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.