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Three days later, in the big, new cemetery two miles from their house, the two old people said goodbye to their dead son. Then they went back to their dark, old house. They did not want to live without Herbert, but they waited for something good to happen, something to help them. The days went by very slowly. Sometimes they did not talk because there was nothing to say without Herbert. And so the days felt very long.

In the dark her husband heard her and he called, "Come back to bed. It's cold out there."

Then, one night, about a week later, Mrs White got out of bed because she could not sleep. She sat by the window and she watched and waited for her son. He did not come and she began to cry quietly.

"It's colder for my son," his wife answered. "He's out there in the cold cemetery."

Mrs White did not go back to bed, but Mr White was old and tired and the bed was warm. So, in the end, he went to sleep again. Suddenly he heard a cry from his wife.

"The paw!" she cried. "The monkey's paw!" She came back to the bed and stood there.

"It's downstairs," Mr White answered. "Why?"

"What?" Mr White asked.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Mr White cried. He sat up in bed. "What's the matter?" he thought. "Why is she ex cited? What's she talking about?" He looked at his wife.

"Yes! He's my son. I'm not afraid of him!" she answered.

"Quickly," she said. "Go and get the paw. We're going to wish for our boy to come back to us!"

Mr White said again, "Think, woman! Think! Our boy was in the machinery for a long time. They didn't want to show him to us! Think! Do you want to see his body?"

Her face was very white in the dark. "I want it," she said quietly, "and you've got it! Give it to me! Please!"

"No!" Mr White cried. "You're mad!"

"Get it! Get it quickly!" Mrs White cried again.

"You don't understand," Mr White said sadly, but he went downstairs to look for the monkey's paw.

Mrs White began to laugh and cry. "We can have two more wishes! " she cried. "We had one -- but there are two more!"

"The monkey's paw," Mrs White said. "Where is it?"

"Oh, no! Not again! Think, woman!" Mr White cried. But Mrs White did not listen.

"I can't," Mr White answered. "Remember -- he died in the machinery!"

In the bedroom his wife waited. She saw the paw in Mr White's hand and cried, "Quick! Make the wish!"

"No!" he thought. "I can't! I don't want to see Herbert! His face -- after he was in the machinery… no!"

In the living-room it was dark and Mr White did not have a candle. Slowly, he went across the room and he put out his hand for the monkey's paw. He touched it, and quickly took his hand away again.

Mr White looked sadly at his wife, but he took the paw in his right hand and said slowly, "I wish for my son, Herbert, to come back to us." then he sat down in the nearest chair.

"Make the wish! I'm not afraid of my own son!" Mrs White cried again.

Then he thought about his wife -- and he put out his hand and took the paw.

"Thank God!" Mr White said, and he went back to bed.

But Mrs White went over to the window and looked out into the road. She stayed there for a long time and she did not move. Nothing happened. The monkey's paw could not do it!

Soon Mrs White went to bed too.