魔蝎小说

第19章 蓝宝石项链（第2页）

“已经是圣诞节早上了，”他说，“不幸的是，我没有人可以让我送点什么东西给他。你能让我送你回家，在你家门口说一声圣诞快乐吗？”

于是，在钟声齐鸣时，在幸福的人群中，皮特·里查德和这位还不知姓名的姑娘迈入了又一天的开端——那给世间每个人带来希望的伟大一天。

&eRichardwasthelomanintownonthedayJeahedoorofhisshop。It'sasmallshopwhiedowntrahelittlefrontnwithadisarrayofold-fashiohisasworniheCivilWar，gsandsilverboxes，imagesofjadeandivory，porfigurihiswinter'safternoonachildwasstandingthere，herfainsttheglass，earandeudyireasureasifshewerelookingforsomethingquitespeallyshestraightehasatisfiedairaore。

TheshadowyinteriorofPeteRichard'sestablishmentwaseveeredthanhissho。Shelveswerestackedwithjewelcaskets，duelingpistols，dlamps，andtheflooredwithirons，mandolinsandthingshardtofindanamefor。BehierstoodPetehimself，amahirtybutwithhairalreadyturninggray。Therewasableakairabouthimashelookedatthesmallerwhoflattenedherunglovedhaer。

"Mister，"shebegan，"wouldyoupleaseletmelookatthestringofbluebeadsinthewindow？"Petepartedthedraperiesaaurquoisestolyagainstthepallorofhispalmashespreadtheorbeforeher。"They'rejustperfect，"saidthetirelytoherself。"Willyouprettyforme，please？"

&udiedherwithastonyair。"Areyoubuyingtheseforsomeo;"They&#sister。Shetakese。Yousee，thiswillbethefirstChristmassiherdied。I'vebeenlookiwonderfulChristmaspresentformysister。"

"Howmueydoyouhave？"askedPetewarily。Shehadbeenbusilyusinahandkerdnowshepouredoutahandfulofpeheter。"Iemptiedmybank。"sheexplainedsimply。

&elookedatherthoughtfully。Thenhecarefullydrewbaecklace。Thepricetagwasvisibletohimbutnottoher。Howcouldhetellher？Thetrustinglookofherblueeyessmotehimlikethepainofanoldwound。"Justami;hesaid，aowardthebackofthestore。Overhisshoulderhecalled，"What'syour;Hewasverybusyaboutsomething。"Jea;

&ereturraceackagelayinhishand，edipaperahabowofgreen。"Hereyouare，"hesaidshortly，"Don'tloseitonthewayhome。"

Shesmiledhappilyoverhershoulderassheranoutofthedhtheatchedhergo，whiledesolatiohoughts。SomethingaboutJeanGradherstringofbeadshadstirredhimtothedepthsofagriefthatwouldnotstayburied。Thechild'shairwaswheatyellow，hereyesseablue，aime，notloehadbeehagirlwithhairofthatsameyellowaasblue。Aurquoiseohavebeenhers。

Buttherehadearainynight—atrugonaslipperyroad—andthelifewascrushedoutofhisdream。Siehadlivedtoomuchwithhisgriefinsolitude。Heolitelyatteomers，butafterhourshisworldseemedirrevocablyempty。Hewastryingtetiyideepeneddaybyday。TheblueeyesofJeaedhimintoacuteremembrahehadlost。Thepainofitmadehimretheexuberanceofholidayshtheradewasbrisk；gwomenswarmediriryingtaihelasterhadgoeonChristmasEve，hesighedwithrelief。ItwasoverforaforPetethenightwasnotquiteover。

Thedooropenedandayoungwomahaninexplicablestart，herealizedthatshelookedfamiliar，yetheberwhenorwherehehadseenherbefore。Herhairwasgoldenyelleeyeswereblue。Withoutspeaking，shedrewfromherpurseapackagelooselyusredpaper，abowofgreenribbonwithit。Preseringofbluebeadslaygleamingagainbeforehim。

"Didthisyourshop？"sheasked。

&eraisedhiseyestohersaly，"Yes，itdid。"

"Arethesto;

"Yes。quality—butreal。"

"berwhoitwasyousoldthemto？"

"Shewasasmallgirl。HernamewasJeahemforheroldersister'sChristmaspresent。"

"Howmucharetheyworth？"

"Theprice，"hetoldhersolemnly，"isalwaysatialmatterbetweentheselleraomer。"

"ButJeanhasneverhadmorethanafewpenniesofspendingmoney。Howcouldshepayforthem？"

"Shepaidthebiggestprieeverpay，"hesaid。"Shegaveallshehad。"

Therewasasilefilledthelittlecurioshop。Hesale，abellbeganringing。Thesoug，thelittlepagoer，thequestiohegirl，arangefeelirugglingunreasonablyiofPete，allhadetobebecauseoftheloveofachild。

"Butwhydidyoudoit？"

&hegiftinhishand。

"It'salreadyChristmasm，"hesaid。"Andit'smymisfortuIhaveogiveanythingto。WillyouletmeseeyouhomeandwishyouaMerryChristmasatyourdoor？"

Andso，tothesoundofmanybellsaofhappypeople，PeteRidagirlwhosetohear，walkedoutintothebeginnidaythatbriheworldforusall。