英文故事TheGiftoftheMagi附理解练习Word文档下载推荐.docx

英文故事TheGiftoftheMagi附理解练习Word文档下载推荐.docx

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Oncedollarandeighty–sevencents.Thatwasall.Andsixtycentsofitwasinpennies.Penniessavedoneandtwoatatimebybargainingwiththegrocerandthevegetablemanandthebutcher.ThreetimesDellacountedit.Onedollarandeight–sevencents.AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas.

Therewasclearlynothingtodobutflopdownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl.SoDelladidit.Whichinstigatesthemoralreflectionthatlifeismadeupofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles,withsnifflespredominating.

Whilethemistressofthehomeisgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond,takealookatthehome.Afurnishedflatat$8perweek.Itdidnotexactlybeggardescription,butratherlookedasifitwere“begging.”

Inthedoorwaybelowwasaletter-boxintowhichnoletterwouldgo,andanelectricbuttonfromwhichnomortalfingercouldcoaxaring.Alsoappertainingthereuntowasacardbearingthename“Mr.JamesDillinghamYoung.”ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehomeandreachedhisflatabovehewascalled“Jim”andgreatlyhuggedbyMr.JamesDillinghamYoung,alreadyintroducedtoyouasDella.Whichisallverygood.

Dellafinishedhercryandattendedtohercheekwiththepowderrag.Shestoodbythewindowandlookedoutdullyatthegraycatwalkingagrayfenceinagraybackyard.

TomorrowwouldbeChristmasDay,andshehadonly$1.87withwhichtobuyJimapresent.Shehadbeensavingeverypennyshecouldformonths,withthisresult.Twentydollarsaweekdoesn’tgofar.Expenseshadbeengreaterthanshehadcalculated.Theyalwaysare.Only$1.87tobuyapresentforJim.HerJim.Manyahappyhourshehadspentplanningforsomethingniceforhim.Somethingfineandrareandsterling–somethingjustalittlebitneartobeingworthyofthehonorofbeingJim’swife.

Suddenlyshewhirledfromthewindowandstoodbeforethemirror.Hereyeswereshiningbrilliantly,butherfacehadlostitscolorwithintwentyseconds.Rapidlyshepulleddownherhairandletitfalltoitsfulllength.

Now,thereweretwopossessionsoftheJamesDillinghamYoung’sinwhichtheybothtookamightypride.OnewasJim’sgoldwatchthathadbeenhisfather’sandhisgrandfather’s.TheotherwasDella’shair.HadtheQueenofShebalivedtheflatacrosstheway,DellawouldhaveletherhairhangoutthewindowsomedaytodryjusttodepreciateHerMajesty’sjewelsandgifts.HadKingSolomonbeenthejanitor,withallhistreasurespiledupinthebasement,Jimwouldhavepulledhiswatcheverytimehepassed,justtoseehimpluckathisbeardfromenvy.

SonowDella’sbeautifulhairfellaboutherripplingandshininglikeacascadeofbrownwaters.Itreachedbelowherkneeandmadeitselfalmostagarmentforher.Andthenshediditupagainnervouslyandquickly.Onceshefalteredforaminuteandstoodstillwhileatearortwosplashedonthewornredcarpet.

Onwentheroldbrownjacket,onwentonoldbrownhat.Withawhirlofskirtsandwiththebrilliantsparklestillinhereye,sheflutteredoutthedooranddownthestairstothestreet.

Whereshestoppedthesignread:

“Mme.Sofronie.HairGoodsofAllkinds.”OneflightupDellaran,andcollectedherself,panting,Madame,large,toowhite,chilly,hardlylookedthe“Sofronie.”

“Willyoubuymyhair?

”askedDella.

“Ibuyhair,”saidMadame.“Takeyethatoffthelet’shaveasightatthelooksofit.”

Downrippledthebrowncascade.

“Twentydollars,”saidMadame,liftingthemasswithapracticedhand.

Oh,andthenexttwohourstrippedbyonrosywings.Forgetthehashedmetaphor.ShewasransackingthestoresforJim’spresent.

Shefounditatlast.ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse.Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthestores,andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout.Itwasaplatinumfobchainsimpleandchasteindesign,properlyproclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealone.ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch.AssoonasshesawitsheknewthatitmustbeJim’s.Itwaslikehim.Quietnessandvalue–thedescriptionappliedtoboth.Twenty-onedollarstheytookfromherforit,andshehurriedhomewiththe87cents.WiththatchainonhiswatchJimmightbeproperlyanxiousaboutthetimeinanycompany.Grandasthewatchwas,hesometimeslookedatitontheslyonaccountoftheoldleatherstrapthatheusedinplaceofachain.

WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgavewayalittletoprudenceandreason.Shegotouthercurlingironsandlightedthegasandwenttoworkrepairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove.Whichisalwaysatremendoustask,dearfriends–amammothtask.

Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,close-lyingcurlsthatmadeherlookwonderfullylikeaschoolboy.Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong,carefully,andcritically.

“IfJimdoesn’tkillme,”shesaidtoherself,“beforehetakesasecondlookatme,he’llsayIlooklikeaConeyIslandchorusgirl.ButwhatcouldIdo–oh!

WhatcouldIdowithadollarandeight-sevencents?

”

At7o’clockthecoffeewasmadeandthefrying-panwasonthebackofthestovehotandreadytocookthechops.

Jimwasneverlate.Delladoubledthefobchaininherhandandsatonthecornerofthetablenearthedoorthathealwaysentered.Thensheheardhissteponthestairwaydownonthefirstflight,andsheturnedwhiteforjustamoment.Shehadahabitofsayinglittlesilentprayersaboutthesimplesteverydaythings,andnowshewhispered:

“PleaseGod,makehimthinkIamstillpretty.”

ThedooropenedandJimsteppedinandclosedit.HelookedthinandveryseriousPoorfellow,hewasonlytwenty-twoandtobeburdenedwithafamily!

Heneededanewovercoatandhewaswithgloves.

Jimstoppedinsidethedoor,asimmovableasasetteratthescentofquail.HiseyeswerefixeduponDella,andtherewasanexpressioninthemthatshecouldnotread,anditterrifiedher.Itwasnotanger,norsurprise,nordisapproval,norhorror,noranyofthesentimentsthatshehadbeenpreparedfor.Hesimplestaredatherfixedlywithatpeculiarexpressiononhisface.Dellawriggledoffthetableandwentforhim.

“Jim,daring.”Shecried,“don’tlookatmethatway.IhadmyhaircutoffandsolditbecauseIcouldn’thavelivedthroughChristmaswithoutgivingyouapresent.It’llgrowoutagain–youwon’tmind,willyou?

Ijusthadtodoit.Myhairgrowsawfullyfast.Say‘MerryChristmas!

’Jim,andlet’sbehappy.Youdon’tknowwhatanice–whatabeautiful,nicegiftI’vegotforyou.”

“You’vecutoffyourhair?

”askJim,laboriously,asifhehadnotarrivedatthatpatentfactyetevenafterthehardestmentallabor.

“Cutitoffandsoldit,”saidDella.“Don’tyoulikemejustaswell,anyhow?

I’mmewithoutmyhair,aren’tI?

”Jimlookedabouttheroomcuriously.

“Yousayyourhairisgone!

”hesaid,withanairalmostofidiocy.

“Youneedn’tlookforit,”saidDella.“It’ssold,Itellyou–soldandgone,too.It’sChristmasEve,boy.Begoodtome,foritwentforyou.Maybethehairsofmyheadwerenumbered,”shewentonwithasuddenserioussweetness,“butnobodycouldevencountmyloveforyou.ShallIputthechopson,Jim?

OutofhistranceJimseemedquicklytowake.HeenfoldedhisDella.Fortensecondsletusregardwithdiscreetscrutinysomeinconsequentialobjectintheotherdirection.Eightdollarsaweekoramillionayear–whatisthedifference?

Amathematicianorawitwouldgiveyouthewronganswer.Themagicbroughtvaluablegifts,butthatwasnotamongthem.Thisdarkassertionwillbeilluminatedlateron.

Jimdrewapackagefromhisovercoatpocketandthrewituponthetable.“Don’tmakeanymistake,Della.”hesaid,“aboutme.Idon’tthinkthere’sanythinginthewayofahaircutorashaveorashampoothatcouldmakemelikemygirlanyless.Butifyou’llunwrapthatpackageyoumayseewhyyouhadmegoingawhileatfirst.”

Whitefingersandnimbletoreatthestringandpaper.Andthenanecstaticscreamofjoy,andthen,alas!

Aquickfemininechangetohystericaltearsandwails,necessitatingtheimmediateemploymentofallthecomfortingpowersofthelordoftheflat.

FortherelaytheCombs–thesetofcombs,sideandback,thatDellahadworshippedforlonginaBroadwaywindow.Beautifulcombs,puretortoiseshell,withjeweledrims–justtheshadetowearinthebeautifulvanishedhair.Theywereexpensivecombs,sheknew,andherhearthadsimplycravedandyearnedoverthemwithouttheleasthopeofpossession.Andnowtheyhers,butthetressesthatshouldhaveadornedthecovetedadornmentsweregone.Butshehuggedthemtoherbosom,andatlengthshewasabletolookupwithdimeyesandasmileandsay:

“Myhairgrowssofast,Jim!

Jimhadnotyetseenhisbeautifulpresent.Shehelditouttohimeagerlyuponheropenpalm.Thedullpreciousmetalseemedtoflashwithareflectionofherbrightandardentspirit.

“Isn’titadandy,Jim?

Ihuntedallovertowntofindit.You’llhavetolookatthetimeahundredtimesadaynow.Givemeyourwatch.Iwanttoseehowitlooksonit.”Insteadofobeying,Jimtumbleddownonthecouchandputhishandsunderthebackofhisheadandsmiled.

“Dell,”saidhe,“Let’sputourChristmaspresentsawayandkeep‘emawhile.They’retoonicetousejustatpresent.Isoldthewatchtogetthemoneytobuyyourcombs.Andnowsupposeyouputthechopson.”

Themagi,asyouknow,werewisemen–wonderfullywisemen–whobroughtgiftstotheBabeinthemanger.TheyinventedtheartofgivingChristmaspresents.Bein