The gift of the magi. Make me like my girl any less

make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while⁷ 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 Delia had worshipped for 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 Delia 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 Babe⁸ in the manger⁹. 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 lameiy 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.

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

Notes:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

bank teller — служащий в банке embezzlement [im 'bezlmant] — растрата penitentiary [, pem'tan/an] — исправительный дом magi PmEetfjaj] — волхвы

bulldoze — (здесь) торговаться, выбивать каждый цент Dillingham [ dihrjhjem]

Queen of Sheba ['kwiinsv 7'^{: Ьэ}] — царица Савская hashed metaphor ['паз/t 'metsfs] — избитая метафора a Coney Island chorus [ 'koimi 'ailand 'kD: ras] girl — хористка с Кони-Айленда

go a while — оторопеть Babe [betb] — (поэт.) = baby manger [Гшетфэ] — ясли, куда волхвы принесли дары младенцу Иисусу.

I. VOCABULARY

count (v)

1. say or name the numbers in order, one by one

□ He counted (up) to 100 and then came to find us.

2. include

□ There are six people in my family counting my parents.

3. consider, regard

П Pavlova was counted among the greatest dancers of the country.

4. have value, force, or importance

□ It is not how much you read but what you read that counts, count smb. in include

□ If you are planning a trip to London, countmein. count on/upon smb./smth.

1. depend on

П You can't count on the weather being fine.

2. expect; take into account; rely

□ Can I count on you to be there at noon? count smb. out exclude

□ Please count me out for the party next Saturday; I have other plans. count heads count people

□ I'll tell you how many people are here after I count heads, bear (v) bore, borne/born