第33章七美元的梦想ASeven-DollarDream
佚名Anonymous
Wanted:Violin。'tpaymuch。Call。。。
WhydidI?Iwondered，sinceIrarelylookattheclassifiedads。Ilaidthepaperonmylapandyeyes，rememberingenedduriDepression，whenmyfamilystruggledtomakealivingonourfarm。I，too，hadwantedaviolin，butos;thavethemoney。。。
Whewinsistersbeganshowiinmusic，HarrietAoplayGrandma&aphtpiano，whileSuzaoDaddy'svioliunessoonbeelodiesasthetwinsplayedmoreaupihmofthemusic，mybabybrotherdandwhiledaddyhummedaled。Ijustlistened。
Whenmyarmsgrewlongenough，ItriedtoplaySuzanne'sviolihemellowsoundofthefirmbowdrawnacrossthestrings。Oh，howIwaIkwasoutofthequestion。
Ohetwiheschoolorchestra，Iyeyestighttocapturethepicturefirmlyinmymind。Someday，I'llsitupthere，Ivowedsilently。
Itwasnotagoodyear。Atharvestthecropsdidnasmuchased，Ip;apos;twaitaoask，“Daddy，mayIhaveaviolinofmyown?”
“'tyouuseSuzanne's?”
“I'dliketobeira，too，andos;tbothusethesamevioliime。”
Daddy'sfacelookedsad。Thatnight，andmanyfollowingnights，IheardhimremindGodinourfamilydevotions，“。。。andLord，MaryLouwantsherownviolin。”
OneevearouhetwinsandIstudied。Mothersewed，anddaddywrotealetterteeFinkle，inr。Finkle，daddysaid，wasafineviolinist。
&e，daddyreadpartsofhisletteroutloudtomother。WeekslaterIdiscoveredhe'dwrittenonelinehedidn'treadaloud:“Wouldyouwatchforaviolinfhter?I'tpaymuch，butsheenjoysmusidos;dlikehertohaveherow。”
Whendaddyreceivedaletterfrombusafewweekslater，heannounced，“os;llbedrivingtobustospewithAuntAliasIdsomeohelivestock。”
Atlastthedayarrived，aoAuntAlice's。Afterwearrived，Ilistenedwhiledaddymadeaphonecall。Hehungupandasked，“MaryLou，doyouwanttogowithmetovisitMr。Finkle?”
“Sure，”Ianswered。
Hedroveiialareaahedrivewayofafine，oldhouse。thestepsandrangthedoorchime。Atallmahandaddy，opehedoor。“ein!”Heanddaddyheartilyshookhands，bothtalkingatonce。
“MaryLou，I'vebeehingsaboutyou。Yourdaddyhasarrangedabigsurpriseforyou!”Mr。Finkleusheredusintotheparlor。Hepickedupaedit，liftedoutaviolinaoplay。Themeledaerfalls。Oh，toplaylikehim，Ithought。
Finishingtheodaddy。“Carl，Ifounditinapawnshopforsevendollars。It'sagoodviolin。MaryLoushouldbeabletomakebeautifulmusicwithit。”Theheviolintome。
Iearsindaddy'seyesasIfinallyprehewasmirokedtheviolihewoodwasagoldenbrowowarmi。“It'sbeautiful，”Isaid，barelybreathing。
WhenwearrivedbatAlice's，alleyesturered。Isawdaddywinkatmother，andthenIrealizedeveryonehadknownbutme。Ikneos;sprayer，andmine，hadbeenanswered。
ThedayIcarriedmyviolintosyfirstlessonnooneagiingfeelingi。OverthemonthsIpracticeddaily，feelingthewarmwoodfitundermylikeaensionofmyself。
Wheojointheschoolorchestra，Itrembledwithext。Isatihirdrowofviolinsaeorchestrajacketlikearoyalrobe。
&wildlyatmyfirstpubliance，aschooloperetta。Theauditorium，filledtocapadtheaudiencebuzzedwhilewesoftlytunedourihelightteredonus，andahushfellaslay。Ifeltsureeveryoheaudiegme。Daddyandmothersmiledproudlyattheirlittlegirlwhoheldhercherishedviolinforthewhole>
Theyearsseemedtorulythen。Aimemysistersgraduated，Ifouhefirst-violinchair。
Twoyearslater，Igraduated。Ipackedmycherishedviolinieppedintothegrown-upworld。Nurse&ap，marriage，wial，rearingfhtersfilledmyyears。
Moreyearspassed。Myviolinmadeeverymoveacked-brieflyrememberinghowmuchIstillloveditandpromisioplayitsoon。
Noneofmycaredabouttheviolin。Later，oheymarriedahome。。。
Noiththeads。Iforcedmythoughtstothepresentandreadagaihadtransportedmebacktoories。Layihepaper，Imurmured，“Imustfindmyviolin。”
Idiscoveredthecasedeepinthereycloset。Openingthelid，Iliftedthevioliherose-velvetlining。Myfisgoldenwood。Iturings，miraculouslystillintact，tighteheboutrosinonthedryhorsehairs。