Monkey's paw fortune telling _ Monkey's paw fortune telling pictures

It's a monkey's paw!

Monkey's paw

Jacobs [England]

Outside, the night is cold and humid, but in the small living room of Rexner Villa, the curtains are low and the fire is blazing. Father and son were playing chess. Father thought that the chess game would change fundamentally, which pushed the king of his own side to a critical and unnecessary danger, and even caused the comments of the white-haired old lady who was quietly knitting wool by the fire.

"Listen to the wind." Mr. Bai Qi said that he saw that he had played a wrong game that affected the overall situation, but it was too late. He was kind enough not to let his son discover the mistake.

"I'm listening," said the son. He looked at the chessboard coldly and held out his hand. "General."

"I can't believe he's coming tonight." Father said, his hands hesitating on the board.

"I will die." The son replied.

"It's terrible to live in such a remote place," Mr. White suddenly and unexpectedly lost his temper and shouted. "Of all those terrible, muddy and remote places, this is the worst. The path is swamp and the road is rapids. I really don't know what everyone thinks. I guess it's because there are only two houses for rent on the main road, so they don't care. "

"Never mind, dear," his wife comforted him. "Maybe you will win the next set."

Mr. White suddenly looked up, just in time to see the mother and son exchanged a knowing look. When the words disappeared, he covered his guilty smile with a sparse gray beard.

"Here he comes." When the door slammed and heavy footsteps came to the door, Herbert? White said.

The old man stood up politely and opened the door, only to hear that he was working hard with the new man and the new man was working hard with him, which made Mrs. White say "tut tut!" " When a tall, strong, ruddy man with small and bright eyes followed her husband into the door, she coughed softly.

"Sergeant Morris" introduced by Mr. White.

The master sergeant shook hands with them and sat down on the seat reserved for him by the fire. His master took out whisky and a glass and put a small copper pot on the fire. He looked at it with satisfaction.

After drinking the third cup, his eyes brightened and he began to speak. When he shrugged his broad shoulders in his chair and talked about strange scenery, heroic achievements, wars, plagues and strange nationalities, the small family watched the guests from afar with great interest.

"2 1 year," said Mr. White, nodding to his wife and son. "He was a lanky young man in the warehouse when he left. But look at him now. "

"He doesn't seem to have suffered much trauma." Mrs. White said politely.

"I want to go to India by myself," said the old man. "I'm just browsing, you know."

"You'd better stay where you are." Sergeant major shook his head and said. He put down the empty cup, sighed lightly and shook his head again.

"I want to see those ancient temples, dervishes and jugglers," said the old man. "Not long ago, you talked about the monkey's paw. What's that, Morris? "

"Nothing," the soldier said quickly. "At least, there is nothing worth listening to."

"Monkey claw?" Mrs. White said curiously.

"Well, maybe, it's a bit like what you call magic," the master sergeant said without thinking.

His three listeners moved forward eagerly. The guest absently put the empty cup to his mouth and put it down again.

His master filled him with wine.

"It looks like," said the master sergeant, fumbling in his pocket with his hand, "this is just an ordinary little paw, which has withered into a mummy."

He took something from his pocket and gave it to them. Mrs. White twisted her face in disgust and stepped back, but her son took it and watched curiously. """What's so special about this?" Mr. White asked, took it from his son, looked at it carefully for a while, and then put it on the table.

"An old dervish bewitched it," said the police officer. "He is a very sacred person. He wants to show that fate dominates a person's life, and those who interfere with fate will make themselves suffer misfortune. He used magic to make three people realize their three wishes through it. "

His expression was so touching that his audience realized that their gentle laughter was a little out of tune.

"Well, then why don't you grant three wishes, sir?" Herbert? White asked shrewdly. ""the sergeant major stared at him with the eyes that middle-aged people are used to treating young people who take the liberty. "I suggested it." He said quietly, his mottled face turned white.

"Have your three wishes really come true?" Mrs. White asked.

"realized." The sergeant major said, his cup tapping gently on his strong teeth.

"Is there anyone who wants it?" The old lady asked.

"Yes, the first man realized his three wishes," he replied. "I don't know what the first two wishes are, but the third wish is to pray for death. Then I got this monkey paw. "

His tone was so heavy that everyone was silent.

"If you get three wishes, it won't be good for you now, Maurice," the old man finally said. "Then why did you keep it?"

The soldier shook his head. "I think it's out of fantasy," he said slowly. "I really want to sell it, but I don't want to sell it now. It has done enough harm. Besides, people won't buy it. They think this is a myth, and some of them, as well as those who really believe in it, must try it first and then pay me. "

"If you could make three other wishes," the old man looked at him sternly and said, "would you make them?"

"I don't know," said another. "I don't know."

He picked up the monkey's paw, waved it between his index finger and thumb, and then suddenly threw it on the fire. White gave a little cry and bent down to put it away quickly.

"Better let it burn." The soldier said seriously.

"If you don't want it, Maurice," said the old man, "just give it to me."

"I won't give it," said his friend stubbornly. "I'll throw it into the fire. If you keep it, don't blame me. Like a wise man, throw it into the fire. "

The other person shook his head and carefully examined his new things. "What do you want?" He asked.

The master sergeant said, "You pick up the monkey's paw in your right hand and make a wish loudly, but I warn you of the serious consequences."

"It sounds like a fable," said Mrs. White, getting up and starting to prepare meals. "Do you think you might wish I had four hands?"

Her husband took out the amulet from his pocket, and the master sergeant grabbed Mr. White's arm with a warning expression. The whole family couldn't help laughing.

"If you must make a wish," he said rudely, "then make some reasonable wishes."

Mr. White put the monkey's paw back in his pocket, set the chair and motioned for his friend to sit down. I forgot the amulet at dinner. After dinner, three people sat there and listened to the second part of the sergeant major's adventure in India, fascinated.

"If the story of the monkey's paw is not more true than what he just told us," Herbert said when the door behind the guest closed so that he could catch the last train, "we can't get much from it."

"What did you give him with this, Dad?" Mrs. White asked, examining her husband carefully.

"Nothing," he said, blushing slightly. "He didn't want it, but I let him have it. He forced me to throw it again. "

"Probably," Herbert said, pretending to be afraid. "Hey, we will become rich, famous and happy. Dad, I wish you to be emperor first, so you won't be angry with your wife again. "

He suddenly ran around the table, and the injured Mrs White ran after him with the back cover of the sofa.

Mr. White took the monkey's paw out of his pocket and looked at it with a grain of salt. I don't know what to wish for, really,' he said slowly. "In my opinion, I have everything I want."

"If you pay off the debt of this house, you will be happy, won't you?" Herbert put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Well, pray for 200 pounds, just to pay the bill." ""My father smiled in shame because of credulity and picked up the amulet. At this time, his son sat down at the piano and played a few touching chords with an expression that would have been more solemn if he hadn't winked at his mother.

"I'm willing to pay 200 pounds." The old man said clearly.

A violent piano sound greeted this sentence, but was interrupted by the old man's trembling cry. His wife and children ran towards him.

"It's moving," he cried, glancing at something lying on the ground in disgust. "When I wish, it will wriggle in my hand like a snake."

"Well, I don't see any money," his son picked it up and put it on the table. "I bet I'll never see it again."

"This must be your illusion, Dad." His wife looked at him anxiously and said.

He shook his head. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not hurt, but I'm still scared."

They sat down by the fire again, and they finished smoking their pipes. Outside, the wind became fierce, the door upstairs slammed and the old man moved nervously. An unusually dull silence hung over the three members of the family until the old couple got up and went to bed.

"I hope you will find money tied in a big bag in the middle of the bed," Herbert said good night to them, "and when you put your ill-gotten gains in your pockets, there will be a terrible thing crouching on the top of the wardrobe watching you."

The next morning, the winter sun shone on the breakfast table, and Herbert laughed at his fears in the bright sunshine. There is a dull sense of security in the room, which was lacking the night before. The dirty and shriveled monkey's paw has been randomly placed on the sideboard, which shows that people don't believe in its effectiveness.

"I think all veterans are the same," said Mrs. White. "We should listen to such nonsense! How can anything come true now? Even if it can be achieved, how can 200 pounds hurt you, Dad? "

"Maybe it will fall on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.

"Morris said it was natural," said his father. "Although you hope so, you may still think it's just a coincidence."

"Well, don't touch the money until I get back," Herbert said and stood up from the table. "I'm afraid it will make you a selfish and greedy person, so we have to deny it."

His mother smiled, followed him to the door, watched him on his way, and went back to the breakfast table to amuse himself with her husband's credulity. But this did not prevent her from rushing to the door as soon as she heard the postman knocking at the door. When she found that the postman had brought the tailor's bill, it didn't prevent her from mentioning the retired sergeant's drinking habit a little harshly.

When they sat down for dinner, she said, "I think Herbert will have more interesting discussions when he gets home."

"Even so," said Mr. White, pouring himself some beer, "I dare say that the East Side was moved in my hand, I swear."

"You think it moved." The old lady comforted him and said.

"I said it moved," another replied. "I didn't expect it at the time; I just-what is this? " His wife didn't answer. She is observing the mysterious behavior of a man outside: he looks into the room hesitantly, as if he is determined to enter the room. She remembered the 200 pounds in her mind and noticed that the stranger was well dressed and wearing a shiny new silk hat. He stopped at the door three times and then walked on. The fourth time he stood there, holding the door in his hand, and then suddenly made up his mind to open the door and take the path. At the same time, Mrs. White put her hands behind her, quickly untied the apron strap and stuffed this useful dress under the chair cushion.

She brought the stranger into the house, and he seemed very upset. He secretly stared at Mrs. White, and when the old lady apologized for her son in the room and the coat she usually wore in the garden, he listened attentively. Then she waited for him to announce his intention with the patience that women can allow, but at first he was surprisingly silent.

"I was ordered to visit," he finally said, and bent down to take a cotton thread from his trousers. "I'm from Maumackins."

The old lady was taken aback. "Is there anything wrong?" She held her breath and asked.

"What's the matter with Herbert? What is this? What is it? "

Her husband cut in. "Hey, hey, mom," he said quickly, "sit down and don't jump to conclusions. I believe you have no bad news, sir. " He looked at another man eagerly.

"I'm sorry-"the guest spoke.

"Is he hurt?" Mom asked.

The guest nodded. "It hurts badly," he said quietly, "but he doesn't hurt at all."

"Oh, thank God!" The old woman put her hands together and said, "Thank God! Thank you-"she stopped suddenly, and she began to understand the ominous meaning of this guarantee. From another person's dodging eyes, her fear was horribly confirmed. Holding her breath, she turned to her mentally retarded husband and put her trembling and aging hand on his. There was a long silence in the room.

"He was caught in the machine." The guest finally whispered.

"It's caught in the machine," Mr. White repeated in confusion. "yes."

He sat there, staring blankly out of the window, holding his wife's hand in both hands and holding it tightly, just like when he courted each other nearly 40 years ago.

"He is the only child left to us," he said gently to the guests. "This is cruel."

The other man coughed a few times, stood up and walked slowly to the window. "The company wants me to convey their sincere sympathy for your great loss," he said, without looking around. "I ask you to understand that I am only their servant and only obey their orders."

No answer; The old woman's face is pale. Her eyes looked straight, but she couldn't hear her breathing. The expression on her husband's face is just like the expression on his friend, Chief Sergeant, when he first went to war.

"I want to make it clear that Mao Mackins denies any responsibility," the other party continued. "They don't undertake any obligations, but considering that your son works in the company, they are willing to give you a sum of money as compensation."

Mr. White put down his wife's hand, stood up and stared at his guests in fear. His dry lips moved to form two words: "How much?"

The answer is: "200 Jin."

The old man did not feel his wife's scream, smiled weakly, stretched out his hands like a blind man, and then fell to the ground like a pile of unconscious things.

In the huge new cemetery about two miles away from home, the old couple buried their dead son and returned to the house immersed in shadow and silence. All this passed so fast that at first they didn't realize that they were in a state of expectation, as if something else would happen-something else that could lighten the burden, which was too heavy for the old heart.

But the days have passed, and expectation has given way to obedience-hopeless obedience to the past is sometimes mistaken for indifference. Sometimes they hardly talk, because now they have nothing to say and the days are long and boring.

One night about a week later, the old man suddenly woke up, held out his hand and found himself alone. The room was dark and there was a soft cry from the window. He got up from bed and listened.

"Come back," he said softly. "You will be cold."

"It's colder for my son." The old woman said, and began to cry again.

Her sobs disappeared from his ears. The bed was warm, and drowsiness made his eyelids heavy. He dozed off from time to time, and then fell asleep until his wife suddenly woke him up with a barking sound.

"Monkey's paw!" She shouted angrily, "monkey's paw!" "

He jumped up in horror: "Where? Where is it? What's the matter? "

She stumbled towards him from the other side of the room. "I want it," she said quietly. "You didn't destroy it, did you?"

"In the living room, above the bracket," he replied in surprise. "Why?"

She cried and laughed and bent down to kiss his cheek.

"I just thought of it," she said hysterically. "Why didn't I think of that before? Why didn't you think of it? "

"Think of what?" He asked.

"The other two wishes," she answered quickly, "we only made one wish."

"Isn't that enough?" He asked fiercely.

"No," she shouted proudly, "we have to make a wish again. Go down and get it and wish our children a resurrection. "

The old man sat up from the bed, uncovered the quilt and showed his trembling lower limbs. "God, you are crazy!"

He was shocked and shouted.

"Go and get it," she panted. "Go get it, wish-oh, my child, my child!"

Her husband struck a match and lit the candle. "Come back to bed," he said weakly. "You don't know what you are talking about."

"Our first wish has come true." The old woman said enthusiastically; "Why won't there be a second time?" "A coincidence." The old man stuttered.

"Go and bring it to realize your wish." The old lady shouted and dragged him to the door.

He went downstairs in the dark, groped his way into the living room, and then groped for the mantelpiece. The amulet is in the old place, and he is very afraid that this unspoken wish may make his mutilated son appear in front of him before he escapes from home. He couldn't breathe when he found that he couldn't find the direction of the door. Cold sweat broke out on his eyebrows. He groped around the table and on the wall until he found himself in the aisle with that nasty thing in his hand.

Even his wife's face seemed to change when he entered the room. The face was pale and full of expectation. What frightened him was that there seemed to be an unnatural expression on it. He is afraid of her.

"Yes!" She shouted loudly.

"This is stupid and evil." He said in a trembling voice.

"Yes!" His wife said again.

He raised his hand: "I wish my son a resurrection."

The amulet fell to the floor and he watched it tremble. When the old woman came to the window with hot and eager eyes and lifted the curtains, he fell trembling on the chair.

He sat and occasionally glanced at the old woman peeping out of the window until she was cold. The burning candle head under the edge of the ceramic candlestick constantly casts a beating shadow on the ceiling and wall until the candle flashes violently and goes out. The old man felt indescribably gratified by the failure of the amulet and climbed into bed. After a minute or two, the old woman quietly went to bed and lay beside him coldly.

No one spoke, and the couple listened quietly to the tick of the clock. The first flight of stairs creaked and a squeaking mouse ran noisily across the wall. Darkness makes people feel depressed. After lying down for a while, the husband got up the courage, picked up a matchbox, lit a match and went downstairs to get a candle.

The match went out at the foot of the stairs, so he stopped and struck another match. At the same time, there was a knock at the front door, which was almost inaudible.

The match fell from his hand. He stood still and stopped breathing until he heard another knock at the door.

So he turned and ran back to his room quickly, closing the door behind him. The third knock on the door resounded through the house.

"What's that?" Cried the old woman, jumping to her feet.

"A mouse," the old man said in a trembling voice. "A mouse. It ran past me on the stairs. "

His wife sat on the bed and listened. A loud knock on the door echoed throughout the house.

"It's Herbert!" She screamed, "It's Herbert!"

She ran to the door, but her husband was in front of her. He grabbed her arm and hugged her tightly. "What are you doing?" He whispered hoarsely

"This is my baby, it's Herbert!" She cried and struggled mechanically. "I just forgot that the cemetery is two miles away." Why did you hug me? Let go of me. I have to open the door. "

"For God's sake, don't let him in." Cried the old man trembling.

"You are afraid of your own son," she cried, struggling. "Let me go. I'm coming, Herbert; I am coming. "

There was another knock at the door, followed by another sound. The old woman suddenly twisted herself, broke free and ran out of the house.

When she hurried downstairs, her husband ran to the landing and called out to her. He heard the door chain rattle and the bottom bolt was slowly and laboriously pulled out of the jack. Then came the old woman's hard breathing.

"Bolt," she shouted, "come down, I can't reach it." "But her husband on the ground, frantically groping around, looking for a monkey's paw. If only he could find it outside before it came in. A series of violent knocks echoed in the house. When his wife leaned the chair against the door in the aisle, he heard the friction of the chair. When the bolt was slowly pulled out, he heard a creaking sound. At the same time, he found the monkey's paw and whispered his third and last wish crazily.

The knock on the door suddenly disappeared, although its echo still rippled in the house. He heard the chair pull open and the door opened. A cold wind rushed up the stairs. His wife let out a long, loud cry of disappointment and pain, which gave him the courage to run to her side and then to the door. The flashing street lamp across the street illuminates the quiet and desolate road.

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