“已经是圣诞节早上了,”他说,“不幸的是,我没有人可以让我送点什么东西给他。你能让我送你回家,在你家门口说一声圣诞快乐吗?”
于是,在钟声齐鸣时,在幸福的人群中,皮特·里查德和这位还不知姓名的姑娘迈入了又一天的开端——那给世间每个人带来希望的伟大一天。
&eRichardwasthelomanintownonthedayJeahedoorofhisshop。It'sasmallshopwhiedowntrahelittlefrontnwithadisarrayofold-fashiohisasworniheCivilWar,gsandsilverboxes,imagesofjadeandivory,porfigurihiswinter'safternoonachildwasstandingthere,herfainsttheglass,earandeudyireasureasifshewerelookingforsomethingquitespeallyshestraightehasatisfiedairaore。
TheshadowyinteriorofPeteRichard'sestablishmentwaseveeredthanhissho。Shelveswerestackedwithjewelcaskets,duelingpistols,dlamps,andtheflooredwithirons,mandolinsandthingshardtofindanamefor。BehierstoodPetehimself,amahirtybutwithhairalreadyturninggray。Therewasableakairabouthimashelookedatthesmallerwhoflattenedherunglovedhaer。
"Mister,"shebegan,"wouldyoupleaseletmelookatthestringofbluebeadsinthewindow?"Petepartedthedraperiesaaurquoisestolyagainstthepallorofhispalmashespreadtheorbeforeher。"They'rejustperfect,"saidthetirelytoherself。"Willyouprettyforme,please?"
&udiedherwithastonyair。"Areyoubuyingtheseforsomeo;"Theysister。Shetakese。Yousee,thiswillbethefirstChristmassiherdied。I'vebeenlookiwonderfulChristmaspresentformysister。"
"Howmueydoyouhave?"askedPetewarily。Shehadbeenbusilyusinahandkerdnowshepouredoutahandfulofpeheter。"Iemptiedmybank。"sheexplainedsimply。
&elookedatherthoughtfully。Thenhecarefullydrewbaecklace。Thepricetagwasvisibletohimbutnottoher。Howcouldhetellher?Thetrustinglookofherblueeyessmotehimlikethepainofanoldwound。"Justami;hesaid,aowardthebackofthestore。Overhisshoulderhecalled,"What'syour;Hewasverybusyaboutsomething。"Jea;
&ereturraceackagelayinhishand,edipaperahabowofgreen。"Hereyouare,"hesaidshortly,"Don'tloseitonthewayhome。"
Shesmiledhappilyoverhershoulderassheranoutofthedhtheatchedhergo,whiledesolatiohoughts。SomethingaboutJeanGradherstringofbeadshadstirredhimtothedepthsofagriefthatwouldnotstayburied。Thechild'shairwaswheatyellow,hereyesseablue,aime,notloehadbeehagirlwithhairofthatsameyellowaasblue。Aurquoiseohavebeenhers。
Buttherehadearainynight—atrugonaslipperyroad—andthelifewascrushedoutofhisdream。Siehadlivedtoomuchwithhisgriefinsolitude。Heolitelyatteomers,butafterhourshisworldseemedirrevocablyempty。Hewastryingtetiyideepeneddaybyday。TheblueeyesofJeaedhimintoacuteremembrahehadlost。Thepainofitmadehimretheexuberanceofholidayshtheradewasbrisk;gwomenswarmediriryingtaihelasterhadgoeonChristmasEve,hesighedwithrelief。ItwasoverforaforPetethenightwasnotquiteover。
Thedooropenedandayoungwomahaninexplicablestart,herealizedthatshelookedfamiliar,yetheberwhenorwherehehadseenherbefore。Herhairwasgoldenyelleeyeswereblue。Withoutspeaking,shedrewfromherpurseapackagelooselyusredpaper,abowofgreenribbonwithit。Preseringofbluebeadslaygleamingagainbeforehim。
"Didthisyourshop?"sheasked。
&eraisedhiseyestohersaly,"Yes,itdid。"
"Arethesto;
"Yes。quality—butreal。"
"berwhoitwasyousoldthemto?"
"Shewasasmallgirl。HernamewasJeahemforheroldersister'sChristmaspresent。"
"Howmucharetheyworth?"
"Theprice,"hetoldhersolemnly,"isalwaysatialmatterbetweentheselleraomer。"
"ButJeanhasneverhadmorethanafewpenniesofspendingmoney。Howcouldshepayforthem?"
"Shepaidthebiggestprieeverpay,"hesaid。"Shegaveallshehad。"
Therewasasilefilledthelittlecurioshop。Hesale,abellbeganringing。Thesoug,thelittlepagoer,thequestiohegirl,arangefeelirugglingunreasonablyiofPete,allhadetobebecauseoftheloveofachild。
"Butwhydidyoudoit?"
&hegiftinhishand。
"It'salreadyChristmasm,"hesaid。"Andit'smymisfortuIhaveogiveanythingto。WillyouletmeseeyouhomeandwishyouaMerryChristmasatyourdoor?"
Andso,tothesoundofmanybellsaofhappypeople,PeteRidagirlwhosetohear,walkedoutintothebeginnidaythatbriheworldforusall。