Дары волхвов

           Jimlookedabouttheroomcuriously. 

           "Yousayyourhairisgone?" hesaid,withanairalmostofidiocy. 

           "Youneedn’tlookforit,"saidDella. "It’ssold,Itellyou—soldandgone,too. It’sChristmasEve,boy. Begoodtome,foritwentforyou. Maybethehairsofmyheadwerenumbered," shewentonwithsuddenserioussweetness, "butnobodycouldevercountmyloveforyou. ShallIputthechopson,Jim?" 

           OutofhistranceJimseemedquicklytowake. HeenfoldedhisDella. Fortensecondsletusregardwithdiscreetscrutinysomeinconsequentialobjectintheotherdirection. Eightdollarsaweekoramillionayear—whatisthedifference? Amathematicianorawitwouldgiveyouthewronganswer. Themagibroughtvaluablegifts, butthatwasnotamongthem. Thisdarkassertionwillbeilluminatedlateron. 

           Jimdrewapackagefromhisovercoatpocket andthrewituponthetable. 

           "Don’tmakeanymistake,Dell,"hesaid,"aboutme. Idon’tthinkthere’sanythinginthewayofahaircutorashaveorashampoo thatcouldmakemelikemygirlanyless. Butifyou’llunwrapthatpackage youmayseewhyyouhadmegoingawhileatfirst." 

           Whitefingersandnimbletoreatthestringandpaper. Andthenanecstaticscreamofjoy;andthen,alas! aquickfemininechangetohystericaltearsandwails, necessitatingtheimmediateemploymentofallthecomfortingpowers ofthelordoftheflat. 

           FortherelayTheCombs —thesetofcombs,sideandback,thatDellahadworshippedlong inaBroadwaywindow.