羊腿與謀殺 Lamb to the Slaughter
羅德·達爾/Roald Dahl
羅爾德·達爾（Roald Dahl，1916-1990），挪威籍的英國傑出作家、劇作家和短篇小說作家，作品流傳於大人或小孩中，極為知名。他比較著名的作品有：《查理與巧克力工廠》（Charlie and the Chocolate Factory）、《詹姆斯與大仙桃》（James and the Giant Peach）、《瑪蒂爾達》（Matilda）、《女巫》（The Witches）、《吹夢巨人》（The BFG）。
The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight-hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whiskey. Fresh ice cubes in the Thermos bucket.
Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come him from work.
Now and again she would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come. There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she did. The drop of a head as she bent over her sewing was curiously tranquil. Her skin-for this was her sixth month with child-had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, the mouth was soft, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger darker than before. When the clock said ten minutes to five, she began to listen, and a few moments later, punctually as always, she heard the tires on the gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the footsteps passing the window, the key turning in the lock. She laid aside her sewing, stood up, and went forward to kiss him as he came in.
“Hello darling,”she said.
“Hello darling,”he answered.
She took his coat and hung it in the closer. Then she walked over and made the drinks, a strongish one for him, a weak one for herself;and soon she was back again in her chair with the sewing, and he in the other, opposite, holding the tall glass with both hands, rocking it so the ice cubes tinkled against the side.