奇书网>美国文学 英语 > Text B Christmas Day in the Morning（第1页）
Text B Christmas Day in the Morning（第1页）
TextBChristmasDayintheM
PearlS。Buck
Heawokesuddenlyawasfouro’clock，thehouratwhichhisfatherhadalwayscalledhimtogetupahemilking。Strahehabitsofhisyouthstill!Fiftyyearsago，andhisfatherhadbeehirtyyears，afouro’them。Hehadtraiurnotosleep，butthism，becauseitwasChristmas，hedidnottry。Yetwhatwasthemagiasnow?Hisrownupandgoalohhiswife。Yesterdayshehadsaid，“Let’snottrimthetreeuntiltomorrow，Robert。I’mtired。”Heagreed，areeremaiiry。
Whydidhefeelsoawaketonight?Foritwasstillarry。Nomoon，ofcourse，butthestarswereextraordinary!Nowthathethoughtofit，thestarsseemedalwayslargerandclearerbeforethedawnofChristmasDay。Therewasoarnowthatwaslylargerahanahers。Heimagimoving，asithadseemedtohimtomoveolongago。
Hewas15yearsoldandstillonhisfather’sfarm。Helovedhisfather。HehadnotknownituntilonedayafewdaysbeforeChristmas，whenhehadoverheardwhathisfatherwassayingtohismother。
“Mary，IhatetocallRobinthems。He’sgrowingsofastandheneedshissleep。IfyoucouldseehowhesleepswhenIgointo!IwishIanagealone。”
“Well，you’t，Adam。”Hismother’svoicewasbrisk。“Besides，heisn’taymore。It’stimeforhimtotakehisturn。”
“Yes，”hisfathersaidslowly。“ButIsuredohatetowakehim。”
Whehesewords，somethinginhimawoke:hisfatherlovedhim!Therewouldbeeringinthemsandhavingtobecalledagaiupafterthat，stumblingblindwithsleepandpulledonhisclothes，hiseyestightshut，aup。
AhenightbeforeChristmas，thatyearwhenhewas15，helaythinkingabouttheday。
Hewishedhehadabetterpresentforhisfather。Asusual，hehadgostoreandboughtatieforhisfather。Ithadseemedilhelaythinking，ahathehadheardhisfatheraalkingintimeforhimtosaveforsomethier。
Helayonhisside，hisheadsupportedbyhiselbow，aofhisattidow。Thestarswerebright，muchbrighterthanheeverrememberedseeingthem，aarinparticularwasshtthathewowerereallytheStarofBethlehem。
“Dad，”hehadonceaskedwhenhewasalittleboy，“Whatisastable?”
“It’sjustabarn，”hisfatherhadreplied，“likeours。”
ThenJesushadbeenborninabarn，andtoabarntheshepherdsandtheWiseMenhade，brimasgifts!
&struckhim。Whyshouldheheraspecialgift，too，outthereinthebarn?Hecouldgetupearly，earlierthanfouro’dtetallthemilkingdoalone，milkandclearup，andtheherwenttostartthemilking，he’dseenitalldone。Andhehohaddo。
Helaughedtohimselfashegazedatthestars。Itoulddo，asleeptoosoundly。
&haveawakeimes，sgamatcheachtimetolookathisoldwatight，andhalfpastohentwoo’clock。
Ataquartertotupandputonhisclothes。Hestairs，carefulofthecreakyboards，ahimselfout。Thebigstarhuhebarnrold。Thecowslookedathim，sleepyandsurprised。Itwasearlyforthemtoo。
&ehayforeadthengotthemilkingpailandthebigmilks。
Hesmiled，thinkingabouthisfather，aeadily，twsteamsrushingintothepail，frothingandfragraaskwehanhehadeverknownittobefore。Milkingforoachore。Itwassomethitohisfather，wholovedhim。Hefiwomilkswerefull，ahemahemilkhousedoorcarefullymakihelatch。Heputthestoolinitsplacebythedupthemilkpail。Theofthebarnahedoorbehindhim。
Bahisroomhehadonlyamiopulloffhisthedarknessaobed，forheheardhisfatherup。Heputthecoversoverhisheadtosilencehisquickbreathing。Thedooropeill。
“Rob!”hisfathercalled。“Wehavetogetup，soisChristmas。”
“Aw-right，”hesaidsleepily。
“I’llgoonout，”hisfathersaid。“I’llgetthingsstarted。”
Thedoordhelaystill，laughingtohimself。Injustafewmiherwouldknow。
&eswereeen，fifteeknowhowmany—andheheardhisfather’sfootstepsagain。Thedooropeill。
“Rob!”
“Yes，Dad—”
