Three days later，in the big，new cemetery¹ two miles from their house，the two old people said goodbye to their dead son．Then they went back to their dark，old house． They did not want to live without Herbert， but they waited for something good to happen， something to help them．The days went by very slowly． Sometimes they did not talk because there was nothing to say without Herbert． And so the days felt very long．

Then，one night，about a week later，Mrs White got out of bed because she could not sleep． She sat by the window and she watched and waited for her son． He did not come and she began to cry quietly．

In the dark her husband heard her and he called，'Come back to bed． It's cold out there．'

'It's colder for my son，'his wife answered．'He's out there in the cold cemetery．'

Mrs White did not go back to bed， but Mr White was old and tired and the bed was warm． So， in the end， he went to sleep again． Suddenly he heard a cry from his wife．

'The paw！' she cried．'The monkey's paw！' She came back to the bed and stood there．

'What is it ？ What's the matter？'Mr White cried．He sat up in bed．'What's the matter？ 'he thought．'Why is she ex cited？ What's she talking about？' He looked at his wife．

Her face was very white in the dark．'I want it，'she said quietly， 'and you've got it！ Give it to me！ Please！'

'What？' Mr White asked．

'The monkey's paw， Mrs White said．'Where is it？'

'It's downstairs， Mr White answered．'Why？'

Mrs White began to laugh and cry．'We can have two more wishes！ 'she cried． 'We had one—but there are two more！'

'Oh，no！Not again！ Think， woman！' Mr White cried． But Mrs White did not listen．

'Quickly，' she said ．'Go and get the paw． We're going to wish for our boy to come back to us！'

'No！' Mr White cried．'You're mad！'

'Get it！ Get it quickly！' Mrs White cried again．

Mr White said again，'Think， woman！ Think！ Our boy was in the machinery⁴ for a long time． They didn't want to show him to us！ Think！Do you want to see his body？'

'Yes！ He's my son． I'm not afraid of him！' she answered．

'You don't understand，' Mr White said sadly， but he went downstairs to look for the monkey's paw．

In the living-room⁶ it was dark and Mr White did not have a candle． Slowly， he went across the room and he put out his hand for the monkey's paw． He touched it， and quickly took his hand away again．

'No！' he thought．'I can't！I don't want to see Herbert！ His face—after he was in the machinery… no！'

Then he thought about his wife—and he put out his hand and took the paw．

In the bedroom his wife waited． She saw the paw² in Mr White's hand and cried，'Quick！ Make the wish！'

'I can't，'Mr White answered． 'Remember—he died in the machinery！'

'Make the wish！ I'm not afraid of my own son！'Mrs White cried again．

Mr White looked sadly⁵ at his wife， but he took the paw in his right hand and said slowly，'I wish for my son， Herbert， to come back to us．'then he sat down in the nearest chair．

But Mrs White went over to the window and looked out into the road． She stayed there for a long time and she did not move． Nothing happened． The monkey's paw could not do it！

'Thank God！'Mr White said，and he went back to bed．

Soon Mrs White went to bed too．

6

三天后，在离他们家两英里远的一个大而新的墓地，两位老人和他们死去的儿子道别了。然后，他们回到了又黑又旧的房子。没有了赫伯特，他们什么也不想做，他们等待着奇迹发生。时间过得很慢，有时他们连话也不想说，因为没有了赫伯特，就无话可说了。所以他们觉得白天很长。

一周后的一天晚上，怀特太太因失眠从床上爬了起来。她坐在窗户边看着，等着她的儿子回来。想到赫伯特也回不来了，她又低声地哭了起来。

黑暗中，她丈夫听见了她的哭声，叫她，“过来睡吧，那儿太冷了。”

“我儿子那儿更冷，”他妻子回应他，“他一个人呆在外面冰冷的墓地里。”

怀特太太没有回去睡觉，但怀特先生因又老又累，加上温暖的被窝，很快又睡着了。突然他听见了妻子的叫声。

“爪子！”她喊道，“猴爪！”她走到床边站在那儿。

“出了什么事？”怀特先生叫着从床上坐了起来，他想，“她为什么那么兴奋？她说什么？”他疑惑地看着妻子。

她的脸色在黑暗中显得很苍白。“我要猴爪，在你那儿，请把它给我，”她静静地说。

“什么？”怀特先生没听明白。

“猴爪，”怀特太太说，“猴爪在哪儿？”

“在楼下，但你为什么要它？”怀特先生不解。

怀特太太高兴地叫了起来。“我们可以再许两个愿！我们已经许了一个，还有两个！”

“不，再也不要了，好好想一想，老太太！”怀特先生大叫着，但怀特太太并不听他说的话。

“快点，去把猴爪拿来，我们许愿我们的儿子回到我们身边来！”她说。

“不，你疯啦。”怀特先生叫了起来。

“拿来，快拿来！”怀特太太又喊叫着。

怀特先生劝她，“好好想一想，老太太，我们的孩子在机器里呆了那么长时间，人家都不让我们看，你真的想看我们孩子的尸体？”

“是的，他是我儿子，我不害怕。”她回答说。

“你真不可理喻。”怀特先生悲哀地说。但他还是下楼去找猴爪。

客厅里很黑，怀特先生又没有蜡烛。他慢慢地穿过房间，伸手摸着找猴爪。他摸到了但又很快把手缩了回去。

“不，我不能，我不想看到赫伯特被机器轧烂的脸。”他想。

但他又想到了他可怜的妻子，还是把猴爪拿了起来。

卧室里，妻子在等他。一看到怀特先生手里的猴爪她就叫起来，“快，快许愿！”

“我不能，”怀特先生答道，“记住，他是死在机器里！”

“许愿吧！我不害怕我自己的儿子。”怀特太太叫道。

怀特先生悲伤地看了一眼他的妻子，把猴爪放在右手里慢慢地说，“我希望我的儿子赫伯特回到我们身边。”说完就在最近的椅子上坐了下来。

怀特太太走到窗户边上看着马路。她长时间地呆在那儿不走。但什么也没发生，猴爪并不起作用！

“感谢上帝！”怀特先生说着又睡觉去了。

不久，怀特太太也上了床。