第33章 七美元的梦想A SevenDollar Dream（第1页）

第33章七美元的梦想ASeven-DollarDream

佚名Anonymous

Wanted:Violin。'tpaymuch。Call。。。

WhydidI?Iwondered，sinceIrarelylookattheclassifiedads。Ilaidthepaperonmylapandyeyes，rememberingenedduriDepression，whenmyfamilystruggledtomakealivingonourfarm。I，too，hadwantedaviolin，butos;thavethemoney。。。

Whewinsistersbeganshowiinmusic，HarrietAoplayGrandma&aphtpiano，whileSuzaoDaddy'svioliunessoonbeelodiesasthetwinsplayedmoreaupihmofthemusic，mybabybrotherdandwhiledaddyhummedaled。Ijustlistened。

Whenmyarmsgrewlongenough，ItriedtoplaySuzanne'sviolihemellowsoundofthefirmbowdrawnacrossthestrings。Oh，howIwaIkwasoutofthequestion。

Ohetwiheschoolorchestra，Iyeyestighttocapturethepicturefirmlyinmymind。Someday，I'llsitupthere，Ivowedsilently。

Itwasnotagoodyear。Atharvestthecropsdidnasmuchased，Ip;apos;twaitaoask，“Daddy，mayIhaveaviolinofmyown?”

“'tyouuseSuzanne's?”

“I'dliketobeira，too，andos;tbothusethesamevioliime。”

Daddy'sfacelookedsad。Thatnight，andmanyfollowingnights，IheardhimremindGodinourfamilydevotions，“。。。andLord，MaryLouwantsherownviolin。”

OneevearouhetwinsandIstudied。Mothersewed，anddaddywrotealetterteeFinkle，inr。Finkle，daddysaid，wasafineviolinist。

&e，daddyreadpartsofhisletteroutloudtomother。WeekslaterIdiscoveredhe'dwrittenonelinehedidn'treadaloud:“Wouldyouwatchforaviolinfhter?I'tpaymuch，butsheenjoysmusidos;dlikehertohaveherow。”

Whendaddyreceivedaletterfrombusafewweekslater，heannounced，“os;llbedrivingtobustospewithAuntAliasIdsomeohelivestock。”

Atlastthedayarrived，aoAuntAlice's。Afterwearrived，Ilistenedwhiledaddymadeaphonecall。Hehungupandasked，“MaryLou，doyouwanttogowithmetovisitMr。Finkle?”

“Sure，”Ianswered。

Hedroveiialareaahedrivewayofafine，oldhouse。thestepsandrangthedoorchime。Atallmahandaddy，opehedoor。“ein!”Heanddaddyheartilyshookhands，bothtalkingatonce。

“MaryLou，I'vebeehingsaboutyou。Yourdaddyhasarrangedabigsurpriseforyou!”Mr。Finkleusheredusintotheparlor。Hepickedupaedit，liftedoutaviolinaoplay。Themeledaerfalls。Oh，toplaylikehim，Ithought。

Finishingtheodaddy。“Carl，Ifounditinapawnshopforsevendollars。It'sagoodviolin。MaryLoushouldbeabletomakebeautifulmusicwithit。”Theheviolintome。

Iearsindaddy'seyesasIfinallyprehewasmirokedtheviolihewoodwasagoldenbrowowarmi。“It'sbeautiful，”Isaid，barelybreathing。

WhenwearrivedbatAlice's，alleyesturered。Isawdaddywinkatmother，andthenIrealizedeveryonehadknownbutme。Ikneos;sprayer，andmine，hadbeenanswered。

ThedayIcarriedmyviolintosyfirstlessonnooneagiingfeelingi。OverthemonthsIpracticeddaily，feelingthewarmwoodfitundermylikeaensionofmyself。

Wheojointheschoolorchestra，Itrembledwithext。Isatihirdrowofviolinsaeorchestrajacketlikearoyalrobe。

&wildlyatmyfirstpubliance，aschooloperetta。Theauditorium，filledtocapadtheaudiencebuzzedwhilewesoftlytunedourihelightteredonus，andahushfellaslay。Ifeltsureeveryoheaudiegme。Daddyandmothersmiledproudlyattheirlittlegirlwhoheldhercherishedviolinforthewhole>

Theyearsseemedtorulythen。Aimemysistersgraduated，Ifouhefirst-violinchair。

Twoyearslater，Igraduated。Ipackedmycherishedviolinieppedintothegrown-upworld。Nurse&ap，marriage，wial，rearingfhtersfilledmyyears。

Moreyearspassed。Myviolinmadeeverymoveacked-brieflyrememberinghowmuchIstillloveditandpromisioplayitsoon。

Noneofmycaredabouttheviolin。Later，oheymarriedahome。。。

Noiththeads。Iforcedmythoughtstothepresentandreadagaihadtransportedmebacktoories。Layihepaper，Imurmured，“Imustfindmyviolin。”

Idiscoveredthecasedeepinthereycloset。Openingthelid，Iliftedthevioliherose-velvetlining。Myfisgoldenwood。Iturings，miraculouslystillintact，tighteheboutrosinonthedryhorsehairs。