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猴爪 the nkey aw（第3页）

“Mightdroonhisheadfromthesky，”saidthefrivolousHerbert。

“Morrissaidthethingshaenedsonaturally，”saidhisfather，“thatyoumightifyousowishedattributeittocoincidence。”

“Well，dontbreakintothemoneybeforeIcomeback，”saidHerbert，asherosefromthetable。“I‘mafraidit’llturnyouintoamean，avariciousman，andweshallhavetodisownyou。”

Hismotherlaughed，andfollowinghimtothedoor，watchedhimdowntheroad，andreturningtothebreakfasttable，wasveryhayattheexenseofherhusband‘scredulity。Allofwhichdidnotreventherfromscurryingtothedoorattheostman’sknock，norreventherfromreferringsomewhatshortlytoretiredsergeant-majorsofbibuloushabitswhenshefoundthattheostbroughtatailorsbill。

“Herbertwillhavesomemoreofhisfunnyremarks，Iexect，whenhecomeshome，”shesaid，astheysatatdinner。

“Idaresay，”saidMr。White，ouringhimselfoutsomebeer；“butforallthat，thethingmovedinmyhand；thatIllswearto。”

“Youthoughtitdid，”saidtheoldladysoothingly。

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

Hiswifemadenorely。Shewaswatchingthemysteriousmovementsofamanoutside，who，eeringinanundecidedfashionatthehouse，aearedtobetryingtomakeuhismindtoenter。Inmentalconnectionwiththetwohundredounds，shenoticedthatthestrangerwaswelldressedandworeasilkhatofglossynewness。Threetimesheausedatthegate，andthenwalkedonagain。Thefourthtimehestoodwithhishanduonit，andthenwithsuddenresolutionfungitoenandwalkedutheath。Mrs。Whiteatthesamemomentlacedherhandsbehindher，andhurriedlyunfasteningthestringsofheraron，utthatusefularticleofaarelbeneaththecushionofherchair。

Shebroughtthestranger，whoseemedillatease，intotheroom。Hegazedatherfurtively，andlistenedinareoccuiedfashionastheoldladyaologizedfortheaearanceoftheroom，andherhusbandscoat，agarmentwhichheusuallyreservedforthegarden。Shethenwaitedasatientlyashersexwouldermit，forhimtobroachhisbusiness，buthewasatfrststrangelysilent。

“I-wasaskedtocall，”hesaidatlast，andstooedandickedaieceofcottonfromhistrousers。“IcomefromMawandMeggins。”

Theoldladystarted。“Isanythingthematter?”sheaskedbreathlessly。“HasanythinghaenedtoHerbert?Whatisit?Whatisit?”

Herhusbandinterosed。“There，there，mother，”hesaidhastily。“Sitdown，anddon‘tjumtoconclusions。You’venotbroughtbadnews，Imsure，sir。”andheeyedtheotherwistfully。

“Imsorry……”beganthevisitor。

“Ishehurt?”demandedthemother。

Thevisitorbowedinassent。“Badlyhurt，”hesaidquietly，“butheisnotinanyain。”

“Oh，thankGod！”saidtheoldwoman，clasingherhands。“ThankGodforthat！Thank……”

Shebrokeoffsuddenlyasthesinistermeaningoftheassurancedawneduonherandshesawtheawfulconfrmationofherfearsintheothersavertedface。Shecaughtherbreath，andturningtoherslower-wittedhusband，laidhertremblingoldhanduonhis。Therewasalongsilence。

“Hewascaughtinthemachinery，”saidthevisitoratlength，inalowvoice。

“Caughtinthemachinery，”reeatedMr。White，inadazedfashion，“yes。”

Hesatstaringblanklyoutatthewindow，andtakinghiswifeshandbetweenhisown，resseditashehadbeenwonttodointheiroldcourtingdaysnearlyfortyyearsbefore。

“Hewastheonlyonelefttous，”hesaid，turninggentlytothevisitor。“Itishard。”

Theothercoughed，andrising，walkedslowlytothewindow。“Thefirmwishedmetoconveytheirsinceresymathywithyouinyourgreatloss，”hesaid，withoutlookinground。“IbegthatyouwillunderstandIamonlytheirservantandmerelyobeyingorders。”

Therewasnorely；theoldwoman‘sfacewaswhite，hereyesstaring，andherbreathinaudible；onthehusband’sfacewasalooksuchashisfriendthesergeantmighthavecarriedintohisfrstaction。

“IwastosaythatMawandMegginsdisclaimallresonsibility，”continuedtheother。“Theyadmitnoliabilityatall，butinconsiderationofyoursonsservicestheywishtoresentyouwithacertainsumascomensation。”

Mr。Whitedroedhiswifeshand，andrisingtohisfeet，gazedwithalookofhorrorathisvisitor。Hisdrylisshaedthewords，“Howmuch?”

“Twohundredounds，”wastheanswer。

Unconsciousofhiswifesshriek，theoldmansmiledfaintly，utouthishandslikeasightlessman，anddroed，asenselesshea，tothefoor。

III

Inthehugenewcemetery，sometwomilesdistant，theoldeoleburiedtheirdead，andcamebacktoahousesteeedinshadowandsilence。Itwasalloversoquicklythatatfrsttheycouldhardlyrealizeit，andremainedinastateofexectationasthoughofsomethingelsetohaen-somethingelsewhichwastolightenthisload，tooheavyforoldheartstobear。

Butthedaysassed，andexectationgavelacetoresignation-thehoelessresignationoftheold，sometimesmiscalled，aathy。Sometimestheyhardlyexchangedaword，fornowtheyhadnothingtotalkabout，andtheirdayswerelongtoweariness。

Itwasaboutaweekafterthatthattheoldman，wakingsuddenlyinthenight，stretchedouthishandandfoundhimselfalone。Theroomwasindarkness，andthesoundofsubduedweeingcamefromthewindow。Heraisedhimselfinbedandlistened。

“Comeback，”hesaidtenderly。“Youwillbecold。”

“Itiscolderformyson，”saidtheoldwoman，andwetafresh。

Thesoundofhersobsdiedawayonhisears。Thebedwaswarm，andhiseyesheavywithslee。Hedozedftfully，andthensletuntilasuddenwildcryfromhiswifeawokehimwithastart。

“Theaw！”shecriedwildly。“Themonkeysaw！”