第7章 The Gift of the Magi (第1/2页)
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Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.Thatwasall.Andsixtycentsofitwasinennies.Penniessavedoneandtwoatatimebybulldozingthegrocerandthevegetablemanandthebutcheruntilone&aos;scheeksburnedwiththesilentimutationofarsimonythatsuchclosedealingimlied.ThreetimesDellacountedit.Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas.
Therewasclearlynothingtodobutflodownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl.SoDelladidit.Whichinstigatesthemoralreflectionthatlifeismadeuofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles,withsnifflesredominating.
Whilethemistressofthehomeisgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond,takealookatthehome.Afurnishedflatat$8erweek.Itdidnotexactlybeggardescrition,butitcertainlyhadthatwordonthelookoutforthemendicancysquad.
Inthevestibulebelowwasaletter-boxintowhichnoletterwouldgo,andanelectricbuttonfromwhichnomortalfingercouldcoaxaring.Alsoaertainingthereuntowasacardbearingthename
"Mr.JamesDillinghamYoung.
"
The
"Dillingham
"hadbeenflungtothebreezeduringaformereriodofroseritywhenitsossessorwasbeingaid$30erweek.Now,whentheincomewasshrunkto$20,thelettersof
"Dillingham
"lookedblurred,asthoughtheywerethinkingseriouslyofcontractingtoamodestandunassumingD.ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehomeandreachedhisflatabovehewascalled
"Jim
"andgreatlyhuggedbyMrs.JamesDillinghamYoung,alreadyintroducedtoyouasDella.Whichisallverygood.
Dellafinishedhercryandattendedtohercheekswiththeowderrag.Shestoodbythewindowandlookedoutdullyatagraycatwalkingagrayfenceinagraybackyard.TomorrowwouldbeChristmasDay,andshehadonly$1.87withwhichtobuyJimaresent.Shehadbeensavingeveryennyshecouldformonths,withthisresult.Twentydollarsaweekdoesn&aos;tgofar.Exenseshadbeengreaterthanshehadcalculated.Theyalwaysare.Only$1.87tobuyaresentforJim.HerJim.Manyahayhourshehadsentlanningforsomethingniceforhim.Somethingfineandrareandsterling-somethingjustalittlebitneartobeingworthyofthehonorofbeingownedbyJim.
Therewasaier-glassbetweenthewindowsoftheroom.Perhasyouhaveseenaier-glassinan$8flat.Averythinandveryagileersonmay,byobservinghisreflectioninaraidsequenceoflongitudinalstris,obtainafairlyaccurateconcetionofhislooks.Della,beingslender,hadmasteredtheart.
Suddenlyshewhirledfromthewindowandstoodbeforetheglass.hereyeswereshiningbrilliantly,butherfacehadlostitscolorwithintwentyseconds.Raidlysheulleddownherhairandletitfalltoitsfulllength.
Now,thereweretwoossessionsoftheJamesDillinghamYoungsinwhichtheybothtookamightyride.OnewasJim&aos;sgoldwatchthathadbeenhisfather&aos;sandhisgrandfather&aos;s.TheotherwasDella&aos;shair.HadtheQueenofShebalivedintheflatacrosstheairshaft,DellawouldhaveletherhairhangoutthewindowsomedaytodryjusttodereciateHerMajesty&aos;sjewelsandgifts.HadKingSolomonbeenthejanitor,withallhistreasuresileduinthebasement,Jimwouldhaveulledouthiswatcheverytimeheassed,justtoseehimluckathisbeardfromenvy.
SonowDella&aos;sbeautifulhairfellaboutherrilingandshininglikeacascadeofbrownwaters.Itreachedbelowherkneeandmadeitselfalmostagarmentforher.Andthenshedidituagainnervouslyandquickly.Onceshefalteredforaminuteandstoodstillwhileatearortwoslashedonthewornredcaret.
Onwentheroldbrownjacket;onwentheroldbrownhat.Withawhirlofskirtsandwiththebrilliantsarklestillinhereyes,sheflutteredoutthedooranddownthestairstothestreet.
Whereshestoedthesignread:
"Mine.Sofronie.HairGoodsofAllKinds.
"OneflightuDellaran,andcollectedherself,anting.Madame,large,toowhite,chilly,hardlylookedthe
"Sofronie.
"
"Willyoubuymyhair?
"askedDella.
"Ibuyhair,
"saidMadame.
"Takeyehatoffandlet&aos;shaveasightatthelooksofit.
"
Downriledthebrowncascade.
"Twentydollars,
"saidMadame,liftingthemasswitharactisedhand.
"Giveittomequick,
"saidDella.
Oh,andthenexttwohourstriedbyonrosywings.Forgetthehashedmetahor.ShewasransackingthestoresforJim&aos;sresent.
Shefounditatlast.ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse.Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthestores,andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout.Itwasalatinumfobchainsimleandchasteindesign,roerlyroclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealoneandnotbymeretriciousornamentation-asallgoodthingsshoulddo.ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch.AssoonasshesawitsheknewthatitmustbeJim&aos;s.Itwaslikehim.Quietnessandvalue-thedescritionaliedtoboth.Twenty-onedollarstheytookfromherforit,andshehurriedhomewiththe87cents.WiththatchainonhiswatchJimmightberoerlyanxiousaboutthetimeinanycomany.Grandasthewatchwas,hesometimeslookedatitontheslyonaccountoftheoldleatherstrathatheusedinlaceofachain.
WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgavewayalittletorudenceandreason.Shegotouthercurlingironsandlightedthegasandwenttoworkreairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove.Whichisalwaysatremendoustask,dearfriends-amammothtask.
Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,closelyingcurlsthatmadeherlookwonderfullylikeatruantschoolboy.Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong,carefully,andcritically.
"IfJimdoesn&aos;tkillme,
"shesaidtoherself,
"beforehetakesasecondlookatme,he&aos;llsayIlooklikeaConeyIslandchorusgirl.ButwhatcouldIdo-oh!WhatcouldIdowithadollarandeighty-sevencents?
"
At7o&aos;clockthecoffeewasmadeandthefrying-anwasonthebackofthestovehotandreadytocookthechos.
Jimwasneverlate.Delladoubledthefobchaininherhandandsatonthecornerofthetablenearthedoorthathealwaysentered.Thensheheardhissteonthestairawaydownonthefirstflight,andsheturnedwhiteforjustamoment.Shehadahabitforsayinglittlesilentrayeraboutthesimlesteverydaythings,andnowshewhisered:
"PleaseGod,makehimthinkIamstillretty.
