猴爪

威廉·威马克·雅克布斯（William Wymark Jacobs ），英国小说家，写过大量的幽默小說和恐怖小说，其中最著名的是短篇恐怖小说《猴爪》，在欧美读者中一直盛誉不衰，是英国惊悚小说中的典范之作，曾被多次改编为电影登上银幕。

《猴爪》讲述了怀特一家从怀特老先生的朋友莫里斯上校那里得到了从印度带回来的一个带有魔力的猴爪，据说这个猴爪可以帮人实现三个愿望，但也许会产生恐怖的后果，怀特老先生半信半疑地许下了第一个愿望，悲剧也由此拉开序幕……

“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 shant make much out of it.”

“Did you give him anything for it？” inquired Mrs. White， regarding her husband closely. “A trifle，” said he， colouring slightly. “He didnt want it， but I made him take it. And he pressed me again to throw it away.”

“Likely，” said Herbert， with pretend horror. “Why， were going to be rich， and famous， and happy. Wish to be an emperor， father， to begin with; then you cant be henpecked.”

He darted round the table， pursued by the maligned Mrs. White armed with an antimacassar.

Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. “I dont know what to wish for，” he said slowly. “It seems to me Ive got all I want.”

“If you only cleared the house， youd be quite happy， wouldnt you？” said Herbert， with his hand on his shoulder.“Well， wish for two hundred pounds， then; thatll just do it.”

His father， smiling shamefacedly at his own credulity， held up the 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 dont 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; theres 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 youll 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 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 monkeys 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？”

“Might drop on his head from the sky，” said the frivolous Herbert.

“Morris said the things happened so naturally，” said his father，“that you might if you so wished attribute it to coincidence.”

“Well， dont break into the money before I come back，”said Herbert， as he rose from the table.

“Im afraid itll turn you into a mean， avaricious man， and we shall have to disown you.”

His mother laughed and， following him to the door， watched him down the road， and returning to the breakfast table， was very happy at the expense of her husbands credulity.

“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 beer; “but for all that， the thing moved in my hand; that Ill swear to.”

“You thought it did，” said the old lady soothingly.

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

His wife made no reply. She was watching the mysterious movements of a man outside， who， peering in an undecided fashion at the house， appeared to be trying to make up his mind to enter. In mental connection with the two hundred pounds， she noticed that the stranger was well dressed and wore a silk hat of glossy newness. Three times he paused at the gate， and then walked on again. The fourth time he stood with his hand upon it， and then with sudden resolution flung it open and walked up the path. Mrs. White at the same moment placed her hands behind her， and hurriedly unfastening the strings of her apron， put the useful article of apparel beneath the cushion of her chair.

She brought the stranger， who seemed ill at ease， into the room. He gazed at her furtively， and listened in a preoccupied fashion as the old lady apologized for the appearance of the room， and her husbands coat， a garment which he usually reserved for the garden. She then waited patiently 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 cotton from his trousers. “I come from Maw and Meggins.”

The old lady started. “Is anything the matter？” she asked breathlessly. “Has anything happened to Herbert？ What is it？ What is it？”

Her husband interposed. “There， there， mother，” he said hastily. “Sit down， and dont jump to conclusions. Youve not brought bad news， Im sure， sir，” and he eyed the other wistfully.

“Im sorry—” began the visitor.

“Is he hurt？” demanded the mother.

The visitor bowed in assent. “Badly hurt，” he said quietly， “but he is not in any pain.”

“Oh， thank God！” said the old woman， clasping her hands. “Thank God for that！ Thank—”

She broke off suddenly as the sinister meaning of the assurance dawned upon her and she saw the awful confirmation of her fears in the others averted face. She caught her breath， and turning to her slower-witted husband， laid her trembling old hand upon his. There was a long silence.

“He was caught in the machinery，” said the visitor at length， in a low voice.

“Caught in the machinery，” repeated Mr. White， in a dazed fashion， “yes.”

He sat staring blankly out at the window， and taking his wifes hand between his own.

“He was the only one left to us，” he said， turning gently to the visitor. “It is hard.”

The other coughed， and rising， walked slowly to the window. “The firm wished me to convey their sincere sympathy with you in your great loss，”he said， without looking round. “I beg that you will understand I am only their servant and merely obeying orders.”

“I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility，” continued the other. “They admit no liability at all， but in consideration of your sons services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation.”

Mr. White dropped his wifes hand， and rising to his feet， gazed with a look of horror at the visitor. His dry lips shaped the words， “How much？”

“Two hundred pounds，” was the answer.

大門关上了，送走了他们的客人，他刚好赶得上最后一班火车。这时，赫伯特说道：“如果这个猴爪的故事不比他平时讲的那些要可信的话，我们还是别太相信这玩意儿。”

“你花钱向他买下了这东西？”怀特太太问道，紧紧地盯着她的丈夫。“一点儿，”他说道，脸色微红。“他本来不想拿的，但我让他收下了。然后他又再次让我把它扔掉。”

“可能是真的，”赫伯特边说边装出一副恐惧的样子。“哎呀，我们将会名利双收，过上幸福的生活。爸爸，先许愿做一个皇帝，这样你就不用怕老婆了。”

恼羞成怒的怀特太太拿着一张椅套追着他打，他绕着桌子东闪西躲。

怀特先生从口袋里掏出猴爪，半信半疑地盯着看。“我不知道要许什么愿，”他慢慢说道。“我似乎已经拥有了想要的一切。”

“如果你还清了房贷，你会很开心的，不是吗？”赫伯特边说边把一只手放在他的肩膀上。“嗯，许愿要两百英镑，这样就够了。”

他父亲为自己的轻信而露出羞愧的笑容，举起了那个有魔力的猴爪。儿子顶着一张严肃的脸坐在钢琴旁边，他向妈妈眨眨眼，泄露了他的真实心情，他接着弹奏起几段震撼有力的旋律。

“我希望得到两百英镑，”老先生斩钉截铁地说道。

钢琴传出的美妙乐声应和着这些话语，老先生突然发出一声惊叫，乐声旋即中断，他的妻子和儿子向他跑了过去。

“它动了，”他大叫道，厌恶地看着躺在地上的东西。“在我许愿的时候，它像一条蛇一样在我手中扭动。”

“嗯，可是我沒看到钱，”他儿子说道，把猴爪捡了起来，放在桌上，“我敢说以后也不会看到的。”

“那一定是你的幻觉，”他的妻子说道，紧张地看着他。

他摇摇头。“不要紧，我没受伤，但我还是觉得很震惊。”

父子俩重回壁炉旁坐下，把烟抽完。外面，狂风大作，楼上的门砰砰作响，老先生被这声音弄得一惊一乍的。异乎寻常的沉默与压抑的气氛萦绕在三人之间，直到这对老夫妇起身回房休息。

“我猜你会在床中间发现一个装着现金的大袋子，”赫伯特向他们道晚安时如此说道。“而当你把这笔不义之财占为己有时，衣柜上的怪物会蹲在那里盯着你。”

他独自坐在黑暗中，凝视着渐渐熄灭的火焰，在火焰中，他看到了许多张脸，最后一张非常恐怖，与猿猴极为相似，他大吃一惊。火中的影像十分逼真，他不自在地笑了笑，伸手摸向桌子，想用杯子的水浇熄火焰。他抓到了猴爪，带着颤抖，他在外套上擦了擦手，然后上楼睡觉。

第二天早上，冬日的太阳明媚灿烂，阳光倾泻在早餐桌上，赫伯特嘲笑起他的恐惧。

“我想所有的老兵都一样。”怀特太太说道。“我们怎么会听信这种无稽之谈！都什么年代了，我们怎么还相信愿望成真这种事？如果真能愿望成真，两百英镑又能怎样伤到你，孩子他爸？”

“也许会从天而降，砸到他头上，”语气轻佻的赫伯特说道。

“莫里斯说过，事情会自然而然地发生，如果你许愿了，你也许会把这归结为巧合。”

“我害怕这笔钱会把你变成一个小气、贪婪的人，而我们将不得不离开你。”

他母亲大笑，把他送出门，看着他出发了，才又回到了餐桌旁，以丈夫轻信他人这事取笑为乐。

“我想，等赫伯特回家后，他还会再说一些好玩的话的。”当他们在用午餐时，她如此说道。

“我敢说，”怀特先生说道，边给自己倒了一些啤酒，“我敢发誓，我手里那玩意儿真的动了。”

“你以为它动了，”老太太安慰他。

“我说它真的动了，”老先生回应道。“不是我‘以为，我真的——怎么了？”

他妻子没有回答他。她在观察门外的一个男人。他的行径神神秘秘的，犹豫踯躅地朝房子里窥视，像是在下决心要进来。联想到那两百英镑，她注意到这个陌生人穿得很体面，头上戴着一顶崭新的光面丝质帽子。他在门口停了三次，又都走开了。第四次，他终于停了下来，把手放在门上，然后下定决心把门推开，迈出步子走进了庭院的小径。同时，怀特太太把手放在身后，急急忙忙地解开围裙带子，把这件实用的衣物放在了她的椅垫下。

她把那位陌生人带进了客厅，他看起来十分不自在。他偷偷地注视着这位老太太，当她为客厅的脏乱以及她丈夫的外套（他通常在打理花草时才穿的衣服）道歉时，他也一样全神贯注地聆听着。然后，她耐心地等他说明来意，但他一开始表现得异乎寻常地沉默。

“我——是受命来通知，”他最后终于说了出来，并弯腰拾起裤子上的一块棉花。“我是莫与梅金斯公司的员工。”

老太太吓了一跳。“发生了什么事吗？”她屏息问道。“是赫伯特出了什么事吗？是什么事？什么事？”

她的丈夫打断了她。“冷静点，冷静点，孩子他妈，”他急忙说道。“坐下来，不要妄下定论。我肯定，先生，你带来的是好消息，”他热切地看着那名男子。

“我很抱歉——”来访者开口道。

“他受伤了吗？”母亲急切地问道。

来访者赞同地点点头。“伤得很严重，”他轻声说道，“但他现在感受不到一丝痛楚了。”

“噢，感谢上帝！”老太太说道，并紧紧地握着双手。“感谢上帝！感谢——她突然停了下来，想到这句话隐含着的另一层不详的意思。她看向来访者，来访者转开了他的脸，她的恐惧得到了证实。她深深地吸了一口气，走到她那不怎么聪明的丈夫身边，把她那颤抖着的、皱巴巴的手放到他手上。然后，便是一阵久久的沉默。

“他被绞进了机器里，”来访者终于低声说道。

“被绞进了机器里，”怀特先生茫然地重复道，“是的。”

他神色空洞地看向窗外，与妻子的手十指相扣。

“他是我们唯一的孩子，”他对来访者轻声说道。“这太痛苦了。”

来访者咳嗽一声，站了起来，慢慢地走到窗边。“公司让我向你们转达，他们对于你们所蒙受的巨大损失深感同情，”他说道，没有东张西望。“我恳求你们能理解，我只是他们的员工，只是在执行他们的命令。”

“我要说的是莫与梅金斯公司拒绝承担一切责任，”来访者继续说道。“他们不承认任何责任，但是考虑到你们儿子所付出的辛劳，他们想给你们一笔钱作为补偿。”

怀特先生放开了他妻子的手，站了起来，神色恐惧地盯着客人。他干燥的双唇动了动，“多少？”

“两百英镑，”来访者回答道。