，whoossessedideasaboutthegameinvolvingradicalchanges，uttinghiskingintosuchsharandunnecessaryerilsthatitevenrovokedcommentfromthewhite-hairedoldladyknittinglacidlybythefre。

“Harkatthewind，”saidMr。White，who，havingseenafatalmistakeafteritwastoolate，wasamiablydesirousofreventinghissonfromseeingit。

“Imlistening，”saidthelatter，grimlysurveyingtheboardashestretchedouthishand。“Check。”

“Ishouldhardlythinkthathedcometonight，”saidhisfather，withhishandoisedovertheboard。

“Mate，”reliedtheson。

“Thatstheworstoflivingsofarout，”bawledMr。White，withsuddenandunlooked-forviolence；“ofallthebeastly，slushy，out-of-the-waylacestolivein，thisistheworst。Pathway‘sabog，andtheroad’satorrent。Idon‘tknowwhateolearethinkingabout。Isuosebecauseonlytwohousesontheroadarelet，theythinkitdoesn’tmatter。”

“Nevermind，dear，”saidhiswifesoothingly；“erhasyoullwinthenextone。”

Mr。Whitelookedusharly，justintimetointercetaknowingglancebetweenmotherandson。Thewordsdiedawayonhislis，andhehidaguiltygrininhisthingreybeard。

“Thereheis，”saidHerbertWhite，asthegatebangedtoloudlyandheavyfootstescametowardthedoor。

Theoldmanrosewithhositablehaste，andoeningthedoor，washeardcondolingwiththenewarrival。Thenewarrivalalsocondoledwithhimself，sothatMrs。Whitesaid，“Tut，tut！”andcoughedgentlyasherhusbandenteredtheroom，followedbyatallburlyman，beadyofeyeandrubicundofvisage。

“Sergeant-MajorMorris，”hesaid，introducinghim。

Thesergeant-majorshookhands，andtakingtherofferedseatbythefire，watchedcontentedlywhilehishostgotoutwhiskyandtumblersandstoodasmallcoerkettleonthefre。

Atthethirdglasshiseyesgotbrighter，andhebegantotalk，thelittlefamilycircleregardingwitheagerinterestthisvisitorfromdistantarts，ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthechairandsokeofstrangescenesanddoughtydeeds；ofwarsandlaguesandstrangeeoles。

“Twenty-oneyearsofit，”saidMr。White，noddingathiswifeandson。“Whenhewentawayhewasasliofayouthinthewarehouse。Nowlookathim。”

“Hedontlooktohavetakenmuchharm，”saidMrs。White，olitely。

“IdliketogotoIndiamyself，”saidtheoldman，“justtolookroundabit，youknow。”

“Betterwhereyouare，”saidthesergeant-major，shakinghishead。Heutdowntheemtyglass，andsighingsoftly，shookitagain。

“Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemlesandfakirsandjugglers，”saidtheoldman。“Whatwasthatyoustartedtellingmetheotherdayaboutamonkeysaworsomething，Morris?”

“Nothing，”saidthesoldierhastily。“Leastways，nothingworthhearing。”

“Monkeysaw?”saidMrs。Whitecuriously。

“Well，itsjustabitofwhatyoumightcallmagic，erhas，”saidthesergeant-majoroff-handedly。

Histhreelistenersleanedforwardeagerly。Thevisitorabsentmindedlyuthisemtyglasstohislisandthensetitdownagain。Hishostflleditforhim。

“Tolookat，”saidthesergeant-major，fumblinginhisocket，“itsjustanordinarylittleaw，driedtoamummy。”

Hetooksomethingoutofhisocketandrofferedit。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。