英語沙龍 圣誕節(jié)的奇跡

MyChristmasFormanyofus，oneChristmasstandsoutfromalltheothers ，theonewhenthemeaningofthedayshoneclearest ．Myown“truest”ChristmasbeganonarainyspringdayinthebleakestyearofmyRecentlydivorced，Iwasinmy２０s，hadnojobandwasonmywaydowntowntogotheroundsoftheemploymentoffices ．Ihadnoumbrella，formyoldonehadfallenapart ，andIcouldnotaffordanotherone．Isatdowninthestreetcar －－andthereagainsttheseatwasabeautifulsilkumbrellawithasilverhandleinlaid2)withgoldandflecksofbrightenamel3)．IhadneverseenanythingsoIexaminedthehandleandsawanameengravedamongthegoldenscrolls．Theusualprocedurewouldhavebeentoturnintheumbrellatotheconductor，butonimpulseIdecidedtotakeitwithmeandfindtheownermyself．Igotoffthestreetcarinadownpourandthankfullyopenedtheumbrellatoprotectmyself．ThenIsearchedatelephonebookforthenameontheumbrellaandfoundit．Icalledandaladyanswered．Yes，shesaidinsurprise，thatwasherumbrella，whichherparents，nowdead，hadgivenherforabirthdaypresent ．But，sheadded，ithadbeenstolenfromherlockeratschool （shewasateacher）morethanayearbefore．ShewassoexcitedthatIforgotIwaslookingforajobandwentdirectlytohersmallhouse ．Shetooktheumbrella，andhereyesfilledwithtears．Theteacherwantedtogivemeareward ，but－－thoughtwentydollarswasallIhadintheworld －－h(huán)erhappinessatretrieving4)thisspecialpossessionwassuchthattohaveacceptedmoneywouldhavespoiledsomething．Wetalkedforawhile，andImusthavegivenhermyaddress．Idon'tremember．Thenextsixmonthswerewretched5)．Iwasabletoobtainonlytemporaryemploymenthereandthere，forasmallsalary．ButIputasidetwenty－fiveorfiftycentswhenIcouldafforditformylittlegirl'sChristmaspresents．MylastjobendedthedaybeforeChristmas，mythirty－dollarrentwassoondue，andIhadfifteendollarstomyname－－whichPeggyandIwouldneedforfood ．Shewashomefromconventboardingschoolandwasexcitedlylookingforwardtohergiftsnextday，whichIhadalreadypurchased．Ihadboughtherasmalltree，andweweregoingtodecorateitthatnight TheairwasfullofthesoundofChristmasmerrimentasIwalkedfromthestreetcartomysmallapartment．Bellsrangandchildrenshoutedinthebitterduskoftheevening ，andwindowswerelightedandeveryonewasrunningandlaughing．ButthereshouldbenoChristmasforme，Iknew，nogifts，noremembrancewhatsoever6)．AsIstruggledthroughthesnowdrifts，Ihadjustaboutreachedthelowestpointinmylife．Unlessamiraclehappened，IwouldbehomelessinJanuary，foodless，jobless．Ihadprayedsteadilyforweeks，andtherehadbeennoanswerbutthiscoldnessanddarkness ，thisharshair，thisabandonment．Godandmenhadcompletelyforgottenme ．Ifeltsohelplessandsolonely．Whatwastobecomeofus？Ilookedinmymailbox．Therewereonlybillsinit，asheafofthem，andtwowhiteenvelopeswhichIwassurecontainedmorebills．IwentupthreedustyflightsofstairsandIcried inmythincoat．ButImademyselfsmilesoIcouldgreetmylittledaughterwithapretenseofhappiness．Sheopenedthedoorformeandthrewherselfinmyarms，screamingjoyouslyanddemandingthatwedecoratethetreeimmediately．Peggyhadproudlysetourkitchentableforoureveningmealandputpansoutandthreecansoffoodwhichwouldbeourdinner ．Forsomereason，whenIlookedatthosepansandcans ，Ifeltbroken－h(huán)earted．WewouldhaveonlyhamburgersforourChristmasdinnertomorrow．Istoodinthecoldlittlekitchen ，miseryoverwhelmedme．Forthefirsttimeinmylife ，Idoubtedtheexistenceandhismercy，andthecoldnessinmyheartwascolderthanice ThedoorbellrangandPeggyranfleetlytoanswerit ，callingthatitmustbeSantaClaus．ThenIheardamantalkingheartilytoherandwenttothedoor．Hewasadeliveryman，andhisarmswerefullofparcels7)．“Thisisamistake，”Isaid，buthereadthenameontheparcelsandtherewereforme．WhenhehadgoneIcouldonlystareattheboxes．PeggyandIsatonthefloorandopenedthem ．Ahugedoll，threetimesthesizeoftheoneIhadboughtforher．Gloves．Candy．Abeautifulleatherpurse．Incredible．Ilookedforthenameofthesender．Itwastheteacher，theaddresswassimply“California”，whereshehadmoved．OurdinnerthatnightwasthemostdeliciousIhadevereaten forgotIhadnomoneyfortherentandonlyfifteendollarsinmypurseandnojob．MychildandIateandlaughedtogetherinhappiness．Thenwedecoratedthelittletreeandmarveledatit putPeggytobedandsetuphergiftsaroundthetreeandasweetpeacefloodedmelikeabenediction．Ihadsomehopeagain．Icouldevenexaminethesheafofbillswithoutcringing8) 得格外難忘。我自己的“最真實”的圣誕節(jié)發(fā)生在我一生中最為凄涼的那一年。子和亮麗的小片琺瑯。我從沒見過這么漂亮的東西。的名字，確有其人。我打了個電話，接電話的是一位女士是的，她詫異地說那是她的傘，那是她已故的雙親送給她的生日禮物。但是，她補充說，傘一年多前被人從學(xué)校的柜子里偷走了（她是個教師激動，我竟忘了自己還在找工作，直接到她家去了。她熱淚盈眶地接過傘。我很可能留下了我的地址。我記不得了。接下來的半年里我的境況很凄涼。我設(shè)法四處打點零工，掙些微薄的薪水。但我盡可能每個月存２５或５０美分以備給小女兒買圣誕禮物。就在圣誕節(jié)的前這是佩吉和我的生活費。她從女修道院辦的寄宿學(xué)?；貋砹?，十分激動地等著第二天的禮物，那是我早就買好了的。我給她買了一棵小樹，打算晚上再裝飾。但我知道，對我來說，將沒有圣誕節(jié)可言，沒有禮物，沒有懷念，什么都沒將如何呢？開