麦琪的礼物 ppt.ppt

Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.Thatwasall.Andsixtycentsofitwasinpennies.Penniessavedoneandtwoatatimebybulldozingthegrocerandthevegetablemanandthebutcheruntilonescheeksburnedwiththesilentimputationofparsimonythatsuchclosedealingimplied.ThreetimesDellacountedit.Onedollarandeighty-sevencents.AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas.Therewasclearlynothingtodobutflopdownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl.SoDelladidit.Whichinstigatesthemoralreflectionthatlifeismadeupofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles,withsnifflespredominating.Whilethemistressofthehomeisgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond,takealookatthehome.Afurnishedflatatperweek.Itdidnotexactlybeggardescription,butitcertainlyhadthatwordonthelookoutforthemendicancysquad.Inthevestibulebelowwasaletter-boxintowhichnoletterwouldgo,andanelectricbuttonfromwhichnomortalfingercouldcoaxaring.AlsoappertainingthereuntowasacardbearingthenameMr.JamesDillinghamYoung.,TheDillinghamhadbeenflungtothebreezeduringaformerperiodofprosperitywhenitspossessorwasbeingpaidperweek.Now,whentheincomewasshrunkto,though,theywerethinkingseriouslyofcontractingtoamodestandunassumingD.ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehomeandreachedhisflatabovehewascalledJimandgreatlyhuggedbyMrs.JamesDillinghamYoung,alreadyintroducedtoyouasDella.Whichisallverygood.Dellafinishedhercryandattendedtohercheekswiththepowderrag.Shestoodbythewindowandlookedoutdullyatagraycatwalkingagrayfenceinagraybackyard.TomorrowwouldbeChristmasDay,andshehadonly.87withwhichtobuyJimapresent.Shehadbeensavingeverypennyshecouldformonths,withthisresult.Twentydollarsaweekdoesntgofar.Expenseshadbeengreaterthanshehadcalculated.Theyalwaysare.Only.87tobuyapresentforJim.HerJim.Manyahappyhourshehadspentplanningforsomethingniceforhim.Somethingfineandrareandsterling-somethingjustalittlebitneartobeingworthyofthehonorofbeingownedbyJim.,Therewasapier-glassbetweenthewindowsoftheroom.Perhapsyouhaveseenapier-glassinanflat.Averythinandveryagilepersonmay,byobservinghisreflectioninarapidsequenceoflongitudinalstrips,obtainafairlyaccurateconceptionofhislooks.Della,beingslender,hadmasteredtheart.Suddenlyshewhirledfromthewindowandstoodbeforetheglass.hereyeswereshiningbrilliantly,butherfacehadlostitscolorwithintwentyseconds.Rapidlyshepulleddownherhairandletitfalltoitsfulllength.Now,thereweretwopossessionsoftheJamesDillinghamYoungsinwhichtheybothtookamightypride.OnewasJimsgoldwatchthathadbeenhisfathersandhisgrandfathers.TheotherwasDellashair.HadthequeenofShebalivedintheflatacrosstheairshaft,DellawouldhaveletherhairhangoutthewindowsomedaytodryjusttodepreciateHerMajestysjewelsandgifts.HadKingSolomonbeenthejanitor,withallhistreasurespiledupinthebasement,Jimwouldhavepulledouthiswatcheverytimehepassed,justtoseehimpluckathisbeardfromenvy.,SonowDellasbeautifulhairfellaboutherripplingandshininglikeacascadeofbrownwaters.Itreachedbelowherkneeandmadeitselfalmostagarmentforher.Andthenshediditupagainnervouslyandquickly.Onceshefalteredforaminuteandstoodstillwhileatearortwosplashedonthewornredcarpet.Onwentheroldbrownjacket;onwentheroldbrownhat.Withawhirlofskirtsandwiththebrilliantsparklestillinhereyes,sheflutteredoutthedooranddownthestairstothestreet.Whereshestoppedthesignread:Men.Sofronie.HairGoodsofAllKinds.OneflightupDellaran,andcollectedherself,panting.Madame,large,toowhite,chilly,hardlylookedtheSofronie.Willyoubuymyhair?askedDella.Ibuyhair,saidMadame.Takeyerhatoffandletshaveasightatthelooksofit.Downrippledthebrowncascade.Twentydollars,saidMadame,liftingthemasswithapractisedhand.Giveittomequick,saidDella.Oh,andthenexttwohourstrippedbyonrosywings.Forgetthehashedmetaphor.ShewasransackingthestoresforJimspresent.,Shefounditatlast.ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse.Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthestores,andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout.Itwasaplatinumfobchainsimpleandchasteindesign,properlyproclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealoneandnotbymeretriciousornamentation-asallgoodthingsshoulddo.ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch.AssoonasshesawitsheknewthatitmustbeJims.Itwaslikehim.Quietnessandvalue-thedescriptionappliedtoboth.Twenty-onedollarstheytookfromherforit,andshehurriedhomewiththe87cents.WiththatchainonhiswatchJimmightbeproperlyanxiousaboutthetimeinanycompany.Grandasthewatchwas,hesometimeslookedatitontheslyonaccountoftheoldleatherstrapthatheusedinplaceofachain.WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgavewayalittletoprudenceandreason.Shegotouthercurlingironsandlightedthegasandwenttoworkrepairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove.Whichisalwaysatremendoustask,dearfriends-amammothtask.Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,close-lyingcurlsthatmadeherlookwonderfullylikeatruantschoolboy.Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong,carefully,andcritically.IfJimdoesntkillme,shesaidtoherself,beforehetakesasecondlookatme,hellsayIlooklikeaConeyIslandchorusgirl.ButwhatcouldIdo-oh!whatcouldIdowithadollarandeighty-sevencents?,At7oclockthecoffeewasmadeandthefrying-panwasonthebackofthestovehotandreadytocookthechops.Jimwasneverlate.Delladoubledthefobchaininherhandandsatonthecornerofthetablenearthedoorthathealwaysentered.Thensheheardhissteponthestairawaydownonthefirstflight,andsheturnedwhiteforjustamoment.Shehadahabitforsayinglittlesilentprayeraboutthesimplesteverydaythings,andnowshewhispered:PleaseGod,makehimthinkIamstillpretty.ThedooropenedandJimsteppedinandclosedit.Helookedthinandveryserious.Poorfellow,hewasonlytwenty-two-andtobeburdenedwithafamily!Heneededanewovercoatandhewaswithoutgloves.Jimstoppedinsidethedoor,asimmovableasasetteratthescentofquail.HiseyeswerefixeduponDella,andtherewasanexpressioninthemthatshecouldnotread,anditterrifiedher.Itwasnotanger,norsurprise,nordisapproval,norhorror,noranyofthesentimentsthatshehadbeenpreparedfor.Hesimplystaredatherfixedlywiththatpeculiarexpressiononhisface.Dellawriggledoffthetableandwentforhim.Jim,darling,shecried,dontlookatmethatway.IhadmyhaircutoffandsoldbecauseIcouldnthavelivedthroughChristmaswithoutgivingyouapresent.Itllgrowoutagain-youwontmind,willyou?Ijusthadtodoit.Myhairgrowsawfullyfast.SayMerryChristmas!Jim,andletsbehappy.Youdontknowwhatanice-whatabeautiful,nicegiftIvegotforyou.,Youvecutoffyourhair?askedJim,laboriously,asifhehadnotarrivedatthatpatentfactyetevenafterthehardestmentallabor.Cutitoffandsoldit,saidDella.Dontyoulikemejustaswell,anyhow?Immewithoutmyhair,aintI?Jimlookedabouttheroomcuriously.Yousayyourhairisgone?hesaid,withanairalmostofidiocy.Youneedntlookforit,saidDella.Itssold,Itellyou-soldandgone,too.ItsChristmasEve,boy.Begoodtome,foritwentforyou.Maybethehairsofmyheadwerenumbered,shewentonwithsuddenserioussweetness,butnobodycouldevercountmyloveforyou.ShallIputthechopson,Jim?OutofhistranceJimseemedquicklytowake.HeenfoldedhisDella.Fortensecondsletusregardwithdiscreetscrutinysomeinconsequentialobjectintheotherdirection.Eightdollarsaweekoramillionayear-whatisthedifference?Amathematicianorawitwouldgiveyouthewronganswer.Themagibroughtvaluablegifts,butthatwasnotamongthem.Thisdarkassertionwillbeilluminatedlateron.Jimdrewapackagefromhisovercoatpocketandthrewituponthetable.Dontmakeanymistake,Dell,hesaid,aboutme.Idontthinktheresanythinginthewayofahaircutorashaveorashampoothatcouldmakemelikemygirlanyless.Butifyoullunwrapthatpackageyoumayseewhyyouhadmegoingawhileatfirst.,Whitefingersandnimbletoreatthestringandpaper.Andthenanecstaticscreamofjoy;andthen,alas!aquickfemininechangetohystericaltearsandwails,necessitatingtheimmediateemploymentofallthecomfortingpowersofthelordoftheflat.FortherelayTheCombs-thesetofcombs,sideandback,thatDellahadworshippedlonginaBroadwaywindow.Beautifulcombs,puretortoiseshell,withjewelledrims-justtheshadetowearinthebeautifulvanishedhair.Theywereexpensivecombs,sheknew,andherhearthadsimplycravedandyearnedoverthemwithouttheleasthopeofpossession.Andnow,theywerehers,butthetressesthatshouldhaveadornedthecovetedadornmentsweregone.Butshehuggedthemtoherbosom,andatlengthshewasabletolookupwithdimeyesandasmileandsay:Myhairgrowssofast,Jim!AndthemDellaleapeduplikealittlesingedcatandcried,Oh,oh!Jimhadnotyetseenhisbeautifulpresent.Shehelditouttohimeagerlyuponheropenpalm.Thedullpreciousmetalseemedtoflashwithareflectionofherbrightandardentspirit.Isntitadandy,Jim?Ihuntedallovertowntofindi