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第33章 猴爪 1（第2页）

"Betterwhereyouare，"saidthesergeant-majhishead。Heputdowyglass，andsighingsoftly，shookitagain。

"Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemplesandfakirsa;saidtheoldman。"Whatwasthatyoustartedtelliherdayaboutamonkey'spaworsomething，Morris？"

"Nothing，"saidthesoldierhastily。"Leastways，nothingw。"

"Monkey'spaw？"saidMrs。Whitecuriously。

"Well，it'sjustabitofwhatyoumightcallmagic，perhaps，"saidthesergeant-majoroff-handedly。

Histhreelistenersleanedferly。Thevisitorabsehisemptyglasstohislipsadownagain。Hishostfilleditforhim。

"Tolookat，"saidthesergeant-major，fumblinginhispocket，"it'sjustanordinarylittlepaw，driedtoamummy。"

&ooksomethingoutofhispodprofferedit。Mrs。ithagrimace，butherson，takingit，examicuriously。

"Andwhatistherespecialaboutit？"inquiredMr。White，ashetookitfromhissonand，havi，placeditupoable。

"Ithadaspellputonitbyanoldfakir，"saidthesergeant-major，"averyholymaoshowthatfateruledpeople'slives，andthatthosewhoididsototheirsorrow。Heputaspellonitsothatthreeseparatemencouldeachhavethreewishesfromit。"

Hismannerressivethathishearersweresciousthattheirlightlaughterjarredsome>

"Well，whydon'tyouhavethree，sir？"saidHerbertWhitecleverly。

Thesardedhimimiddleageiswardpresumptuousyouth。"Ihave，"hesaidquietly，andhisblotchyfaed。

"Anddidyoureallyhavethethreewishesgra;askedMrs。White。

"Idid，"saidthesergeant-major，andhisglasstappedagainsthisstroh。

"Andhasanybodyelsewished？"iheoldlady。

"Thefirstmanhadhisthreewishes，yes，"ly。"Idon'tknowwhatthefirsttwowere，butthethirdwasfordeath。That'showIgotthepaw。"

Histravethatahushfelluponthegroup。

"Ifyou'vehadyourthreewishes，it'snogoodtoyounow，then，Morris，"saidtheoldmanatlast。"Whatdoyoukeepitfor？"

Thesoldiershookhishead。"Fancy，Isuppose，"hesaidslowly。