牛津書蟲系列 猴爪 Chapter 2

　　Chapter 2

　　After some time Tom Morris stopped talking and Mr White said to his wife and son，'Tom was a soldier in India for twenty-one years. India is a wonderful country.'

　　'Yes，'Herbert said.'I'd like to go there.'

　　'Oh， Herbert!' his mother cried. She was afraid because she did not want to loseher son.

　　'I wanted to go to India too，'her husband said， 'but…'

　　'It's better for you here!' the soldier said quickly.

　　'But you saw a lot of strange and wonderful things in India .I want to see them too one day，' Mr White said.

　　The soldier put down his whisky.'No!' he cried.'Stay here !'

　　Old Mr White did not stop.'But your stories were interesting， 'he said to Tom Morris.'What did you begin to say about a monkey's paw?'

　　'Nothing!' Morris answered quickly.'Well…nothing important.'

　　'A monkey's paw?' Mrs White said.

　　'Come on， Mr Morris! Tell us about it，' Herbert said.

　　Morris took his whisky in his hand， but suddenly he put it down again.Slowly he put his hand into the pocket of his coat and the White family watched him.

　　'What is it? What is it?' Mrs White cried.

　　Morris said nothing. He took his hand out of his pocket.The White family watchedcarefully—and in the soldier's hand they saw something little and dirty.

　　Mrs White moved back， afraid， but her son，Herbert，took it and looked at it carefully.

　　'Well，what is it?'Mr White asked his friend.

　　'Look at it，' the soldier answered.'It's a little paw…a monkey's paw.'

　　'A monkey's paw!'Herbert said—and he laughed.'Why do you carry a monkey's paw in your pocket，Mr Morris?' he asked the old soldier.

　　'Well，you see，' Morris said，'this monkey's paw is magic!'

　　Herbert laughed again， but the soldier said，'Don't laugh，boy.Remember， you're young.I'm old now and in India I saw many strange things.' He stopped talking for a minute and then he said，'This monkey's paw can do strange and wonderful things. An old Indian gave the paw to one of my friends. My friend was a soldier too. This paw is magic because it can give three wishes to three people.'

　　'Wonderful!'Herbert said.

　　'But these three wishes don't bring happiness，'the soldier said.'The old Indian wanted to teach us something—it's never good to want to change things.'

　　'Well， did your friend have three wishes?' Herbert asked the old soldier.

　　'Yes，'Morris answered quietly.'And his third and last wish was to die!'

　　Mr and Mrs White listened to the story and they felt afraid， but Herbert asked，'And did he die?'

　　'Yes， he did，' Morris said.' He had no family， so his things came to me when he died. The monkey's paw was with his things， but he told me about it before he died，' Tom Morris finished quietly.

　　'What were his first two wishes， then?' Herbert asked. 'What did he ask for?'

　　'I don't know. He didn't want to tell me，' the soldier answered.

　　For a minute or two everybody was quiet， but then Herbert said，' And you， Mr Morris ：did you have three wishes?'

　　'Yes， I did，' Morris answered.'I was young. I wanted many things—a fast car， money… 'Morris stopped for a minute and then he said with difficulty，'My wife and my young son died in an accident in the car. Without them I didn't want the money， so， in the end， I wished to lose it. But it was too late.My wife and my child were dead.'

　　The room was very quiet. The White family looked at the unhappy face of the old soldier.

　　Then Mr White said，'Why do you want the paw now?You don't need it. You can give it tosomeone.'

　　'How can I give it to someone?'the soldier said.'The monkey's paw bringsunhappiness with it.'

　　'Well， give it to me，' Mr White said.'Perhaps this time it…'

　　'No!' Tom Morris cried.'You're my friend. I can't give it to you.'then，after a minute，he said，'I can't give it to you，but，of course you can take it from me.But remember—this monkey's paw brings unhappiness!'

　　Old Mr White did not listen and he did not think.Quickly， he put out his hand， and he took the paw.

　　Tom Morris looked unhappy，but Mr White did not want to wait.

　　'What do I do now?' he asked his friend.

　　'Yes， come on， Father， Herbert said.'Make a wish!' And he laughed.

　　The soldier said nothing and Mr White asked him again，'What do I do now?'

　　At first the old soldier did not answer， but in the end he said quietly，'OK. But remember! Be careful! Think before you make your wish，'

　　'Yes， yes，' Mr White said.

　　'Take the paw in your right hand and then make your wish， but…'tom Morris began.

　　'Yes， we know，' Herbert said.'Be careful!'

　　Just then old Mrs White stood up and she began to get the dinner. Her husband looked at her.Then he smiled and said to her，'Come on.Help me !What can I wish for? We need money，of course.'

　　Mrs White laughed， but she thought for a minute and then she said，'Well， I'm getting old now and sometimes it's difficult to do everything.Perhaps I need four hands and not two. Yes， ask the paw to give me two more hands.'

　　'OK， then，' her husband said， and he took the monkey's paw in his right hand.Everybody watched him and for a minute he waited. Then he opened his mouth to make his wish.

　　Suddenly Tom Morris stood up.'Don't do it!'he cried.

　　The old soldier's face was white. Herbert and his mother laughed， but Mr White looked at Tom's face.

　　Old Mr White was afraid and he put the monkey's paw into his pocket.

　　After a minute or two they sat down at the table and began to have dinner. The soldier told the family many strange and wonderful stories about India.They forgot the monkey's paw， and because the soldier's stories were interesting，they asked him many questions about India. When Tom Morris stood up to leave， it was very late.

　　'Thank you for a very nice evening，' Morris said to the family.'And thank you for a very good dinner， 'he said to Mrs White.

　　'It was a wonderful evening for us， Tom，' Old Mr White answered.'Your stories were very interesting. Our life isn't very exciting and we don't have the money to visit India， so please come again soon. You can tell us some more stories about India.'

　　Then the old soldier put on his coat.He said goodbye to the White family， and went out into the rain.

　　2

　　不知過了多長時間，湯姆·莫里斯停止了交談。懷特先生告訴他太太和兒子，“湯姆到印度服兵役有21年了。印度是一個非常有趣的國家。”

　　“是的，”赫伯特說，“我喜歡去那兒。”

　　“不，赫伯特!”他母親驚叫起來。她非常害怕，因?yàn)樗幌胧鹤印?/p>

　　“我也想去印度，”她的丈夫說，“不過……”

　　“對你來說，這兒很不錯!”老兵很快地說。

　　“你在印度看到了那么多奇怪又有趣的東西，我想有一天也能去看看。”懷特先生說。

　　老兵放下威士忌。“不!”他嚷道，“別說了!”

　　老懷特先生并沒有停下，“你的故事很有趣，”他對湯姆·莫里斯說，“關(guān)于猴爪的事你想告訴我們什么?”

　　“沒什么!”莫里斯很快地回答，”真的，無關(guān)緊要。”

　　“猴爪?”懷特太太驚問。

　　“繼續(xù)給我們講講吧，莫里斯先生。”赫伯特說。

　　莫里斯用手拿起他的威士忌，但突然又把它放下，然后慢慢地把手伸進(jìn)他的外套口袋。懷特一家看著他。

　　“那是什么東西?那是什么東西?”懷特太太叫道。

　　莫里斯什么也沒說，他把手拿出口袋。懷特一家仔細(xì)地看著——在老兵手里他們看到了一個又小又臟的東西。

　　懷特太太害怕地縮了回來，但她的兒子赫伯特卻把那東西拿過來仔細(xì)地看。

　　“喂，那是什么?”懷特先生問他的朋友。

　　“看看吧，”老兵答道，“它是一只小爪子啊……一只猴子的爪子。”

　　“猴子的爪子!”赫伯特說著大笑起來。“為什么你在口袋里帶著猴爪，莫里斯先生?”他問老兵。

　　“你要明白，這個猴爪是有魔力的!”莫里斯說。

　　赫伯特又笑了，但老兵認(rèn)真地說，“孩子，別笑了，記住，你還年輕，可我現(xiàn)在老啦，我曾在印度見到了很多奇怪的事情。”他停了一會兒，接著說，“這個猴爪能做奇怪而又奇妙的事情，一個印度老人把這個猴爪給了我的一位朋友，我的朋友也是一個當(dāng)兵的。這猴爪有魔力是因?yàn)樗軡M足三個人每人提出的三個愿望。”

　　“太妙了!”赫伯特說。

　　“但這三個愿望并不能帶來幸福。”老兵提醒說，“印度老人想告訴我們——想改變現(xiàn)實(shí)并不一定是好事。”

　　“那么，你的朋友也有三個愿望嗎?”赫伯特問老兵。

　　“是的，”莫里斯靜靜地回答，“并且他的第三個也是最后一個愿望就是去死!”

　　懷特先生和懷特太太聽了這個故事感到有些害怕，赫伯特問，“他死了嗎?”

　　“是的，他死了，”莫里斯說，“他沒有家，所以他死的時候把他的東西全給了我，猴爪是這些東西的附帶品，不過他死之前就告訴過我有關(guān)猴爪的故事。”湯姆·莫里斯靜靜地說。

　　“那么，他的頭兩個愿望是什么?”赫伯特追問，“他要求什么?”

　　“我不知道，他不想告訴我。”老兵回答說。

　　一兩分鐘里大家都沉默著，然而赫伯特又問，“莫里斯先生，你有三個愿望嗎?”

　　“是的，我有過，”莫里斯問答說，“我年輕時，我想要很多東西——一輛跑車，還有錢……”莫里斯頓了一會兒，然后很艱難地說，“我的妻子和我年輕的兒子在一次事故中喪生，沒有了他們我不再想要錢，以至到最后，我希望一無所有，但為時已晚，我的妻子和孩子并不能死而復(fù)生。”

　　房子里很靜，懷特一家看著老兵苦楚的臉。

　　接著，懷特先生問，“為什么你現(xiàn)在還要這個爪子呢?你不需要它，你可以把它送給別人。”

　　“我怎么能送給別人呢?”老兵說，“猴爪會給擁有它的人帶來痛苦。”

　　“那么，給我吧，”懷特先生說，“也許這次它……”

　　“不!”湯姆·莫里斯叫道，“你是我的朋友，我不能把它給你。”過了一會兒，他說，“我不能把它給你，但你可以從我身邊把它拿走，不過要記住——猴爪會給你帶來痛苦!”

　　老懷特沒有聽進(jìn)去也沒有仔細(xì)想，很快地伸出手拿走了猴爪。

　　湯姆·莫里斯看起來不高興，但懷特先生等不及了。

　　“我現(xiàn)在能做什么?”他問他的朋友。

　　“對，這樣吧，父親，”赫伯特說，“許個愿吧!”赫伯特笑了。

　　老兵什么也不說，懷特先生又問他，“我現(xiàn)在能做些什么呢?”

　　開始，老兵什么也不回答，最后他靜靜地說，“好吧，但記住要小心，在你許愿之前要考慮好。”

　　“行，行。”懷特先生說。

　　“把猴爪拿在你右手，然后許愿，但是……”湯姆·莫里斯又開始了他那一套。

　　“行了，我們知道。”赫伯特說，“要小心!”

　　這時懷特太太站起來去做晚飯。她的丈夫看著她，并笑著對她說，“過來幫幫我，我能許一個什么愿呢?當(dāng)然，我們需要錢。”

　　懷特太太笑了起來，她想了一會兒說，“是的，我開始變老啦，有時做事情很吃力。可能我需要四只手而不是兩只手，那么好吧，讓猴爪多給我兩只手。”

　　“好吧，”她的丈夫說，他把猴爪放在右手。每個人都看著他，他等了一會兒然后張開嘴開始許愿。

　　突然，湯姆·莫里斯站起來。“不要這樣!”他喊道。

　　老兵的臉變白了。赫伯特和他的母親笑了起來，但懷特先生卻看著湯姆的臉。

　　老懷特先生害怕了，他把猴爪放進(jìn)了口袋。

　　一兩分鐘后，他們坐在桌旁開始吃晚飯。老兵告訴這一家許多有關(guān)印度的新奇的故事。他們暫時忘了猴爪，因?yàn)槔媳墓适潞苡腥ぃ麄儐柫嗽S多有關(guān)印度的問題。當(dāng)湯姆·莫里斯起來要走時，天色已經(jīng)很晚了。

　　“感謝有這么一個美好的夜晚，”莫里斯對這一家人道謝，“感謝有這樣一頓美好的晚餐，”他對懷特太太說。

　　“湯姆，對我們來說這也是一個美好的夜晚，”老懷特先生回答道，“你的故事很有趣。我們的生活很平淡，我們沒有錢去印度，所以請你盡快再來，你可以告訴我們更多關(guān)于印度的故事。”

　　接著老兵穿上衣服，和懷特一家道別后，他就消失在雨中。