VIXXX

20.04.2020 16:08 •  Английский язык

Jim and Della lived in New York in a small flat on the top of a high building. Jim was twenty years old, Della was twenty one. They (to be) poor because
they had to pay for their apartment. But they were happy because they loved
each other.
The next day was Christmas and Della (to want) to buy a present to Jim.
She put her money on the table and counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven
cents. That was all she (to can) save for months.
There was nothing to do but cry. Many happy hours she spent planning for
something nice for Jim. Suddenly she (to turn) from the window and stood in
front of the mirror. She (to pull) down her hair and let it fall to its full length.
There were two treasures in which they both took a pride.
One was Jim’s gold watch that (to be) his father’s and his grandfather’s.
The other one was Della’s beautiful hair. Now her hair fell below her waist
like cascade of brown water. She did it up again nervously. Then she put on
her old brown jacket and an old hat. She went out of the door down the stairs
to the street.
She (to hurry) to Madame Sofronie who bought hair.
‘Will you buy my hair?’ Della asked, panting.
‘I buy good hair,’ said Madame. ‘Take off your hat and let me have a look’
Down fell the brown cascade.
‘Twenty dollars,’ said Madame, lifting her hair with a practiced hand.
‘Give it to me,’ said Della. She sat down and Mrs. Sofronie started working.
Della (not to look) at her hair on the floor. At three o’clock she took her 20$
and put on her hat. The next two hours (to pass) like a happy dream. Della
was flying on rosy wings from shop to shop looking for a present to Jim. At last
she found it. It was made for Jim and no one else. It (to be) a platinum chain,
simple in design as all good things should be. 21$ they took from her and she
hurried home with 87 cents.
At home Della got out her curling irons and started working. In twenty
minutes her head was covered with little curls. She (to look) at her reflection
in the mirror carefully and critically. ‘I hope Jim won’t stop loving me with
short hair,’ she said to herself. ‘I did it for him. What (to can) I do with one
dollar and 87 cents?’
At seven o’clock coffee was made and a frying pan (to be) ready to cook
the chops. Della sat on the corner of the table near the door with the chain
in her hand. When she heard his steps on the stairs she (to turn) white for a
moment. ‘Please, God, make him think that I’m still pretty,’ she whispered.
The door (to open) and Jim stepped in. He stopped inside the room and
stood still. He was looking at Della, and there was an expression in them that
she could not read, and it terrified her. It was not anger, not surprise, not
horror, not any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for.
Della (to jump) off the table and went to him. ‘Jim, darling,’ she cried,
‘don’t look at me that way. I had my hair cut off because I (to want) to give you
a present. I had to do it. My hair (to grow) very fast. Say ‘Marry Christmas’,
Jim, and let’s be happy. Shall I put the chops on, Jim?
Jim (to seem) to wake out of his trance. He drew a package from his
overcoat pocket and put it on the table. ‘Don’t make a mistake about me,
Dell,’ he said. ‘There’s nothing in the way of a haircut that (to make) me love
my girl less. But if you unwrap that package you will understand why I was so
shocked when I saw you.’
Della took off the paper and opened the box. There laid the set of combs
that Della had dreamed of for a long time. Beautiful tortoise combs with jewels,
just the thing to wear in her beautiful but vanished hair. She knew that they
(to be) very expensive and now they were hers.
She (to hug) them to her bosom, and with tears in her eyes and a smile, was
able to say, ‘My hair grows fast, Jim!’ And she jumped up and (to cry) out, ‘Oh!
Jim hasn’t seen his present yet! She held it out for him upon her open palm.
‘Isn’t it wonderful, Jim? You (to look) at the time a hundred times a day
now. Give me your watch. I want to see how it look on it.’ Instead of obeying
Jim fell down on the couch, put his hands under the back of his head and
(to smile).
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