It was¹ nearly² midnight．In their warm living-room， the two old people and their son sat⁵ and talked about the soldier's stories．

'India⁶ is a wonderful country，' Mr White said．'What exciting stories！ It was a good evening．'

Mrs White stood⁸ up to take some things into the kitchen， but she stopped and listened to Herbert and his father．

'Yes，'Herbert said．' Morris told some interesting stories， but， of course， some of them weren't true． '

'Oh Herbert！'mrs White said．

'Well， Mother， that story about the monkey's paw¹¹ wasn't true． A dirty little monkey's paw isn't magic！ But it was a good story．' And Herbert smiled．

'Well，I think you're right， Herbert，' his mother said．

'I don't know，' Mr White said⁷ quietly．'Perhaps¹⁴ the story was true． Strange¹⁵ things can happen sometimes．'

Mrs White looked at her husband．'Did¹⁸ you give some money to Tom Morris for that paw？' she asked．'We don't have money to give away for nothing！' Mrs White was angry now．

'Well，yes，'her husband¹⁷ answered．'I did， but not much， and at first he didn't want to take it． He wanted the monkey's paw．'

'Well，he can't have it，'Herbert laughed．'It's our paw now and we're going¹⁹ to be rich and happy．Come on， Father．Make a wish！'

Old Mr White took²⁰ the paw from his pocket．'OK，Herbert， but what am I going to ask for？ I have everything—you， your mother． What do I need？'

'Money，of course，'Herbert answered quickly．'We need money！ You're always thinking²² about money． That's be cause²³ we haven't got²⁴ very much of it． With money you can pay²⁵ for this house ．It can be your house！ Go on， Father， wish for thirty thousand pounds！'

Herbert stopped talking and his old father thought²⁷ for a minute． The room was quiet and they could²⁸ hear the rain on the windows．

Then Mr White took the monkey's paw in his right hand． He was afraid， but he looked at his wife²⁹ and she smiled at him．

'Go on，' she said．

Slowly³⁰ and carefully³¹ Mr White said，'I wish for thirty thousand pounds．'

Suddenly³² he gave³³ a cry and Mrs White and Herbert ran¹⁶ to him．

'What's the matter， Father？' Herbert asked．

'It moved！' Mr White cried．'The monkey's paw—it moved！'

They looked at the paw． It was now on the floor and not in the old man's hand． The family watched it， and they wait ed—but it did not move again．

So the little family sat down again and they waited． Nothing happened The noise of the rain on the windows was worse³⁴ now and their little living－room did not feel nice and warm．

Mrs White said，'It's cold Let's go to bed．'

Mr White did not answer and in the end Herbert said， 'Well，there's no money，Father． Your friend's story wasn't true．'But Mr White did not answer． He sat quietly¹³ and said nothing．

After some time Mrs White said to her husband，'Are you OK ？'

'Yes，yes，' the old man answered，'but for a minute or two I was afraid．'

'Well， we needed that money，' Mrs White said，'but we aren't going to get it． I'm tired． I'm going to bed．'

After Mrs White went to bed， the two men sat and smoked for some time．

Then Herbert said，'Well，Father，I'm going to bed too． Perhaps the money is in a bag under your bed！Good night， Father．'And Herbert laughed and went out of the room．

Old Mr White sat in the cold living－room for a long time． The candle died³⁵ and it was dark³⁶ Suddenly， the old man saw³⁷ a face at the window． Quickly， he looked again， but there was nothing there． He felt afraid． Slowly he stood up and left the cold， dark room．

3

已经快半夜了。在他们温暖的客厅里，两位老人和他们的儿子在谈论着老兵的故事。

“印度是一个神奇的国家，”怀特先生说，“多么激动人心的故事！多么美好的夜晚。”

怀特太太站起来要拿东西进厨房，但她却停下来听赫伯特和他父亲谈话。

“是的，”赫伯特说，“莫里斯讲了一些有趣的故事，但是，有些东西不一定是真实的。”

“哦，赫伯特！”怀特太太说。

“是的，母亲，有关猴爪的故事不是真的。一只脏的猴爪哪会有魔力！但这个故事很好。”赫伯特笑着说。

“我想你是对的，赫伯特。”他母亲说。

“我不知道，”怀特先生平静地说，“也许这个故事是真的。怪事有时也会发生。”

怀特太太看着她的丈夫。“你从莫里斯那儿拿来猴爪给他钱了吗？”她问。“我们没有多余的钱去为无价值的东西付出！”怀特太太现在发怒了。

“是的，”她丈夫回答说，“我付钱了，但不多。开始他不想要钱，他要他的猴爪。”

“好啦，莫里斯不再拥有猴爪了，”赫伯特笑了起来。“猴爪现在属于我们，我们将变得富有幸福。来吧，父亲。许个愿！”

老怀特先生从口袋里拿出猴爪。“好吧，赫伯特，但我还要什么呢？我拥有一切——你，你母亲。我需要什么呢？”

“当然是钱，”赫伯特迅速回答，“我们需要钱！你总是为钱而费尽心思，那是因为我们没有钱。有钱你能买房子。真正属于你的房子！来吧，父亲，许愿吧，愿咱们有30 000英镑。”

赫伯特停止了讲话，他的父亲思考了一会儿。房子里很安静，他们能够听到雨点打在大窗户上的声音。

接着怀特先生拿出猴爪放在右手。他很害怕，他看着妻子；他的妻子冲他微笑。

“说吧。”她说。

怀特先生缓慢而又小心地说，“我希望有 30 000英镑。”

突然，他发出一声尖叫，怀特太太和赫伯特向他跑过去。

“发生什么事了，父亲？”赫伯特问。

“它动起来了！”怀特先生喊道。“那猴爪——它动起来了！”

他们看着爪子。爪子现在不在老人手里而在地板上。这一家看着，等着，但猴爪已不再动了。

于是，这个小家庭又坐下来等。但什么也没有发生。雨声现在变得更急，他们的小客厅已感觉不到暖和。

怀特太太说，“天冷了，我们睡觉吧。”

怀特先生不答话，最后赫伯特说，“瞧，没有钱出现，父亲，你朋友讲的故事不是真的。”但怀特先生还是不答话，他静静地坐着一言不发。

一会儿过后，怀特太太问她丈夫，“你没事吧？”

“是的，是的，”老人回答道，“但有一两分钟我很害怕。”

“不错，我们需要钱，”怀特太太说，“但我们不会凭空拿到钱。我累了，我要睡觉。”

怀特太太上床睡觉之后，两个男人坐着吸了一会儿烟。

赫伯特说，“父亲，我也要睡觉了。也许钱就在你床下的一个袋子里，晚安，父亲。”赫伯特笑着走出了房间。

老怀特先生在寒冷的客厅里呆了很长时间。蜡烛灭了，天黑了。突然，老人看见窗户上有一张脸。很快，他又看了一眼，但那儿什么也没有。他很害怕，他慢慢地站起来，离开了寒冷、漆黑的房间。