THEMONKEY'SPAW(1902)fromTheladyofthebarge(1906,6thed.)LondonandNewYorkHarper&Brothers,PublishersbyW.W.JacobsI.WITHOUT,thenightwascoldandwet,butinthesmallparlourofLaburnamVillatheblindsweredrawnandthefireburnedbrightly.Fatherandsonwereatchess,theformer,whopossessedideasaboutthegameinvolvingradicalchanges,puttinghiskingintosuchsharpandunnecessaryperilsthatitevenprovokedcommentfromthewhite-hairedoldladyknittingplacidlybythefire."Harkatthewind,"saidMr.White,who,havingseenafatalmistakeafteritwastoolate,wasamiablydesirousofpreventinghissonfromseeingit."I'mlistening,"saidthelatter,grimlysurveyingtheboardashestretchedouthishand."Check.""Ishouldhardlythinkthathe'dcometo-night,"saidhisfather,withhishandpoisedovertheboard."Mate,"repliedtheson."That'stheworstoflivingsofarout,"bawledMr.White,withsuddenandunlooked-forviolence;"ofallthebeastly,slushy,out-of-the-wayplacestolivein,thisistheworst.Pathway'sabog,andtheroad'satorrent.Idon'tknowwhatpeoplearethinkingabout.Isupposebecauseonlytwohousesontheroadarelet,theythinkitdoesn'tmatter.""Nevermind,dear,"saidhiswifesoothingly;"perhapsyou'llwinthenextone."Mr.Whitelookedupsharply,justintimetointerceptaknowingglancebetweenmotherandson.Thewordsdiedawayonhislips,andhehidaguiltygrininhisthingreybeard."Thereheis,"saidHerbertWhite,asthegatebangedtoloudlyandheavyfootstepscametowardthedoor.Theoldmanrosewithhospitablehaste,andopeningthedoor,washeardcondolingwiththenewarrival.Thenewarrivalalsocondoledwithhimself,sothatMrs.Whitesaid,"Tut,tut!"andcoughedgentlyasherhusbandenteredtheroom,followedbyatallburlyman,beadyofeyeandrubicundofvisage."Sergeant-MajorMorris,"hesaid,introducinghim.Thesergeant-majorshookhands,andtakingtheprofferedseatbythefire,watchedcontentedlywhilehishostgotoutwhiskyandtumblersandstoodasmallcopperkettleonthefire.Atthethirdglasshiseyesgotbrighter,andhebegantotalk,thelittlefamilycircleregardingwitheagerinterestthisvisitorfromdistantparts,ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthechairandspokeofstrangescenesanddoughtydeeds;ofwarsandplague...
