奇书网>美国文学 英语 > Text A The Gift of the Magi（第2页）
Text A The Gift of the Magi（第2页）
[21]Jimwase。Delladoubledthefobherhandandsatontheerofthetablehathealwaysehensheheardhisstepoairawaydowflight，auramoment。Shehadahabitflittlesilethesimplesteverydaythings，andnowshewhispered:“PleaseGod，makehimthinkIamstillpretty。”
[22]ThedooropenedandJimsteppedina。Helookedthinandveryserious。Poorfellow，hewasowo—andtobeburdehafamily!Heneededaahoutgloves。
[23]Jimstoppedihedoor，asimmovableasasetteratthestofquail。HiseyeswerefixeduponDella，andthereressiosheotread，anditterrifiedher。Itwasnotanger，norsurprise，nordisapproval，norhorror，noraimentsthatshehadbeenpreparedfor。Hesimplystaredatherfixedlyeculiarexpressiononhisface。
[24]Dellawriggledoffthetableaforhim。
[25]“Jim，darling，”shecried，“don’tlookatmethatway。IhadmyhairdsoldbecauseI’thavelivedthroughChristmaswithoutgivingyouapresent。It’llgrowoutagain—youwon’tmind，willyou?Ijusthadtodoit。Myhairgrowsawfullyfast。Say‘MerryChristmas!’Jim，a’sbehappy。Youdon’tknowwhataabeautiful，I’vegotforyou。”
[26]“You’vecutoffyourhair?”askedJim，laboriously，asifhehadpateevehehardestmentallabor。
[27]“Cutitoffandsoldit，”saidDella。“Don’tyoulikemejustaswell，anyhow?I’mmewithoutmyhair，ain’tI?”
[28]Jimlookedabouttheroomcuriously。
[29]“Yousayyone?”hesaid，withanairalmostofidiocy。
[30]“Youlookforit，”saidDella。“It’ssold，Itellyou—solda’sChristmasEve，boy。Begoodtome，foritwentforyou。Maybethehairsofmyheadwerenumbered，”shewentonwithsuddenserioussweetnobodycouldeveryloveforyou。ShallIputthe?”
[31]OutofhistranceJimseemedquicklytowake。HeenfoldedhisDella。Forteusregardwithdiscreetseiialobjetheotherdire。Eightdollarsaweekoramillioisthedifferehematiorawitwouldgiveyahemagibroughtvaluablegifts，butthatwasnotamohisdarkassertionwillbeillumieron。
[32]Jimdreahisovercoatpodthrewitupoable。
[33]“Doake，Dell，”hesaid，“aboutme。Idon’tthihinginthewayofahaircutorashaveorashampoothatakemelikemygirlaifyou’llunaayseewhyyouhadmegoi。”
[34]Whitefingersathestringaheicscreamofjoy;andthen，alas!aquiegetohystericaltearsandwails，ieemploymentofallthefpowersofthelordoftheflat。
[35]FortherelayThebs—thesetofbs，sideandback，thatDellahadworshippedlonginaBroad。Beautifulbs，puretortoiseshell，withjewelledrims—justtheshadetoweariifulvaheywereexpensivebs，sheknew，ahadsimplydyearhemwithouttheleasthopeofpossession。Andnow，theywerehers，butthetressesthatshouldhaveadoredadorsweregone。
[36]Butshehuggedthemtoherbosom，ahshewasabletolookupwithdimeyesandasmileandsay:“Myhairgrowssofast，Jim!”
[37]AndthenDellaleapeduplikealittlesiandcried，“Oh，oh!”
[38]Jimhadseeifulpresetohimeagerlyupohedullpreetalseemedtoflashwithareflehta。
[39]“Isn’titadandy，Jim?Ihuntedallovertowntofindit。You’llhavetolookatthetimeahuimesadaynow。Givemeyourwatttoseehowitlooksonit。”
[40]Insteadofobeying，Jimtumbleddownonthedputhishahebackofhisheadandsmiled。
[41]“Dell，”saidhe，“let’sputourChristmaspresentsa’emawhile。They’retooousejustatpresent。Isoldthewatchtogetthemoobuyyourbs。Andnowsupposeyouputthe。”
[42]Themagi，asyouknoisemen—wonderfullywisemen—whiftstotheBabeinthemaedtheartofgivingChristmaspresents。Beiheirgiftswerenodoubtwiseones，possiblybearingtheprivilegeofexcaseofduplidhereIhavelamelyrelatedtoyoutheufulicleoftwofoolishinaflatwhomostunwiselysacrificedforeachreatesttreasuresoftheirhouse。Butinalastwordtothewiseofthesedaysletitbesaidthatofallwhogivegiftsthesetisest。Ofallwhogiveas，suchastheyarewisest。Everywheretheyarewisest。Theyarethemagi。
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