"Asimov, Isaac - Magical Wishes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asimov Isaac)

His three listeners leaned forward eagerly. The visitor absent-

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W. W. Jacobs

mmdodly put his empty glass to his lips and then set it down
again. His host filled it for him.

"To look at," said the sergeant-major, fumbling in his
pocket, "it's just an ordinary little paw, dned to a mummy."

He took something out of his pocket and proffered it. Mrs.
White drew back with a gnmace, but her son, taking it,
examined it curiously.

"And what is there special about it?" inquired Mr. White
as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it
upon the table.

"It had a spell put on it by an old fakir," said the sergeant-
major, "a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled
people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to
their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three separate men
could each have three wishes from it."

His manner was so impressive that his hearers were con-
scious that their light laughter jarred somewhat.

"Well, why don't you have three, sir?" said Herbert White
cleverly.

The soldier regarded him in the way that middle age is
wont to regard presumptuous youth. "I have," he said qui-
etly, and his blotchy face whitened.

"And did you really have the three wishes granted?" asked
Mrs. White.

"1 did," said me sergeant-major, and his glass tapped
against his strong teeth.

"And has anybody else wished?" persisted the old lady.

"The first man had his three wishes. Yes," was the reply;

"I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for
death. That's how I got the paw."

His tones were so grave that a hush felt upon me group.