No.1thenightwascoldandwet,butinthesmallparlourofLaburnamVillatheblindsweredrawnandthefireburnedbrightly.Fatherandsonwereatchess,theformer,whopossessedideasaboutthegameinvolvingradicalchanges,puttinghiskingintosuchsharpandunnecessaryperilsthatitevenprovokedcommentfromthewhite-hairedoldladyknittingplacidlybythefire."Ishouldhardlythinkthathe'dcometo-night,"saidhisfather,"That'stheworstoflivingsofarout,"bawledMr.White,withsuddenandunlooked-forviolence;"ofallthebeastly,slushy,out-of-the-wayplacestolivein,thisistheworst.Pathway'sabog,andtheroad'satorrent.Idon'tknowwhatpeoplearethinkingabout.Isupposebecauseonlytwohousesontheroadarelet,theythinkitdoesn'tmatter.""Thereheis,"saidHerbertWhiteNo.2Theoldmanrosewithhospitablehaste,andopeningthedoor,washeardcondolingwiththenewarrival.Thenewarrivalalsocondoledwithhimself,sothatMrs.Whitesaid,"Tut,tut!"andcoughedgentlyasherhusbandenteredtheroom,followedbyatallburlyman,beadyofeyeandrubicundofvisage."Sergeant-MajorMorris,"hesaid,introducinghim.Thesergeant-majorshookhands,andtakingtheprofferedseatbythefire,watchedcontentedlywhilehishostgotoutwhiskyandtumblersandstoodasmallcopperkettleonthefire.No.3Atthethirdglasshiseyesgotbrighter,andhebegantotalk,thelittlefamilycircleregardingwitheagerinterestthisvisitorfromdistantparts,ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthechairandspokeofstrangescenesanddoughtydeeds;ofwarsandplaguesandstrangepeoples."Twenty-oneyearsofit,"saidMr.White,noddingathiswifeandson."Whenhewentawayhewasaslipofayouthinthewarehouse.Nowlookathim.""Hedon'tlooktohavetakenmuchharm,"saidMrs.White,politely."I'dliketogotoIndiamyself,"saidtheoldman,"justtolookroundabit,youknow.""Betterwhereyouare,"saidthesergeant-major,shakinghishead.Heputdowntheemptyglass,andsighingsoftly,shookitagain."Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemplesandfakirsandjugglers,"saidtheoldman."Whatwasthatyoustartedtellingmetheotherdayaboutamonkey'spaworsomething,Morris?""Nothing,"saidthesoldierhastily.No.4"Monkey'spaw?"saidMrs.Whitecuriously."Well,it'sjustabitofwhatyoumightcallma...
