博炮作文网

猴爪 the nkey aw（第4页）

Hestarteduinalarm。“Where?Whereisit?Whatsthematter?”

Shecamestumblingacrosstheroomtowardhim。“Iwantit，”shesaidquietly。“Youvenotdestroyedit?”

“Itsinthearlour，onthebracket，”herelied，marvelling。“Why?”

Shecriedandlaughedtogether，andbendingover，kissedhischeek。

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

“Thinkofwhat?”hequestioned。

“Theothertwowishes，”shereliedraidly。“Weveonlyhadone。”

“Wasnotthatenough?”hedemandedfercely。

“No，”shecried，triumhantly，“wellhaveonemore。Godownandgetitquickly，andwishourboyaliveagain。”

Themansatuinbedandfungthebedclothesfromhisquakinglimbs。“GoodGod，youaremad！”hecriedaghast。

“Getit，”sheanted，“getitquickly，andwish-Oh，myboy，myboy！”

Herhusbandstruckamatchandlitthecandle。“Getbacktobed，”hesaid，unsteadily。“Youdontknowwhatyouaresaying。”

“Wehadthefrstwishgranted，”saidtheoldwoman，feverishly，“whynotthesecond。”

“Acoincidence，”stammeredtheoldman。

“Goandgetitandwish，”criedtheoldwoman，quiveringwithexcitement。

Theoldmanturnedandregardedher，andhisvoiceshook。“Hehasbeendeadtendays，andbesideshe-Iwouldnottellyouelse，but-Icouldonlyrecognizehimbyhisclothing。Ifhewastooterribleforyoutoseethen，hownow?”

“Bringhimback，”criedtheoldwoman，anddraggedhimtowardthedoor。“DoyouthinkIfearthechildIhavenursed?”

Hewentdowninthedarkness，andfelthiswaytothearlour，andthentothemanteliece。Thetalismanwasinitslace，andahorriblefearthattheunsokenwishmightbringhismutilatedsonbeforehimerehecouldescaefromtheroomseizeduonhim，andhecaughthisbreathashefoundthathehadlostthedirectionofthedoor。Hisbrowcoldwithsweat，hefelthiswayroundthetable，andgroedalongthewalluntilhefoundhimselfinthesmallassagewiththeunwholesomethinginhishand。

Evenhiswifesfaceseemedchangedasheenteredtheroom。Itwaswhiteandexectant，andtohisfearsseemedtohaveanunnaturallookuonit。Hewasafraidofher。

“Wish！”shecried，inastrongvoice。

“Itisfoolishandwicked，”hefaltered。

“Wish！”reeatedhiswife。

Heraisedhishand。“Iwishmysonaliveagain。”

Thetalismanfelltothefoor，andheregardeditfearfully。Thenhesanktremblingintoachairastheoldwoman，withburningeyes，walkedtothewindowandraisedtheblind。

Hesatuntilhewaschilledwiththecold，glancingoccasionallyatthefigureoftheoldwomaneeringthroughthewindow。Thecandleend，whichhadburntbelowtherimofthechinacandlestick，wasthrowingulsatingshadowsontheceilingandwalls，until，withaflickerlargerthantherest，itexired。Theoldman，withanunseakablesenseofreliefatthefailureofthetalisman，cretbacktohisbed，andaminuteortwoafterwardtheoldwomancamesilentlyandaatheticallybesidehim。

Neithersoke，butbothlaysilentlylisteningtothetickingoftheclock。Astaircreaked，andasqueakymousescurriednoisilythroughthewall。Thedarknesswasoressive，andafterlyingforsometimescrewinguhiscourage，thehusbandtooktheboxofmatches，andstrikingone，wentdownstairsforacandle。

Atthefootofthestairsthematchwentout，andheausedtostrikeanother，andatthesamemomentaknock，soquietandstealthyastobescarcelyaudible，soundedonthefrontdoor。

Thematchesfellfromhishand。Hestoodmotionless，hisbreathsusendeduntiltheknockwasreeated。Thenheturnedandfledswiftlybacktohisroom，andclosedthedoorbehindhim。Athirdknocksoundedthroughthehouse。

“Whatsthat?”criedtheoldwoman，startingu。

“Arat，”saidtheoldman，inshakingtones-“arat。Itassedmeonthestairs。”

Hiswifesatuinbedlistening。Aloudknockresoundedthroughthehouse。

“ItsHerbert！”shescreamed。“ItsHerbert！”

Sherantothedoor，butherhusbandwasbeforeher，andcatchingherbythearm，heldhertightly。

“Whatareyougoingtodo?”hewhiseredhoarsely。

“It‘smyboy；it’sHerbert！”shecried，strugglingmechanically。“Iforgotitwastwomilesaway。Whatareyouholdingmefor?Letgo。Imustoenthedoor。”

“ForGod‘ssake，don’tletitin，”criedtheoldmantrembling。