A Diglot Weave Short Story

I.

Without, the 夜晚 - yè-wǎn was 寒冷 - hán-lěng and wet, but in the small 客厅 - kè-tīng of Laburnam Villa the 百叶窗 - bǎi-yè-chuāng were drawn and the 火 - huǒ burned brightly. Father and 儿子 - ér-zi were at 国际象棋 - guó-jì-xiàng-qí, the former, who possessed 想法 - xiǎng-fǎ about the 游戏 - yóu-xì involving radical 变化 - biàn-huà, putting his 国王 - guó-wáng into such sharp and unnecessary 危险 - wēi-xiǎn that it even provoked 评论 - píng-lùn from the white-haired old 女士 - nǚ-shì knitting placidly by the 火 - huǒ.

“Hark at the 风 - fēng,” said Mr. White, who, having seen a fatal 错误 - cuò-wù after it was too late, was amiably desirous of preventing his 儿子 - ér-zi from seeing it.

“I’m listening,” said the latter, grimly surveying the 棋盘 - qí-pán as he stretched out his 手 - shǒu. “将军 - jiāng-jūn.”

“I should hardly think that he’d come to-夜晚 - yè-wǎn,” said his 父亲 - fù-qīn, with his 手 - shǒu poised over the 棋盘 - qí-pán.

“将死 - jiāng-sǐ,” replied the 儿子 - ér-zi.

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“That’s the worst of living so far out,” bawled Mr. White, with sudden and unlooked-for 暴力 - bào-lì; “of all the beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way 地方 - dì-fāng to live in, this is the worst. Pathway’s a 沼泽 - zhǎo-zé, and the road’s a 激流 - jī-liú. I don’t know what 人们 - rén-men are thinking about. I suppose because only two 房子 - fáng-zi in the road are let, they think it doesn’t matter.”

“Never mind, dear,” said his 妻子 - qī-zi, soothingly; “perhaps you’ll win the next one.”

Mr. White looked up sharply, just in 时间 - shí-jiān to intercept a knowing 眼神 - yǎn-shén between 母亲 - mǔ-qīn and 儿子 - ér-zi. The 话语 - huà-yǔ died away on his 嘴唇 - zuǐ-chún, and he hid a guilty 露齿笑 - lù-chǐ-xiào in his thin grey 胡子 - hú-zi.

“There he is,” said Herbert White, as the 大门 - dà-mén banged to loudly and heavy 脚步声 - jiǎo-bù-shēng came toward the 门 - mén.

The old 男人 - nán-rén rose with hospitable 匆忙 - cōng-máng, and opening the 门 - mén, was heard condoling with the new 到来 - dào-lái. The new 到来 - dào-lái also condoled with himself, so that Mrs. White said, “Tut, tut!” and coughed gently as her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū entered the 房间 - fáng-jiān, followed by a tall, burly 男人 - nán-rén, beady of 眼睛 - yǎn-jīng and rubicund of 面容 - miàn-róng.

“Sergeant-Major Morris,” he said, introducing him.

The sergeant-major shook 手 - shǒu, and taking the proffered 座位 - zuò-wèi by the 火 - huǒ, watched contentedly while his 主人 - zhǔ-rén got out 威士忌 - wēi-shì-jì and 杯子 - bēi-zi and stood a small copper 水壶 - shuǐ-hú on the 火 - huǒ.

At the third glass his 眼睛 - yǎn-jīng got brighter, and he began to talk, the little 家庭 - jiā-tíng 圈子 - quān-zi regarding with eager 兴趣 - xìng-qù this 访客 - fǎng-kè from distant parts, as he squared his broad 肩膀 - jiān-bǎng in the 椅子 - yǐ-zi and spoke of wild 场景 - chǎng-jǐng and doughty 事迹 - shì-jì; of 战争 - zhàn-zhēng and 瘟疫 - wēn-yì and strange 民族 - mín-zú.

“Twenty-one 年 - nián of it,” said Mr. White, nodding at his 妻子 - qī-zi and 儿子 - ér-zi. “When he went away he was a slip of a 青年 - qīng-nián in the 仓库 - cāng-kù. Now look at him.”

“He don’t look to have taken much 伤害 - shāng-hài,” said Mrs. White, politely.

“I’d like to go to 印度 - Yìn-dù myself,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén, “just to look round a bit, you know.”

“Better where you are,” said the sergeant-major, shaking his 头 - tóu. He put down the empty glass, and sighing softly, shook it again.

“I should like to see those old 寺庙 - sì-miào and 苦行僧 - kǔ-xíng-sēng and 杂技演员 - zá-jì-yǎn-yuán,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén. “What was that you started telling me the other day about a monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi or something, Morris?”

“Nothing,” said the 士兵 - shì-bīng, hastily. “Leastways nothing worth hearing.”

“Monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi?” said Mrs. White, curiously.

“Well, it’s just a bit of what you might call 魔法 - mó-fǎ, perhaps,” said the sergeant-major, offhandedly.

His three listeners leaned forward eagerly. The 访客 - fǎng-kè absent-mindedly put his empty glass to his 嘴唇 - zuǐ-chún and then set it down again. His 主人 - zhǔ-rén filled it for him.

“To look at,” said the sergeant-major, fumbling in his 口袋 - kǒu-dài, “it’s just an ordinary little 爪子 - zhǎozi, dried to a 木乃伊 - mù-nǎi-yī.”

He took something out of his 口袋 - kǒu-dài and proffered it. Mrs. White drew back with a 鬼脸 - guǐ-liǎn, but her 儿子 - ér-zi, taking it, examined it curiously.

“And what is there special about it?” inquired Mr. White as he took it from his 儿子 - ér-zi, and having examined it, placed it upon the 桌子 - zhuō-zi.

“It had a 咒语 - zhòu-yǔ put on it by an old fakir,” said the sergeant-major, “a very holy 男人 - nán-rén. He wanted to show that 命运 - mìng-yùn ruled 人们 - rén-men’s 生命 - shēng-mìng, and that those who interfered with it did so to their 悲伤 - bēi-shāng. He put a 咒语 - zhòu-yǔ on it so that three separate men could each have three 愿望 - yuàn-wàng from it.”

His 态度 - tài-dù was so impressive that his hearers were conscious that their light 笑声 - xiào-shēng jarred somewhat.

“Well, why don’t you have three, 先生 - xiān-shēng?” said Herbert White, cleverly.

The 士兵 - shì-bīng regarded him in the way that middle 年龄 - nián-líng is wont to regard presumptuous 青年 - qīng-nián. “I have,” he said, quietly, and his blotchy face whitened.

“And did you really have the three 愿望 - yuàn-wàng granted?” asked Mrs. White.

“I did,” said the sergeant-major, and his glass tapped against his strong 牙齿 - yá-chǐ.

“And has anybody else wished?” persisted the old 女士 - nǚ-shì.

“The first 男人 - nán-rén had his three 愿望 - yuàn-wàng. Yes,” was the reply; “I don’t know what the first two were, but the third was for 死亡 - sǐ-wáng. That’s how I got the 爪子 - zhǎozi.”

His tones were so 严肃 - yán-sù that a 寂静 - jì-jìng fell upon the 群体 - qún-tǐ.

“If you’ve had your three 愿望 - yuàn-wàng, it’s no good to you now, then, Morris,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén at last. “What do you keep it for?”

The 士兵 - shì-bīng shook his 头 - tóu. “Fancy, I suppose,” he said, slowly. “I did have some idea of selling it, but I don’t think I will. It has caused 足够 - zú-gòu 祸害 - huò-hài already. Besides, 人们 - rén-men won’t buy. They think it’s a 童话 - tóng-huà; some of them, and those who do think 任何事 - rèn-hé-shì of it want to try it first and pay me afterward.”

“If you could have another three 愿望 - yuàn-wàng,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén, eyeing him keenly, “would you have them?”

“I don’t know,” said the other. “I don’t know.”

He took the 爪子 - zhǎozi, and dangling it between his forefinger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the 火 - huǒ. White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off.

“Better let it burn,” said the 士兵 - shì-bīng, solemnly.

“If you don’t want it, Morris,” said the other, “give it to me.”

“I won’t,” said his friend, doggedly. “I threw it on the 火 - huǒ. If you keep it, don’t blame me for what happens. Pitch it on the 火 - huǒ again like a sensible 男人 - nán-rén.”

The other shook his 头 - tóu and examined his new possession closely. “How do you do it?” he inquired.

“Hold it up in your right 手 - shǒu and 愿望 - yuànwàng aloud,” said the sergeant-major, “but I warn you of the 后果 - hòu-guǒ.”

“Sounds like the Arabian Nights,” said Mrs. White, as she rose and began to set the 晚餐 - wǎn-cān. “Don’t you think you might 愿望 - yuànwàng for four pairs of 手 - shǒu for me?”

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Her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū drew the talisman from 口袋 - kǒu-dài, and then all three burst into 笑声 - xiào-shēng as the sergeant-major, with a look of 惊慌 - jīng-huāng on his face, caught him by the 手臂 - shǒubì.

“If you must 愿望 - yuànwàng,” he said, gruffly, “愿望 - yuànwàng for something sensible.”

Mr. White dropped it back in his 口袋 - kǒu-dài, and placing chairs, motioned his friend to the 桌子 - zhuō-zi. In the business of 晚餐 - wǎn-cān the talisman was partly forgotten, and afterward the three sat listening in an enthralled fashion to a 第二 - dì-èr instalment of the 士兵 - shì-bīng’s adventures in 印度 - Yìn-dù.

“If the tale about the monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi is not more truthful than those he has been telling us,” said Herbert, as the 门 - mén closed behind their guest, just in 时间 - shí-jiān for him to catch the last 火车 - huǒ-chē, “we sha’nt make much out of it.”

“Did you give him 任何事 - rèn-hé-shì for it, 父亲 - fù-qīn?” inquired Mrs. White, regarding her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū closely.

“A 小事 - xiǎo-shì,” 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 pretended 恐怖 - kǒng-bù. “Why, we’re going to be rich, and famous and happy. Wish to be an 皇帝 - huáng-dì, 父亲 - fù-qīn, to begin with; then you can’t be henpecked.”

He darted round the 桌子 - zhuō-zi, pursued by the maligned Mrs. White armed with an 椅背罩 - yǐ-bèi-zhào.

Mr. White took the 爪子 - zhǎozi from his 口袋 - kǒu-dài and eyed it dubiously. “I don’t know what to 愿望 - yuànwàng for, and that’s a 事实 - shì-shí,” he said, slowly. “It seems to me I’ve got all I want.”

“If you only cleared the 房子 - fángzi, you’d be quite happy, wouldn’t you?” said Herbert, with his 手 - shǒu on his shoulder. “Well, 愿望 - yuànwàng for two hundred 英镑 - yīng-bàng, then; that ’ll just do it.”

His 父亲 - fù-qīn, smiling shamefacedly at his own 轻信 - qīng-xìn, held up the talisman, as his 儿子 - ér-zi, with a solemn face, somewhat marred by a wink at his 母亲 - mǔ-qīn, sat down at the piano and struck a few impressive chords.

“I 愿望 - yuànwàng for two hundred 英镑 - yīng-bàng,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén distinctly.

A fine crash from the piano greeted the 话语 - huà-yǔ, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old 男人 - nán-rén. His 妻子 - qī-zi and 儿子 - ér-zi ran toward him.

“It moved,” he cried, with a 眼神 - yǎn-shén of disgust at the object as it lay on the 地板 - dì-bǎn.

“As I wished, it twisted in my 手 - shǒu like a snake.”

“Well, I don’t see the 钱 - qián,” said his 儿子 - ér-zi as he picked it up and placed it on the 桌子 - zhuō-zi, “and I bet I never shall.”

“It must have been your 幻想 - huàn-xiǎng, 父亲 - fù-qīn,” said his 妻子 - qī-zi, regarding him anxiously.

He shook his 头 - tóu. “Never mind, though; there’s no 伤害 - shāng-hài done, but it gave me a shock all the same.”

They sat down by the 火 - huǒ again while the two men finished their pipes. Outside, the 风 - fēng was higher than ever, and the old 男人 - nán-rén started nervously at the sound of a 门 - mén banging upstairs. A silence unusual and depressing settled upon all three, which lasted until the old couple rose to retire for the 夜晚 - yè-wǎn.

“I expect you’ll find the cash tied up in a big 袋子 - dài-zi in the middle of your 床 - chuáng,” said Herbert, as he bade them good-夜晚 - yè-wǎn, “and something horrible squatting up on top of the 衣柜 - yī-guì watching you as you 口袋 - kǒu-dài your ill-gotten 收获 - shōu-huò.”

He sat alone in the 黑暗 - hēi-àn, gazing at the dying 火 - huǒ, and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simian that he gazed at it in 惊讶 - jīng-yà. It got so vivid that, with a little uneasy 笑 - xiào, he felt on the 桌子 - zhuō-zi for a glass containing a little 水 - shuǐ to throw over it. His 手 - shǒu grasped the monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi, and with a little 颤抖 - chàn-dǒu he wiped his 手 - shǒu on his 外套 - wài-tào and went up to 床 - chuáng.

II.

In the 明亮 - míng-liàng of the wintry 太阳 - tài-yáng next 早晨 - zǎo-chén as it streamed over the breakfast 桌子 - zhuō-zi he laughed at his 恐惧 - kǒng-jù. There was an 空气 - kōng-qì of prosaic wholesomeness about the 房间 - fáng-jiān which it had lacked on the previous 夜晚 - yè-wǎn, and the dirty, shrivelled little 爪子 - zhǎozi was pitched on the 餐具柜 - cān-jù-guì with a carelessness which betokened no great 信仰 - xìn-yǎng in its virtues.

“I suppose all old soldiers are the same,” said Mrs. White. “The idea of our listening to such 胡说 - hú-shuō! How could 愿望 - yuàn-wàng be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred 英镑 - yīng-bàng hurt you, 父亲 - fù-qīn?”

“Might drop on his 头 - tóu from the 天空 - tiān-kōng,” said the frivolous Herbert.

“Morris said the things happened so naturally,” said his 父亲 - fù-qīn, “that you might if you so wished attribute it to 巧合 - qiǎo-hé.”

“Well, don’t break into the 钱 - qián before I come back,” said Herbert as he rose from the 桌子 - zhuō-zi. “I’m afraid it’ll turn you into a mean, avaricious 男人 - nán-rén, and we shall have to disown you.”

His 母亲 - mǔ-qīn laughed, and following him to the 门 - mén, watched him down the road; and returning to the breakfast 桌子 - zhuō-zi, was very happy at the 花费 - huā-fèi of her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū’s 轻信 - qīng-xìn. All of which did not prevent her from scurrying to the 门 - mén at the 邮递员 - yóu-dì-yuán’s 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng, nor prevent her from referring somewhat shortly to retired sergeant-majors of bibulous 习惯 - xí-guàn when she found that the 邮件 - yóu-jiàn brought a tailor’s 账单 - zhàng-dān.

“Herbert will have some more of his funny remarks, I expect, when he comes home,” she said, as they sat at dinner.

“I dare say,” said Mr. White, pouring himself out some 啤酒 - pí-jiǔ; “but for all that, the 东西 - dōng-xi moved in my 手 - shǒu; that I’ll swear to.”

“You thought it did,” said the old 女士 - nǚ-shì soothingly.

“I say it did,” replied the other. “There was no thought about it; I had just—What’s the matter?”

His 妻子 - qī-zi made no reply. She was watching the mysterious movements of a 男人 - nán-rén 外面 - wàimiàn, who, peering in an undecided fashion at the 房子 - fángzi, appeared to be trying to make up his mind to enter. In mental connection with the two hundred 英镑 - yīng-bàng, she noticed that the 陌生人 - mò-shēng-rén was well dressed, and wore a silk 帽子 - mào-zi of glossy 崭新 - zhǎn-xīn. Three times he paused at the 大门 - dà-mén, and then walked on again. The fourth 时间 - shí-jiān he stood with his 手 - shǒu upon it, and then with sudden resolution flung it open and walked up the path. Mrs. White at the same 瞬间 - shùnjiān placed her 手 - shǒu behind her, and hurriedly unfastening the 带子 - dài-zi of her 围裙 - wéi-qún, put that useful 物品 - wù-pǐn of apparel beneath the 垫子 - diàn-zi of her 椅子 - yǐ-zi.

She brought the 陌生人 - mò-shēng-rén, who seemed ill at ease, into the 房间 - fáng-jiān. He gazed at her furtively, and listened in a preoccupied fashion as the old 女士 - nǚ-shì apologized for the appearance of the 房间 - fáng-jiān, and her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū’s 外套 - wài-tào, a 衣服 - yī-fú which he usually reserved for the 花园 - huā-yuán. She then waited as patiently as her sex would permit, for him to broach his business, but he was at first strangely silent.

“I—was asked to call,” he said at last, and stooped and picked a piece of 棉花 - mián-huā from his 裤子 - kù-zi. “I come from ‘Maw and Meggins.’”

The old 女士 - nǚ-shì started. “Is 任何事 - rèn-hé-shì the matter?” she asked, breathlessly. “Has 任何事 - rèn-hé-shì happened to Herbert? What is it? What is it?”

Her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū interposed. “There, there, 母亲 - mǔ-qīn,” he said, hastily. “Sit down, and don’t jump to conclusions. You’ve not brought bad news, I’m sure, 先生 - xiān-shēng;” and he eyed the other wistfully.

“I’m sorry—” began the 访客 - fǎng-kè.

“Is he hurt?” demanded the 母亲 - mǔ-qīn, wildly.

The 访客 - fǎng-kè bowed in assent. “Badly hurt,” he said, quietly, “but he is not in any 痛苦 - tòng-kǔ.”

“Oh, thank 上帝 - shàng-dì!” said the old 女人 - nǚrén, clasping her 手 - shǒu. “Thank 上帝 - shàng-dì for that! Thank—”

She broke off suddenly as the sinister 意义 - yì-yì of the 保证 - bǎo-zhèng dawned upon her and she saw the awful 确认 - què-rèn of her 恐惧 - kǒng-jù in the other’s averted face. She caught her 呼吸 - hū-xī, and turning to her slower-witted 丈夫 - zhàng-fū, laid her trembling old 手 - shǒu upon his. There was a long silence.

“He was caught in the 机器 - jī-qì,” said the 访客 - fǎng-kè at length in a low 声音 - shēng-yīn.

“Caught in the 机器 - jī-qì,” repeated Mr. White, in a dazed fashion, “yes.”

He sat staring blankly out at the window, and taking his 妻子 - qī-zi’s 手 - shǒu between his own, pressed it as he had been wont to do in their old courting-days nearly forty 年 - nián before.

“He was the only one left to us,” he said, turning gently to the 访客 - fǎng-kè. “It is hard.”

The other coughed, and rising, walked slowly to the window. “The 公司 - gōng-sī wished me to convey their sincere 同情 - tóng-qíng with you in your great 失去 - shī-qù,” he said, without looking round. “I beg that you will understand I am only their 仆人 - pú-rén and merely obeying 命令 - mìng-lìng.”

There was no reply; the old 女人 - nǚrén’s face was white, her 眼睛 - yǎn-jīng staring, and her 呼吸 - hū-xī inaudible; on the 丈夫 - zhàng-fū’s face was a look such as his friend the sergeant might have carried into his first 行动 - xíng-dòng.

“I was to say that ‘Maw and Meggins’ disclaim all 责任 - zé-rèn,” continued the other. “They admit no liability at all, but in 考虑 - kǎo-lǜ of your 儿子 - ér-zi’s 服务 - fú-wù, they 愿望 - yuànwàng to present you with a certain sum as 补偿 - bǔ-cháng.”

Mr. White dropped his 妻子 - qī-zi’s 手 - shǒu, and rising to his feet, gazed with a look of 恐怖 - kǒng-bù at his 访客 - fǎng-kè. His dry 嘴唇 - zuǐ-chún shaped the 话语 - huà-yǔ, “How much?”

“Two hundred 英镑 - yīng-bàng,” was the 答案 - dá-àn.

Unconscious of his 妻子 - qī-zi’s 尖叫 - jiān-jiào, the old 男人 - nán-rén smiled faintly, put out his 手 - shǒu like a sightless 男人 - nán-rén, and dropped, a senseless 一堆 - yī-duī, to the 地板 - dì-bǎn.

III.

In the huge new 墓地 - mù-dì, some two 英里 - yīng-lǐ distant, the old 人们 - rén-men buried their 死者 - sǐ-zhě, and came back to a 房子 - fángzi steeped in 影子 - yǐng-zi and silence. It was all over so quickly that at first they could hardly realize it, and remained in a state of expectation as though of something else to happen —something else which was to lighten this 负担 - fù-dān, too heavy for old 心 - xīn to bear.

But the days passed, and expectation gave place to 顺从 - shùn-cóng—the hopeless 顺从 - shùn-cóng of the old, sometimes miscalled, 冷漠 - lěng-mò. Sometimes they hardly exchanged a word, for now they had nothing to talk about, and their days were long to 疲倦 - pí-juàn.

It was about a 周 - zhōu after that the old 男人 - nán-rén, waking suddenly in the 夜晚 - yè-wǎn, stretched out his 手 - shǒu and found himself alone. The 房间 - fáng-jiān was in 黑暗 - hēi-àn, and the sound of subdued 哭泣 - kū-qì came from the window. He raised himself in 床 - chuáng and listened.

“Come back,” he said, tenderly. “You will be 寒冷 - hán-lěng.”

“It is colder for my 儿子 - ér-zi,” said the old 女人 - nǚrén, and wept afresh.

The sound of her 抽泣 - chōu-qì died away on his 耳朵 - ěr-duo. The 床 - chuáng was warm, and his 眼睛 - yǎn-jīng heavy with 睡眠 - shuì-mián. He dozed fitfully, and then slept until a sudden wild cry from his 妻子 - qī-zi awoke him with a 惊醒 - jīng-xǐng.

“The 爪子 - zhǎozi!” she cried wildly. “The monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi!”

He started up in 惊慌 - jīng-huāng. “Where? Where is it? What’s the matter?”

She came stumbling across the 房间 - fáng-jiān toward him. “I want it,” she said, quietly. “You’ve not destroyed it?”

“It’s in the 客厅 - kè-tīng, on the 架子 - jià-zi,” he replied, marvelling. “Why?”

She cried and laughed together, and bending over, kissed his 面颊 - miàn-jiá.

“I only just thought of it,” she said, hysterically. “Why didn’t I think of it before? Why didn’t you think of it?”

“Think of what?” he questioned.

“The other two 愿望 - yuàn-wàng,” she replied, rapidly. “We’ve only had one.”

“Was not that 足够 - zú-gòu?” he demanded, fiercely.

“No,” she cried, triumphantly; “we’ll have one more. Go down and get it quickly, and 愿望 - yuànwàng our 男孩 - nán-hái alive again.”

The 男人 - nán-rén sat up in 床 - chuáng and flung the 床上用品 - chuáng-shàng-yòng-pǐn from his quaking 四肢 - sì-zhī. “Good 上帝 - shàng-dì, you are mad!” he cried, aghast.

“Get it,” she panted; “get it quickly, and 愿望 - yuànwàng—Oh, my 男孩 - nán-hái, my 男孩 - nán-hái!”

Her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū struck a 火柴 - huǒ-chái and lit the 蜡烛 - là-zhú. “Get back to 床 - chuáng,” he said, unsteadily. “You don’t know what you are saying.”

“We had the first 愿望 - yuànwàng granted,” said the old 女人 - nǚrén, feverishly; “why not the 第二 - dì-èr?”

“A 巧合 - qiǎo-hé,” stammered the old 男人 - nán-rén.

“Go and get it and 愿望 - yuànwàng,” cried his 妻子 - qī-zi, quivering with 激动 - jī-dòng.

The old 男人 - nán-rén turned and regarded her, and his 声音 - shēng-yīn shook. “He has been 死者 - sǐ-zhě ten days, and besides he—I would not tell you else, but—I could only recognize him by his clothing. If he was too terrible for you to see then, how now?”

“Bring him back,” cried the old 女人 - nǚrén, and dragged him toward the 门 - mén. “Do you think I fear the 孩子 - hái-zi I have nursed?”

He went down in the 黑暗 - hēi-àn, and felt his way to the 客厅 - kè-tīng, and then to the 壁炉架 - bì-lú-jià. The talisman was in its place, and a horrible fear that the unspoken 愿望 - yuànwàng might bring his mutilated 儿子 - ér-zi before him ere he could escape from the 房间 - fáng-jiān seized upon him, and he caught his 呼吸 - hū-xī as he found that he had lost the direction of the 门 - mén. His 额头 - é-tóu 寒冷 - hán-lěng with 汗水 - hàn-shuǐ, he felt his way round the 桌子 - zhuō-zi, and groped along the wall until he found himself in the small passage with the unwholesome 东西 - dōng-xi in his 手 - shǒu.

Even his 妻子 - qī-zi’s face seemed changed as he entered the 房间 - fáng-jiān. It was white and expectant, and to his 恐惧 - kǒng-jù seemed to have an unnatural look upon it. He was afraid of her.

“Wish!” she cried, in a strong 声音 - shēng-yīn.

“It is foolish and wicked,” he faltered.

“Wish!” repeated his 妻子 - qī-zi.

He raised his 手 - shǒu. “I 愿望 - yuànwàng my 儿子 - ér-zi alive again.”

The talisman fell to the 地板 - dì-bǎn, and he regarded it fearfully. Then he sank trembling into a 椅子 - yǐ-zi as the old 女人 - nǚrén, with burning 眼睛 - yǎn-jīng, walked to the window and raised the blind.

He sat until he was chilled with the 寒冷 - hán-lěng, glancing occasionally at the 身影 - shēn-yǐng of the old 女人 - nǚrén peering through the window. The 蜡烛 - là-zhú-end, which had burned below the rim of the china candlestick, was throwing pulsating shadows on the 天花板 - tiān-huā-bǎn and walls, until, with a 闪烁 - shǎn-shuò larger than the rest, it expired. The old 男人 - nán-rén, with an unspeakable 感觉 - gǎn-jué of 解脱 - jiě-tuō at the 失败 - shī-bài of the talisman, crept back to his 床 - chuáng, and a 分钟 - fēn-zhōng or two afterward the old 女人 - nǚrén came silently and apathetically beside him.

Neither spoke, but lay silently listening to the ticking of the 钟 - zhōng. A 楼梯 - lóu-tī creaked, and a squeaky 老鼠 - lǎo-shǔ scurried noisily through the wall. The 黑暗 - hēi-àn was oppressive, and after lying for some 时间 - shí-jiān screwing up his 勇气 - yǒng-qì, he took the 盒子 - hé-zi of matches, and striking one, went downstairs for a 蜡烛 - là-zhú.

---

---

At the 脚 - jiǎo of the 楼梯 - lóutī the 火柴 - huǒ-chái went out, and he paused to strike another; and at the same 瞬间 - shùnjiān a 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng, so quiet and stealthy as to be scarcely audible, sounded on the front 门 - mén.

The matches fell from his 手 - shǒu and spilled in the passage. He stood motionless, his 呼吸 - hū-xī suspended until the 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng was repeated. Then he turned and fled swiftly back to his 房间 - fáng-jiān, and closed the 门 - mén behind him. A third 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng sounded through the 房子 - fángzi.

“What’s that?” cried the old 女人 - nǚrén, starting up.

“A 老鼠 - lǎoshǔ,” said the old 男人 - nán-rén in shaking tones—“a 老鼠 - lǎoshǔ. It passed me on the 楼梯 - lóutī.”

His 妻子 - qī-zi sat up in 床 - chuáng listening. A loud 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng resounded through the 房子 - fángzi.

“It’s Herbert!” she screamed. “It’s Herbert!”

She ran to the 门 - mén, but her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū was before her, and catching her by the 手臂 - shǒubì, held her tightly.

“What are you going to do?” he whispered hoarsely.

“It’s my 男孩 - nán-hái; it’s Herbert!” she cried, struggling mechanically. “I forgot it was two 英里 - yīng-lǐ away. What are you holding me for? Let go. I must open the 门 - mén.”

“For 上帝 - shàng-dì’s 缘故 - yuángù don’t let it in,” cried the old 男人 - nán-rén, trembling.

“You’re afraid of your own 儿子 - ér-zi,” she cried, struggling. “Let me go. I’m coming, Herbert; I’m coming.”

There was another 敲门声 - qiāo-mén-shēng, and another. The old 女人 - nǚrén with a sudden 扭动 - niǔdòng broke free and ran from the 房间 - fáng-jiān. Her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū followed to the 楼梯平台 - lóutī-píngtái, and called after her appealingly as she hurried downstairs. He heard the 链 - liàn rattle back and the bottom 门闩 - ménshuān drawn slowly and stiffly from the 插座 - chāzuò. Then the old 女人 - nǚrén’s 声音 - shēng-yīn, strained and panting.

“The 门闩 - ménshuān,” she cried, loudly. “Come down. I can’t reach it.”

But her 丈夫 - zhàng-fū was on his 手 - shǒu and 膝盖 - xīgài groping wildly on the 地板 - dì-bǎn in search of the 爪子 - zhǎozi. If he could only find it before the 东西 - dōng-xi 外面 - wàimiàn got in. A perfect 齐射 - qíshè of knocks reverberated through the 房子 - fángzi, and he heard the 刮擦声 - guācā-shēng of a 椅子 - yǐ-zi as his 妻子 - qī-zi put it down in the passage against the 门 - mén. He heard the 吱吱声 - zhīzhī-shēng of the 门闩 - ménshuān as it came slowly back, and at the same 瞬间 - shùnjiān he found the monkey’s 爪子 - zhǎozi, and frantically breathed his third and last 愿望 - yuànwàng.

The knocking ceased suddenly, although the 回声 - huíshēng of it were still in the 房子 - fángzi. He heard the 椅子 - yǐ-zi drawn back, and the 门 - mén opened. A 寒冷 - hán-lěng 风 - fēng rushed up the staircase, and a long loud 哀号 - āiháo of 失望 - shīwàng and 痛苦 - tòngkǔ from his 妻子 - qī-zi gave him 勇气 - yǒng-qì to run down to her 旁边 - pángbiān, and then to the 大门 - dà-mén beyond. The 路灯 - lùdēng flickering opposite shone on a quiet and deserted road.