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猴爪 the nkey aw（第2页）

“Thefrstmanhadhisthreewishes，yes，”wastherely。“Idon‘tknowwhatthefrsttwowere，butthethirdwasfordeath。That’showIgottheaw。”

Histonesweresogravethatahushfelluonthegrou。

“Ifyou‘vehadyourthreewishes，it’snogoodtoyounow，then，Morris，”saidtheoldmanatlast。“Whatdoyoukeeitfor?”

Thesoldiershookhishead。“Fancy，Isuose，”hesaidslowly。

“Ifyoucouldhaveanotherthreewishes，”saidtheoldman，eyeinghimkeenly，“wouldyouhavethem?”

“Idontknow，”saidtheother。“Idontknow。”

Hetooktheaw，anddanglingitbetweenhisfrontfingerandthumb，suddenlythrewituonthefire。White，withaslightcry，stooeddownandsnatcheditoff。

“Betterletitburn，”saidthesoldiersolemnly。

“Ifyoudontwantit，Morris，”saidtheoldman，“giveittome。”

“Iwont，”saidhisfrienddoggedly。“Ithrewitonthefre。Ifyoukeeit，dontblamemeforwhathaens。Pitchitonthefreagain，likeasensibleman。”

Theothershookhisheadandexaminedhisnewossessionclosely。“Howdoyoudoit?”heinquired。

“Holdituinyourrighthandandwishaloud，”saidthesergeant-major，“butIwarnyouoftheconsequences。”

“SoundsliketheArabianNights，”saidMrs。White，assheroseandbegantosetthesuer。“Dontyouthinkyoumightwishforfourairsofhandsforme?”

Herhusbanddrewthetalismanfromhisocketandthenallthreeburstintolaughterasthesergeant-major，withalookofalarmonhisface，caughthimbythearm。

“Ifyoumustwish，”hesaidgruffly，“wishforsomethingsensible。”

Mr。Whitedroeditbackintohisocket，andlacingchairs，motionedhisfriendtothetable。Inthebusinessofsuerthetalismanwasartlyforgotten，andafterwardthethreesatlisteninginanenthralledfashiontoasecondinstalmentofthesoldiersadventuresinIndia。

“Ifthetaleaboutthemonkeyawisnotmoretruthfulthanthosehehasbeentellingus，”saidHerbert，asthedoorclosedbehindtheirguest，justintimeforhimtocatchthelasttrain，“weshantmakemuchoutofit。”

“Didyougivehimanythingforit，father?”inquiredMrs。White，regardingherhusbandclosely。

“Atrife，”saidhe，colouringslightly。“Hedidntwantit，butImadehimtakeit。Andheressedmeagaintothrowitaway。”

“Likely，”saidHerbert，withretendedhorror。“Why，we‘regoingtoberich，andfamous，andhay。Wishtobeanemeror，father，tobeginwith；thenyoucan’tbehenecked。”

Hedartedroundthetable，ursuedbythemalignedMrs。Whitearmedwithanantimacassar。

Mr。Whitetooktheawfromhisocketandeyeditdubiously。“Idon‘tknowwhattowishfor，andthat’safact，”hesaidslowly。“ItseemstomeIvegotallIwant。”

“Ifyouonlyclearedthehouse，you‘dbequitehay，wouldn’tyou?”saidHerbert，withhishandonhisshoulder。“Well，wishfortwohundredounds，then；thatlljustdoit。”

Hisfather，smilingshamefacedlyathisowncredulity，helduthetalisman，ashisson，withasolemnfacesomewhatmarredbyawinkathismother，satdownattheianoandstruckafewimressivechords。

“Iwishfortwohundredounds，”saidtheoldmandistinctly。

Afnecrashfromtheianogreetedthewords，interrutedbyashudderingcryfromtheoldman。Hiswifeandsonrantowardhim。

“Itmoved，”hecried，withaglanceofdisgustattheobjectasitlayonthefoor。“AsIwishedittwistedinmyhandslikeasnake。”

“Well，Idontseethemoney，”saidhisson，asheickedituandlaceditonthetable，“andIbetInevershall。”

“Itmusthavebeenourfancy，father，”saidhiswife，regardinghimanxiously。

Heshookhishead。“Nevermind，though；theresnoharmdone，butitgavemeashockallthesame。”

Theysatdownbythefreagainwhilethetwomenfnishedtheiries。Outside，thewindwashigherthanever，andtheoldmanstartednervouslyatthesoundofadoorbangingustairs。Asilenceunusualandderessingsettleduonallthree，whichlasteduntiltheoldcoulerosetoretireforthenight。

“Iexectyoullfndthecashtieduinabigbaginthemiddleofyourbed，”saidHerbert，ashebadethemgoodnight，“andsomethinghorriblesquattinguontoofthewardrobewatchingyouasyouocketyourill-gottengains。”

Hesataloneinthedarkness，gazingatthedyingfre，andseeingfacesinit。Thelastfacewassohorribleandsosimianthathegazedatitinamazement。Itgotsovividthat，withalittleuneasylaugh，hefeltonthetableforaglasscontainingalittlewatertothrowoverit。Hishandgrasedthemonkeysaw，andwithalittleshiverhewiedhishandonhiscoatandwentutobed。

II

InthebrightnessofthewintrysunnextmorningasitstreamedoverthebreakfasttableHerbertlaughedathisfears。Therewasanairofrosaicwholesomenessabouttheroomwhichithadlackedonthereviousnight，andthedirty，shrivelledlittleawwasitchedonthesideboardwithacarelessnesswhichbetokenednogreatbeliefinitsvirtues。

“Isuosealloldsoldiersarethesame，”saidMrsWhite。“Theideaofourlisteningtosuchnonsense！Howcouldwishesbegrantedinthesedays?Andiftheycould，howcouldtwohundredoundshurtyou，father?”