There is obviously no other way but to throw yourself on the shabby little sofa and cry.
Yes, but spiritual feelings are spontaneous, and life is dominated by crying, sniffling and smiling.
As the housewife gradually calms down, let's look at the house. A furnished apartment costs eight dollars a week. Although it is difficult to describe, it is really enough to help the word beggar.
There is a mailbox at the door downstairs, there is no letter in it, and there is a button that no one can press. Moreover, there is a business card that says James Di-Han Lin Young.
The name dillingham was added by the boss of a brilliant company on a whim, when he earned thirty dollars a week. Now, his income has shrunk to $20, and dillingham's letters are blurred, as if they were seriously thinking about a modest and unassuming practical letter D. However, when Mr. James dillingham raised his hand upstairs and walked into the upstairs room, Mrs. James Lin-Yang always called him Jin when she first introduced him to everyone, and gave him a warm hug. Of course, that's the best. Yes, Jim is so lucky!
Della wiped her tears with a rag. She stood at the window and stared blankly at the backyard. A gray cat was walking into a gray fence. Tomorrow is Christmas. She only has one dollar and seven cents to give Jim for a present. It took her several months to get the result through her own efforts. Twenty dollars a week is not long, so the expenditure always exceeds the budget. There is only one yuan and seven gifts for Jim. Her Jim. She spent a lot of happy time planning to give him a gift, Kexin, a beautiful, rare and precious gift-at least there is some match in everything before giving it to Jim.
There is a wall mirror between the two windows in the room. Maybe you've seen a wall mirror that costs $8 a week. A very small and dexterous person may have a general idea of his appearance by observing himself in a series of longitudinal images. Della Slim has mastered this art.
Suddenly, she bypassed the window and stood in front of the mirror on the wall. Her eyes sparkled, but after twenty seconds, her face lost its luster. She split her hair so fast that it completely spread out.
Now, young James dillingham and his wife each have a special pride. One is Jim's gold watch, which was handed down from his grandfather to his father, and his father passed it on to Jiabao. The other is Della's hair. If the queen of Sheba lives in an apartment across the yard, one day Della will let her hair hang down, dry it from the window and cast it into the shadow of the queen's jewelry; If Solomon piles his treasure in the basement, the king is the gatekeeper. When Jim walks in there, he will touch the gold watch. King Solomon's beard is full of envy.
At this time, Delas' hair rippled around her, rippling and shining like a brown waterfall. Her hair is long and long, like one of her robes. Then she combed her hair nervously. Hesitated for a minute, stood quietly, and a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.
She put on her old brown jacket and old brown hat, with tears in her eyes, put away her skirt, and then went out and down the stairs to the street.
She stopped at a sign and said, Mrs. Alfonso Froni, who specializes in all kinds of hair, stopped for a while and Della panted up the stairs. This fat lady is too pale, and with Sophia's strict attitude, this title is irrelevant.
Do you want to buy my hair? Della asked.
I buy my hair, said the lady. Take off your hat and let me see your hair. ..
The brown waterfall rippled down.
Twenty dollars, said the proprietress, grabbing her hair.
"Give me the money quickly," said Della.
Ah, the next two hours flew by happily like wings. Forget the hash metaphor. She rummaged through the shops to buy presents for Jim.
She finally found it. This must be done for Jim. It was never given to anyone else. She searched all the shops, but couldn't find such a thing, a simple platinum bracelet with carving. Like all good things, it's just a matter of length, not decoration. It is worthy of this gold watch. As soon as she saw it, she knew it must belong to Jim. It's like Jim himself F, quiet and value-the description applies to both. She bought it for 2 1 dollar and hurried home, leaving only 7 cents. That gold watch, that chain, Jim won't look at the time on any occasion.
Even if the watch is gorgeous, because it represents the chain with an old belt, he sometimes steals a glance.
When Della came home, her ecstasy became a little cautious and rational. She lit gas and hair clippers to repair the damage to love and generosity, which is always a very difficult task, dear friends-a huge task.
In less than 40 minutes, her head was covered with thick curly hair and looked like a primary school student. She stared at herself in the mirror, carefully and critically looking at her old self.
If Jim looks at me and doesn't strangle me, she will speak automatically. He will say that I look like a girl from Coney Island Song and Dance Troupe. But what can I do? -Well, it's only one yuan and seven cents. what can I do?
At seven o'clock, she made coffee, put the pot on the hot stove and kept cooking steak.
Jim always comes home on time. Della sat on the corner of the table near the door with a silver chain in her hand. Then, she heard his footsteps downstairs, and she lost his face for a moment. She is used to praying silently for the simplest daily things. At this moment, she whispered: Please God, let him think that I am still beautiful.
The door opened and Jim came in and closed it. He looks thin and very serious. Poor man, he is only twenty-two years old, and he is burdened with a family! He needs to buy a new coat, even a glove.
Jim stopped in the door, motionless, like a hound smelling quail. His eyes were fixed on Della, and his expression made her incomprehensible and creepy. It was not anger, surprise, disapproval, terror, or any expression she expected. He just stared at Della face to face.
Della wriggled, jumped down from the table and walked over to him.
"Jim, honey," she cried, "don't stare at me like that .. I cut off my hair and sold it. I can't spend Christmas because I didn't give you a present. Hair will grow back-you don't mind, do you? I won't do that. My hair grows very fast. Say merry Christmas! Jim, let's be happy. You can't guess what a nice gift I bought you-what a beautiful and exquisite gift!
Did you cut your hair? Jim asked slowly. He racked his brains and didn't seem to realize the obvious fact.
"Cut it off," said Della. Anyway, don't you like me too? Without long hair, I am still me, right?
Jim looked at the room curiously four times.
Did you say your hair was gone? He asked, almost an idiot.
"Keep the change," said Della. Tell you what, I sold it-sold it, no! . It's Christmas Eve, good man. Good for me. This is for you. Maybe my hair is important, she said very gently, but no one knows how much I love you ... I cook steak, Jim?
Jim seems to wake up from a trance and hug Della in his arms. Now, don't worry, let's spend ten seconds thinking about something unimportant from another angle. The rent is eight dollars a week, or one million dollars-what's the difference? Mathematicians or wise men will give you the wrong answer. Maggie brought a precious gift, but it lacked that thing. This obscure statement will be explained later.
Jim took a small bag from his coat pocket and threw it on the table.
"Don't make any mistakes for me, Del," he said. "Whether it's a haircut, a shave or a shampoo, I think there is something that can reduce my love for my wife." . However, as long as you open the package, you will understand why you made me reckless.
White fingers skillfully untied the rope and opened the paper bag. Then there was an ecstatic scream, alas! Suddenly turned into a female neurotic tears and crying, and urgently needed the comfort of the owner all the way.
Or because of the comb-the set of combs on the table, the sides and the back, everything. A long time ago, Della saw and envied something in a Broadway window. These beautiful combs, pure tortoiseshell, and Xiang Zhuo's jewelry-just match the color of her lost hair. She knew that the comb was too expensive. She only admired it, but never thought about it. Now, all this belongs to her, but the beautiful long hair that is qualified to wear this coveted ornament is gone.
However, she still put her hair brush to her chest, took a while to raise her hazy eyes and smiled and said, "My hair grows so fast, Jim!" "
Then she jumped up like a scalded cat and cried, Oh! Oh!
Jim hasn't seen his beautiful present yet. She couldn't wait to open her palm and reach out to him. The dull precious metal looked so bright.
Is it beautiful, Jim? I searched all over the city to find it. Now, you can watch it a hundred times a day. Give me the watch and I'll see what it looks like on it.
Kim didn't obey, but fell on the sofa, with his head in his hands and a smile.
Del, he said, let's put the Christmas presents aside and keep them for a while. They are too good to be used at present. I sold my watch in exchange for money to buy you a comb. Now, you cook steak.
As we all know, Maggie is a smart person. She brought gifts to Jesus who was born in a manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Because they are smart people, there is no doubt that their gifts are smart gifts. If you meet two identical things, you may also have the right to exchange them. Here, I clumsily introduced two silly children living in an apartment to you. Not surprisingly, they unwisely sacrificed their most precious things for each other. But today, let's say one last word to the wise. Of all the gifts, these two are the cleverest. Of all the gifts and giveaways received, the two of them are the most intelligent. Wherever they are, they are the smartest people.
They are saints. .
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1.87 yuan, that's all, of which 60 cents is a penny of copper, which was extorted from grocery store owners, vegetable vendors and butcher shops. Every time I make a fuss, I deeply feel that this kind of transaction is really embarrassing. Della counted it three times, and it was still 1.87 yuan. The next day was 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 crying, sniffling and laughing, especially sniffling.
When the housewife gradually calms down, let's take a look at this home again. A furnished apartment costs eight dollars a week. Although it is difficult to describe in words, it really deserves the word beggar.
There is a mailbox downstairs at the door, but there is never a letter, and there is also a button. No one has ever rung the bell with his finger. In addition, there is a business card with Mr. Jeames Dilinhan written on it.
The name dillingham was temporarily added when the shopkeeper was in his prime. At that time, he earned thirty dollars a week. Now, his income has shrunk to $20, and dillingham's letters are blurred, as if seriously considering whether to abbreviate them into the humble and practical letter D. However, whenever Mr. Mace dillingham Yang goes home and goes upstairs to his room, Mrs. Jean Mace dillingham Young, who has just introduced him to you, always calls him Jim and gives him a warm hug. Sure, that would be great. Yes, how lucky Jim is!
When Della finished crying, she powdered her cheeks. She stood at the window and stared at a gray cat walking on the gray fence in the gray backyard. Tomorrow is Christmas, and she has only one yuan and eighty-seven cents for Jim to buy gifts. It took her months to save it bit by bit to get this result. Twenty dollars a week is really unbearable, and the expenditure is greater than the budget, which is always the case. I only spent one yuan and eighty-seven cents to buy Jim a present, her Jim. How many happy days she spent planning to give him a lovely gift. A delicate, rare and expensive gift should at least be worthy of all Jim's things.
There is a wall mirror between the two windows in the room. Maybe you've seen an apartment wall mirror that rents for eight dollars a week. A very thin and dexterous person may have a roughly accurate concept of his appearance by observing himself in a series of vertical images. Della is slim and has mastered this art.
Suddenly, she turned from the window and stood in front of the mirror on the wall. Her eyes were crystal clear, but her face lost its luster in twenty seconds. She quickly tore her hair and let it splash completely.
Now, James dillingham Young and his wife each have something they are particularly proud of. One is Jim's gold watch, which passed from his grandfather to his father and from his father to his family heirloom. The other is Della's hair. If the Queen of Sheba (1) also lives in the apartment opposite the patio, one day Della will let her hair hang freely and expose it out of the window to dry, eclipsing the Queen's pearl treasures; If the basement is full of gold and silver, and King Solomon is the gatekeeper, whenever Jim passes by, he will definitely take out a gold watch and let King Solomon blow his beard and stare with envy.
At this time, Della's hair splashed around her, and the microwave fluctuated, shining like a brown waterfall. Her hair is knee-length, just like her robe. Then, she quickly combed her hair nervously. Hesitated for a minute, stood there motionless, splashing a tear or two on the worn red carpet.
She put on an old brown coat and hat, and there were crystal tears in her eyes. As soon as her skirt swung, she 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 hair. Della ran up the stairs breathlessly and calmly. That lady is fat, too pale and as cold as ice, which has nothing to do with Sofroni's nickname.
Do you want to buy my hair? Della asked.
I buy hair, said the lady. Take off your hat and let me see your hair.
The brown waterfall splashed down.
Twenty dollars, said the lady, deftly scratching her hair.
"Give me the money quickly," said Della.
Ah, the next two hours seem to fly happily with wings. Please ignore 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 shops, but there was nothing like it. It's a simple platinum bracelet with a pattern on it. Like all high-quality things, it only talks about the length of the goods, not the decoration. It is worthy of that gold watch. As soon as she saw this watch chain, she knew it must belong to Jim. It is like Jim himself, quiet and valuable, and this description is suitable for both. She bought it for 2 1 dollar, and then hurried home, leaving only 87 cents. The gold watch matches this chain, so Jim won't be ashamed to look at the time on any occasion.
Although this watch is gorgeous and precious, because the bracelet has been replaced by an old belt, he sometimes only peeks at it secretly.
When Della came home, her ecstasy became a little cautious and rational. She found out the iron tongs, lit the gas and began to repair the damage caused by love and generosity. Dear friends, this is always an extremely difficult task, and it is simply an amazing task.
Within forty minutes, her head was covered with small curly hair close to her scalp, making her look like a little boy who played 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 a singer of Coney Island. But what can I do? Alas, 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 folded the watch chain in her hand and sat in the corner of the table nearest to the entrance where he often went. Then, she heard his footsteps on the stairs below, and her face lost color for a moment. She is used to praying silently for the simplest everyday things. At this moment, she whispered: 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. Poor guy, he is only 22 years old, and he shoulders the burden of family! He needs to buy a new coat. He doesn't even have gloves.
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. This is neither anger nor surprise, nor dissatisfaction or disgust. This is not any expression she expected at all. 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 off my hair and sold it, because I can't spend Christmas without giving you a present. You don't mind your hair growing back, do you? I have to do this. My hair grows very fast. Say? Merry Christmas? All right! Jim, let's be happy. You'll never guess what a beautiful and exquisite gift I bought you!
You cut off your hair? Jim asked with difficulty, as if he had racked his brains but failed to understand the obvious fact.
"Cut it and sell it," said Della. Don't you like me anyway? Without long hair, I am still me, right?
Jim looked around the room strangely.
Did you say your hair was gone? He asked almost like an idiot.
Don't look, della said. I'm telling you, I already sold it. It's gone. It's Christmas Eve, good man. Be good to me, for you. Maybe my hair can be counted, and suddenly she took it gently, but no one can count my love for you. Jim, can I cook steak?
Jim seemed to wake up from a trance and held Della tightly in his arms. Now, don't worry, let's spend ten seconds thinking about something unimportant from another angle. The rent is eight dollars a week, or one million dollars. What is the difference? Mathematicians or gifted scholars will give you the wrong answer. Maggie brought a precious gift, but it lacked that thing. This obscure sentence 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 it's a haircut, a shave or a shampoo, I don't think anything in the world can reduce my love for my wife a little. However, as long as you open the package, you 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! 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 the comb on the table, a full set of combs, including sideburns and back, is available. This is something that Della saw in a Broadway window a long time ago and envied to death. These wonderful hair combs made of pure tortoiseshell are inlaid with jewels, and the color just matches her lost hairdressing. She knew that this set of combs was too expensive, and she just envied it, but she never wanted to keep it for herself. Now, all this actually belongs to her, but unfortunately the beautiful long hair that is qualified to wear this coveted ornament has disappeared without a trace.
However, she still raised her hair comb to her chest. After a long time, she raised her tears and said with a smile, My hair grows very 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 to him. Unconsciously precious metals seemed to flash her joy and enthusiasm.
Beautiful, Jim? I searched all over the city before I found it. Now, you can watch the time a hundred times a day. Give me the watch, I want to see how it matches.
Jim didn't listen to her instructions, but fell down on the sofa, put his head in his hands and smiled slightly.
Del, he said, let's put the Christmas presents aside and keep them for a while. They are too good to be used at present. I sold my gold watch and bought you a comb. Now, you cook steak.
As we all know, Maggie is a smart person. She is very clever. They brought presents to Jesus who was born in a manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Because they are smart people, there is no doubt that their gifts are also smart gifts. If they meet two identical things, they may have the right to exchange. Here, I clumsily introduced to you the plain story of two silly children living in an apartment, who unwisely sacrificed the most precious thing in their family for each other. However, let's say the last word to the wise today. Of all the gift givers, those two are the cleverest. Among all the people who give and receive gifts, people like them are also the cleverest. Everywhere, they are the smartest people.
They are saints.