O. Henry

One yuan and eighty-seven cents. It's all here, of which 60 cents is a penny. These cents

It's the grocer, the greengrocer and the butcher who buckle it down at two o'clock and go straight.

I am ashamed of myself, and I deeply feel that this kind of transaction is really embarrassing. Della counted it three times.

Next time it will be one yuan and eighty-seven, and the next day will be Christmas.

Obviously, there is nothing to do but throw yourself on that shabby nap chair and cry.

Della did this, but her spiritual feelings came. Life is all about crying, sniffling and smiling.

Especially a runny nose is dominant.

When the housewife gradually calms down, let's take a look at this home again. a set of furniture

The rent for an apartment is $8 a week. Although it is difficult to describe in words, he is indeed a beggar.

The word help.

There is a mailbox downstairs at the door, but there has never been a letter, and there is also a button. There has never been one.

People's fingers rang the doorbell. In addition, there is a business card that says "James Dillinger".

Mr. Yang ".

The name "dillingham" was temporarily added when the master was in his prime.

At that time, he earned 30 dollars a week. Now, his income has shrunk to twenty dollars, "dillingham"

The letter is also vague, as if seriously considering whether to abbreviate it into humility.

However, every time James dillingham Young came home, he went into the upstairs room.

At that time, Mrs James dillingham Young, whom I just introduced to you, always called him Della.

"Jim" and gave him a warm hug. Sure, that would be great.

When Della finished crying, she powdered her cheeks. She stood at the window, staring at the gray.

A gray cat is walking on the gray fence in the backyard. Tomorrow is Christmas, and she only has

One yuan and eighty-seven cents for Jim to buy a present. It took her months to do her best.

Only by saving one point at a time can this result be achieved. Twenty dollars a week really can't afford it.

Over budget as always. Only one yuan and eighty-seven cents was given to Jim to buy a present for her Jim. Tawa

I spent many happy days planning to give him a lovely gift, a delicate, rare and precious gift.

Gifts-at least a little worthy of all Jim's things.

There is a wall mirror between the two windows in the room. Maybe you have seen an apartment wall, and the rent is eight dollars a week.

Mirror it. A very thin and agile person, observing himself from a series of vertical images, may

You will have a roughly accurate concept of your appearance. Della is slim and proficient in this door.

Art.

Suddenly, she turned from the window and stood in front of the mirror on the wall. Her eyes are clear and transparent,

But in twenty seconds, her face lost its luster. She quickly broke her hair and let it splash completely.

Let's go

Now, James dillingham Young and his wife each have something they are particularly proud of. one

This is Jim's gold watch, which passed from his grandfather to his father and from his father to his family heirloom. The other thing is,

Della's hair. If the queen of Sheba (1) also lives in the apartment opposite the patio, one day Della will put

Hair hanging down, exposed to dry outside the window, make the Queen's Pearl Ran Qian pale; If the basement

If there are a lot of gold and silver treasures and King Solomon is the gatekeeper, whenever Jim passes by, he will definitely touch the gold.

Watch, let King Solomon blow his beard and stare with envy.

At this time, Della's hair splashed around her, and the microwave fluctuated and sparkled, that's all.

A brown waterfall. Her hair is knee-length, just like her robe. Then, she became neurotic.

Comb your hair quickly Hesitated for a minute and stood there motionless, on the worn red carpet.

Splash a tear or two.

She put on her old brown coat and hat, and her eyes were glistening with tears.

As soon as the flowers and skirts were released, they floated out of the door and went downstairs into the street.

She stopped at a sign that said, "Mrs. Sofroni-specializes in all kinds of heads."

Send ". Della ran up the stairs breathlessly and calmly. That lady is fat and pale,

As cold as ice, the nickname "Sofroni" is simply irrelevant.

"Do you want to buy my hair?" Della asked.

"I buy hair," said the lady. "Take off your hat and let me see the hair sample."

The brown waterfall splashed down.

"Twenty dollars," said the lady, grasping her hair skillfully.

"Give me the money quickly," said Della.

Ah, the next two hours seem to fly happily with wings. Please ignore it.

This fictional metaphor. In order to buy Jim a present, she is going shopping thoroughly.

She finally found it. This must be specially made for Jim, not for anyone else. She searched all the enterprises.

In the shop, where can I find such a thing? It's a simple platinum watch chain engraved with patterns. Just like everything.

High-quality things, it depends only on the length of the goods, not on decoration to show off. It's worth it.

Gold watch. As soon as she saw this watch chain, she knew it must belong to Jim. Just like Jim himself, be quiet.

And valuable-this description is suitable for both. She bought it for 2 1 dollar in a hurry.

When I got home, there was only 87 cents left. The gold watch goes with this chain. On any occasion, Jim will

You can look at the time without shame.

Although this watch is gorgeous and precious, because the bracelet has been replaced by an old belt, he sometimes only peeks at it secretly.

Take a look.

When Della came home, her ecstasy became a little cautious and rational. She found the iron tongs for perm,

It is always an extremely difficult task to light the gas and start repairing the damage caused by love and generosity.

Dear friends, this is a great task.

In less than forty minutes, her head was covered with small curly hair sticking to her scalp, making her look like a

Little boy who plays truant. She always stares at herself in the mirror and takes pictures seriously and harshly.

"If Jim looks at me and doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "he will definitely say that I look like one.

A singing girl from Coney Island Choir. But what can I do-well, it's only one yuan and eighty-seven cents.

what can I do? "

At seven o'clock, she made coffee and put the frying pan on the hot stove, ready to cook steak.

Jim always comes home on time. Della held the bracelet in her hand and sat closest to the entrance where he often went.

In the corner of the table. Then, she heard his footsteps on the stairs below, and she turned pale with nervousness.

I bled for a while. She is used to praying silently for the simplest everyday things. At the moment, she is very sad.

Track: "Please God, let him think that I am still beautiful."

The door opened, and Jim went in and closed it behind him. He looks thin and serious. pathetic

Dude, he's only 22 years old, and he's shouldering the burden of his family! He needs to buy a new coat without gloves.

Yes

Jim stood motionless at the door of his house, as if the hound smelled quail.

His eyes were fixed on Della, and her expression made her incomprehensible and creepy. No anger, no anger

Anger, nor surprise, nor dissatisfaction, nor disgust, is not what she expected at all.

Look at that. He just stared at della with this expression.

Della twisted her waist, jumped off the table and walked towards him.

"Jim, honey," she cried, "don't stare at me like that. I cut my hair and sold it because

I can't spend Christmas without giving you a present. Hair will grow back-you won't mind, will you?

Really? I have to do this. My hair grows very fast. Say "Merry Christmas"! Jim, let's

We are very happy. You'll never guess what a nice dress I bought for you-how beautiful and exquisite.

What a nice gift! "

"Did you cut off your hair?" Jim asked laboriously, as if he had racked his brains and couldn't think of it.

Understand this obvious fact.

"Cut it off and sell it," said Della. "Don't you like me anyway? Not anymore.

Fat, I'm still me, right? "

Jim looked around the room strangely.

"You said your hair was gone?" He asked almost like an idiot.

"Don't look," said Della. "To tell you, I have sold-sold, no .. this.

It's Christmas Eve, good man. Be good to me, for you. Maybe I can count my hair. "

Suddenly, she continued very gently, "but no one can count my love for you." Did I make steak,

Jim. "

Jim seemed to wake up from a trance and held Della tightly in his arms. Now, don't worry, first of all.

Let's spend ten seconds thinking about something unimportant from another angle. Lease weekly

Eight dollars, or a million dollars, what's the difference? Mathematicians or gifted scholars will give you mistakes.

The answer. Maggie (2) brought a precious gift, but it lacked that thing. This obscure sentence,

This will be explained below.

Jim took a small bag from his coat pocket and threw it on the table.

"Don't get me wrong, Del," he said. "Whether you have a haircut, a shave or a shampoo,

I thought nothing in the world could reduce my love for my wife. But all you have to do is open it.

That bag of things will understand why I was confused just now. "

White fingers deftly untied the rope and opened the paper bag. Followed by a scream of ecstasy, alas.

Ah! Suddenly it turned into a woman's neurotic tears and crying, and he urgently needed the man to try his best to comfort him.

Or because of the comb on the table-a full set of combs, including sideburns and back, everything.

Everything is available. This is something that Della saw in a Broadway window a long time ago and envied to death.

These wonderful hair combs are made of pure tortoiseshell, and the edges are inlaid with jewels-the color is exactly the same as her lost beauty.

Hair matches. She knows that this set of combs is too expensive. In this regard, she only has envy and desire, but from

I didn't expect to keep it myself. Now, all this actually belongs to her, but unfortunately she is qualified to wear this dream thing.

Long-standing ornaments and beautiful long hair have disappeared without a trace.

But she still raised her hair comb to her chest, and it took a long time to raise her eyes.

Smiled and said, "My hair grows fast, Jim!" " "

Then Della jumped up like a scalded kitten and cried, "Oh! Oh! "

Jim hasn't seen his beautiful present yet. She eagerly held out her palm and reached out to him.

In front of her, the unconscious precious metal seems to flash her joy and enthusiasm.

"Beautiful, Jim? I searched all over the city before I found it. Now, you can watch one hundred every day.

It is time. Give me the watch, I want to see how it matches. "

Jim didn't do what she said, but fell down on the sofa, his hands resting on his head and his hair slightly parted.

Laugh.

"Del," he said, "let's put the Christmas presents aside and keep them for a while. they

It's so good to use at present. I sold my gold watch and bought you a comb. Now, you know.

A steak, please. "

As everyone knows, Maggie is a smart person, a very smart person. They bring gifts and give them away.

Jesus was born in a manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Because they're smart people, okay.

There is no doubt that their gifts are also smart gifts. If two things are exactly the same, they may also

Have the right to exchange. Here, I clumsily introduce you to two idiots who live in an apartment.

It is not surprising that the children's plain stories, they are very unwise to sacrifice the most precious things of their family for each other.

Expensive things. However, I still have to say one last word to today's smart people.

Of all the people, those two are the cleverest. Of all the people who give and receive gifts, I like them.

Such people are also the smartest. Everywhere, they are the smartest people.

They are Maggie.