Unit Five

　



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A miserable and merry Christmas? How could it be?

　

　

A MISERABLE, MERRY CHRISTMAS

　

　

Christmas was coming. I wanted a pony. To make sure that my par-
ents understood, I declared that I wanted nothing else.

　

"Nothing but a pony?" my father asked.

　

"Nothing, "I said.

　

"Not even a pair of high boots?"
　

That was hard. I did want boots, but I stuck to the pony. "No, not
even boots . "
　

"Nor candy? There ought to be something to fill your stocking with,
and Santa Claus can't put a pony into a stocking. " .


That was true, and he couldn't lead a pony down the chimney either.


But no. "All I want is a pony. "I said. "If I can't have a pony, give me
nothing, nothing. "


On Christmas Eve I hung up my stocking along with my sisters' .


The next morning my sisters and I woke up at six. Then we raced
downstairs to the fireplace. And there they were, the gifts, all sorts of
wonderful things, mixed-up piles of presents. Only my stocking was emp-
ty; it hung limp; not a thing in it; and under and around it -- nothing.
　

My sisters had knelt down, each by her pile of gifts; they were crying with
delight, till they looked up and saw me standing there looking so miserable.
They came over to me and felt my stocking: nothing.


I don't remember whether I cried at that moment, but my sisters did.
They ran with me back to my bed; and there we all cried till I became in
dignant. That helped some. I got up, dressed, and driving my sisters
away, I went out alone into the stable, and there, all by myself, I wept.
　

My mother came out to me and she tried to comfort me. But I wanted no
comfort. She left me, and went on into the house with sharp words for my
father.
　

My sisters. came to me,. and I was rude. I ran away from them. I went
around to the front of the house, sat down on the steps, and the crying
over , I ached . I was wronged, I was hurt : And my father must have been
hurt, too, a little I saw him looking out of the window. He was watching
me or something for an hour or two, drawing back the curtain so little lest
I catch him, but I saw his face, and I think I can see now the anxiety upon
it, the worried impatience.

　

After an hour or two, I caught sight of a man riding a pony down the
street, a pony and a brand--new saddle; the most beautiful
saddle I ever saw, and it was a boy's saddle. And the pony ! As he drew near, I saw that
the pony was really a small horse, with a black mane and tail, and one
white foot and a white star on his forehead. For such a horse as that I
would have given anything.


But the man came along, reading the numbers on the houses, and, as
my hopes - my impossible hopes - rose, he looked at our door and passed
by, he and the pony, and the saddle. Too much, I fell upon the steps and
broke into tears. Suddenly I heard a voice.
　

"Say, kid," it said, "do you know a boy named Lennie Steffens"
　

I looked up. It was the man on the pony, back again.
　

"Yes, "I spluttered through my tears. "That's me. "
　

"Well, "he said, "then this is your horse. I've been looking all over for
you and your house. Why don't you put your number where it can be seen? "
　

"Get down, "I said, running out to him. I wanted to ride.


He went on saying something about "ought to have got here at seven
o'clock, but --"
　

I hardly heard, I could scarcely wait. I was so happy, so thrilled. I
rode off up the street. Such a beautiful pony. And mine! After a while I
turned and trotted back to the stable. There was the family, father, moth-
er, sisters, all working for me, all happy. They had been putting .in place
the tools of my new business: currycomb, brush, pitchfork - everything,
and there was hay in the loft.
　

But that Christmas, which my father had planned so carefully, was it
the best or the worst I ever knew? He often asked me that ; I never could
answer as a boy. I think now that it was both. It covered the whole dis-
tance from broken--hearted misery to bursting happiness -- too fast. A
grown-up could hardly have stood it.

　

　

　

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New Words

　

miserable a:
causing unhappiness; very unhappy 悲惨的

merry a.
cheerful, -full of lively happiness, fun, etc: 欢乐

　
的, 愉快的

pony n.
a small horse 矮种马；小马

boot n.
长统靴

candy . n.
(AmE) sweets 糖果

stocking n.
长（统）袜

chimney n.
烟筒

eve n.
前夕

fireplace n.
壁炉

mixed-up a.
(different things) put together 混合的，混杂的

limp a.
soft; not stiff or firm 软的 ; 松沓的

kneel ( knelt knelt ) v.
go down or remain on the knee(s) 跪下

indignant a.
angry at sth: . unfair 气愤的; 愤慨的

stable n
building for keeping and feeding animals, esp.

　
horses 马厩

weep v.
cry 哭泣；流泪

rude a.
not at all polite 粗鲁的, 不礼貌的

wrong vt.
treat unjustly 委屈

curtain n.
窗帘

lest conj.
for fear that 唯恐;以免

anxiety n.
fear caused by uncertainty about sth. 焦虑

impatience n.
inability to wait calmly 不耐烦，急躁 ,

patience n.

brand n.
商标, 牌子

brand-new a.
entirely new and unused 崭新的

saddle n.
马鞍

mane n.
马鬃

forehead n.
that part of the face above the eyes and below

　
the hair 前额

kid n.
child

splutter v.
speak quickly and confusedly ( from excitement,

scarcely ad.
hardly, almost not 几乎不, 简直不

scarce a.

thrill vt.
excite greatly 使非常激动

trot vi.
run or ride slowly, with short steps ( 马 ) 小跑

currycomb n
a special comb used to rub and clean a horse 马梳

pitchfork n.
干草叉

hay n.
dried grass 干草

loft n.
a room over a stable, where hay is kept 草料棚

broken-hearted. a.
filled with grief; very sad 心碎的; 极其伤心的

misery n.
the state of being very unhappy, poor, ill, lone-

　
ly, etc. 悲惨 ; 不幸 ; 苦难

happiness n.
the state of being happy, 快乐, 幸福

grown-up a. & n.
( of ) an adult person 成人 ( 的 )



　

　

Phrases & Expressions
　

hear of
have knowledge of or receive information

　
about 听到,听说

be responsible for
be the cause of 应对...负责的

come out (with)
speak out 大声的说,清楚的说

smooth out
make smooth(er)

hold oneself in
control one's feelings

take the place of
act or be used instead of , replace 代替,取代

get to one's feet
stand up

over and over again
very often, repeatedly 反复地,再三地


　

Proper Names
　

Santa Claus
圣诞老人

Christmas Eve
圣诞前夜

Lennie Steffens
伦尼·斯蒂芬斯