It was¹ cold and dark² out in the road and the rain did³ not stop for a minute．But in the little living－room of number 12 Castle⁴ Road it was nice and warm．Old Mr White and his son， Herbert， played chess and Mrs White sat⁵ and watched them． The old woman was happy because her husband⁶ and her son were good friends and they liked to be together．'Herbert's a good son，' she thought．'We waited a long time for him and I was nearly⁸ forty when he was born， but we are a happy family．' And old Mrs White smiled．

It was true．Herbert was young and he laughed a lot， but his mother and his father laughed with him． They had¹¹ not got¹² much money， but they were a very happy little family．

The two men did not talk because they played carefully． The room was quiet， but the noise of the rain was worse¹⁴ now and they could¹⁵ hear it on the windows． Suddenly¹⁶ Old Mr White looked up．'Listen to the rain！' he said．

'Yes， it's a bad night，' Herbert answered．'It's not a good night to be out． But is your friend， Tom Morris，coming tonight？'

'Yes， that's right． He's coming at about seven o'clock，'the old man said．'But perhaps¹⁸ this rain…'

Mr White did not finish because just then the young man heard a noise．

'Listen！'Herbert said．'There's someone¹⁹ at the doornow．'

'I didn't hear a noise，' his father answered， but he got up from his chair and went to open the front door． Mrs White got up too and began to put things away．

Mr White said，'Come in， come in， Tom． It's wonderful to see you again． What a bad night！ Give me your coat and then come into the living－room． It's nice and warm in there．'

The front door was open， and in the living-room²⁰ Mrs White and Herbert felt the cold． Then Mr White came²¹ back into the living－room with a big，red-faced man．

'This is Tom Morris，' Mr White told his wife²² and son． 'We were friends when we were young． We worked together

before Tom went to India． Tom， this is my wife and this is our son， Herbert．'

'Pleased²⁴ to meet you，' Tom Morris said．

'Pleased to meet you， Mr Morris，' Mrs White answered．'Please come and sit down．'

'Yes， come on， Tom，' Mr White said．'Over here．It's nice and warm．'

'Thank you，'the big man answered and he sat down．

'Let's have some whisky，'Old Mr White said．'You need something to warm you on a cold night．' He got out a bottle of whisky²⁵ and the two old friends began to drink and talk． The little family listened with interest²⁶ to this visitor²⁷ from far away and he told them many strange²⁸ stories．

1

外面的马路上又冷又黑，雨一直下个不停。但城堡路12号的一间小客厅里却满暖和。老怀特先生和他的儿子赫伯特在下象棋，怀特太太坐在一旁看着他们。老妇人因她的丈夫和儿子是好朋友并乐于在一起而高兴。“赫伯特是一个好孩子，我们等了很长时间才要到的孩子，他出生的时俟我都快四十岁了，但我们的家庭很幸福。”老怀特太太想着、想着，脸上露出了笑容。

这是事实，赫伯特年轻又爱笑，他的母亲和父亲也总跟着乐。他们并没有很多钱，但他们有一个幸福的小家庭。

两个男人无言地下着棋。房间里很安静，但雨声现在更大了，他们能听到雨点打在窗上的声音。突然，老怀特先生抬起头说，“听听雨声！”

“是的，这是一个糟糕的夜晚，”赫伯特答道，“这样的夜晚不宜外出，但你的朋友汤姆•莫里斯今晚不是要来吗？”

“是的，你说得对。他将在7点钟左右到，但也许这雨……”老汉说。

怀特先生没有说下去，因为就在这时，年轻人听到了一种声音。

“听！”赫伯特说，“现在门外有人。”

他的父亲答道，“我没有听到声音。”但他还是从椅子上起来去开门，怀特太太也站起来开始收拾东西。

怀特先生说，“汤姆，快请进，快请进。又见到你真高兴。多么糟糕的夜晚！把外套给我，到客厅里去，那儿暖和。”

前门打开了，客厅里的怀特太太和赫伯特感觉到一阵寒气。怀特先生领着一位高大的红脸汉子回到了起居室。

“这是汤姆•莫里斯，”怀特先生告诉他的太太和儿子，“我们年轻的时候是好朋友，在汤姆去印度之前我们在一起工作过。汤姆，这是我太太，这是我儿子，赫伯特。”

“很高兴见到你们，”汤姆•莫里斯说。

“我们也很高兴见到你，莫里斯先生。”怀特太太答道，“请过来坐下吧。”

“对，过来，汤姆，到这儿来，这儿舒服暖和一点。”怀特先生说。

“谢谢你。”高大的汉子答应着坐下了。

“我们喝一点威士忌吧，”老怀特先生说，“这样寒冷的夜晚，你需要一点东西暖和暖和身子。”他拿出一瓶威士忌，两位老朋友边喝边谈。这个小家庭饶有兴趣地倾听着这位来自远方的造访者告诉他们许多离奇的故事。