基础段-猴爪（原著版第17集）

一， 原文文章：

He went down in the darkness, and felt his way tothe parlor, and then to the mantelpiece. Thetalisman was in its place, and a horrible fear that the unspoken wish might bring his mutilated son beforehim ere he could escape from the room seized uponhim, and he caught his breath as he found that hehad lost the direction of the door. His brow cold withsweat, he felt his way round the table, and groped along the wall until he found himself in the smallpassage with the unwholesome thing in his hand.

Even his wife's face seemed changed as he enteredthe room. It was white and expectant, and to his fearsseemed to have an unnatural look upon it. He wasafraid of her.

"Wish!" she cried, in a strong voice.
"It is foolish and wicked," he faltered.
"Wish!" repeated his wife.
He raised his hand. "I wish my son alive again." 

The talisman fell to the floor, and he regarded it shudderingly. Then he sank trembling into a chair as theold woman, with burning eyes, walked to the windowand raised the blind. 

二，词汇知识：

1. mantelpiece：壁炉炉台

2. unspoken：未说出口的

3. mutilated：被毁坏的（文中引申为血肉模糊的）

4. seize：抓住

5. brow：眉毛

6. grope：摸索

7. unwholesome：腐烂的（文中引申为猴爪）

8. unnatural：不自然的

9. wicked：邪恶的

10. falter：结巴

11. sank：陷入

12. trembling：颤抖的

13. burning：强烈的

三，句型知识：

catch someone's breath：屏住呼吸