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It was nearly midnight. In their warm living-room, the two old people and their son sat and talked about the soldier's stories.
已经快半夜了。在他们温暖的客厅里，两位老人和他们的儿子在谈论着老兵的故事。
"India is a wonderful country," Mr White said. "What exciting stories! It was a good evening."
“印度是一个神奇的国家，”怀特先生说，“多么激动人心的故事！多么美好的夜晚。”
Mrs White stood up to take some things into the kitchen, but she stopped and listened to Herbert and his father.
怀特太太站起来要拿东西进厨房，但她却停下来听赫伯特和他父亲谈话。
"Yes," Herbert said. "Morris told some interesting stories, but, of course, some of them weren't true."
“是的，”赫伯特说，“莫里斯讲了一些有趣的故事，但是，有些东西不一定是真实的。”
"Oh Herbert!"mrs White said.
“哦，赫伯特！”怀特太太说。
"Well, Mother, that story about the monkey's paw wasn't true. A dirty little monkey's paw isn't magic! But it was a good story." And Herbert smiled.
“是的，母亲，有关猴爪的故事不是真的。一只脏的猴爪哪会有魔力！但这个故事很好。”赫伯特笑着说。
"Well, I think you"re right, Herbert," his mother said.
“我想你是对的，赫伯特。”他母亲说。
"I don't know，" Mr White said quietly. "Perhaps the story was true. Strange things can happen sometimes."
“我不知道，”怀特先生平静地说，“也许这个故事是真的。怪事有时也会发生。”
Mrs White looked at her husband. "Did you give some money to Tom Morris for that paw?" she asked．"We don't have money to give away for nothing!" Mrs White was angry now.
怀特太太看着她的丈夫。“你从莫里斯那儿拿来猴爪给他钱了吗？”她问。“我们没有多余的钱去为无价值的东西付出！”怀特太太现在发怒了。
"Well, yes," her husband answered. "I did, but not much, and at first he didn't want to take it. He wanted the monkey's paw."
“是的，”她丈夫回答说，“我付钱了，但不多。开始他不想要钱，他要他的猴爪。”
"Well, he can't have it," Herbert laughed. "It's our paw now and we're going to be rich and happy. Come on, Father. Make a wish!"
“好啦，莫里斯不再拥有猴爪了，”赫伯特笑了起来。“猴爪现在属于我们，我们将变得富有幸福。来吧，父亲。许个愿！”
Old Mr White took the paw from his pocket．"OK，Herbert， but what am I going to ask for? I have everything—you, your mother. What do I need?"
老怀特先生从口袋里拿出猴爪。“好吧，赫伯特，但我还要什么呢？我拥有一切——你，你母亲。我需要什么呢？”
"Money, of course," Herbert answered quickly. "We need money! You're always thinking about money. That's be cause we haven't got very much of it.
“当然是钱，”赫伯特迅速回答，“我们需要钱！你总是为钱而费尽心思，那是因为我们没有钱。
With money you can pay for this house. It can be your house! Go on, Father, wish for thirty thousand pounds!"
有钱你能买房子。真正属于你的房子！来吧，父亲，许愿吧，愿咱们有30 000英镑。”
Herbert stopped talking and his old father thought for a minute. The room was quiet and they could hear the rain on the windows.
赫伯特停止了讲话，他的父亲思考了一会儿。房子里很安静，他们能够听到雨点打在大窗户上的声音。
Then Mr White took the monkey's paw in his right hand. He was afraid， but he looked at his wife and she smiled at him.
接着怀特先生拿出猴爪放在右手。他很害怕，他看着妻子；他的妻子冲他微笑。
"Go on," she said.
“说吧。”她说。
