主要作品
《咖啡館裏的世界公民》、《財神和愛神》、《麥琪的禮物》、《證券經紀人的浪漫故事》、《帶傢具出租的房 間》、《包打聽》、《警察與贊美詩》、《愛的犧牲》、《姑娘》、《醉翁之意》、《二十年以後》、《小熊約翰·湯姆的返祖現象》、《叢林中的孩子》、《鬧劇》、《慈善事業數學講座》、《幾位偵探》、《雙料騙子》、《緑色門》、《婚姻手册》、《心與手》、《布萊剋·比爾藏身記》、《索利托牧場的衛生學》、《吉米·海斯和繆裏爾》、《催眠術傢傑甫·彼得斯》、《最後一片葉子》、《華而不實》、《黃雀在後》、《提綫木偶》、《五月是個結婚月》、《市政報告》、《沒有故事》、《比綿塔薄餅》、《公主與美洲獅》、《心理分析與摩天大樓》、《托尼婭的紅玫瑰》、《我們選擇的道路》、《虎口拔牙》、《刎頸之交》、《兩位感恩節的紳士》、《沒說完的故事》、《汽車等待的時候》、《生活的波折》、《女巫的面包》等等。
從題材的性質來看，歐•亨利的作品大致可分為三類。一類以描寫美國西部生活為主；一類寫的是美國一些大城市的生活；一類則以拉丁美洲生活為對象。這些不同的題材，顯然與作者一生中幾個主要生活時期的不同經歷，有着密切的關係。而三類作品當中，無疑又以描寫城市生活的作品數量最多，意義最大。
歐•亨利思想的矛盾和他作品的弱點，與他的創作環境有極大關係。即使在他已經成名，受到讀者廣泛歡迎的時候，他的生活也依然經常處於拮据狀態。他曾經直言不諱地說：我是為面包而寫作的”。
歐•亨利因為他本身是一個窮苦的人，因此他的文章主人公大多是一些貧窮的勞動人民，充滿了對勞動人民的同情。我認為，歐•亨利的小說之所以讓我喜歡，是因為他的小說，我們往往猜不出結果是什麽，而真正的結果會讓我們難以置信，這也說明了他豐富的想象力，歐•亨利的小說語言很生動而且很精練，他的短篇小說一開始就抓住了我們的興趣和註意力，小說中除了文字的幽默詼諧之外，總有一些讓費人猜測的地方，他常常讓我們以為以邏輯思維就可以猜到的結局，卻往往情節一轉，使故事的結尾變的出人意料卻又合情合理《歐•亨利》的短篇小說內容很多：其中多為描寫一些小人物，描寫美國西部牧場，描寫那些死要面子，成天做白日夢的小職員，以及一些城市的騙子，和對拜金主義者的嘲諷。儘管歐•亨利對於社會現狀總有不滿，可他也沒有放棄希望，因此，悲慘的故事和人物總會有一個相對比較好的結局，也讓我們深深的體會到微笑裏的辛酸，諷刺裏的悲哀和無可奈何。
歐·亨利-寫作特徵
歐·亨利的小說通俗易懂，其中無論發生了什麽，發生在何處，也無論主人公是何等人物，他的故事寫的都是世態人情，並且易有濃郁的美國風味。一般說來，驅使人們行動的欲望和動機是相當復雜的，但是歐·亨利人物的思想相對來說卻都比較簡單，動機也比較單一，矛盾衝突的中心似乎都是貧與富。這一方面大概因為美國是個平民社會，不存在天生高人一等的貴族階級，既然金錢面前人人平等，貧富就成了社會的主要矛盾。另一方面，此時正值美國內戰後的“鍍金時代”，拜金主義盛行，坑蒙拐騙樣樣齊全，貪污舞泛濫成災，似乎衹人能賺到錢便是成功，並不問問錢的來歷是否清白合法，難怪金錢的占有程度便成了人們關註的中心，與歐·亨利同時代的馬剋·吐溫說得好：“在世界上任何地方，貧窮總是不方便的。但衹有在美國，貧窮是恥辱。”歐·亨利筆下的蕓蕓衆生就是生活在這樣一個金錢主宰的世界中，他們的處境動機，他們的的喜怒哀樂，大都與金錢的占有有關，所以歐·亨利描繪的世態人情，無論是善是惡，都有某種美國式的單純。
歐·亨利小說中感人至深的落魄的小人物在艱苦的求生環境中，仍能對他人表現出真誠的愛與關懷，作出難能可貴的犧牲。為了給丈夫購買一條白金表鏈作為聖誕禮物，妻子賣掉了一頭秀發。而丈夫出於同樣的目的，賣掉金表給妻子買了一套發梳。儘管彼此的禮物都失去了使用價值，但他們從中獲得的情感是無價的。為了鼓勵貧病交加的年輕畫傢頑強地活下去，老畫傢於風雨之夜掙紮着往墻上畫了一片永不凋落的常青藤葉。他為自己的傑作付出生命的代價，但青年畫傢卻因此獲得勇氣而活了下來。一個富人已經淪落到挨餓的地步，但他堅持履行自己的一年一度在感恩節請窮朋友吃飯的職責。而剛吃飽飯的窮朋友為了使對方滿意，也忠實地扮演了自己的角色。他們各自作出犧牲，為的是給他人一點安慰。所有這些都未必稱得上轟轟烈烈的大事，而是小人物們日常完成的小事，但正在這些小事上，他們達到了善，達到了自己精神境界的至高點。
歐·亨利對惡具有同樣的敏感，他把美國這個名利場上的把戲看得十分透徹，那些“叢林中的孩子們”爾虞我詐，勾心鬥角，巧取豪奪，行的都“叢林法則”。殘忍遇到狠毒，小騙碰上大騙，強盜騙子縱然高明，卻仍然鬥不過金融傢，華爾街的經紀人是决不手下留情的，更可悲的是，在這種對財富的角逐中，人們的靈魂受到腐蝕，年輕的姑娘明明在飯館當出納員，卻偏偏裝腔作勢，假冒名門望族。忙忙碌碌的經紀人竟然忘了昨夜的新婚，嚮妻子再一次求婚。在一個金錢萬能的世界裏，父親的財神可以在最關鍵的時刻製造一起交通堵塞，從而使獨生子獲得未婚的機會，愛神對此衹能甘拜下風。
不過，歐·亨利筆下的善與惡並不那麽截然分開，涇渭分明，它們之間有着一個廣阔的中間地帶，其中存在着良心發現，幡然悔悟，重新做人的種種可能性。决定洗手不幹的保險箱盜竊犯為了救出不幸把自己反鎖在保險庫裏的孩子，當衆拿出自己的看傢本領，準備着跟警察再去蹲監獄。一個自慚形穢，背棄了情人男人，畢竟還能盡自己的努力，讓青梅竹馬的姑娘斷了對他的思念，快快活活地去重新開始生活。
歐·亨利的成功主要在於他善於捕捉和把握生活中的典型場面，在一個個生活的片斷裏，處於兩難中的主人公必須面對抉擇，這時不僅能集中刻畫人物心理，也能充分展示生活中固有的矛盾。再加上歐·亨利具有把情節剪裁得恰到好處的本領，因而能在很短的篇幅內達到一種思想與藝術相結合的完美效果，給人以強烈的印象，而這也正是短篇小說成功的關鍵。
歐·亨利的小說在藝術處理上的最大特點就是它們的“意外結局”。情節的發展似乎明明朝着一個方向在發展，結果卻來個出其不意。這意外的結局一般說來是比較令人寬慰的，即便是悲哀的結局，也常包含着某種光明之處，這就是所謂“帶淚的微笑”。像《帶傢具出租的房間》這樣的悲劇在歐·亨利的筆下是很少發生的。然而，意外的結局不能不經常依賴於某種偶然性，而太多的偶然性又不能不與現實産生距，所以“意外結局”一面使歐·亨利的小說顯示得趣味盎然，同時也使它們缺乏深度。
兩難的處理和意外的結局往往産生令人啼笑皆非的幽默效果，在歐·亨利的小說中，幽默是貫穿始終的，有的專門是為幽默而幽默的。綁架孩子的歹徒被頑童折磨得苦不堪言，寧可倒貼錢把孩子護送回傢。幽默傢被近日復一日地製造幽默，竟變成了一個心力交瘁的吸血鬼，最終在殯儀館的後房中纔得以告別塵世的愚蠢，重新恢復了一個正常人的知覺。歐·亨利顯然是把自己視為一個幽默傢，他在《幽默傢自白》中寫道：“我的笑話的性質是和善親切的，絶不流於諷刺，使別人生氣。”這句話也適用於歐·亨利本人，他諷刺，但不流於諷刺，他的嘲諷和幽默通常是善意的，有時能令人震驚地揭示出人生的真諦，如《生活的陀蠃》和《鐘擺》那樣，它們體現了歐·亨利透視生活的能力。歐·亨利的語言本身也充滿了誇張和幽默，而幽默能直到淡化事物悲劇性的作用，使大衆讀者更能接受。
近百年來，歐·亨利的小說在全世界一版再版，始終擁有大量的讀者，足見其作品的生命力。1918年，美國設立一年一度的“歐·亨利紀念奬”，專門奬勵短篇小說的成就。歐·亨利的名字早已和短篇小說的創作，和小人物的悲喜連在了一起。
歐·亨利-後世影響
1910年，歐·亨利因肝硬化去世。他去世九年後，有人設立了“歐·亨利奬”，一年頒奬一次，以表彰優秀的短篇故事。每年五月，位於奧斯汀的“歐亨利博物館”還會舉辦“世界雙關語錦標賽”。
歐·亨利-作品花絮
《最後一片葉子》
經過一夜凄風苦雨的吹打，第二天，常春藤上衹剩下了一片葉子，那是最後的一片葉子了。憂鬱無助的她凄涼地說，當最後的那片葉子凋落時，她也就死了。為了喚起她戰勝疾病的自信，她的另一位窮畫傢朋友鼓勵她、無微不至地關懷她，但都無濟於事。因為她將自己的精神和希望寄托在最後的那片葉子上。在接下來那個風雨交加的夜裏，她們樓下的一個窮苦的老畫傢不顧年邁體弱，冒雨在常春藤下的墻上畫了一片藤葉。這位老畫傢一生不得意，但他總是說他會畫一幅傑作的，就是這幅傑作——那片永不凋零的常春藤葉增強了她的精神力量，當年輕畫傢慢慢康復時，老畫傢卻不幸染病身亡。
《警察和贊美詩》
一無所有、露宿街頭的流浪漢索比為了應對即將來臨的嚴鼕，千方百計地想犯點法，以求達到他的企圖：去布萊剋維爾監獄度過寒冷的鼕天。令人忍俊不禁的是，往往事與願違，他屢次故意犯法，但警察都不抓他，而當他忽然良心發現，準備洗心革面重新做人之時，警察卻不由分說地將他逮捕了。終於達到了他去布萊剋維爾監獄度過嚴鼕的夢想。
《咖啡館裏的世界公民》、《財神和愛神》、《麥琪的禮物》、《證券經紀人的浪漫故事》、《帶傢具出租的房 間》、《包打聽》、《警察與贊美詩》、《愛的犧牲》、《姑娘》、《醉翁之意》、《二十年以後》、《小熊約翰·湯姆的返祖現象》、《叢林中的孩子》、《鬧劇》、《慈善事業數學講座》、《幾位偵探》、《雙料騙子》、《緑色門》、《婚姻手册》、《心與手》、《布萊剋·比爾藏身記》、《索利托牧場的衛生學》、《吉米·海斯和繆裏爾》、《催眠術傢傑甫·彼得斯》、《最後一片葉子》、《華而不實》、《黃雀在後》、《提綫木偶》、《五月是個結婚月》、《市政報告》、《沒有故事》、《比綿塔薄餅》、《公主與美洲獅》、《心理分析與摩天大樓》、《托尼婭的紅玫瑰》、《我們選擇的道路》、《虎口拔牙》、《刎頸之交》、《兩位感恩節的紳士》、《沒說完的故事》、《汽車等待的時候》、《生活的波折》、《女巫的面包》等等。
從題材的性質來看，歐•亨利的作品大致可分為三類。一類以描寫美國西部生活為主；一類寫的是美國一些大城市的生活；一類則以拉丁美洲生活為對象。這些不同的題材，顯然與作者一生中幾個主要生活時期的不同經歷，有着密切的關係。而三類作品當中，無疑又以描寫城市生活的作品數量最多，意義最大。
歐•亨利思想的矛盾和他作品的弱點，與他的創作環境有極大關係。即使在他已經成名，受到讀者廣泛歡迎的時候，他的生活也依然經常處於拮据狀態。他曾經直言不諱地說：我是為面包而寫作的”。
歐•亨利因為他本身是一個窮苦的人，因此他的文章主人公大多是一些貧窮的勞動人民，充滿了對勞動人民的同情。我認為，歐•亨利的小說之所以讓我喜歡，是因為他的小說，我們往往猜不出結果是什麽，而真正的結果會讓我們難以置信，這也說明了他豐富的想象力，歐•亨利的小說語言很生動而且很精練，他的短篇小說一開始就抓住了我們的興趣和註意力，小說中除了文字的幽默詼諧之外，總有一些讓費人猜測的地方，他常常讓我們以為以邏輯思維就可以猜到的結局，卻往往情節一轉，使故事的結尾變的出人意料卻又合情合理《歐•亨利》的短篇小說內容很多：其中多為描寫一些小人物，描寫美國西部牧場，描寫那些死要面子，成天做白日夢的小職員，以及一些城市的騙子，和對拜金主義者的嘲諷。儘管歐•亨利對於社會現狀總有不滿，可他也沒有放棄希望，因此，悲慘的故事和人物總會有一個相對比較好的結局，也讓我們深深的體會到微笑裏的辛酸，諷刺裏的悲哀和無可奈何。
歐·亨利-寫作特徵
歐·亨利的小說通俗易懂，其中無論發生了什麽，發生在何處，也無論主人公是何等人物，他的故事寫的都是世態人情，並且易有濃郁的美國風味。一般說來，驅使人們行動的欲望和動機是相當復雜的，但是歐·亨利人物的思想相對來說卻都比較簡單，動機也比較單一，矛盾衝突的中心似乎都是貧與富。這一方面大概因為美國是個平民社會，不存在天生高人一等的貴族階級，既然金錢面前人人平等，貧富就成了社會的主要矛盾。另一方面，此時正值美國內戰後的“鍍金時代”，拜金主義盛行，坑蒙拐騙樣樣齊全，貪污舞泛濫成災，似乎衹人能賺到錢便是成功，並不問問錢的來歷是否清白合法，難怪金錢的占有程度便成了人們關註的中心，與歐·亨利同時代的馬剋·吐溫說得好：“在世界上任何地方，貧窮總是不方便的。但衹有在美國，貧窮是恥辱。”歐·亨利筆下的蕓蕓衆生就是生活在這樣一個金錢主宰的世界中，他們的處境動機，他們的的喜怒哀樂，大都與金錢的占有有關，所以歐·亨利描繪的世態人情，無論是善是惡，都有某種美國式的單純。
歐·亨利小說中感人至深的落魄的小人物在艱苦的求生環境中，仍能對他人表現出真誠的愛與關懷，作出難能可貴的犧牲。為了給丈夫購買一條白金表鏈作為聖誕禮物，妻子賣掉了一頭秀發。而丈夫出於同樣的目的，賣掉金表給妻子買了一套發梳。儘管彼此的禮物都失去了使用價值，但他們從中獲得的情感是無價的。為了鼓勵貧病交加的年輕畫傢頑強地活下去，老畫傢於風雨之夜掙紮着往墻上畫了一片永不凋落的常青藤葉。他為自己的傑作付出生命的代價，但青年畫傢卻因此獲得勇氣而活了下來。一個富人已經淪落到挨餓的地步，但他堅持履行自己的一年一度在感恩節請窮朋友吃飯的職責。而剛吃飽飯的窮朋友為了使對方滿意，也忠實地扮演了自己的角色。他們各自作出犧牲，為的是給他人一點安慰。所有這些都未必稱得上轟轟烈烈的大事，而是小人物們日常完成的小事，但正在這些小事上，他們達到了善，達到了自己精神境界的至高點。
歐·亨利對惡具有同樣的敏感，他把美國這個名利場上的把戲看得十分透徹，那些“叢林中的孩子們”爾虞我詐，勾心鬥角，巧取豪奪，行的都“叢林法則”。殘忍遇到狠毒，小騙碰上大騙，強盜騙子縱然高明，卻仍然鬥不過金融傢，華爾街的經紀人是决不手下留情的，更可悲的是，在這種對財富的角逐中，人們的靈魂受到腐蝕，年輕的姑娘明明在飯館當出納員，卻偏偏裝腔作勢，假冒名門望族。忙忙碌碌的經紀人竟然忘了昨夜的新婚，嚮妻子再一次求婚。在一個金錢萬能的世界裏，父親的財神可以在最關鍵的時刻製造一起交通堵塞，從而使獨生子獲得未婚的機會，愛神對此衹能甘拜下風。
不過，歐·亨利筆下的善與惡並不那麽截然分開，涇渭分明，它們之間有着一個廣阔的中間地帶，其中存在着良心發現，幡然悔悟，重新做人的種種可能性。决定洗手不幹的保險箱盜竊犯為了救出不幸把自己反鎖在保險庫裏的孩子，當衆拿出自己的看傢本領，準備着跟警察再去蹲監獄。一個自慚形穢，背棄了情人男人，畢竟還能盡自己的努力，讓青梅竹馬的姑娘斷了對他的思念，快快活活地去重新開始生活。
歐·亨利的成功主要在於他善於捕捉和把握生活中的典型場面，在一個個生活的片斷裏，處於兩難中的主人公必須面對抉擇，這時不僅能集中刻畫人物心理，也能充分展示生活中固有的矛盾。再加上歐·亨利具有把情節剪裁得恰到好處的本領，因而能在很短的篇幅內達到一種思想與藝術相結合的完美效果，給人以強烈的印象，而這也正是短篇小說成功的關鍵。
歐·亨利的小說在藝術處理上的最大特點就是它們的“意外結局”。情節的發展似乎明明朝着一個方向在發展，結果卻來個出其不意。這意外的結局一般說來是比較令人寬慰的，即便是悲哀的結局，也常包含着某種光明之處，這就是所謂“帶淚的微笑”。像《帶傢具出租的房間》這樣的悲劇在歐·亨利的筆下是很少發生的。然而，意外的結局不能不經常依賴於某種偶然性，而太多的偶然性又不能不與現實産生距，所以“意外結局”一面使歐·亨利的小說顯示得趣味盎然，同時也使它們缺乏深度。
兩難的處理和意外的結局往往産生令人啼笑皆非的幽默效果，在歐·亨利的小說中，幽默是貫穿始終的，有的專門是為幽默而幽默的。綁架孩子的歹徒被頑童折磨得苦不堪言，寧可倒貼錢把孩子護送回傢。幽默傢被近日復一日地製造幽默，竟變成了一個心力交瘁的吸血鬼，最終在殯儀館的後房中纔得以告別塵世的愚蠢，重新恢復了一個正常人的知覺。歐·亨利顯然是把自己視為一個幽默傢，他在《幽默傢自白》中寫道：“我的笑話的性質是和善親切的，絶不流於諷刺，使別人生氣。”這句話也適用於歐·亨利本人，他諷刺，但不流於諷刺，他的嘲諷和幽默通常是善意的，有時能令人震驚地揭示出人生的真諦，如《生活的陀蠃》和《鐘擺》那樣，它們體現了歐·亨利透視生活的能力。歐·亨利的語言本身也充滿了誇張和幽默，而幽默能直到淡化事物悲劇性的作用，使大衆讀者更能接受。
近百年來，歐·亨利的小說在全世界一版再版，始終擁有大量的讀者，足見其作品的生命力。1918年，美國設立一年一度的“歐·亨利紀念奬”，專門奬勵短篇小說的成就。歐·亨利的名字早已和短篇小說的創作，和小人物的悲喜連在了一起。
歐·亨利-後世影響
1910年，歐·亨利因肝硬化去世。他去世九年後，有人設立了“歐·亨利奬”，一年頒奬一次，以表彰優秀的短篇故事。每年五月，位於奧斯汀的“歐亨利博物館”還會舉辦“世界雙關語錦標賽”。
歐·亨利-作品花絮
《最後一片葉子》
經過一夜凄風苦雨的吹打，第二天，常春藤上衹剩下了一片葉子，那是最後的一片葉子了。憂鬱無助的她凄涼地說，當最後的那片葉子凋落時，她也就死了。為了喚起她戰勝疾病的自信，她的另一位窮畫傢朋友鼓勵她、無微不至地關懷她，但都無濟於事。因為她將自己的精神和希望寄托在最後的那片葉子上。在接下來那個風雨交加的夜裏，她們樓下的一個窮苦的老畫傢不顧年邁體弱，冒雨在常春藤下的墻上畫了一片藤葉。這位老畫傢一生不得意，但他總是說他會畫一幅傑作的，就是這幅傑作——那片永不凋零的常春藤葉增強了她的精神力量，當年輕畫傢慢慢康復時，老畫傢卻不幸染病身亡。
《警察和贊美詩》
一無所有、露宿街頭的流浪漢索比為了應對即將來臨的嚴鼕，千方百計地想犯點法，以求達到他的企圖：去布萊剋維爾監獄度過寒冷的鼕天。令人忍俊不禁的是，往往事與願違，他屢次故意犯法，但警察都不抓他，而當他忽然良心發現，準備洗心革面重新做人之時，警察卻不由分說地將他逮捕了。終於達到了他去布萊剋維爾監獄度過嚴鼕的夢想。
一塊八毛七分錢。全在這兒了。其中六毛錢還是銅子兒湊起來的。這些銅子兒是每次一個、兩個嚮雜貨鋪、菜販和肉店老闆那兒死乞白賴地硬扣下來的；人傢雖然沒有明說，自己總覺得這種掂斤播兩的交易未免太吝嗇，當時臉都躁紅了。德拉數了三遍。數來數去還是一塊八毛七分錢，而第二天就是聖誕節了。
除了倒在那張破舊的小榻上號哭之外，顯然沒有別的辦法。德拉就那樣做了。這使一種精神上的感慨油然而生，認為人生是由啜泣，抽噎和微笑組成的，而抽噎占了其中絶大部分。
這個家庭的主婦漸漸從第一階段退到第二階段，我們不妨抽空兒來看看這個傢吧。一套連傢具的公寓，房租每星期八塊錢。雖不能說是絶對難以形容，其實跟貧民窟也相去不遠。
下面門廊裏有一個信箱，但是永遠不會有信件投進去；還有一個電鈕，除非神仙下凡才能把鈴按響。那裏還貼着一張名片，上面印有“詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚先生”幾個字。
“迪林漢”這個名號是主人先前每星期掙三十塊錢得法的時候，一時高興，回姓名之間的。現在收入縮減到二十塊錢，“迪林漢”幾個字看來就有些模糊，仿佛它們正在考慮，是不是縮成一個質樸而謙遜的“迪”字為好。但是每逢詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚先生回傢上樓，走進房間的時候，詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚太太——就是剛纔已經介紹給各位的德拉——總是管他叫做“吉姆”，總是熱烈地擁抱他。那當然是好的。
德拉哭了之後，在臉平面上撲了些粉。她站在窗子跟前，呆呆地瞅着外面灰蒙蒙的後院裏，一隻灰貓正在灰色的籬笆上行走。明天就是聖誕節了，她衹有一塊八毛七分錢來給吉姆買一件禮物。好幾個月業，她省吃儉用，能攢起來的都攢了，可結果衹有這一點兒。一星期二十塊錢的收入是不經用的。支出總比她預算的要多。總是這樣的。衹有一塊八毛七分錢來給吉姆買禮物。她的吉姆。為了買三件好東西送給他，德拉自得其樂地籌劃了好些日子。要買一件精緻、珍奇而真有價值的東西——夠得上為吉姆所有的東西固然很少，可總得有些相稱纔成呀。
房裏兩扇窗子中間有一面壁鏡。諸位也許見過房租八塊錢的公寓裏的壁鏡。一個非常瘦小靈活的人，從一連串縱的片段的映像裏，也許可以對自己的容貌得到一個大致不差的概念。德拉全憑身材苗條，纔精通了那種技藝。
她突然從窗口轉過身，站到壁鏡面前。她的眼睛晶瑩明亮，可是她的臉在二十秒鐘之內卻失色了。她迅速地把頭髮解開，讓它披落下來。
且說，詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚夫婦有兩樣東西特別引為自豪，一樣是吉姆三代祖傳的金表，別一樣是德拉的頭髮。如果示巴女王住在天井對面的公寓裏，德拉總有一天會把她的頭髮懸在窗外去晾幹，使那位女王的珠寶和禮物相形見絀。如果所羅門王當了看門人，把他所有的財富都堆在地下室裏，吉姆每次經過那兒時準會掏出他的金表看看，好讓所羅門妒忌得吹鬍子瞪眼睛。
這當兒，德拉美麗的頭髮披散在身上，像一股褐色的小瀑布，奔瀉閃亮。頭髮一直垂到膝蓋底下，仿佛給她鋪成了一件衣裳。她又神經質地趕快把頭髮梳好。她躊躇了一會兒，靜靜地站着，有一兩滴淚水濺落在破舊的紅地毯上。
她穿上褐色的舊外套，戴上褐色的舊帽子。她眼睛裏還留着晶瑩的淚光，裙子一擺，就飄然走出房門，下樓跑到街上。
她走到一塊招牌前停住了，招牌上面寫着：“莎弗朗妮夫人——經營各種頭髮用品。”德拉跑上一段樓梯，氣喘籲籲地讓自己定下神來。那位夫人身軀肥大，膚色白得過分，一副冷冰冰的模樣，同“莎弗朗妮”這個名字不大相稱。
[莎弗朗妮：意大利詩人塔索（1544--1595）以第一次十字軍東徵為題材的史詩《被解放的耶路撒冷》中的人物，她為了拯救耶路撒冷全城的基督徒，承認了並未犯過的罪行，成為捨己救人的典型。]
“你要買我的頭髮嗎？”德拉問道。
“我買頭髮，”夫人說，“脫掉帽子，讓我看看頭髮的模樣。”
那股褐色的小瀑布瀉了下來。
“二十塊錢，”夫人用行傢的手法抓起頭髮說。
“趕快把錢給我。”德拉說。
噢，此後的兩個鐘頭仿佛長了玫瑰色翅膀似地飛掠過去。諸位不必與日俱增這種雜湊的比喻。總之，德拉正為了送吉姆的禮物在店鋪裏搜索。
德拉終於把它找到了。它準是為吉姆，而不是為別人製造的。她把所有店鋪都兜底翻過，各傢都沒有像這樣的東西。那是一條白金表鏈，式樣簡單樸素，衹是以貨色來顯示它的價值，不憑什麽裝璜來炫耀——一切好東西都應該是這樣的。它甚至配得上那衹金表。她一看到就認為非給吉姆買下不可。它簡直像他的為人。文靜而有價值——這句話拿來形容表鏈和吉姆本人都恰到好處。店裏以二十一塊錢的價格賣給了她，她剩下八毛七分錢，匆匆趕回傢去。吉姆有了那條鏈子，在任何場合都可以毫無顧慮地看看鐘點了。那衹表雖然華貴，可是因為衹用一條舊皮帶來代替表鏈，他有時候衹是偷偷地瞥一眼。
德拉回傢以後，她的陶醉有一小部分被審慎和理智所替代。她拿出捲發鐵鉗，點着煤氣，着手補救由於愛情加上慷慨而造成的災害。那始終是一件艱巨的工作，親愛的朋友們——簡直是了不起的工作。
不出四十分鐘，她頭上布滿了緊貼着的小發鬈，變得活像一個逃課的小學生。她對着鏡子小心而苛刻地照了又照。
“如果吉姆看了一眼不把我宰掉纔怪呢，”她自言自語地說，“他會說我像是康奈島遊樂場裏的賣唱姑娘。我有什麽辦法呢？——唉！衹有一塊八毛七分錢，叫我有什麽辦法呢？”
到了七點鐘，咖啡已經煮好，煎鍋也放在爐子後面熱着，隨時可以煎肉排。
吉姆從沒有晚回來過。德拉把表鏈對折着握在手裏，在他進來時必經的門口的桌子角上坐下來。接着，她聽到樓下梯級上響起了他的腳步聲。她臉色白了一忽兒。她有一個習慣，往往為了日常最簡單的事情默禱幾句，現在她悄聲說：“求求上帝，讓他認為我還是美麗的。”
門打開了，吉姆走進來，隨手把門關上。他很瘦削，非常嚴肅。可憐的人兒，他衹有二十二歲——就負起了家庭的擔子！他需要一件新大衣，手套也沒有。
吉姆在門內站住，像一條獵狗嗅到鵪鶉氣味似的紋絲不動。他的眼睛盯着德拉，所含的神情是她所不能理解的，這使她大為驚慌。那既不是憤怒，也不是驚訝，又不是不滿，更不是嫌惡，不是她所預料的任何一種神情。他衹帶着那種奇特的神情凝視着德拉。
德拉一扭腰，從桌上跳下來，走近他身邊。
“吉姆，親愛的，”她喊道，“別那樣盯着我。我把頭髮剪掉賣了，因為不送你一件禮物，我過不了聖誕節。頭髮會再長出來的——你不會在意吧，是不是？我非這麽做不可。我的頭髮長得快極啦。說句‘恭賀聖誕’吧！如姆，讓我們快快樂樂的。我給你買了一件多麽好——多麽美麗的好東西，你怎麽也猜不到的。”
“你把頭髮剪掉了嗎？”吉姆吃力地問道，仿佛他絞盡腦汁之後，還沒有把這個顯而易見的事實弄明白似的。
“非但剪了，而且賣了。”德拉說。“不管怎樣，你還是同樣地喜歡我嗎？雖然沒有了頭髮，我還是我，可不是嗎？”
吉姆好奇地嚮房裏四下張望。
“你說你的頭髮沒有了嗎？”他帶着近乎白癡般的神情問道。
“你不用找啦，”德拉說。“我告訴你，已經賣了——賣了，沒有了。今天是聖誕前夜，親愛的。好好地對待我，我剪掉頭髮為的是你呀。我的頭髮也許數得清，”她突然非常溫柔地接下去說，“但我對你的情愛誰也數不清。我把肉排煎上好嗎，吉姆？”
吉姆好象從恍惚中突然醒過來。他把德拉摟在懷裏。我們不要冒昧，先花十秒鐘工夫瞧瞧另一方面無關緊要的東西吧。每星期八塊錢的房租，或是每年一百萬元房租——那有什麽區別呢？一位數學家或是一位俏皮的人可能會給你不正確的答復。麥琪帶來了寶貴的禮物，但其中沒有那件東西。對這句晦澀的話，下文將有所說明。
[麥琪：指基督出生時來送禮物的三賢人。一說是東方的三王：梅爾基奧爾（光明之王）贈送黃金表示尊貴；加斯帕（潔白者）贈送乳香象徵神聖；巴爾撒澤贈送沒藥預示基督後來遭受迫害而死。]
吉姆從大衣口袋裏掏出一包東西，把它扔在桌上。
“別對我有什麽誤會，德爾。”他說，“不管是剪發、修臉，還是洗頭，我對我姑娘的愛情是决不會減低的。但是衹消打開那包東西，你就會明白，你剛纔為什麽使我愣住了。“
白皙的手指敏捷地撕開了繩索和包皮紙。接着是一聲狂喜的呼喊；緊接着，哎呀！突然轉變成女性神經質的眼淚和號哭，立刻需要公寓的主人用盡辦法來安慰她。
因為擺在眼前的是那套插在頭髮上的梳子——全套的發梳，兩鬢用的，後面用的，應有盡有；那原是在百老匯路上的一個櫥窗裏，為德拉渴望了好久的東西。純玳瑁做的，邊上鑲着珠寶的美麗的發梳——來配那已經失去的美發，顔色真是再合適也沒有了。她知道這套發梳是很貴重的，心嚮神往了好久，但從來沒有存過占有它的希望。現在這居然為她所有了，可是那佩帶這些渴望已久的裝飾品的頭髮卻沒有了。
但她還是把這套發梳摟在懷裏不放，過了好久，她才能擡起迷蒙的淚眼，含笑對吉姆說：“我的頭髮長得很快，吉姆！”
接着，德拉象一隻給火燙着的小貓似地跳了起來，叫道：“喔！喔！”
吉姆還沒有見到他的美麗的禮物呢。她熱切地伸出攤開的手掌遞給他。那無知覺的貴金屬仿佛閃閃反映着她那快活和熱誠的心情。
“漂亮嗎，吉姆？我走遍全市纔找到的。現在你每天要把表看上百來遍了。把你的表給我，我要看看它配在表上的樣子。”
吉姆並沒有照着她的話去做，卻倒在榻上，雙手枕着頭，笑了起來。
“德爾，”他說，“我們把聖誕節禮物擱在一邊，暫且保存起來。它們實在太好啦，現在用了未免可惜。我是賣掉了金表，換了錢去買你的發梳的。現在請你煎肉排吧。”
那三位麥琪，諸位知道，全是有智慧的人——非常有智慧的人——他們帶來禮物，送給生在馬槽裏的聖子耶穌。他們首創了聖誕節饋贈禮物的風俗。他們既然有智慧，他們的禮物無疑也是聰明的，可能還附帶一種碰上收到同樣的東西時可以交換的權利。我的拙筆在這裏告訴了諸位一個沒有麯折、不足為奇的故事；那兩個住在一間公寓裏的笨孩子，極不聰明地為了對方犧牲了他們一傢最寶貴的東西。但是，讓我們對目前一般聰明人說最後一句話，在所有饋贈禮物的人當中，那兩個人是最聰明的。在一切授受衣物的人當中，象他們這樣的人也是最聰明的。無論在什麽地方，他們都是最聰明的。他們就是麥琪。
There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.
While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.
In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."
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.
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.
There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.
Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.
Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.
So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.
On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.
Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."
"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.
"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."
Down rippled the brown cascade.
"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.
"Give it to me quick," said Della.
Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.
She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.
When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.
Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.
"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?"
At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.
Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit of saying a little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."
The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.
Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.
Della wriggled off the table and went for him.
"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice--what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."
"You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.
"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"
Jim looked about the room curiously.
"You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy.
"You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"
Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.
Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.
"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first."
White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.
For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.
But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"
And then Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"
Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.
"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."
Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.
"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."
The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.
End
除了倒在那張破舊的小榻上號哭之外，顯然沒有別的辦法。德拉就那樣做了。這使一種精神上的感慨油然而生，認為人生是由啜泣，抽噎和微笑組成的，而抽噎占了其中絶大部分。
這個家庭的主婦漸漸從第一階段退到第二階段，我們不妨抽空兒來看看這個傢吧。一套連傢具的公寓，房租每星期八塊錢。雖不能說是絶對難以形容，其實跟貧民窟也相去不遠。
下面門廊裏有一個信箱，但是永遠不會有信件投進去；還有一個電鈕，除非神仙下凡才能把鈴按響。那裏還貼着一張名片，上面印有“詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚先生”幾個字。
“迪林漢”這個名號是主人先前每星期掙三十塊錢得法的時候，一時高興，回姓名之間的。現在收入縮減到二十塊錢，“迪林漢”幾個字看來就有些模糊，仿佛它們正在考慮，是不是縮成一個質樸而謙遜的“迪”字為好。但是每逢詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚先生回傢上樓，走進房間的時候，詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚太太——就是剛纔已經介紹給各位的德拉——總是管他叫做“吉姆”，總是熱烈地擁抱他。那當然是好的。
德拉哭了之後，在臉平面上撲了些粉。她站在窗子跟前，呆呆地瞅着外面灰蒙蒙的後院裏，一隻灰貓正在灰色的籬笆上行走。明天就是聖誕節了，她衹有一塊八毛七分錢來給吉姆買一件禮物。好幾個月業，她省吃儉用，能攢起來的都攢了，可結果衹有這一點兒。一星期二十塊錢的收入是不經用的。支出總比她預算的要多。總是這樣的。衹有一塊八毛七分錢來給吉姆買禮物。她的吉姆。為了買三件好東西送給他，德拉自得其樂地籌劃了好些日子。要買一件精緻、珍奇而真有價值的東西——夠得上為吉姆所有的東西固然很少，可總得有些相稱纔成呀。
房裏兩扇窗子中間有一面壁鏡。諸位也許見過房租八塊錢的公寓裏的壁鏡。一個非常瘦小靈活的人，從一連串縱的片段的映像裏，也許可以對自己的容貌得到一個大致不差的概念。德拉全憑身材苗條，纔精通了那種技藝。
她突然從窗口轉過身，站到壁鏡面前。她的眼睛晶瑩明亮，可是她的臉在二十秒鐘之內卻失色了。她迅速地把頭髮解開，讓它披落下來。
且說，詹姆斯·迪林漢·揚夫婦有兩樣東西特別引為自豪，一樣是吉姆三代祖傳的金表，別一樣是德拉的頭髮。如果示巴女王住在天井對面的公寓裏，德拉總有一天會把她的頭髮懸在窗外去晾幹，使那位女王的珠寶和禮物相形見絀。如果所羅門王當了看門人，把他所有的財富都堆在地下室裏，吉姆每次經過那兒時準會掏出他的金表看看，好讓所羅門妒忌得吹鬍子瞪眼睛。
這當兒，德拉美麗的頭髮披散在身上，像一股褐色的小瀑布，奔瀉閃亮。頭髮一直垂到膝蓋底下，仿佛給她鋪成了一件衣裳。她又神經質地趕快把頭髮梳好。她躊躇了一會兒，靜靜地站着，有一兩滴淚水濺落在破舊的紅地毯上。
她穿上褐色的舊外套，戴上褐色的舊帽子。她眼睛裏還留着晶瑩的淚光，裙子一擺，就飄然走出房門，下樓跑到街上。
她走到一塊招牌前停住了，招牌上面寫着：“莎弗朗妮夫人——經營各種頭髮用品。”德拉跑上一段樓梯，氣喘籲籲地讓自己定下神來。那位夫人身軀肥大，膚色白得過分，一副冷冰冰的模樣，同“莎弗朗妮”這個名字不大相稱。
[莎弗朗妮：意大利詩人塔索（1544--1595）以第一次十字軍東徵為題材的史詩《被解放的耶路撒冷》中的人物，她為了拯救耶路撒冷全城的基督徒，承認了並未犯過的罪行，成為捨己救人的典型。]
“你要買我的頭髮嗎？”德拉問道。
“我買頭髮，”夫人說，“脫掉帽子，讓我看看頭髮的模樣。”
那股褐色的小瀑布瀉了下來。
“二十塊錢，”夫人用行傢的手法抓起頭髮說。
“趕快把錢給我。”德拉說。
噢，此後的兩個鐘頭仿佛長了玫瑰色翅膀似地飛掠過去。諸位不必與日俱增這種雜湊的比喻。總之，德拉正為了送吉姆的禮物在店鋪裏搜索。
德拉終於把它找到了。它準是為吉姆，而不是為別人製造的。她把所有店鋪都兜底翻過，各傢都沒有像這樣的東西。那是一條白金表鏈，式樣簡單樸素，衹是以貨色來顯示它的價值，不憑什麽裝璜來炫耀——一切好東西都應該是這樣的。它甚至配得上那衹金表。她一看到就認為非給吉姆買下不可。它簡直像他的為人。文靜而有價值——這句話拿來形容表鏈和吉姆本人都恰到好處。店裏以二十一塊錢的價格賣給了她，她剩下八毛七分錢，匆匆趕回傢去。吉姆有了那條鏈子，在任何場合都可以毫無顧慮地看看鐘點了。那衹表雖然華貴，可是因為衹用一條舊皮帶來代替表鏈，他有時候衹是偷偷地瞥一眼。
德拉回傢以後，她的陶醉有一小部分被審慎和理智所替代。她拿出捲發鐵鉗，點着煤氣，着手補救由於愛情加上慷慨而造成的災害。那始終是一件艱巨的工作，親愛的朋友們——簡直是了不起的工作。
不出四十分鐘，她頭上布滿了緊貼着的小發鬈，變得活像一個逃課的小學生。她對着鏡子小心而苛刻地照了又照。
“如果吉姆看了一眼不把我宰掉纔怪呢，”她自言自語地說，“他會說我像是康奈島遊樂場裏的賣唱姑娘。我有什麽辦法呢？——唉！衹有一塊八毛七分錢，叫我有什麽辦法呢？”
到了七點鐘，咖啡已經煮好，煎鍋也放在爐子後面熱着，隨時可以煎肉排。
吉姆從沒有晚回來過。德拉把表鏈對折着握在手裏，在他進來時必經的門口的桌子角上坐下來。接着，她聽到樓下梯級上響起了他的腳步聲。她臉色白了一忽兒。她有一個習慣，往往為了日常最簡單的事情默禱幾句，現在她悄聲說：“求求上帝，讓他認為我還是美麗的。”
門打開了，吉姆走進來，隨手把門關上。他很瘦削，非常嚴肅。可憐的人兒，他衹有二十二歲——就負起了家庭的擔子！他需要一件新大衣，手套也沒有。
吉姆在門內站住，像一條獵狗嗅到鵪鶉氣味似的紋絲不動。他的眼睛盯着德拉，所含的神情是她所不能理解的，這使她大為驚慌。那既不是憤怒，也不是驚訝，又不是不滿，更不是嫌惡，不是她所預料的任何一種神情。他衹帶着那種奇特的神情凝視着德拉。
德拉一扭腰，從桌上跳下來，走近他身邊。
“吉姆，親愛的，”她喊道，“別那樣盯着我。我把頭髮剪掉賣了，因為不送你一件禮物，我過不了聖誕節。頭髮會再長出來的——你不會在意吧，是不是？我非這麽做不可。我的頭髮長得快極啦。說句‘恭賀聖誕’吧！如姆，讓我們快快樂樂的。我給你買了一件多麽好——多麽美麗的好東西，你怎麽也猜不到的。”
“你把頭髮剪掉了嗎？”吉姆吃力地問道，仿佛他絞盡腦汁之後，還沒有把這個顯而易見的事實弄明白似的。
“非但剪了，而且賣了。”德拉說。“不管怎樣，你還是同樣地喜歡我嗎？雖然沒有了頭髮，我還是我，可不是嗎？”
吉姆好奇地嚮房裏四下張望。
“你說你的頭髮沒有了嗎？”他帶着近乎白癡般的神情問道。
“你不用找啦，”德拉說。“我告訴你，已經賣了——賣了，沒有了。今天是聖誕前夜，親愛的。好好地對待我，我剪掉頭髮為的是你呀。我的頭髮也許數得清，”她突然非常溫柔地接下去說，“但我對你的情愛誰也數不清。我把肉排煎上好嗎，吉姆？”
吉姆好象從恍惚中突然醒過來。他把德拉摟在懷裏。我們不要冒昧，先花十秒鐘工夫瞧瞧另一方面無關緊要的東西吧。每星期八塊錢的房租，或是每年一百萬元房租——那有什麽區別呢？一位數學家或是一位俏皮的人可能會給你不正確的答復。麥琪帶來了寶貴的禮物，但其中沒有那件東西。對這句晦澀的話，下文將有所說明。
[麥琪：指基督出生時來送禮物的三賢人。一說是東方的三王：梅爾基奧爾（光明之王）贈送黃金表示尊貴；加斯帕（潔白者）贈送乳香象徵神聖；巴爾撒澤贈送沒藥預示基督後來遭受迫害而死。]
吉姆從大衣口袋裏掏出一包東西，把它扔在桌上。
“別對我有什麽誤會，德爾。”他說，“不管是剪發、修臉，還是洗頭，我對我姑娘的愛情是决不會減低的。但是衹消打開那包東西，你就會明白，你剛纔為什麽使我愣住了。“
白皙的手指敏捷地撕開了繩索和包皮紙。接着是一聲狂喜的呼喊；緊接着，哎呀！突然轉變成女性神經質的眼淚和號哭，立刻需要公寓的主人用盡辦法來安慰她。
因為擺在眼前的是那套插在頭髮上的梳子——全套的發梳，兩鬢用的，後面用的，應有盡有；那原是在百老匯路上的一個櫥窗裏，為德拉渴望了好久的東西。純玳瑁做的，邊上鑲着珠寶的美麗的發梳——來配那已經失去的美發，顔色真是再合適也沒有了。她知道這套發梳是很貴重的，心嚮神往了好久，但從來沒有存過占有它的希望。現在這居然為她所有了，可是那佩帶這些渴望已久的裝飾品的頭髮卻沒有了。
但她還是把這套發梳摟在懷裏不放，過了好久，她才能擡起迷蒙的淚眼，含笑對吉姆說：“我的頭髮長得很快，吉姆！”
接着，德拉象一隻給火燙着的小貓似地跳了起來，叫道：“喔！喔！”
吉姆還沒有見到他的美麗的禮物呢。她熱切地伸出攤開的手掌遞給他。那無知覺的貴金屬仿佛閃閃反映着她那快活和熱誠的心情。
“漂亮嗎，吉姆？我走遍全市纔找到的。現在你每天要把表看上百來遍了。把你的表給我，我要看看它配在表上的樣子。”
吉姆並沒有照着她的話去做，卻倒在榻上，雙手枕着頭，笑了起來。
“德爾，”他說，“我們把聖誕節禮物擱在一邊，暫且保存起來。它們實在太好啦，現在用了未免可惜。我是賣掉了金表，換了錢去買你的發梳的。現在請你煎肉排吧。”
那三位麥琪，諸位知道，全是有智慧的人——非常有智慧的人——他們帶來禮物，送給生在馬槽裏的聖子耶穌。他們首創了聖誕節饋贈禮物的風俗。他們既然有智慧，他們的禮物無疑也是聰明的，可能還附帶一種碰上收到同樣的東西時可以交換的權利。我的拙筆在這裏告訴了諸位一個沒有麯折、不足為奇的故事；那兩個住在一間公寓裏的笨孩子，極不聰明地為了對方犧牲了他們一傢最寶貴的東西。但是，讓我們對目前一般聰明人說最後一句話，在所有饋贈禮物的人當中，那兩個人是最聰明的。在一切授受衣物的人當中，象他們這樣的人也是最聰明的。無論在什麽地方，他們都是最聰明的。他們就是麥琪。
There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.
While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.
In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."
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.
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.
There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pierglass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art.
Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.
Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.
So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.
On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.
Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."
"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.
"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."
Down rippled the brown cascade.
"Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand.
"Give it to me quick," said Della.
Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.
She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.
When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.
Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.
"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty-seven cents?"
At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.
Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit of saying a little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."
The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.
Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.
Della wriggled off the table and went for him.
"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice--what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."
"You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.
"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"
Jim looked about the room curiously.
"You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy.
"You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"
Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.
Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.
"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first."
White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.
For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window. Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelled rims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair. They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart had simply craved and yearned over them without the least hope of possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone.
But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"
And then Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"
Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.
"Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to find it. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it."
Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.
"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on."
The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.
End