词条 | 麦琪的礼物 |
释义 | 1 欧·亨利创作小说《麦琪的礼物》是美国著名文学家欧·亨利写的一篇短篇小说,它通过写在圣诞节前一天,一对小夫妻互赠礼物,结果阴差阳错,两人珍贵的礼物都变成了无用的东西,而他们却得到了比任何实物都宝贵的东西——爱,告诉人们尊重他人的爱,学会去爱他人,是人类文明的一个重要表现。《麦琪的礼物》也是姜武,袁立主演,梦继导演的都市情感电视剧名。 ◎ 小说:麦琪的礼物◎ 背景资料欧·亨利(原名是威廉·西德尼·波特)的小说妙趣横生,别具一格,其技艺技巧被誉为“欧·亨利手法”而风靡世界文坛。《麦琪的礼物》是欧·亨利 的代表作,究其创作动因,通常都以为是为了反映美国下层人民生活的艰难,揭示美国贫富悬殊的社会现实。其实,还有一个重要的原因,那就是作家欧·亨利在缅怀其爱妻——阿索尔·艾斯帝斯。在欧·亨利的作品中,无不流露出这一迹象。 艾斯帝斯酷爱文学创作,宽厚善良,温文尔雅,乐观开朗,并且能歌善舞。1887年的一个晚上,波特先下手为强,以与强抢民女差不多的方式与艾斯蒂斯结了婚,婚后二人感情不错,但由于贫困的折磨,艾斯帝斯变得体弱多病。女儿出生后,她又重病了一个多月,差点丧命。面对困境,波特无法生活下去,只好把妻女寄养在岳父家。无奈祸不单行,1896年,波特所在银行短缺了一笔现金,波特因是出纳而被怀疑,为了避免受审,波特只身离家,流浪到美洲的洪都拉斯。1897年,浪迹他乡的波特得到妻子病重的消息后,便不顾一切赶回家来看望妻子,可是妻子已经与他永别了。 在清贫如洗的家境中,妻子陪自己度过了难以忘怀的甜蜜生活,而当她病危时,自己却不在她身边。这一切不能不使欧·亨利愧疚万分。正是这种愧疚促使欧·亨利有了《麦琪的礼物》缅怀爱妻这一创作动机。这一点,我们也可以从《麦琪的礼物》中找到一些印迹。文中作者对德拉的描写用了大量的笔墨,而对杰姆却惜墨如金。从某种意义上说,杰姆的爱情是主动的,外露的,所以应该详写,而德拉的爱情是被动的,含蓄的,所以应该略写,但作家却恰恰相反。这是为什么? 是什么东西使作家这样写呢?我认为这便是作家创作的最内在动因——把缅怀爱妻的感情隐晦地投射到和自己妻子一样善良、纯情、聪慧的主人公德拉身上,使自己的感情得到寄托,或者说解脱自己内疚的负罪感。 这种怀念的情怀在欧·亨利的诸多作品中还可以看到,如《爱的牺牲》《美中不足》等作品 所反映的青年男女感情真挚、爱情坚贞,实际上就是波特爱情生活的真实写照,尤其是对爱妻艾斯帝斯对爱情的理想的执著追求,更是刻画得淋漓尽致,只是没有《麦琪的礼物》这一佳作含蓄、深刻罢了。 ◎ 作者简概欧·亨利(1862—1910),美国著名短篇小说家。原名威廉·西德尼·波特,出生于美国北卡罗来纳州的一个医生家庭。幼年丧母,15岁即浪迹社会,,做过药房小伙计、牧场放羊工、会计员、土地局办事员、银行出纳员。1896年,他所供职的银行发现现金短缺,传讯欧·亨利。他自知清白,但有口难辩,被迫离家出逃,改名换姓,去拉丁美洲避难,历经艰辛。翌年,妻子生病,他回家探望,被捕入狱。在狱中,他担任药剂师,并开始以欧·亨利为笔名写作短篇小说。出狱后,他来到纽约,经常出入小客店、小酒家、贫民窑和下等剧院,自觉为小人物立言,自名是纽约四百万贫民的代表。在十几年间,他共创作了三百多篇小说,代表作有《麦琪的礼物》、《警察和赞美诗》、《最后的藤叶》等。他的小说诙谐幽默,寓悲于喜,形成“含泪的微笑”的独特风格。小说情节生动,构思巧妙,结局往往出人意料而又不侼情理,历来为人们所称道。 ◎ 麦琪的礼物送给谁“麦琪的礼物”献给我爱的人,带去浪漫的爱、温馨的情 “麦琪的礼物”给亲朋好友送去最诚挚的生日祝福 “麦琪的礼物”送给你童心未泯的孩子引领他去凿开幸福的大门 “麦琪的礼物”送给追逐梦想的学生,告诉他理想、信念是一个人的脊梁 “麦琪的礼物”送给那徘徊在街头的少年,能告诉他人生本来没有迷途 “麦琪的礼物”送给你为情所困的朋友,告诉他爱是一种付出 “麦琪的礼物”送给那踏上绝路的无助者,能告诉他珍惜生命是一种责任 “麦琪的礼物”送给你并不喜欢的人,能让他体会宽容原来如此美丽 “麦琪的礼物”送给你面临困境的兄弟,也许你给了他一条灿烂的生路 “麦琪的礼物”送给你生命中的另一半,能为你的家庭带来一份福音 “麦琪的礼物”送给你躺在病床上的亲人,给他与病魔交战的勇气 “麦琪的礼物”送给自己,给灵魂一次感动的机会 ◎ 小说内容简介为了给丈夫买一条白金表链作为圣诞礼物,妻子卖掉了一头秀发。而丈夫出于同样的目的,卖掉 了祖传金表给妻子买了一套发梳。尽管彼此的礼物都失去了使用价值,但他们从中获得比情感更重要的东西——爱,却是无价的。 ◎ 小说全文1块8毛7,就这么些钱,其中六毛是一分一分的铜板,一个子儿一个子儿在杂货店老板、菜贩子和肉店老板那儿硬赖来的,每次闹得脸发臊,深感这种掂斤播两的交易实在丢人现眼。德拉反复数了三次,还是一元八角七,而第二天就是圣诞节了。 除了扑倒在那破旧的小睡椅上哭嚎之外,显然别无他途。 德拉这样做了,可精神上的感慨油然而生,生活就是哭泣、抽噎和微笑,尤以抽噎占统治地位。 当这位家庭主妇逐渐平静下来之际,让我们看看这个家吧。一套带家具的公寓房子,每周房租八美元。尽管难以用笔墨形容,可它真正够得上乞丐帮这个词儿。 楼下的门道里有个信箱,可从来没有装过信,还有一个电钮,也从没有人的手指按响过电铃。而且,那儿还有一张名片,上写着“杰姆斯·狄林汉·杨先生”。 “迪林厄姆”这个名号是主人先前春风得意之际,一时兴起加上去的,那时候他每星期挣三十美元。现在,他的收入缩减到二十美元,“迪林厄姆”的字母也显得模糊不清,似乎它们正严肃地思忖着是否缩写成谦逊而又讲求实际的字母D。不过,每当杰姆斯·狄林汉·杨先生,回家上楼,走进楼上的房间时,杰姆斯·狄林汉·杨太太,就是刚介绍给诸位的德拉,总是把他称作“吉姆”,而且热烈地拥抱他。那当然是再好不过的了。是呀,吉姆是多好的运气呀 ! 德拉哭完之后,往面颊上抹了抹粉,她站在窗前,痴痴地瞅着灰蒙蒙的后院里一只灰白色的猫正行走在灰白色的篱笆上。明天就是圣诞节,她只有一元八角七给吉姆买一份礼物。她花去好几个月的时间,用了最大的努力一分一分地攒积下来,才得了这样一个结果。一周二十美元实在经不起花,支出大于预算,总是如此。只有一元八角七给吉姆买礼物,她的吉姆啊。她花费了多少幸福的时日筹划着要送他一件可心的礼物,一件精致、珍奇、贵重的礼物——至少应有点儿配得上吉姆所有的东西才成啊。 房间的两扇窗子之间有一面壁镜。也许你见过每周房租八美元的公寓壁镜吧。一个非常瘦小而灵巧的人,从观察自己在一连串的纵条影象中,可能会对自己的容貌得到一个大致精确的概念。德拉身材苗条,已精通了这门子艺术。 突然,她从窗口旋风般地转过身来,站在壁镜前面。她两眼晶莹透亮,但二十秒钟之内她的面色失去了光彩。她急速地拆散头发,使之完全泼散开来。 现在,詹姆斯·迪林厄姆·杨夫妇俩各有一件特别引以自豪的东西。一件是吉姆的金表,是他祖父传给父亲,父亲又传给他的传家宝;另一件则是德拉的秀发。如果示巴女王①也住在天井对面的公寓里,总有一天德拉会把头发披散下来,露出窗外晾干,使那女王的珍珠宝贝黯然失色;如果地下室堆满金银财宝、所罗门王又是守门人的话,每当吉姆路过那儿,准会摸出金表,好让那所罗门王忌妒得吹胡子瞪眼睛。 此时此刻,德拉的秀发泼撒在她的周围,微波起伏,闪耀光芒,有如那褐色的瀑布。她的美发长及膝下,仿佛是她的一件长袍。接着,她又神经质地赶紧把头发梳好。踌躇了一分钟,一动不动地立在那儿,破旧的红地毯上溅落了一、两滴眼泪。 她穿上那件褐色的旧外衣,戴上褐色的旧帽子,眼睛里残留着晶莹的泪花,裙子一摆,便飘出房门,下楼来到街上。 她走到一块招牌前停下来,上写着:“索弗罗妮夫人——专营各式头发”。德拉奔上楼梯,气喘吁吁地定了定神。那位夫人身躯肥大,过于苍白,冷若冰霜,同“索弗罗妮”的雅号简直牛头不对马嘴。 “你要买我的头发吗?”德拉问。 “我买头发,”夫人说。“揭掉帽子,让我看看发样。” 那褐色的瀑布泼撒了下来。 “二十美元,”夫人一边说,一边内行似地抓起头发。 “快给我钱,”德拉说。 呵,接着而至的两个小时犹如长了翅膀,愉快地飞掠而过。请不用理会这胡诌的比喻。她正在彻底搜寻各家店铺,为吉姆买礼物。 她终于找到了,那准是专为吉姆特制的,决非为别人。她找遍了各家商店,哪儿也没有这样的东西,一条朴素的白金表链,镂刻着花纹。正如一切优质东西那样,它只以货色论长短,不以装潢来炫耀。而且它正配得上那只金表。她一见这条表链,就知道一定属于吉姆所有。它就像吉姆本人,文静而有价值——这一形容对两者都恰如其份。她花去二十一美元买下了,匆匆赶回家,只剩下八角七分钱。金表匹配这条链子,无论在任何场合,吉姆都可以毫无愧色地看时间了。 尽管这只表华丽珍贵,因为用的是旧皮带取代表链,他有时只偷偷地瞥上一眼。 德拉回家之后,她的狂喜有点儿变得审慎和理智了。她找出烫发铁钳,点燃煤气,着手修补因爱情加慷慨所造成的破坏,这永远是件极其艰巨的任务,亲爱的朋友们——简直是件了不起的任务呵。 不出四十分钟,她的头上布满了紧贴头皮的一绺绺小卷发,使她活像个逃学的小男孩。她在镜子里老盯着自己瞧,小心地、苛刻地照来照去。 “假如吉姆看我一眼不把我宰掉的话,”她自言自语,“他定会说我像个科尼岛上合唱队的卖唱姑娘。但是我能怎么办呢——唉,只有一元八角七,我能干什么呢?” 七点钟,她煮好了咖啡,把煎锅置于热炉上,随时都可做肉排。 吉姆一贯准时回家。德拉将表链对叠握在手心,坐在离他一贯进门最近的桌子角上。接着,她听见下面楼梯上响起了他的脚步声,她紧张得脸色失去了一会儿血色。她习惯于为了最简单的日常事物而默默祈祷,此刻,她悄声道:“求求上帝,让他觉得我还是漂亮的吧。” 门开了,吉姆步入,随手关上了门。他显得瘦削而又非常严肃。可怜的人儿,他才二十二岁,就挑起了家庭重担!他需要买件新大衣,连手套也没有呀。 吉姆站在屋里的门口边,纹丝不动地好像猎犬嗅到了鹌鹑的气味似的。他的两眼固定在德拉身上,其神情使她无法理解,令她毛骨悚然。既不是愤怒,也不是惊讶,又不是不满,更不是嫌恶,根本不是她所预料的任何一种神情。他仅仅是面带这种神情死死地盯着德拉。 德拉一扭腰,从桌上跳了下来,向他走过去。 “吉姆,亲爱的,”她喊道,“别那样盯着我。我把头发剪掉卖了,因为不送你一件礼物,我无法过圣诞节。头发会再长起来——你不会介意,是吗?我非这么做不可。我的头发长得快极了。说‘恭贺圣诞’吧!吉姆,让我们快快乐乐的。你肯定猜不着我给你买了一件多么好的——多么美丽精致的礼物啊!” “你已经把头发剪掉了?”吉姆吃力地问道,似乎他绞尽脑汁也没弄明白这明摆着的事实。 “剪掉卖了,”德拉说。“不管怎么说,你不也同样喜欢我吗?没了长发,我还是我嘛,对吗?” 吉姆古怪地四下望望这房间。 “你说你的头发没有了吗?”他差不多是白痴似地问道。 “别找啦,”德拉说。“告诉你,我已经卖了——卖掉了,没有啦。这是圣诞前夜,好人儿。好好待我,这是为了你呀。也许我的头发数得清,”突然她特别温柔地接下去,“可谁也数不清我对你的恩爱啊。我做肉排吗,吉姆?” 吉姆好像从恍惚之中醒来,把德拉紧紧地搂在怀里。现在,别着急,先让我们花个十秒钟从另一角度审慎地思索一下某些无关紧要的事。房租每周八美元,或者一百万美元——那有什么差别呢?数学家或才子会给你错误的答案。麦琪②带来了宝贵的礼物,但就是缺少了那件东西。这句晦涩的话,下文将有所交待。 吉姆从大衣口袋里掏出一个小包,扔在桌上。 “别对我产生误会,德尔,”他说道,“无论剪发、修面,还是洗头,我以为世上没有什么东西能减低一点点对我妻子的爱情。不过,你只要打开那包东西,就会明白刚才为什么使我楞头楞脑了。” 白皙的手指灵巧地解开绳子,打开纸包。紧接着是欣喜若狂的尖叫,哎呀!突然变成了女性神经质的泪水和哭泣,急需男主人千方百计的慰藉。 还是因为摆在桌上的梳子——全套梳子,包括两鬓用的,后面的,样样俱全。那是很久以前德拉在百老汇的一个橱窗里见过并羡慕得要死的东西。这些美妙的发梳,纯玳瑁做的,边上镶着珠宝——其色彩正好同她失去的美发相匹配。她明白,这套梳子实在太昂贵,对此,她仅仅是羡慕渴望,但从未想到过据为己有。现在,这一切居然属于她了,可惜那有资格佩戴这垂涎已久的装饰品的美丽长发已无影无踪了。 不过,她依然把发梳搂在胸前,过了好一阵子才抬起泪水迷蒙的双眼,微笑着说:“我的头发长得飞快,吉姆!” 随后,德拉活像一只被烫伤的小猫跳了起来,叫道,“喔!喔!” 吉姆还没有瞧见他的美丽的礼物哩。她急不可耐地把手掌摊开,伸到他面前,那没有知觉的贵重金属似乎闪现着她的欢快和热忱。 “漂亮吗,吉姆?我搜遍了全城才找到了它。现在,你每天可以看一百次时间了。把表给我,我要看看它配在表上的样子。” 吉姆非但不按她的吩咐行事,反而倒在睡椅上,两手枕在头下,微微发笑。 “德拉,”他说,“让我们把圣诞礼物放在一边,保存一会儿吧。它们实在太好了,目前尚不宜用。我卖掉金表,换钱为你买了发梳。现在,你做肉排吧。” 正如诸位所知,麦琪是聪明人,聪明绝顶的人,他们把礼物带来送给出生在马槽里的耶稣。他们发明送圣诞礼物这玩艺儿。由于他们是聪明人,毫无疑问,他们的礼物也是聪明的礼物,如果碰上两样东西完全一样,可能还具有交换的权利。在这儿,我已经笨拙地给你们介绍了住公寓套间的两个傻孩子不足为奇的平淡故事,他们极不明智地为了对方而牺牲了他们家最最宝贵的东西。不过,让我们对现今的聪明人说最后一句话,在一切馈赠礼品的人当中,那两个人是最聪明的。在一切馈赠又接收礼品的人当中,像他们两个这样的人也是最聪明的。无论在任何地方,他们都是最聪明的人。 他们就是圣贤。. ①示巴女王(QueeenofSheba):基督教《圣经》中朝觐所罗门王,以测其智慧的示巴女王,她以美貌著称。 ②麦琪(Magi,单数为Magus):指圣婴基督出生时来自东方送礼的三贤人,载于圣经马太福音第二章第一节和第七至第十三节 ◎ 读后感麦琪的礼物是欧·亨利写的一篇有趣的文章。它主要讲述了圣诞节的前一天,住在公寓里的贫穷的德拉想给丈夫吉姆一个惊喜,可是她只有一元八角七,她知道这点钱根本不够买什么好的礼物,于是她把引以自豪的褐色瀑布似的秀发剪下来,卖了,换来了20美元。找遍了各家商店,德拉花去21美元,终于买到一条朴素的白金表链,这可以配上吉姆的那块金表。而吉姆也想给老婆一个惊喜,他同样卖掉了引以自豪的金表,买了德拉羡慕渴望已久的全套漂亮的梳子作圣诞礼物。 从这篇文章里,虽然表面上看他们极不明智地为了对方而牺牲了他们家各自最宝贵的东西,但我深深地感到,他们彼此深爱着对方。他们能牺牲自己最贵重的物品,为的是给对方买来最好的礼物。可是双方卖掉了自己贵重的物品,那么对方的礼物已经不适合自己了,而他们做这些事的时候,都是为了对方着想,根本没有考虑自己。正是因为他们互相爱着,而且是深深地爱着对方,才会有这样有趣的结局。 读完这篇文章,我懂得了我们要去关爱别人,这样别人才会爱我们,正是有了爱,人与人之间才会相互理解,人与人之间才有温情。人与动物之间也是因为有了爱,动物才会信任人类,不伤害人类,与人类和平相处。爱的力量真的是很伟大的,有一首歌里面就唱到了:只要人人都献出一点爱,世界将变成美好的人间。在去年印度洋海啸发生的时候,就有全世界各国的人民伸出援助之手,捐款捐物帮助受难的灾民重建家园,使失散的亲人团聚,从这件事中,我感受到了各国人民之间的纯洁友谊。我相信:只要我们心中充满爱,我们的世界会有更加美好的明天!欧亨利,是一个创造幽默的人,也是真正能读懂生活的人。 ◎ 英语原文The Gift of Maggie 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. 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. 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." 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, 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardly looked the "Sofronie." "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." Down rippled the brown cascade. "Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with a practised hand. "Give it to me quick," said Della. 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. 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. 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. "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?" 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. 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." 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. 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. Della wriggled off the table and went for him. "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." "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. "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?" Jim looked about the room curiously. "You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an air almost of idiocy. "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?" 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. Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threw it upon the table. "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. 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!" And them Della 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 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. 2 梦继执导电视剧◎ 电视剧麦琪的礼物(已经更名为《爱的礼物》) 基本信息导演: 梦继 Meng Ji 主演: 姜武 Jiang Wu 袁立 Yuan Li 国家/地区:中国 对白语言:普通话 类型:剧情 片长:23集 ◎ 演职员表导演 Director: 梦继 Ji Meng 编剧 Writer: 徐兵Bing Xu 演员 Actor: 姜武 Jiang Wu 袁立 Li Yuan ◎ 剧情简介这是一个发生在加拿大的温情故事。 程梦雄刚刚被总经理麦克辞退,偏巧此时在国内的妻子林乔要来加拿大探望。本来久别胜新婚的夫妇两个第一晚就闹了个鸡飞狗跳。林乔气极抱着妞妞跑了,在机场,妞妞不见了,林乔疯狂的寻找女儿。妞妞被送到了麦琪家门口,麦琪就是麦克的母亲,她得了绝症,只有三个月的时间了。林乔得知孩子的下落前往,看到麦琪对女儿的感情,并得知了麦琪的病情,林乔犹豫了,默许将妞妞留在麦琪身边。当麦琪得知大家为她开心而编织的谎言时,她要想尽办法挽救这对好心中国夫妇的爱情…… ◎ 演员介绍◎ 姜武姜武原名姜小兵,中国著名演员。毕业于北京电影学院表演系90级,在校期间担任班长。1999年因电影《洗澡》中成功塑造二明一角名声大噪,享誉中外。电影代表作《活着》《葛老爷子》《我的唐朝兄弟》《让子弹飞》,曾多次获得国际电影节影帝。 他是电视银幕上朴实好男人的形象代言人,代表作《空镜子》《别了温哥华》《小姨多鹤》。多年的磨砺,他已经从公认的实力派演员变成获得业界首肯的性格派影帝。 ◎ 袁立袁莉,笔名袁立,生于浙江省杭州市。1992年,在报考上海戏剧学院失败之后,袁莉考入北京电影学院表演系,在校期间就接拍了《女人花》、《英雄无悔》、《绝对情感》等影视剧,开始崭露头角。1998年赵宝刚导演的电视连续剧《永不瞑目》让袁立和陆毅两位新人一炮而红,随后的《铁齿铜牙纪晓岚》更令袁立扮演的“杜小月”红遍大江南北。 ◎ 分集剧情第1集 新婚不久便出国的程梦雄,已经在加拿大生活了三年。半年前程梦雄跟兰迪造船厂的老板麦克闹翻了,辞职后在温哥华洗车谋生。妻子林乔带着两岁的女儿妞妞马上要来探亲,来前还吵吵着要他回国去,程梦雄不得不与原来的同事吉米扬串通演一出戏,伪造一个自己依然在兰迪造船厂当主管的假象。 第2集 程梦雄到房东老瓦片开的餐馆喝起了闷酒,而老瓦片一直暗恋王离,只盼着程梦雄老婆来了,再盼望程梦雄夫妻恩爱,自己便能有戏。第二天一早林乔带着女儿离家出走了。程梦雄看着温哥华明丽的街头,有些恍惚,三年未见的妻女才见了一天,就这么又不见了?林乔已到机场买了票,却不入关,坐在候机厅发愣。吉米杨打电话来一通劝说,等她收起电话,妞妞的童车不见了。 第3集 妞妞病了,麦琪把妞妞送到医院时,自己突然晕了过去。等麦琪醒来,医生说妞妞没事儿了,可麦琪得了绝症,估计最多三个月生命。麦琪如雷轰顶,医生将妞妞推了过来,小脸恢复了粉红,麦琪的身边此时只有妞妞。次日在机场,警察史密斯答应帮林乔打探孩子的下落。林乔回到家正撞见程梦雄喂王离吃蛋糕,不由分说再次离开了家,林乔站在街头,望着满街的孩子都象是妞妞,举目无亲的她只有打电话让吉米扬来接她。 第4集 医院病房内,麦琪想儿子了,给麦克打电话,还是关机。窗外阳光明丽,与屋内这充满活力的妞妞一样,难道自己从此将与这些都无缘,在这间病房里走过生命的最后三个月?麦琪决定一个人出游,利用最后一个圣诞,既然孩子们都那么忙,索性不再打扰他们,在自己临走前将这个不知名的女孩妥善处理掉。 第5集 麦琪伤心了,儿子跟自己已经是两个世界的人。她觉得自己很孤独,没有人需要她,也没有人再关心她了。几经周折吉米杨和林乔终于找到了见过孩子的最后一个人清洁工玛莎,玛莎说孩子是看过,问了半天也没人答应,我就把孩子放在草地上走了,只记起来草地边上停着一辆联邦快递的货车。 第6集 麦琪拨通了警察局的电话,让警察来处理妞妞,警察说要送到儿童寄养中心,麦琪看着妞妞可怜兮兮的大眼睛,觉得这个女孩跟自己一样可怜,没有人理会,可是她毕竟跟自己不一样,人生才刚刚开始。麦琪决定自己把妞妞送到寄养中心。麦琪抱紧妞妞,第一次觉得这小女孩似乎跟自己有了某种联系,她抱着妞妞犹豫再三,终于决定去寄养中心。 第7集 程梦雄到花店给王离帮工,心里却想起了昨晚林乔跟他说的那些话,心里边乱成一锅粥,心不在焉地在骑摩托车给客户送花时受了伤,王离跑前跑后照顾着躺在医院里的程梦雄,但王离明白程梦雄心里惦记的还是林乔母女,她压抑着自己的情绪,提议程梦雄再去找林乔认错。程梦雄让王离替他去找林乔谈谈,王离在林乔面前历数程梦雄的优点,希望可以唤醒林乔对程梦雄的爱,并说林乔对他关心不够,但这些好话让林乔听起来都像刀子一样扎心。二人的误会越来越深了。 第8集 在寄养中心,麦琪突然觉得不舍这个孩子,她说能不能自己先领养几天,手续的事儿以后再说。麦琪回到家,给北方家乡农场旧居的管家拨通了电话,说自己将回老家。林乔和两个留学生在温哥华街头散发寻人启示。此时的她太需要程梦雄了,如果把一切都向丈夫坦言,并祈求丈夫原谅,不知道还来不来得及? 第9集 史密斯终于在联邦快递的快递员那里有了新发现,快递员告诉他送货时只是有一家耽误了一些时间,那家好像叫麦琪。而此时麦琪即将开始属于自己和妞妞最后的旅行。两个亚裔年轻人看到林乔的告示,他们的老大廖福泉谎称花一万加币就能帮助找到孩子,但千万不能报警。 第10集 史密斯找到麦琪家,家中没人。乡间公路,老式福特车在路上撒着欢儿地跑,车里一老一少其乐融融。离开廖福泉的小院,林乔也只得同意尽快报警。 第11集 兰迪造船厂的总裁麦克给吉米杨打电话,勒令两天之内不惜一切代价让程梦雄回来上班,不然吉米扬别想再从兰迪那拿到一分钱,并且从此别想在温哥华法律界立足。 第12集 吉米杨说钱有着落了,麦克愿意借给你十万块钱救急,程梦雄从心底里感谢麦克。程梦雄和吉米扬来到码头,廖福泉借势敲诈要二十万。走投无路的程梦雄回到家里,打电话给麦克答应二十万加币。 第13集 儿童寄养中心的负责人来找麦克,告诉他已经办完孩子的领养手续,麦克听得一头雾水。通过负责人的解释麦克才知道麦琪来寄养中心的事。麦克奔赴医院,知道了母亲麦琪得了绝症。 第14集 林乔要跟麦克一起奔赴农场,说只要是妞妞立马抱走。麦克说麦琪得了绝症没几天好活了,她还瞒着大家。林乔半晌说不出话来。麦克说假如你成全我妈,我会帮助程梦雄在温哥华得到想得到的一切。 第15集 麦琪很正式地和林乔谈话,她十分细致地列了一个长长的单子,结合从前的育儿手册,请林乔无论如何照顾好妞妞。麦琪还很诚恳地请求林乔长期留下 第16集 回到温哥华,程梦雄要将妞妞强行带走,麦琪一急晕倒了。医生说麦琪的情况很不好,恐怕连圣诞都过不去。麦克把约翰李也叫回了家。 第17集 林乔不明白为什么程梦雄就不能体谅一下即将离世的老太太,而程梦雄不明白林乔为何死活要赖在麦克家,甚至怀疑林乔会不会是因为麦克而留下来不走的。他决定约林乔好好谈一次。 第18集 吉米扬只得将房子卖掉筹款,但最终只凑了18 万,廖福泉说不够20 万就不交录音带,走投无路的吉米扬找到林乔,林乔正要出门找程梦雄。 第19集 约翰李在家中依旧无忧无虑和乐队玩着音乐,重金属的声音震耳欲聋。麦琪忍受着,面色惨白,妞妞也被吵醒了。林乔冲下去将他们驱逐,麦克正好赶回来,夺过约翰的琴砸毁。 第20集 吉米扬又来找林乔,让林乔陪他一块儿去廖福泉那儿取带子。到了码头,廖家前院却空无一人,林乔不同意吉米扬给钱,二人决定直接进去把录音带弄出来,但到了后院,正撞见墨西哥人正往鱼腹里装大批毒品,和廖福泉做交易。林乔用吉米扬的手机报了警。 ◎ 译名问题以往一般都译为“麦琪的礼物”,我认为是欠妥的。原文篇名中除了“Magi”一词,其余都一目了然。而“麦琪的礼物”译法之错,也正是错在对“Magi”这个词的理解上。“Magi”是“Magus”的复数。此词源自《圣经》,见于“新约”中“马太福音”第二章。耶稣诞生后,东方三博士(又称三贤人)“在东方看见他的星,特来拜他”,“看见小孩子和他母亲马利亚,就俯伏拜那孩子,揭开宝盒,拿黄金、乳香、没药为礼物献给他。”也就是说,“Magi”意为赠送礼物的“贤人”。而欧·亨利这里之所以使用“Magus”的复数“Magi”一词,是要通过《圣经》典故,赞扬男女两位主人公都是贤人,都具有贤人的品格。为此,在这篇小说的结尾,作者毫不隐讳地写道:“……那些贤人是智者,了不起的智者。他们给马槽里的婴儿带来了礼物,开创了赠送圣诞礼物的艺术……在这里,我的秃笔向你叙述了一间公寓里两个傻孩子的平凡记事,他们很不明智地为对方牺牲了家里最大的财宝。但是,我最后要对现今的智者说,在一切赠送礼物的人中,这两人是最聪明的……他们就是贤人。”“Magi”(贤人)是画龙点睛之词,起着深化小说内涵的作用。所以小说中“Magi”一词是无论如何不能译成“麦琪”的。把“Magi”译成“麦琪”的不妥之处还在于:一、“麦琪”成了人名,成了专有名词,而原文“theMagi”中有定冠词“the”,因此“Magi”不可能是人名,不可能是专有名词,因为除了特殊情况,专有名词前是不能加定冠词的;二、“麦琪的礼物”容易给读者造成错误印象,以为“麦琪”是小说中男主人公的妻子。我问过不少文化层次相当高的朋友,“麦琪的礼物中”的“麦琪”是谁?他们几乎都不假思索地说,就是那个为了给丈夫买礼物,痛剪去漂亮长发的女人。其实妻子的名字不叫“麦琪”,而叫“德拉”,更何况小说中赠送礼物的不仅仅是妻子,还包括丈夫,双方都是煞费苦心互赠礼物的译成“麦琪的礼物”就把丈夫撇开了,这显然与原作的内容不符;三、把“Magi”译成“麦琪”,阉割了原作的《圣经》背景,抹去了篇名的影射意义,浅化了小的内涵。鉴于上述种种理由,我认为把“The Gift of the Magi”译成“麦琪的礼物”是不恰当的,正确的译法应当是《贤人的礼物》。 |
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