The Monkey’s Paw猴爪

b

y William Wymark Jacobs

烏蕪 譯

The Monkey’s Paw猴爪

Track 11

b

y William Wymark Jacobs

烏蕪 譯

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范之作，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里斯上校那里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愿望，但也許會產生恐怖的后果，懷特老先生半信半疑地許下了第一個愿望，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.“A1)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.”

大門關上了，送走了他們的客人，他剛好趕得上最后一班火車。這時，赫伯特說道：“如果這個猴爪的故事不比他平時講的那些要可信的話，我們還是別太相信這玩意兒。”

“你花錢向他買下了這東西？”懷特太太問道，緊緊地盯著她的丈夫。“一點兒，”他說道，臉色微紅。“他本來不想拿的，但我讓他收下了。然后他又再次讓我把它扔掉。”

“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 be2)henpecked.”

He darted round the table, pursued by the3)malignedMrs.White armed with an4)antimacassar.

Mr.White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it5)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 own6)credulity, held up the7)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 foor.“As I wished, it twisted in my hands like a snake.”

1 ) trife ['tra?fl] n.瑣事，少量

2 ) henpecked ['henpekt] adj.懼內的

3 ) malign [m?'la?n] v.誹謗

4 ) antimacassar ['?nt?m?'k?s?] n.椅子罩子

5 ) dubiously ['dju?bj?sl?] adv.可疑地，懷疑地

6 ) credulity [kr?'dju?l?t?] n.易信，輕信

7 ) talisman ['t?l?zm?n] n.能產生奇跡的東西，法寶

“可能是真的，”赫伯特邊說邊裝出一副恐懼的樣子。“哎呀，我們將會名利雙收，過上幸福的生活。爸爸，先許愿做一個皇帝，這樣你就不用怕老婆了。”

惱羞成怒的懷特太太拿著一張椅套追著他打，他繞著桌子東閃西躲。

懷特先生從口袋里掏出猴爪，半信半疑地盯著看。“我不知道要許什么愿，”他慢慢說道。“我似乎已經擁有了想要的一切。”

“如果你還清了房貸，你會很開心的，不是嗎？”赫伯特邊說邊把一只手放在他的肩膀上。