He went down in the darkness, and felt his way to the parlour, and then to the mantelpiece. The talisman was in its place, and a horrible fear that the unspoken wish might bring his mutilated son before him ere he could escape from the room seized upon him, and he caught his breath as he found that he had lost the direction of the door. His brow cold with sweat, he felt his way round the table, and groped along the wall until he found himself in the small passage with the unwholesome thing in his hand.
Even his wife’s face seemed changed as he entered the room. It was white and expectant, and to his fears seemed to have an unnatural look upon it. He was afraid of her.
‘Wish!’ she cried, in a strong voice
(желай! – вскричала она громким голосом;‘It is foolish and wicked,’ he faltered
(это глупо и грешно, – промямлил он;‘Wish!’ repeated his wife
(желай! – повторила его жена).He raised his hand
(он поднял руку). ‘I wish my son alive again (я хочу, чтобы мой сын был снова живым).’The talisman fell to the floor, and he regarded it fearfully
(талисман упал на пол, и он в страхе смотрел на него). Then he sank trembling into a chair (затем он, дрожа, рухнул в кресло;