第33章猴爪(1)
TheMonkey'sPaw
。>
。Jacobs,1863—1943),英国小说家,生于伦敦,毕业于伯克拜克大学。他是一个多产的小说家,写过大量的讽刺小说和恐怖小说。其中最著名的恐怖小说是《猴爪》(1901),曾被多次改编为电影和剧本,斯蒂芬·金的小说《宠物公墓》深受其影响。
Without,thenightwasdwet,butinthesmallparlourofLaburnamVillatheblindsweredrawnandthefireburly。Fatherachess,theformer,whopossessedideasaboutthegameinvolvingradiges,puttinghiskingintosuchsharpandunnecessaryperilsthatitevefromthewhite-hairedoldladyknittingplacidlybythefire。
"Harkatthewind,"saidMr。White,who,havialmistakeafteritwastoolate,wasamiablydesirhissit。
"I'mlistening,"saidthelatter,grimlysurveyingtheboardashestretchedouthishand。"Check。"
"Ishouldhardlythinkthathe'deto-night,"saidhisfather,withhishaheboard。
"Mate,"repliedtheson。
"That'stheworstoflivingsofarout,"baithsuddenandunlooked-forviole;ofallthebeastly,slushy,out-of-the-lacestolivein,thisistheworst。Pathway'sabog,andtheroad'satorrent。Idon'tknolearethinkingabout。Isupposebelytwohousesontheroadarelet,theythinkitdoesn'tmatter。"
"Nevermi;saidhiswifesoothingly;"perhapsyou'llwio;
Mr。Whitelookedupsharply,justierowiweenmotherandson。Thewordsdiedawayonhislips,andhehidaguiltygrininhisthingreybeard。
"Thereheis,"saidHerbertWhite,asthegatebaoloudlyastepscametowardthedoor。
Theoldmahhospitablehaste,ahedoor,washeardgwiththenewarrival。Thenewarrivalalsodoledwithhimself,sothatMrs。Whitesaid,"Tut,tut!"alyasherhusbaheroom,followedbyatallburlyman,beadyofeyeandrubidofvisage。
&queant-MajorMorris,"hesaid,introdughim。
&-majorshookhands,andtakingtheprofferedseatbythefire,wattentedlywhilehishostgotoutwhiskyaoodasmallcopperkettleonthefire。
Atthethirdglasshiseyesghter,aalk,thelittlefamilycircleregardierestthisvisitorfromdistantparts,ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthedspesddoughtydeeds;oflaguesandstrangepeoples。
"Twe,"saidMr。White,noddingathiswifeandson。"ayheofayouthinthewarehouse。Nowlookathim。"
"Hedon'tlooktohavetakenmuchharm,"saidMrs。White,politely。
"I'dliketogotoI;saidtheoldman,"justtolookroundabit,youknow。"