奇书网

第36章 猴爪 4（第2页）

Theoldmanturnedandregardedher，andhisvoiceshook。"Hehasbeeendays，andbesideshe—Iwouldnottellyouelse，but—Ilyrebyhisg。Ifhewastooterribleforyoutoseethen，hownow?"

&quhimback，"criedtheoldwoman，aowardthedoor。"DoyouthihechildIhave;

&downinthedarkness，ahiswaytotheparlour，ahemaalismanwasinitspladahorriblefearthattheunspokenwishmightbringhismutilatedsonbeforehimerehecouldestheroomseizeduponhim，ahisbreathashefouthedireofthedoor。Hisbroeat，hefelthiswayrouable，ahewalluntilhefouhesmallpassagewiththeuhinginhishand。

Evenhiswife'sfaceseemedgedasheewasedtohisfearsseemedtohaveanunnaturallookuponit。Hewasafraidofher。

"Wish!"sheastrongvoice。

"Itisfoolisha;hefaltered。

"Wish!"repeatedhiswife。

Heraisedhishand。"Iwishmysonaliveagain。"

&alismahefloor，afearfully。Theremblingintoachairastheoldwoman，withburningeyes，walkedtothewindowaheblind。

&ilhewaschilledwiththegoallyatthefigureoftheoldeeringthroughthewindow。Thed，whichhadburherimofthedlestick，wasthrowingpulsatingshadowsonthedwalls，until，withaflickerlargerthaexpired。Theoldman，eakablesehefailureofthetalismaohisbed，andamiwoafterwardtheoldwomalyaicallybesidehim。

&herspoke，butbothlaysilehetigoftheclock。Astaircreaked，andasqueakymouseshthewall。Thedarknessressive，andafterlyingforsometimesguphisce，thehusbandtooktheboxofmatdstrikiairsforadle。

Atthefootofthestairsthemattout，aostrikeathesamemomentaknock，soquietahyastobescarcelyaudible，souhefrontdoor。

&chesfellfromhishaoodmotionless，hisbreathsuspeheknockeated。Theurnedalyba，ahedoorbehindhim。Athirdknodedthroughthehouse。

"What'sthat?"criedtheold。

"Arat，"saidtheoldman，inshaki;arat。Itpassedmeoairs。"

Hisiening。Aloudkhroughthehouse。

"It'sHerbert!"shescreamed。"It'sHerbert!"

&hedoor，butherhusbandwasbeforeher，andgherbythearm，heldhertightly。

&quoingtodo?"hewhisperedhoarsely。

"It'smyboy;it'sHerbert!"shecried，strugglingmeically。"itwastwomilesaway。Whatareyouholdigo。Imustopenthedoor。"

&quod'ssake，don'tletitin，"criedthe。

"You'reafraidofyourownson，"shecried，struggling。"Letmego。I'mi;I'ming。"