She quickly did up her hair again. She put on her old coat and the old brown hat, ran down the stairs and out into the street. She stopped at a shop: “Madame Sofrone, Hair-goods of all kinds”. She ran up the stairs.
“Will you buy my hair?” said Della.
“I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take off your hat and let me see it.”
Down flowed the river of gold.
Madame lifted the hair in her hand. “Twenty dollars.” she said.
“Give me quickly,” said Della.
For the next two hours Della was searching the shops for Jim’s present. She found the present at last. It had certainly been made for Jim and for no one else. It was good enough to go with his watch. In the past Jim sometimes did not like to take out his watch because it had no chain; but, with that chain on his watch, Jim might look at the time in any company.
When Della reached home she set to work to do something to her hair, and her head was covered with little curls which made her look like a schoolboy.
At seven o’clock the evening meal was ready.
Jim was never late. She held the watch-chain in her hand and sat on a corner of the table near the door though which he always came in. Then she heard his step on the stairs. She said a little prayer: “Please, God, make Jim think I am still pretty.” The door opened and Jim came in. He looked very thin and serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two. He needed a new coat.
Jim stopped inside the door and stood there. His eyes were fixed on Della. There was a strange look in them. It was not anger, nor surprise. Della could not understand that strange look. He simply stood there looking at her----looking.
Della got off the table and went to him.
“Jim dear,” she said, “don’t look at me in that way. I ---- I had my hair cut off and I sold it, because I couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. My hair will grow again. You don’t mind, do you? I had to do it. My hair grows very fast. Say ‘Happy Christmas’, Jim, and let’s be happy. You don’t know what a beautiful present I’ve got for you.”
“You’ve cut off your hair?” said Jim, as he hadn’t quite understood the fact yet.
“Yes, I’ve cut it off and sold it,” said Della. “Don’t you like just as well without my hair? I’m just the same girl without my hair, aren’t I?”
Jim looked about the room. “You say your hair is gone?” he said.
“You don’t need to look for it,” said Della. “I tell you it’s sold. It’s sold; it’s gone. And this is the evening before Christmas, Jim. I sold it for you. It may be that ‘ the hairs of my head are numbered’, but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I get the meal ready, Jim?”
Jim took Della in his arms and kissed her. Then he took a packet out of his coat pocket and put it on the table.
“Don’t make any mistake, Della,” he said. “I don’t think there is anything that you could do to your hair which would make me love my girl any less. But, if you will undo the packet, you will see why I was rather surprised at first.”
Della undid the packet and gave a cry of joy. Then she began to cry. For there lay the combs! The set of combs, side and back, which she had looked at so long in the window of a shop. They were beautiful combs with jewels in them, just the right color for her hair. She had looked at them and wanted them, yet never hope to possess them. Now they were hers; but the hair for which she had wanted them was gone.
She looked up at Jim with tear-filled eyes. Then, with a smile, she said, “My hair grows so fast, Jim.”
She jumped up and cried, “Oh! Oh! Oh!”
Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held it out to him in her open hand. The bright gold shone.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Jim? I hunted all over the 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.”
Jim did not obey. He sat down, and put his hands behind his head and smiled.
“Della,” he said, “let’s put our Christmas present away and keep them for a time. They’re too nice to use just at present… I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. Now shall we have our evening meal?”
The Magi brought presents to Jesus Christ on the first Christmas of all Christmases. They first had the idea of giving Christmas presents. They were wise. Here I have told you this story of two foolish children in a poor set of rooms who gave up for each other his or her greatest treasure. They chose their presents unwisely; but those gifts which are the sign of real love are the best gifts of all.
They are the Magi.
作者简介
作者：（美国）欧·亨利（O.Henry.）
