"Betterwhereyouare，"saidthesergeant-majhishead。Heputdowyglass，andsighingsoftly，shookitagain。
"Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemplesandfakirsa;saidtheoldman。"Whatwasthatyoustartedtelliherdayaboutamonkey'spaworsomething，Morris？"
"Nothing，"saidthesoldierhastily。"Leastways，nothingw。"
"Monkey'spaw？"saidMrs。Whitecuriously。
"Well，it'sjustabitofwhatyoumightcallmagic，perhaps，"saidthesergeant-majoroff-handedly。
Histhreelistenersleanedferly。Thevisitorabsehisemptyglasstohislipsadownagain。Hishostfilleditforhim。
"Tolookat，"saidthesergeant-major，fumblinginhispocket，"it'sjustanordinarylittlepaw，driedtoamummy。"
&ooksomethingoutofhispodprofferedit。Mrs。ithagrimace，butherson，takingit，examicuriously。
"Andwhatistherespecialaboutit？"inquiredMr。White，ashetookitfromhissonand，havi，placeditupoable。
"Ithadaspellputonitbyanoldfakir，"saidthesergeant-major，"averyholymaoshowthatfateruledpeople'slives，andthatthosewhoididsototheirsorrow。Heputaspellonitsothatthreeseparatemencouldeachhavethreewishesfromit。"
Hismannerressivethathishearersweresciousthattheirlightlaughterjarredsome>
"Well，whydon'tyouhavethree，sir？"saidHerbertWhitecleverly。
Thesardedhimimiddleageiswardpresumptuousyouth。"Ihave，"hesaidquietly，andhisblotchyfaed。
"Anddidyoureallyhavethethreewishesgra;askedMrs。White。
"Idid，"saidthesergeant-major，andhisglasstappedagainsthisstroh。
"Andhasanybodyelsewished？"iheoldlady。
"Thefirstmanhadhisthreewishes，yes，"ly。"Idon'tknowwhatthefirsttwowere，butthethirdwasfordeath。That'showIgotthepaw。"
Histravethatahushfelluponthegroup。
"Ifyou'vehadyourthreewishes，it'snogoodtoyounow，then，Morris，"saidtheoldmanatlast。"Whatdoyoukeepitfor？"
Thesoldiershookhishead。"Fancy，Isuppose，"hesaidslowly。