Atthethirdglasshiseyesgotbrighter, andhebegantotalk, thelittlefamilycircleregardingwitheagerinterestthisvisitorfromdistantparts, ashesquaredhisbroadshouldersinthechairandspokeofstrangescenesanddoughtydeeds；ofwarsandplaguesandstrangepeoples.
“Twenty-oneyearsofit，”, noddingathiswifeandson.“.”
“Hedontlooktohavetakenmuchharm，”, politely.
“IdliketogotoIndiamyself，”saidtheoldman，“justtolookroundabit, youknow.”
“Betterwhereyouare，”saidthesergeant-major, , andsighingsoftly, shookitagain.
“Ishouldliketoseethoseoldtemplesandfakirsandjugglers，”saidtheoldman.“Whatwasthatyoustartedtellingmetheotherdayaboutamonkeyspaworsomething, Morris?”
“Nothing，”saidthesoldierhastily.“Leastways, nothingworthhearing.”
“Monkeyspaw?”.
“Well, itsjustabitofwhatyoumightcallmagic, perhaps，”saidthesergeant-majoroff-handedly.
.
“Tolookat，”saidthesergeant-major, fumblinginhispocket，“itsjustanordinarylittlepaw, driedtoamummy.”
, butherson, takingit, examineditcuriously.
“Andwhatistherespecialaboutit?”, ashetookitfromhissonand, havingexaminedit, placedituponthetable.
“Ithadaspellputonitbyanoldfakir，”saidthesergeant-major，“, .”
Hismannerwassoimpressivethathishearerswereconsciousthattheirlightlaughterjarredsomewhat.
“Well, whydontyouhavethree, sir?”saidHerbertWhitecleverly.
Thesoldierregardedhiminthewaythatmiddleageiswonttoregardpresumptuousyouth.“Ihave，”hesaidquietly, andhisblotchyfacewhitened.
“Anddidyoureallyhavethethreewishesgranted?”.
“Idid，”saidthesergeant-major, andhisglasstappedagainsthisstrongteeth.
