麥琪的禮物：Chapter 2

The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

“迪林厄姆"這個名號是主人先前春風(fēng)得意之際,一時興起加上去的,那時候他每星期掙三十美元。現(xiàn)在,他的收入縮減到二十美元,“迪林厄姆"的字母也顯得模糊不清,似乎它們正嚴(yán)肅地思忖著是否縮寫成謙遜而又講求實際的字母D。不過,每當(dāng)詹姆斯·迪林厄姆·楊回家,走進樓上的房間時,詹姆斯·迪林厄姆·楊太太,就是剛介紹給諸位的德拉,總是把他稱作“吉姆",而且熱烈地擁抱他。那當(dāng)然是再好不過的了。

Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

德拉哭完之后,往面頰上抹了抹粉,她站在窗前,癡癡地瞅著灰濛濛的后院里一只灰白色的貓正行走在灰白色的籬笆上。明天就是圣誕節(jié),她只有一元八角七給吉姆買一份禮物。她花去好幾個月的時間,用了最大的努力一分一分地攢積下來,才得了這樣一個結(jié)果。一周二十美元實在經(jīng)不起花,支出大于預(yù)算,總是如此。只有一元八角七給吉姆買禮物,她的吉姆啊。她花費了多少幸福的時日籌劃著要送他一件可心的禮物,一件精致、珍奇、貴重的禮物——至少應(yīng)有點兒配得上吉姆所有的東西才成啊。