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They had both remembered it, and now that his father was dead he remembered it alone: that blessed Christmas dawn when, along with the cows in the barn, he had made his first gift of true love. Outside the window now the stars slowly faded. He got out of bed and put on his slippers and bathrobe and went softly downstairs. He brought in the tree, and carefully began to trim it. It was done very soon. He then went to his library and brought the little box that contained his special gift to his wife, a diamond brooch, not large, but dainty in design. But he was not satisfied. He wanted to tell her—to tell her how much he loved her.
他和父亲一直都记得这件事，现在父亲已经去世，他独自记得此事：那个幸福的圣诞节黎明，与奶牛在牲口棚里，他创造出表达自己真挚的爱的第一件礼物。现在窗外的星星逐渐消失了。他下了床，穿上拖鞋和浴衣，轻轻地下了楼。他把圣诞树拿进屋里，开始仔细地装饰。很快就弄好了。然后他去书房取来一只小盒子，里面装着他送给妻子的一份特别礼物——一枚钻石胸针。胸针不大，但是设计得很精美。可他还不满意。他想告诉她——告诉她他是多么爱她。
How fortunate that he had been able to love! Ah, that was the true joy of life, the ability to love! For he was quite sure some people were genuinely unable to love anyone. But love was alive in him; it still was.
他能够去爱是多么幸运啊！啊，能够去爱才是人生真正的快乐！因为他确信有些人不能真正爱任何人。但他内心充满了爱，而且依然如故。
It occurred to him suddenly that it was alive because long ago it had been born in him when he knew his father loved him. That was it: Love alone could waken love.
他突然想到，他之所以在心中充满爱，是因为在很久以前父亲对他的爱唤起了他心中的爱。是啊，爱本身能唤起爱。
And this morning, this blessed Christmas morning, he would give it to his beloved wife. He could write it down in a letter for her to read and keep forever. He went to his desk and began: My dearest love...
这个早晨，这个幸福的圣诞节的早晨，他将把爱献给他亲爱的妻子。他将把这份爱写在信中以便她阅读并永久保存。他走到桌前开始写道：我最亲爱的……
When it was finished, he sealed it and tied it on the tree. He put out the light and went tiptoeing up the stairs. The stars in the sky were gone, and the first rays of the sun were gleaming in the east, such a happy, happy Christmas!
当信写完后，他把信封好，把它系在圣诞树上。他关上灯，踮着脚尖走上楼。天上的星星已经消失，东方露出第一缕阳光。多么幸福、美好的一个圣诞节啊！
