Theoldmanturnedandregardedher，andhisvoiceshook。"Hehasbeeendays，andbesideshe—Iwouldnottellyouelse，but—Ilyrebyhisg。Ifhewastooterribleforyoutoseethen，hownow?"
&quhimback，"criedtheoldwoman，aowardthedoor。"DoyouthihechildIhave;
&downinthedarkness，ahiswaytotheparlour，ahemaalismanwasinitspladahorriblefearthattheunspokenwishmightbringhismutilatedsonbeforehimerehecouldestheroomseizeduponhim，ahisbreathashefouthedireofthedoor。Hisbroeat，hefelthiswayrouable，ahewalluntilhefouhesmallpassagewiththeuhinginhishand。
Evenhiswife'sfaceseemedgedasheewasedtohisfearsseemedtohaveanunnaturallookuponit。Hewasafraidofher。
"Wish!"sheastrongvoice。
"Itisfoolisha;hefaltered。
"Wish!"repeatedhiswife。
Heraisedhishand。"Iwishmysonaliveagain。"
&alismahefloor，afearfully。Theremblingintoachairastheoldwoman，withburningeyes，walkedtothewindowaheblind。
&ilhewaschilledwiththegoallyatthefigureoftheoldeeringthroughthewindow。Thed，whichhadburherimofthedlestick，wasthrowingpulsatingshadowsonthedwalls，until，withaflickerlargerthaexpired。Theoldman，eakablesehefailureofthetalismaohisbed，andamiwoafterwardtheoldwomalyaicallybesidehim。
&herspoke，butbothlaysilehetigoftheclock。Astaircreaked，andasqueakymouseshthewall。Thedarknessressive，andafterlyingforsometimesguphisce，thehusbandtooktheboxofmatdstrikiairsforadle。
Atthefootofthestairsthemattout，aostrikeathesamemomentaknock，soquietahyastobescarcelyaudible，souhefrontdoor。
&chesfellfromhishaoodmotionless，hisbreathsuspeheknockeated。Theurnedalyba，ahedoorbehindhim。Athirdknodedthroughthehouse。
"What'sthat?"criedtheold。
"Arat，"saidtheoldman，inshaki;arat。Itpassedmeoairs。"
Hisiening。Aloudkhroughthehouse。
"It'sHerbert!"shescreamed。"It'sHerbert!"
&hedoor，butherhusbandwasbeforeher，andgherbythearm，heldhertightly。
&quoingtodo?"hewhisperedhoarsely。
"It'smyboy;it'sHerbert!"shecried，strugglingmeically。"itwastwomilesaway。Whatareyouholdigo。Imustopenthedoor。"
&quod'ssake，don'tletitin，"criedthe。
"You'reafraidofyourownson，"shecried，struggling。"Letmego。I'mi;I'ming。"