猴爪
地道英文
作者：by William Wymark Jacobs
威廉·威馬克·雅克布斯（William Wymark Jacobs ），英國小說家，寫過大量的幽默小說和恐怖小說，其中最著名的是短篇恐怖小說《猴爪》，在歐美讀者中一直盛譽不衰，是英國驚悚小說中的典範之作，曾被多次改編為電影登上銀幕。
《猴爪》講述了懷特一家從懷特老先生的朋友莫裏斯上校那裏得到了從印度帶回來的一個帶有魔力的猴爪，據說這個猴爪可以幫人實現三個願望，但也許會產生恐怖的後果，懷特老先生半信半疑地許下了第一個願望，悲劇也由此拉開序幕……
“If the tale about the monkey paw is not more truthful than those he has been telling us，” said Herbert， as the door closed behind their guest， just in time for him to catch the last train， “we shan’t make much out of it.”
“Did you give him anything for it？” inquired Mrs. White， regarding her husband closely. “A 1）trifle，” said he， colouring slightly. “He didn’t want it， but I made him take it. And he pressed me again to throw it away.”
“Likely，” said Herbert， with pretend horror. “Why， we’re going to be rich， and famous， and happy. Wish to be an emperor， father， to begin with； then you can’t be 2）henpecked.”
He darted round the table， pursued by the 3）maligned Mrs. White armed with an 4）antimacassar.
Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it 5）dubiously. “I don’t know what to wish for，” he said slowly. “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.”
“If you only cleared the house， you’d be quite happy， wouldn’t you？” said Herbert， with his hand on his shoulder.“Well， wish for two hundred pounds， then； that’ll just do it.”
His father， smiling shamefacedly at his own 6）credulity， held up the 7）talisman， as his son， with a solemn face somewhat marred by a wink at his mother， sat down at the piano and struck a few impressive chords.
“I wish for two hundred pounds，” said the old man distinctly.
A fine crash from the piano greeted the words， interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.
“It moved，” he cried， with a glance of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor. “As I wished， it twisted in my hands like a snake.”
“Well， I don’t see the money，” said his son， as he picked it up and placed it on the table， “and I bet I never shall.”
“It must have been your fancy，” said his wife， regarding him anxiously.
He shook his head. “Never mind， though； there’s no harm done， but it gave me a shock all the same.”
They sat down by the fire again while the two men finished their pipes. Outside， the wind was higher than ever， and the old man started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs. A silence unusual and depressing settled upon all three， which lasted until the old couple rose to retire for the night.
“I expect you’ll find the cash tied up in a big bag in the middle of your bed，” said Herbert， as he bade them good-night， “and something horrible squatting up on top of the wardrobe watching you as you pocket your ill-gotten gains.”
He sat alone in the darkness， gazing at the dying fire， and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so 8）simian that he gazed at it in amazement. It got so vivid that， with a little uneasy laugh， he felt on the table for a glass containing a little water to throw over it. His hand grasped the monkey’s paw and， with a little shiver， he wiped his hand on his coat and went up to bed.
In the brightness of the wintry sun next morning as it streamed over the breakfast table Herbert laughed at his fears.
“I suppose all old soldiers are the same，” said Mrs. White. “The idea of our listening to such nonsense！ How could wishes be granted in these days？ And if they could， how could two hundred pounds hurt you， father？”