一架红木钢琴 The Red Mahogany Piano（第1页）

一架红木钢琴TheRedMahoganyPiano

佚名Anonymous

Manyyearsago，whenIwasayoungmaniies，IworkedasasalesmanforaSt。Louispianopany。

Wesoldourpianosalloverthestatebyadvertisinginsmalltoersandthen，whenwehadreceivedsuffitreplies，wewouldloadourlittletrucks，driveintotheareaahepianostothoselied。

&imeweadvertisediontryofSoutheastMissouri，wewouldreceiveareplyonapostcardwhichsaid，i，“Pleasebringmeanewpianoformylittlegramustberedmahogany。Ipay$10amonthwithmyeggmoheoldladysandonandonthatposttilshefilleditup，theoveraeo——aroundandarouiltherewasbarelyroomfortheaddress。

Ofcourse，weotsellanewpianofor$10amonth。Nofinanpanywouldcarryatractwithpaymentsthatsmall，soweigcards。

Oneday，however，Ihappeareaotherreplies，andoutofcuriosityIdecidedtolooktheoldladyup。Ifouymuchected:theoldladylivedinaoneroomshare-croppersthemiddleofafield。

Thehadadirtfloorandthereweresinthehouse。Obviously，theoldladyothavequalifiedtopurythi—noophone，norealjob，nothingbutaroofoverherheadandnoodo。Icouldseedaylightthroughitinseveralplaces。Herlittlegranddaughterwasabout10，barefootandwearingafeed-sackdress。

Iexplaiheoldladythatweotsellanewpianofor$10amonthandthatsheshouldsttouseverytimeshesawourad。Idroveawayheartsick，butmyadvioeffect—shestillsentusthesamepostcardeverysixantinganewpianany，please，andswearingshewouldnevermissa$10payment。It>

Acoupleofyearslater，Iownedmyoany，andwheisedihepostcardsstartede。Formonths，IigelsecouldIdo?

Butthen，onedaywhenIwasihinge。Ihadaredmahoganypianoonmylittletruck。DespiteknowingthatIwasabouttomakeaterriblebusinessde，IdeliveredthepiaoldherIwouldcarrytheyselfat$10amonthwithhatayments。ItookthenewpianointhehouseawhereIthoughttheroofwouldbeleastlikelytorainonit。Iadmohelittlegirltotrytokeepthesoffit，a—sureIhadjustthropiano。

Butthepayments，all52ofthemasagreed—sometimeswithstapedtoa3x5intheewasincredible!

So，Iputtheiofmymindfor20years。

ThenonedayIhisonotherbusiness，andafterdiheHolidayInnointothelounge。AsIwassittingatthebarhavinganafter-dinnerdrihemostbeautifulpianomusidme。Ilookedaround，andtherewasalovelyyounglayingaverynidpiano。

Beingapianistofsomeabilitymyself，Iwasstuuosity，andIpickedupmydrinkaablebesideherwhereIcouldlistenandwatch。Shesmiledatme，askis，aookabreakshesatdownatmytable。

&youthemanwhosoldmygrandmaapianoalongtimeago?”

Itdidn&#abell，soIaskedhertoexplain。

&edtotellme，andIsuddenlyremembered。MyLord，itwasher!Itwasthelittlebarefootgirlinthefeedsackdress!

&oldmehernamewasEliseandsincehergrandmother'taffordtopayforlessons，shehadlearoplaybylisteningtotheradio。Shesaidshehadstartedtoplayinchurchwheresheandhergraowalkovertwomiles，andthatshehadthenplayedinschool，hadwonmanyawardsandamusicscholarship。ShehadmarriedanattorneyinMemphisandhehadbrandpiano。

&hieredmymind。“Look，Elise，”Iasked，“MayIaskyouwhatkindofwoodisyourfirstpiaherayou?”

“It&#any，”shesaid，“Why?”

I'tspeak。

Didsheuhesigheredmahogany?Theunbelievableaudacityrainganypianowhennooneinhisrightmindwouldhavesoldherapianoofanykind?Ithinknot。

Aheoldladyuhemarvelousaentofthatbeautiful，terriblyunderprivilegedthefeedsackdress?No，I'msureshedidn'tuhateither。

ButIdid，andmythroattightened。

Finally，Ifoundmyvoice。“Ijustwondered，”Isaid。“I'mproudofyou，butIhavetogotomyroom。”

AndIdidhavetogotomyroom，bedon'tliketobeseenpublic。