Text B Christmas Day in the Morning（第1页）

TextBChristmasDayintheM

PearlS。Buck

Heawokesuddenlyawasfouro’clock，thehouratwhichhisfatherhadalwayscalledhimtogetupahemilking。Strahehabitsofhisyouthstill!Fiftyyearsago，andhisfatherhadbeehirtyyears，afouro’them。Hehadtraiurnotosleep，butthism，becauseitwasChristmas，hedidnottry。Yetwhatwasthemagiasnow?Hisrownupandgoalohhiswife。Yesterdayshehadsaid，“Let’snottrimthetreeuntiltomorrow，Robert。I’mtired。”Heagreed，areeremaiiry。

Whydidhefeelsoawaketonight?Foritwasstillarry。Nomoon，ofcourse，butthestarswereextraordinary!Nowthathethoughtofit，thestarsseemedalwayslargerandclearerbeforethedawnofChristmasDay。Therewasoarnowthatwaslylargerahanahers。Heimagimoving，asithadseemedtohimtomoveolongago。

Hewas15yearsoldandstillonhisfather’sfarm。Helovedhisfather。HehadnotknownituntilonedayafewdaysbeforeChristmas，whenhehadoverheardwhathisfatherwassayingtohismother。

“Mary，IhatetocallRobinthems。He’sgrowingsofastandheneedshissleep。IfyoucouldseehowhesleepswhenIgointo!IwishIanagealone。”

“Well，you’t，Adam。”Hismother’svoicewasbrisk。“Besides，heisn’taymore。It’stimeforhimtotakehisturn。”

“Yes，”hisfathersaidslowly。“ButIsuredohatetowakehim。”

Whehesewords，somethinginhimawoke:hisfatherlovedhim!Therewouldbeeringinthemsandhavingtobecalledagaiupafterthat，stumblingblindwithsleepandpulledonhisclothes，hiseyestightshut，aup。

AhenightbeforeChristmas，thatyearwhenhewas15，helaythinkingabouttheday。

Hewishedhehadabetterpresentforhisfather。Asusual，hehadgostoreandboughtatieforhisfather。Ithadseemedilhelaythinking，ahathehadheardhisfatheraalkingintimeforhimtosaveforsomethier。

Helayonhisside，hisheadsupportedbyhiselbow，aofhisattidow。Thestarswerebright，muchbrighterthanheeverrememberedseeingthem，aarinparticularwasshtthathewowerereallytheStarofBethlehem。

“Dad，”hehadonceaskedwhenhewasalittleboy，“Whatisastable?”

“It’sjustabarn，”hisfatherhadreplied，“likeours。”

ThenJesushadbeenborninabarn，andtoabarntheshepherdsandtheWiseMenhade，brimasgifts!

&struckhim。Whyshouldheheraspecialgift，too，outthereinthebarn?Hecouldgetupearly，earlierthanfouro’dtetallthemilkingdoalone，milkandclearup，andtheherwenttostartthemilking，he’dseenitalldone。Andhehohaddo。

Helaughedtohimselfashegazedatthestars。Itoulddo，asleeptoosoundly。

&haveawakeimes，sgamatcheachtimetolookathisoldwatight，andhalfpastohentwoo’clock。

Ataquartertotupandputonhisclothes。Hestairs，carefulofthecreakyboards，ahimselfout。Thebigstarhuhebarnrold。Thecowslookedathim，sleepyandsurprised。Itwasearlyforthemtoo。

&ehayforeadthengotthemilkingpailandthebigmilks。

Hesmiled，thinkingabouthisfather，aeadily，twsteamsrushingintothepail，frothingandfragraaskwehanhehadeverknownittobefore。Milkingforoachore。Itwassomethitohisfather，wholovedhim。Hefiwomilkswerefull，ahemahemilkhousedoorcarefullymakihelatch。Heputthestoolinitsplacebythedupthemilkpail。Theofthebarnahedoorbehindhim。

Bahisroomhehadonlyamiopulloffhisthedarknessaobed，forheheardhisfatherup。Heputthecoversoverhisheadtosilencehisquickbreathing。Thedooropeill。

“Rob!”hisfathercalled。“Wehavetogetup，soisChristmas。”

“Aw-right，”hesaidsleepily。

“I’llgoonout，”hisfathersaid。“I’llgetthingsstarted。”

Thedoordhelaystill，laughingtohimself。Injustafewmiherwouldknow。

&eswereeen，fifteeknowhowmany—andheheardhisfather’sfootstepsagain。Thedooropeill。

“Rob!”

“Yes，Dad—”