《麥琪的禮物》英文原版精讀(完整版)

上次對這個故事的精讀難度估計不足，只寫了這個故事的第一部分，得到的經驗是：永遠不要低估美國作家的幽默（腦洞）！現在把後面的部分也加上，重新發一下完整版。

希望所有人在今年的聖誕節🎄都收到了自己喜歡的禮物🎁，今天要讀的就是一個跟聖誕禮物有關的故事，來自美國著名短篇小說家歐·亨利（O. Henry）的作品 The Gift of the Magi，中文通常譯為《麥琪的禮物》。這是一個非常知名的故事，你之前也許不知道作者是誰，但是肯定聽過這個故事，甚至可能讀過英文的簡寫版，我們今天要讀的就是這個故事的英文原版。

語言首先是聲音的藝術，先來聽英文朗讀:

音頻來自LibriVox, 音頻版權屬於原作者

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

penny: <美> 美分，1美分硬幣，幣值就是one cent；<英> 便士；

1美分硬幣，正面為林肯像，背面圖案根據年代有所不同，上圖為2010年以後發行版本，圖案為聯邦盾 (Union shield)。美元硬幣一共有6種幣值: one cent 1美分；five cents 5美分；one dime 10美分，相當於美國的1角；quarter dollar 25美分；half dollar 50美分；one dollar 1美元。現在常見的是前面四種，很少能見到50美分和1美元的硬幣。

bulldoze /'bʊldəʊz/: v. force, frighten 強迫，威脅; （用推土機）推平

bulldoze的衍生詞bulldozer就是推土機

grocer /'ɡrəʊsə/: 食品雜貨店，雜貨商

imputation /ˌɪmpju'teɪʃn/: 非難，歸罪

parsimony /ˈpɑ:sɪməni/: 極度節儉，吝嗇

先來分析一下這個長句：Pennies saved one and two at a time...such close dealing implied.

前半部分：

Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher... 這些分幣是通過跟食雜店主、蔬菜商和屠戶使勁兒討價還價每次一分、兩分地省下來的。

後半部分：

...until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. until部分進一步說明了Della討價還價的情形。one's cheeks指的是黛拉的臉頰；burned指因為羞愧而變紅；silent imputation of parsimony 對極度慳吝的無聲責難；that such close dealing implied 是定語從句修飾parsimony，意思是這種為了一分、兩分錢而斤斤計較的交易方式體現出來的吝嗇。

解讀：第二天就是聖誕節了，女主角Della手裡只有1美元87美分，即1元8角7分，而且其中60美分還是通過四處討價還價省下來的。作者在描述Della為了節約每一分錢bargain時用了bulldozing，很生動，由於沒有錢又特別想給她的Jim買一份像樣的禮物，Della只能在平時生活中節約每一分錢，bulldozing顯示出Della為了湊買禮物的錢，為了節約一分、兩分錢，每次都得放下尊嚴硬砍價，就像bulldozer一樣不容店主們說不，使得店主們都認為她是個吝嗇鬼，用異樣的眼光一言不發地看著她，譴責和看不起她的這種行為，而從本性來講Della並不是一個吝嗇的人，所以每當這時都會讓Della羞愧得滿臉通紅。可以自行腦補一下Della討價還價時的尷尬。

There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating. While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home. A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

 

nothing to do but do: 只能，僅僅

flop: 猛地坐下，笨重地落下

flop down on: 一屁股坐在...

shabby /ˈʃæbi/: 破舊的

howl /haʊl/: 嚎啕大哭

instigate /'ɪnstɪɡeɪt/: 激起，煽動，鼓動

moral reflection: 精神上的反思

sob: 啜泣，哭泣，指哭的時候伴有突然、短暫的呼吸；也可以指哭訴

sniffle: 抽噎，哭泣或者感冒時抽鼻子的聲音

predominate /prɪ'dɒmɪneɪt/: 佔主導，佔優勢，支配

mistress /'mɪstrəs/: 女主人，主婦

subside /səb'saɪd/: 平靜，平息

While the mistress... take a look at the home: 趁女主人從嚎啕大哭到逐漸平復，先來看看女主人的家。

furnished /ˈfɜ:nɪʃt/: 有家具的

flat: 公寓

beggar: v. 無法，難以，使不能；使極度貧窮； n. 乞丐、貧窮

beggar description: If something beggars description, it is impossible to describe it. 難以形容，無法描述

that word: 指beggar

on the lookout: 注視著，警惕著，密切留意

mendicancy /'mendɪkənsɪ/: beggary, 乞丐，乞討，行乞罪

squad /skwɑːd/: 小組，小隊，編組

mendicancy squad: 指的是當時抓捕乞丐和無家可歸者的警察小隊。police department經常被叫做squad

It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad: 這個句子很短，但是信息量不小。首先在當時確實有個法案，叫做vagrancy act，乞丐和無家可歸者會被警察抓起來，所以mendicancy squad真實存在的。整句的意思是，Della她們租住的這間公寓也不是完全無法形容，但是能想像到的任何形容詞幾乎都是跟beggar有關的，對流浪罪抓捕警察來說，這個公寓絕對是他們密切關注的對象，住在這裡的人很容易被懷疑是犯有流浪罪的人。

In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which no letter would go, and an electric button from which no mortal finger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young."

vestibule /'vestɪbjuːl/: 門廳，前廳

mortal /'mɔːrtl/: n. 凡人，普通人

coax /kəʊks/: 本意是哄騙，勸誘；這裡意為小心地擺弄（裝置、設備）

from which no mortal finger could coax a ring: 這個定語從句修飾button，意思是沒有哪個凡人的手指能使用這個按鈕讓門鈴響。這裡作者用一種比較詼諧的方式表達了no one could make the doorbell ring by the electric button，也就是說門鈴已經壞了。

appertain /ˌæpəˈteɪn/: 附屬於，和...有關

thereunto /ˌðeəʌn'tuː/: adv. to that 到那兒

bear: 支撐，承擔，忍受

Also appertaining thereunto was a card... 這句發生了倒裝，正常的語序是 a card... was also appertaining thereunto.

譯文：下面的公寓前廳裡有個從來都不會有信件投進去的信箱，有個任何凡人手指都按不響的門鈴按鈕，另外在那兒還有一個寫著「Mr. James Dillinghamn Young」的卡片。

解讀：這裡描述了公寓前廳內的情況，Jim和Della的flat在2樓，所以這裡才會說「下面的前廳」，vestibule這個詞雖然也可以指某一戶人家進門後的門廳，但這裡說的前廳是指整棟公寓的外部大門與內部入戶門之間的封閉空間，當然如果公寓沒有外部大門，那就是一個半封閉的空間，就像電影短片裡Della和Jim走出來的地方應該就是公寓的前廳。

信箱裡不會有信，可能是沒有人給他們寫信，但更可能是信箱已經壞了，根本沒法用。寫有姓名的卡片應該就在信箱上或者信箱附近。

The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, the letters of "Dillingham" looked blurred, as though they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James Dillingham Young came home and reached his flat above he was called "Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young, already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good.

flung: fling的過去式和過去分詞

fling: 猛扔，用力拋

breeze: 微風

prosperity /prɒ'sperəti/: 繁榮、興旺

modest: 謙虛的，適度的

unassuming /ˌʌnəˈsju:mɪŋ/: 謙遜的，不招搖的

The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity ...  這個句子有些難理解，flung to the breeze給人的感覺就好像Jim把這個名字用力一扔像擲飛鏢一樣給扔到了名卡上，講的是Jim在自己春風得意、賺很多錢的時候把「Dillingham」這個名字很心安理得、躊躇滿志地加到了自己的名卡上。「Dillingham」在這個故事裡是一個暗示著上流社會和有錢人家的名字，讓人印象深刻，這個名字很可能來自Jim的爺爺，Jim的爺爺以前應該是個很有身份和地位的人物，Jim的祖傳金表就來自他的爺爺，所以在Jim賺得比較多的時候，他會覺得把「Dillingham」這個能顯示他社會出身，讓他感到自豪的名字寫到名字卡上是件很重要的事。不過，以Jim現在的處境，顯然已經不符合「Dillingham」這個名字所暗示的階層了，所以後面作者說當名卡主人的周薪降到20美元的時候，「Dillingham」這個名字的字母看上去都有些模糊了，仿佛它們在慎重地考慮是不是要縮寫成一個不那麼招搖的「D.」。現在的Jim既沒錢也沒心情像以前那樣在意他的名卡，他肯定寧願把「Dillingham」縮寫成不那麼引人注意的「D.」。

Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dully at a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard. Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 with which to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every penny she could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she had calculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present for Jim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him. Something fine and rare and sterling--something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

attend to: 處理，照料

rag: 碎布，破布，抹布；這裡powder rag指的是粉撲

dully: 無精打採地

with this result: Della在好幾個月的時間裡節省了她能節約的每一分錢才得到這樣的結果。

go far: 本意是走的遠，引申為維持不了多久。20美元的周薪在當時根本維持不了多久。

many a hour = many hours；Della花了很多時間快樂地盤算著買個nice gift給Jim。happy hour表示她在這麼做時很高興，可以看出Della很愛她的Jim。

rare: 稀有的，罕見的

sterling /ˈstɜ:lɪŋ/: high quality, excellent 質量非常好的，優異的

near to: 接近於。這裡to是介詞，後面要加名詞或者動名詞

be worthy of: 值得，配得上

something just a little bit ... by Jim: 某樣可以配得上被Jim擁有的東西

There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room. Perhaps you have seen a pier-glass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, had mastered the art. Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood before the glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulled down her hair and let it fall to its full length.

 

pier-glass /piə ɡlɑ:s/: 穿衣鏡

agile /ˈædʒaɪl/: 靈活的，靈巧的

reflection: 鏡子裡的像，反射

longitudinal /ˌlɒŋgɪˈtju:dɪnl/: 縱向的

strip: 條，帶

fairly: 相當地，還算

conception: 印象；概念

A very thin and very agile person ... of his looks.  解釋一下這句，前面說了每周租金8美元的公寓狀況很差，這樣的公寓裡的設施肯定也很差。從對穿衣鏡的描述可以得知：鏡子在兩個窗戶中間，是很窄的豎條狀的，一個又瘦又靈活的人要想得到自己還算準確的全身像，需要在鏡子前快速的左右移動然後自己腦補拼接看到的豎條映像。

slender: 苗條的

mastered the art: 掌握了這項技藝。the art指的是如何在這麼窄的鏡子裡看到自己的樣子。

whirl /wɜ:l/: 旋轉。前面一段講Della正站在窗前看院子裡的灰貓，所以才會說她whirled from the window，從窗邊轉了個身站在鏡子前。

lost its color: 意為turn pale 變得蒼白，失色

her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her face had lost its color within twenty seconds: 她的眼睛裡閃出明亮的光，但是不到20秒的功夫她的臉就失去了顏色變得蒼白。這裡描述了Della先是因為想到賣長發可以籌錢給Jim買禮物這個想法而興奮得眼睛放光，然後很快就因為對這樣做的後果的擔心、不安而使得臉上沒了血色。從後文可以看出Jim和Della最引以為傲的東西就是Jim的金表和Della的秀髮，Della在賣掉自己頭髮後很擔心Jim會不會生氣不再喜歡她，當然Della對自己的長髮也很捨不得。

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

possession: 財產，所有物

the James Dillingham Youngs: 指Jim夫婦

mighty /ˈmaɪti/: （表示強調）很，十分

take a pride in: 引以為傲

the queen of Sheba: 示巴女王在聖經舊約和希伯來聖經中有提到，Sheba王國的位置很可能包括今天的衣索比亞和葉門地區，也就是東非和西亞附近。故事中示巴女王聽說所羅門王不但有權勢，而且富有，充滿智慧，所以就帶了很多貴重的禮物去拜訪所羅門王。

airshaft /eə'ʃɑ:ft/: 通風井

hang out: 這裡意為晾曬；這個詞組還有閒逛、逗留的意思

depreciate /dɪˈpri:ʃieɪt/: （使）貶值，跌價

Her Majesty: 女王陛下

Had the queen of Sheba lived in ... 是虛擬語氣的倒裝結構，等於If the queen of Sheba had lived in...；與此類似，下文中Had King Solomon been the janitor = If King Solomon had been the janitor.

King Solomon: 據希伯來聖經記載，所羅門王是以色列的第三任國王，除了財富，更以智慧著稱。

janitor /ˈdʒænɪtə/: 看門人，大樓或者建築的管理員、看管人

pile up: 堆積，堆放

pluck /plʌk/: 拉、拽

beard /bɪəd/: 鬍子、鬍鬚，指下巴和臉頰上的鬍鬚。

譯文：現在，Jim夫婦有兩樣東西讓他們特別引以為傲。一個是Jim的金表，這塊表也曾屬於他的爺爺和他的父親，另外一樣東西是Della的頭髮。要是示巴女王住在通風井對面的公寓裡，Della會在某天讓她的頭髮懸在窗外晾乾好讓女王陛下的珠寶和禮物都黯然失色。要是所羅門王是個看門人，把自己的珍寶堆滿了地下室，Jim準會在每次經過的時候掏出他的金表，好讓所羅門王嫉妒得直拉自己的鬍子。

解讀：所羅門王和示巴女王都是十分富有的人，珍寶無數，說他們嫉妒Jim的金表和Della的頭髮，簡直就有點荒謬可笑了。歐·亨利以誇張的方式表現了Jim和Della認為他們擁有的金表和長發有著任何珍寶都無法比擬的價值，這與最後兩人都為對方犧牲了自己的「珍寶」形成了強烈的對比。據說這個短篇故事是歐·亨利為聖誕主題寫的，是為某個報紙寫的聖誕故事，所以才會在這裡提到了示巴女王和所羅門王，因為他們都與聖經有關，而且都給了對方極好的禮物。

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached below her knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And then she did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she faltered for a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed on the worn red carpet.

about: 這裡意為around，about her 在她的附近。注意：有時候fall about 連在一起也可以構成一個詞組，意為捧腹大笑，笑到不能自已。

ripple /'rɪpl/: 如波浪起伏，(使)泛起漣漪

cascade /kæˈskeɪd/: v. 水流傾瀉 n.瀑布

garment /ˈgɑ:mənt/: （一件）衣服（常用於服裝製作和銷售等語境下）

do up: 系好，紮好，捆好

falter /ˈfɔ:ltə/: 因為不自信而猶豫，遲疑；也指說話支吾，吞吐

splash /splæʃ/: 灑落，潑濺，飛濺

worn: 破舊的，用壞的

Once she faltered... red carpet: 整句是while引導的時間狀語從句，可以譯為：她一度猶豫了一會兒，靜靜地站著，一兩滴眼淚滴落在破舊的紅地毯上。

On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brown hat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.

On went her old brown jacket 是倒裝句式，如果調整成正常語序(雖然實際上沒人會這麼寫)可以寫成: Her old brown jacket went on (her), 意思是She put on her old brown jacket. 同樣，on went her old brown hat 意思是She put on her old brown hat.  此外，On went...; on went...這種倒裝結構讓人讀起來有種詩歌的感覺。

flutter: 輕快匆忙地走，奔走；也指小鳥、紙片等在空氣中輕快地飛

Where she stopped the sign read: "Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."

read: (招牌上)寫著，標著

MMe.: Madame的縮寫，指已婚女性；法語中的稱謂相當於英語裡Mrs.；有時也用於稱呼已婚的外國婦女。

Sofronie這個姓氏源自希臘或羅馬尼亞，有個羅馬尼亞東正教的聖人叫Sofronie of Cioara（Cioara是他出生的羅馬尼亞村莊），所以Mme. Sofronie聽上去很像是個來自法國或者東歐的外國女人。

flight: 常見含義是 航班、飛行；這裡的意思是a set of stairs between one floor/landing and the next, 即兩層樓或者兩個樓梯過渡平臺之間的一段樓梯。One flight up Della ran改為正常語序為Della ran up one flight, Della跑上一層樓。

collect herself: 她盡力讓自己平靜下來；類似的，collect yourself的意思是盡力讓你自己平靜下來

pant /pænt/: 喘氣，喘息

collected herself, panting: Della（跑上樓梯後）一邊喘著氣，一邊試圖讓自己平靜下來。

Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie."：Madame指女店主，large 身材肥胖，too white 皮膚蒼白，chilly 對人非常cold-hearted冷淡無情，hardly looked 看上去一點也不像。所以這句的意思是：女店主很胖，皮膚蒼白，待人冷漠，看上去一點兒也不像"Sofronie"。

解讀：作者寫道Della停在了一家店的門口，店招上寫著「索弗朗尼夫人，經營各種頭髮商品」，這個店招很容易讓人馬上想到一個來自東歐的已婚婦女，經營著假髮等頭髮商品，因為頭髮商品可以讓人變得更漂亮，所以會讓人很自然地認為店主應該也是個時尚、漂亮的女人，另外由於索弗朗尼這個姓氏會讓人聯想到羅馬尼亞那個為人民信仰自由而奔走的和尚Sofronie of Cioara，所以店招給人的第一印象就變成了：店主是一個時尚漂亮、喜歡為人著想的外國女人。然而，當Della跑上去見到女店主時才發現完全不是那麼一回事，店主是個肥胖、膚色蒼白得根本不像東歐人的女人，而且待人十分冷漠無情，完全不是"Sofronie"這個名字給人的感覺，根本就是一個故意假裝外國女人招攬生意的本地婦女。

"Will you buy my hair?" asked Della.

"I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it."

yer /jə(r)/: = your 美國俚語，更能看出所謂的Madame Sofronie根本就是個地道的美國人

Down rippled the brown cascade. "Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practiced hand.

practiced: 熟練的，有經驗的

"Give it to me quick," said Della.

it: twenty dollars

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings. Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present. She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jim and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation--as all good things should do. It was even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knew that it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness and value--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properly anxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.

trip: 這裡的含義應該是輕快地走; by 經過，通過

rosy /ˈrəʊzi/: 玫瑰色的；歡快的；樂觀的，充滿希望的

the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings: 說的是Della有了買禮物的錢以後很高興，興奮急切地邁著輕快的腳步去找禮物，兩個小時的時間就像坐在玫瑰色的翅膀上度過的，好吧，真是敗給了歐·亨利的腦洞😑。

hash: 這裡意為 to mix or mess up 混雜的；hashed這裡意為胡亂的

metaphor /ˈmetəfə/: 暗喻；比喻

hashed metaphor: 胡亂的比喻。指上一句tripped by on rosy wings。Forget the hashed metaphor意為：別再去想他的那些胡亂比喻。之所以說是「胡亂比喻」，一方面沒有什麼人或者什麼東西可以trip by on rosy wings，另一方面從後面的描述可以知道Della幾乎把所有的店都翻了個遍最後才找到中意的禮物，所以這個過程並不像比喻的那麼輕鬆。

ransack /ˈrænˌsæk/: 搜遍；洗劫

turn all of them inside out: turn something/a place inside out意思是search it thoroughly 徹底的搜遍; all of them指stores。

fob: 表鏈或錶帶，用於把懷表系在衣服上。還可以指褲子上放表的小口袋，或者鑰匙圈上的飾物。

chaste /tʃeɪst/: 簡單的，樸實的

proclaim: 宣告，聲明

substance: 材質

meretricious /ˌmerəˈtrɪʃəs/: 華而不實的，徒有其表的

ornamentation /ˌɔ:nəmenˈteɪʃn/: 裝飾，裝飾物

both: 指Jim和他的金表

be anxious about: 擔心，為...擔憂

properly: 得體地，適宜地，恰當地

in any company: in company指與某(些)人在一起；所以in any company指與任何人在一起，引申為在任何社交場合。

grand: 了不起的，出色的

on the sly: 偷偷地

on account of: 因為，由於

strap: 帶子，皮帶。leather strap 皮帶

in place of: 代替

譯文：噢，接下去的兩小時就像坐在玫瑰色的翅膀上那樣輕快地度過了，不過還是忘了這些胡亂的比喻吧，Della為了給Jim找禮物搜遍了各個商店，最後她終於找到了。它一定是為Jim而不是別人專門製作的，她已經把所有的店都翻了個遍，在任何其他店裡都找不到可以跟它相比的東西。那是一條白金表鏈，簡約的設計，就像所有的好東西那樣，僅僅通過材質本身而不是花裡胡哨的裝飾就恰當地彰顯了它的價值。它甚至可以配得上Jim的那塊表。她一看到它就知道必須要為Jim買下它，它就像Jim一樣。含蓄、不張揚卻很珍貴、重要，這樣的描述對Jim和這條表鏈都適用。商店為了這條表鏈收了她21美元，她帶著剩下的87美分急急忙忙地回了家。配上這條表鏈後，Jim就可以在任何場合下體面地看時間了，因為儘管Jim的表非常名貴，但是由於他用了一根舊皮帶作為表鏈，所以他只是偶爾偷偷地看一眼。

解讀：懷表（或叫掛表）的英文是pocket watch，可以揣在褲子口袋裡，也可以放在上衣口袋，手錶的英文是wrist watch，即腕錶。19世紀中葉時，大部分鐘表商已經開始生產一系列女士腕錶，不過通常都是作為手鐲來營銷，男士主要還是佩戴pocket watch，一直到20世紀初期。《麥琪的禮物》首次發表於1905年，所以故事中Jim的表基本可以確定是pocket watch。

上圖展示了pocket watch的一種佩戴方法

一種簡單的fob chain樣式，圖示表鏈固定於紐扣扣眼的部分叫做T-bar，也有其他非T-bar的設計

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason. She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love. Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task.

intoxication /ɪnˌtɒksɪ'keɪʃn/: 陶醉

give way to: 讓位於，給...讓路

prudence /ˈpru:dəns/: 謹慎，慎重

reason: 理性，理智

curling irons: 燙髮鉗，捲髮棒

ravage /ˈrævɪdʒ/: 毀壞，嚴重破壞

generosity /ˌdʒenəˈrɒsəti/: 慷慨，大方

add to: 這裡意為 to join, unite with

tremendous /trəˈmendəs/: 巨大的

mammoth /ˈmæməθ/: (任務)艱巨的，（改變）重大的

譯文：Della到家時，她的陶醉開始稍稍讓位于謹慎和理智。她拿出燙髮鉗，點著煤氣，開始修補愛和慷慨造成的災難性破壞，這一直是個巨大的任務，親愛的朋友們----一個異常艱巨的任務。

Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirror long, carefully, and critically.

close-lying: 緊挨的，緊貼的

truant /ˈtru:ənt/: adj. 逃學的，曠課的; v. 逃學、曠課；n. 逃學者

long: 這裡是副詞，長時間地，長久地

critically: 批判性地，挑剔地

"If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could I do with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?"

Coney Island: 康尼島，位於紐約市布魯克林區的半島，因有著大型遊樂場（amusement park)而知名。

chorus: 合唱團，歌舞隊

Coney Island chorus girl: 康尼島上的歌舞團的女孩，當時這些女孩留著超短的頭髮，會在一些遊樂園裡表演。這裡是在暗示Della覺得自己現在看上去很像一個lower class的女孩。

At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops.

frying-pan: 煎鍋

stove: 爐子，燒煤氣或者木柴的爐子

圖：20世紀初期燒木柴的爐子

chop: 排骨，肉排

Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment. She had a habit for saying little silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, and now she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am still pretty."

double: 這裡意為to bend, to fold 對摺

little: 這裡指短時間的

prayer: 祈禱，禱告；祈禱文；祈望

silent prayer: 無聲的禱告，默默祈禱

She had a habit... everyday things 她有個為日常瑣事做一小會兒默默禱告的習慣

The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. He looked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed a new overcoat and he was without gloves.

to be burdened with a family: 就要開始負擔起一個家庭

overcoat: 大衣，厚外套

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face.

immovable /ɪˈmu:vəbl/: 不可移動的，固定的，這裡指靜止不動的

setter: 一種長毛狗，經過訓練後可以告訴獵人鳥和動物在哪裡

scent /sent/: 動物或人的氣味、氣息；花的香味兒 

quail /kweɪl/: 鵪鶉

fix on: 把...集中在... 

His eyes were fixed upon Della 他的眼睛盯著Della看著

sentiment: 情緒，態度

譯文：Jim在門內停了下來，一動不動地站著，就像獵狗發現了鵪鶉的氣味兒。他盯著Della看著，眼睛裡流露出一種讓她捉摸不透的眼神，把她嚇壞了，那種眼神既不是生氣，也不是驚訝，也不是不滿，更不是嫌惡，也不是任何一種她已經為之做好心理準備的神情。他只是帶著那種表情盯著她目不轉睛地看著。

Della wriggled off the table and went for him.

wriggle /ˈrɪgl/: 扭動；wriggle off the table 扭身離開桌子

"Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. It'll grow out again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. My hair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, and let's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what a beautiful, nice gift I've got for you."

live through: 活過, 經過...還活著

"You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, as if he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after the hardest mental labor.

laboriously /lə'bɔ:rɪəslɪ/: 艱難的，費力的

patent: 作名詞時含義是：專利，專利權；這裡是形容詞，意為 clear and obvious 明顯的, 常用於描述不好的事情。

譯文：「你剪掉了你的頭髮？」 Jim費力地問道，就好像他在冥思苦想後還沒弄明白這個明擺著的事實。

"Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you like me just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?"

ain't: （非標準用法）人們有時會用ain't替代am not, is not, are not, has not, have not。所以這裡 ain't I 等同於 am not I 。

 

Jim looked about the room curiously.

"You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy.

idiocy /ˈɪdiəsi/: 愚蠢的行為；白痴狀態

"You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, I tell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Be good to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness, "but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?"

serious: 這裡意為：鄭重其事的，認真的

Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered, ... Shall I put the chops on, Jim?: 也許我的頭髮能數得過來，」 她帶著突然而又認真的甜蜜繼續說道，「但是沒人能數得清我對你的愛。我要把肉排放進煎鍋嗎，Jim？」

Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. He enfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what is the difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that was not among them. This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.

trance /trɑ:ns/: 出神，恍惚

enfold /ɪnˈfəʊld/: 擁抱，抱緊

discreet /dɪˈskri:t/: 謹慎的，考慮周到的

scrutiny /ˈskru:təni/: 詳細的審查，仔細的觀察

inconsequential /ɪnˌkɒnsɪˈkwenʃl/: 不重要的，微不足道的

in the other direction: 在另外一個方向，從另外一個角度

mathematician /ˌmæθəməˈtɪʃn/: 數學家 

wit: 機智風趣的人；機智、智慧、風趣

magi /ˈmædʒaɪ/ or /ˈmeɪdʒaɪ/: 是個複數名詞，單數形式為magus，本意為魔術家，佔星家。the Magi指的是耶穌誕生時來送禮物的三個賢人（wise men)，有時也被說成是三個國王；他們送給耶穌的禮物有黃金、乳香和沒(末)藥，有人說他們開創了聖誕節送禮物的傳統。

that: 指 the answer, the right answer

them: 指gifts

assertion: 斷言，聲明

dark assertion: 指上面說的那些讓人覺得晦澀難懂的話

illuminate /ɪˈlu:mɪneɪt/: 闡釋，說明

譯文：Jim很快回過神來，他緊緊地擁抱了他的Della。讓我們先花10秒鐘換個角度審慎地看一下一些不重要的事，一周8美元和一年100萬----區別是什麼？一位數學家或是一個機智風趣的人可能會給你錯誤的答案。麥琪帶來了有價值的禮物，但是對這個問題的答案並不在其中，這個晦澀的斷言會在後面闡明。

解讀：這一段作者從故事主線上岔開，來探討一個關於財富和價值的問題。For ten seconds... in the other direction這句話裡說要討論的東西是some inconsequential object，單從表面上看，是在說這個事情對於故事發展來說是次要的，沒有直接關聯，不過之所以說的這麼複雜，估計是作者故意用反語的方式表現得更詼諧幽默。後面做比較時，作者用的例子是1周8美元和1年100萬美元，我認為寫在這裡的8美元和100萬美元只是為了泛指貧困階層和富裕階層，如果理解成住在房租8美元和房租100萬美元的房子裡的人群就錯了，即使文中Jim和Della租住的房子的周租是8美元。至於作者提出的問題：「區別是什麼？」，任何人都清楚8美元一周和100萬美元一年的區別，但是就禮物的價值而言，人們並不會感激他們已經擁有的東西，禮物的價值並不能靠它們的物質價值來體現，禮物背後蘊含的感情和思想是無法用金錢來衡量的，所以數學家和聰明人可能會給出錯誤的答案。麥琪開創了贈送聖誕禮物的先河，他們的禮物是有價值的，但是他們並沒有說明什麼樣的禮物才有價值。

Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table.

package: 包裝袋，包裝盒，包裹

"Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. I don't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less. But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while 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.

in the way of: 至於，在...方面，至於說 

had me going: = get me going。get someone going指使某人進入某種狀態，例如興奮、生氣等。這裡指Della使Jim失神愣了一會兒

nimble: 靈巧的，靈活的

tore: tear的過去式，撕，扯；tear at: 撕，撕破

White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper: 這句話裡nimble是個形容詞，應該修飾fingers，所以按照現在的語法，起碼要在nimble前後加上逗號，即White fingers, and nimble, tore at... 如果改寫成Fingers, white and nimble, tore at ...更符合現在的語法習慣。

ecstatic /ɪkˈstætɪk/: 欣喜若狂的

scream: 尖叫，驚呼

alas /əˈlæs/: 哎呀，唉

feminine /ˈfemənɪn/: 女性的，女子氣的 

hysterical /hɪˈsterɪkl/: 歇斯底裡的，情緒失控的

wail /weɪl/: n. v. 痛哭，哀號

necessitate /nəˈsesɪteɪt/: 使成為必要，需要

employment: 運用，使用

the lord of the flat: 指Jim。lord的意思是領主，主人

譯文：「不要誤解我，Dell，」他說，「我不認為有任何事，像剪髮、剃毛、洗髮香波等，能讓我少喜歡我的女孩一丁點兒，但是如果你打開那個禮物就會明白為什麼一開始我失神愣住了。」 Della白皙的手指靈巧地拆開了包裝繩和紙袋，然後先是開心的驚呼，緊接著，唉，在經歷了女人特有的快速情緒轉變後，她歇斯底裡地大哭了起來，使得公寓的主人需要立即使出渾身解數來安慰她。

For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side and back, that Della had worshipped 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!"

comb: 梳子，發梳。這裡不是指用來梳頭髮的梳子，而是用來裝飾和固定頭髮造型的發梳。1900~1910年間女人流行將頭髮用發梳高高地盤起（如下圖）。a set of combs, side and back指一整套發梳，包括用於固定兩邊(side)頭髮和後面(back)頭髮的發梳。

Broadway: 位於美國紐約曼哈頓的百老匯大道，是紐約重要的南北向道路，南起Battery Park，由南向北縱貫曼哈頓島，因道路兩旁分布著眾多的劇院而聞名。

jewelled /ˈdʒu:əld/: 鑲有寶石的

rim: 邊緣、邊框

shade: 這裡指（色彩）的濃淡、深淺、色度。例如可以說橄欖綠、祖母綠都是綠色的一種shade。這裡說發梳是純龜殼做的，顏色正好跟Della失去的頭髮相配。

vanished: 消失了的

crave: 熱望，渴望

yearn: 渴求，嚮往

without the least hope of possession：從未期望擁有過

tress: （女子的）一綹長發；通常用複數tresses 表示女人飄逸的長髮。

adorn /əˈdɔ:n/: 裝飾，裝扮，這裡意為佩戴

covet /ˈkʌvət/: 渴望，貪求，覬覦

adornment: 裝飾、裝扮、裝飾物

the tresses that should have adorned the coveted adornments were gone：佩戴這些渴望已久的髮飾的秀髮已經不在了

bosom /ˈbʊzəm/: 胸部

at length: after a long time, finaly 經過很長時間，最後

dim: 昏暗的，看不清的

dim eyes: 朦朧的眼睛

And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"

them: 應該是個筆誤，then

leap: 跳、躍；leap up 跳起

singe /sɪndʒ/: 燒焦，火燎到（毛），燒焦尖端

a little singed cat: 像一隻被火燎到毛的貓

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.

palm /pɑ:m/: 手掌，手心

dull: 光或者顏色不明亮的

ardent /ˈɑ:dnt/: 熱情的，熱烈的

The dull precious metal ... ardent spirit: 表鏈那貴重而沒有光澤的金屬好像也開始閃耀，就像反射了她明亮而熱切的心情。

"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."

dandy: （非正式）非常好的、一流的東西；這個詞也指注重打扮的男人

Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

tumble: 跌落，摔落；（物價等）暴跌

tumble down: 跌倒，倒塌。這裡指Jim跌坐在沙發上。

"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."

put away: 收起，放好

'em /əm/: them的非正式說法或寫法

suppose: 這裡表示禮貌地建議或請求。suppose的常見含義是假定；猜想；認為。

譯文：「Dell，」他說，「讓我們先把聖誕禮物收起來，保存一段時間。他們太好了不適合現在用。我把表賣了錢買了你的發梳。現在請你把肉排煎一下吧。」

The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. 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 lamely 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. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi.

Babe: 指Jesus 耶穌

manger /ˈmendʒɚ/: （牛、馬的）食槽

the Babe in the manger: 據《馬太福音》（Gospel of Matthew）聖母瑪利亞在馬棚裡生下了耶穌，把他包好放在馬棚的食槽裡。耶穌誕生時，一顆新星出現在伯利恆的上空，於是the Magi（從東方來的三個聖賢）循著星星來朝拜聖嬰，給耶穌帶來了黃金、乳香和沒藥作為禮物，這些禮物分別象徵著王權、神聖和耶穌作為人類之子終有一死。

西班牙畫家Bartolomé Esteban Murillo(Spanish, 1617-1682)的油畫 The Adoration of the Magi (約1655~1660)

bear: 這裡意為 持有，帶有，具有

privilege /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/: 特權

bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication：在美國，在購買聖誕禮物時，商場通常會允許顧客在對聖誕禮物不滿意，或者收到多個相同的禮物時去兌換一個等值的其他禮物。這裡歐亨利開玩笑地說對Magi的禮物要是不滿意也有特權退換。

lamely: lame的副詞形式。lame的意思是腿瘸的，跛腳的；其他含義有poor, weak, unconvincing, ineffectual等，例如 a lame excuse，一個牽強的藉口。美國俚語中，有時也指老派、傳統、保守的人。這裡作者說自己lamely related to，是調侃地說自己poorly told (the story)，很蹩腳地講完了這個故事。

uneventful /ˌʌnɪˈventfl/: 平凡的，波瀾不驚的，沒有重大事件發生的

chronicle /ˈkrɒnɪkl/: n. 編年(史)，記錄；vt. 按時間順序記述

譯文：麥琪，如你所知，是充滿智慧的人---非常睿智的人，他們給馬槽中的聖子耶穌帶去了禮物。他們創造了贈送聖誕禮物的傳統。他們充滿智慧，所以他們的禮物無疑也是高明的，可能還帶有重複時可以退換的特權。在這裡，我已經講述了關於一個公寓裡兩個傻孩子的波瀾不驚的故事，他們非常不明智地為了彼此犧牲了家裡最珍貴的寶物。但是我想對今天的聰明人最後說一句，在贈送禮物的所有人裡，他們兩個是最聰明的。噢，所有像他們那樣給予和接受禮物的人都是最聰明的，在任何地方他們都是最聰明的人，他們就是「麥琪」。

解讀：作者在最後一段對Jim和Della這兩個為了彼此犧牲了自己最珍貴的東西的「傻孩子」的行為做了評價，他們的行為在今天的「聰明人」來看明顯是不明智的，今天的聰明人可能會更看重禮物的實用性，甚至在禮物有重複時還能去換成別的。不過作者認為Jim和Della才是真正的智者，他們送給彼此的禮物已經超越了普通意義上的價值，他們的禮物代表了無私的愛和奉獻，永遠不需要退換，所以作者說他們才是最聰明的人，他們就是「麥琪」。

另外想說明一下，「magi」的讀音更接近於something like 「麥齋」，但是由於「麥琪」實在是太廣為人知了，而且「琪」字本身也給人一種很美好的感覺，所以在寫這篇文章的時候，中文譯法沿用了「麥琪」，但是在讀原版時要務必注意一下英文的正確讀音。

---- The End ---

FAREWELL 2018 , HELLO 2019 !