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第14章 猴爪4（第1页）

第14章猴爪（4）

"Isupposealloldsoldiersarethesame，"saidMrsWhite。"Theideaofourlisteningtosuse!Howcouldwishesbegrahesedays?Andiftheycould，howcouldtwohundredpoundshurtyou，father?"

"Mightdropohesky，"saidthefrivolousHerbert。

"Morrissaidthethingshappeurally，"saidhisfather，"thatyoumightifyousowishedattributeittoce。"

"Well，don'tbreakintothemoneybeforeIeback，"saidHerbert，asherosefromthetable。"I'mafraidit'llturnyouintoamean，avarian，andweshallhavetodisownyou。"

Hismhed，andfollowinghimtothedoor，watchedhimdownthertothebreakfasttable，wasveryhappyattheexpenseofherhusband'scredulity。Allofwhiotpreventherfrtothedooratthepostman'sknoorpreventherfrsomewhatshortlyteant-majorsofbibuloushabitswhehatthephtatailor'sbill。

"Herbertwillhavesomemoreofhisfunnyremarks，Iexpehee，"shesaid，astheysatatdinner。

"Idaresay，"saidMr。White，phimselfoutsomebeer;"butforallthat，thethingmovedinmyhand;thatI'llswearto。"

"Youthoughtitdid，"saidtheoldladysoothingly。

"Isayitdid，"repliedtheother。"Therewasnothoughtaboutit;Ihadjust—What'sthematter?"

Hisly。Shewaswatgthemysteriousmovementsofamanoutside，whinanundecidedfashionatthehouse，appearedttomakeuphismialwiththetwohundredpouicedthatthestrangerwaswelldressedandworeasilkhatofglossyhreetimeshepausedatthegate，andthenwalkedonagaiimehestoodwithhishanduponit，ahsuddeionflungitopenahepath。Mrs。Whiteatthesamemomentplacedherhandsbehindher，andhurriedlyuhestringsofherapron，putthatusefularticleofapparelbeheofherchair。

&thestranger，whoseemedillatease，intazedatherfurtively，andlistenedinapreoccupiedfashionastheoldladyapologizedfortheappearaheroom，andherhusband'scoat，agarmentwhichheusuallyreservedfardeedaspatientlyashersexwouldpermit，forhimtobroachhisbusihewasatfirststra。

"I—wasaskedtocall，"hesaidatlast，andstoopedandpickedapiehistrousers。"IawandMeggins。"

Theoldladystarted。"Isanythier?"sheaskedbreathlessly。"HasanythioHerbert?Whatisit?Whatisit?"

Herhusbandihere，there，mother，"hesaidhastily。"Sitdown，anddon'tjumptos。You'venhtbadnews，I'msure，sir。"aherwistfully。

"I'msorry…"begaor。

"Ishehurt?"demaher。

&orbowedi;Badlyhurt，"hesaidquietly，"butheisnotinanypain。"

"Oh，thankGod!"saidtheoldingherhands。"ThankGodforthat!Thank…"

Shebrokeoffsuddeermeaningoftheassuraneduponheraheawfulationofherfearsiher'savertedface。Shecaughtherbreath，andturningtoherslower-wittedhusband，laidhertremblingoldhanduponhis。Therewasalongsilence。

"Hewasthemaery，"saidthevisitth，inalowvoice。

"themaery，"repeatedMr。White，inadazedfashio;

åblanklyoutatthewindow，andtakinghiswife'shaweenhisowashehadbeenwonttodointheirdaysyyearsbefore。

"Hewastheoous，"hesaid，turhevisitor。"Itishard。"

&hercoughed，andrising，walkedslowlytothewindow。"Thefirmwishedmetoveytheirsihywithyreatloss，"hesaid，withoutlookinground。"IbegthatyouwilluandIamonlytheirservantandmerelyobeyi;

Therely;theoldwoman'sfacewaswhite，hereyesstarihihehusband'sfacewasalooksuchashisfriemighthavetohisfirsta。

"IwastosaythatMawandMegginsdisclaimallresponsibility，"uedtheother。"Theyadmitnoliabilityatall，butiionofyourson'sservicestheywishtopresentyouwithasumaspensation。"

Mr。Whitedroppedhiswife'shand，andrisingtohisfeet，gazedwithalookofhorrorathisvisitor。Hisdrylipsshapedthewords，"Howmuch?"

"Twohundredpounds，">

Unsciousofhiswife'sshriek，theoldmaly，putouthishalessman，anddropped，asehefloor。

III

Inthehugeery，sometwomilesdistant，theoldpeopleburiedtheirdead，aoahousesteepedinshadowawasalloversoquicklythatatfirsttheycouldhardlyrealizeit，aateofexpeasthoughofsomethiohappehingelsewhichwastolightenthisload，tooheavyforoldheartstobear。

Butthedayspassed，aionation—thehnationoftheold，sometimesmiscalled，apathy。Sometimestheyhardlyexgedaword，forhingtotalkabout，andtheirdayswerelongtoweariness。

Itwasaboutaweekafterthatthattheoldman，wakihenight，stretchedouthishandandfoundhimselfaloheroomwasihesoundofsubduedweepihewindow。Heraisedhimselfinbedandlistened。

"eback，"hesaidte;Youwillbecold。"

"Itisyson，"saidtheoldtafresh。