猴爪

威廉·威馬克·雅克布斯（William Wymark Jacobs ），英國小說家，寫過大量的幽默小說和恐怖小說，其中最著名的是短篇恐怖小說《猴爪》，在歐美讀者中一直盛譽(yù)不衰，是英國驚悚小說中的典范之作，曾被多次改編為電影登上銀幕。

《猴爪》講述了懷特一家從懷特老先生的朋友莫里斯上校那里得到了從印度帶回來的一個(gè)帶有魔力的猴爪，據(jù)說這個(gè)猴爪可以幫人實(shí)現(xiàn)三個(gè)愿望，但也許會(huì)產(chǎn)生恐怖的后果，懷特老先生半信半疑地許下了第一個(gè)愿望，悲劇也由此拉開序幕……

“If the tale about the monkey paw is not more truthful than those he has been telling us，” said Herbert， as the door closed behind their guest， just in time for him to catch the last train， “we shan’t make much out of it.”

“Did you give him anything for it？” inquired Mrs. White， regarding her husband closely. “A 1）trifle，” said he， colouring slightly. “He didn’t want it， but I made him take it. And he pressed me again to throw it away.”

“Likely，” said Herbert， with pretend horror. “Why， we’re going to be rich， and famous， and happy. Wish to be an emperor， father， to begin with； then you can’t be 2）henpecked.”

He darted round the table， pursued by the 3）maligned Mrs. White armed with an 4）antimacassar.

Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it 5）dubiously. “I don’t know what to wish for，” he said slowly. “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.”

“If you only cleared the house， you’d be quite happy， wouldn’t you？” said Herbert， with his hand on his shoulder.“Well， wish for two hundred pounds， then； that’ll just do it.”

His father， smiling shamefacedly at his own 6）credulity， held up the 7）talisman， as his son， with a solemn face somewhat marred by a wink at his mother， sat down at the piano and struck a few impressive chords.

“I wish for two hundred pounds，” said the old man distinctly.

A fine crash from the piano greeted the words， interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.

“It moved，” he cried， with a glance of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor. “As I wished， it twisted in my hands like a snake.”

“Well， I don’t see the money，” said his son， as he picked it up and placed it on the table， “and I bet I never shall.”

“It must have been your fancy，” said his wife， regarding him anxiously.

He shook his head. “Never mind， though； there’s no harm done， but it gave me a shock all the same.”

They sat down by the fire again while the two men finished their pipes. Outside， the wind was higher than ever， and the old man started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs. A silence unusual and depressing settled upon all three， which lasted until the old couple rose to retire for the night.

“I expect you’ll find the cash tied up in a big bag in the middle of your bed，” said Herbert， as he bade them good-night， “and something horrible squatting up on top of the wardrobe watching you as you pocket your ill-gotten gains.”

He sat alone in the darkness， gazing at the dying fire， and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so 8）simian that he gazed at it in amazement. It got so vivid that， with a little uneasy laugh， he felt on the table for a glass containing a little water to throw over it. His hand grasped the monkey’s paw and， with a little shiver， he wiped his hand on his coat and went up to bed.

In the brightness of the wintry sun next morning as it streamed over the breakfast table Herbert laughed at his fears.

“I suppose all old soldiers are the same，” said Mrs. White. “The idea of our listening to such nonsense！ How could wishes be granted in these days？ And if they could， how could two hundred pounds hurt you， father？”

“Might drop on his head from the sky，” said the 9）frivolous Herbert.

“Morris said the things happened so naturally，” said his father，“that you might if you so wished attribute it to coincidence.”

“Well， don’t break into the money before I come back，”said Herbert， as he rose from the table.

“I’m afraid it’ll turn you into a mean， avaricious man， and we shall have to disown you.”

His mother laughed and， following him to the door， watched him down the road， and returning to the breakfast table， was very happy at the expense of her husband’s credulity.

“Herbert will have some more of his funny remarks， I expect， when he comes home，” she said， as they sat at dinner.

“I dare say，” said Mr. White， pouring himself out some beer； “but for all that， the thing moved in my hand； that I’ll swear to.”

“You thought it did，” said the old lady soothingly.

“I say it did，” replied the other. “There was no thought about it； I had just—What’s the matter？”

His wife made no reply. She was watching the mysterious movements of a man outside， who， peering in an undecided fashion at the house， appeared to be trying to make up his mind to enter. In mental connection with the two hundred pounds， she noticed that the stranger was well dressed and wore a silk hat of 10）glossy newness. Three times he paused at the gate， and then walked on again. The fourth time he stood with his hand upon it， and then with sudden resolution flung it open and walked up the path. Mrs. White at the same moment placed her hands behind her， and hurriedly unfastening the strings of her apron， put the useful article of 11）apparel beneath the cushion of her chair.

She brought the stranger， who seemed ill at ease， into the room. He gazed at her 12）furtively， and listened in a preoccupied fashion as the old lady apologized for the appearance of the room， and her husband’s coat， a garment which he usually reserved for the garden. She then waited patiently for him to 13）broach his business， but he was at first strangely silent.

“I—was asked to call，” he said at last， and stooped and picked a piece of cotton from his trousers. “I come from Maw and Meggins.”

The old lady started. “Is anything the matter？” she asked breathlessly. “Has anything happened to Herbert？ What is it？ What is it？”

Her husband 14）interposed. “There， there， mother，” he said hastily. “Sit down， and don’t jump to conclusions. You’ve not brought bad news， I’m sure， sir，” and he eyed the other 15）wistfully.

“I’m sorry—” began the visitor.

“Is he hurt？” demanded the mother.

The visitor bowed in assent. “Badly hurt，” he said quietly， “but he is not in any pain.”

“Oh， thank God！” said the old woman， clasping her hands. “Thank God for that！ Thank—”

She broke off suddenly as the 16）sinister meaning of the assurance dawned upon her and she saw the awful confirmation of her fears in the other’s averted face. She caught her breath， and turning to her slower-witted husband， laid her trembling old hand upon his. There was a long silence.

“He was caught in the machinery，” said the visitor 17）at length， in a low voice.

“Caught in the machinery，” repeated Mr. White， in a dazed fashion， “yes.”

He sat staring blankly out at the window， and taking his wife’s hand between his own.

“He was the only one left to us，” he said， turning gently to the visitor. “It is hard.”

The other coughed， and rising， walked slowly to the window. “The firm wished me to convey their sincere sympathy with you in your great loss，”he said， without looking round. “I beg that you will understand I am only their servant and merely obeying orders.”

“I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility，” continued the other. “They admit no 18）liability at all， but in consideration of your son’s services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation.”

Mr. White dropped his wife’s hand， and rising to his feet， gazed with a look of horror at the visitor. His dry lips shaped the words， “How much？”

“Two hundred pounds，” was the answer.

大門關(guān)上了，送走了他們的客人，他剛好趕得上最后一班火車。這時(shí)，赫伯特說道：“如果這個(gè)猴爪的故事不比他平時(shí)講的那些要可信的話，我們還是別太相信這玩意兒。”

“你花錢向他買下了這東西？”懷特太太問道，緊緊地盯著她的丈夫。“一點(diǎn)兒，”他說道，臉色微紅?！八緛聿幌肽玫?，但我讓他收下了。然后他又再次讓我把它扔掉?！?/p>

“可能是真的，”赫伯特邊說邊裝出一副恐懼的樣子?！鞍パ剑覀儗?huì)名利雙收，過上幸福的生活。爸爸，先許愿做一個(gè)皇帝，這樣你就不用怕老婆了。”

惱羞成怒的懷特太太拿著一張椅套追著他打，他繞著桌子?xùn)|閃西躲。

懷特先生從口袋里掏出猴爪，半信半疑地盯著看。“我不知道要許什么愿，”他慢慢說道?！拔宜坪跻呀?jīng)擁有了想要的一切。”

“如果你還清了房貸，你會(huì)很開心的，不是嗎？”赫伯特邊說邊把一只手放在他的肩膀上。“嗯，許愿要兩百英鎊，這樣就夠了?！?/p>

他父親為自己的輕信而露出羞愧的笑容，舉起了那個(gè)有魔力的猴爪。