O 'Henry's novel The Brightened Lamp tells us: What is the most important thing in life? At a certain time, we may be tempted by a variety of materials, thinking that that is the ultimate goal of life. In fact, after thinking, those sincere feelings are the most enduring, precious and worth guarding. It is also the easiest for young people who pursue money to let go. When it is lost, no amount of tears can be exchanged.

Attachment: O 'Henry's novel The Brightened Lamp (also translated as Polished Lamp)

The Brightened Lamp

Of course, there are two aspects to this question. Let's look at the other side of the problem. We often hear people talk about "shop girl". In fact, there is no such person. Only girls who sell in shops. That's their livelihood. Why should their occupation be used as an adjective? We should be fair. We didn't call the girls on Fifth Avenue "wedding girls".

Lu and Nancy are good friends. They came to this big city to look for jobs because there was not enough food in their hometown. Nancy is nineteen years old; Lu is twenty years old. Both of them are beautiful and active rural girls, and neither of them has the ambition to go on stage.

The little angel above showed them that they had found a cheap and decent dormitory. Both of them found jobs and became hired workers. They are still good friends. It's been six months before I ask you to step forward and introduce them. Nosy reader: These are my girlfriends, Miss Nancy and Miss Lu. When you shake hands with them, please pay attention to their costumes-but don't show any traces. Yes, don't show any trace, because they are as unhappy as the ladies in the box of the racecourse when others stare at them.

Lu works as an ironing worker in a manual laundry, earning a piece-rate salary. She is wearing a purple dress that doesn't fit her, and the feathers on her hat are four inches longer than they should be; However, her mink hand tube and scarf cost 25 yuan, but before the season passes, its kind will be priced at 7 yuan and 98 cents in the window. Her cheeks are rosy and her pale blue eyes are bright. She smells of contentment.

as for Nancy, you will call her a shop girl-because you have got into the habit. The typical shop girl doesn't exist at all; But some stubborn people are always looking for a model, so let's call Nancy a model. She combed her hair in a fluffy and towering Pombadu style, and her face showed a serious look of overcorrection. The material of her skirt is rather poor, but the style is very timely. She didn't have a fur coat to resist the chilly spring chill, but she strutted on a woolen coat as if it were made of Persian lambskin. Looking for a typical person mercilessly, what is revealed in her face and eyes is the expression of a typical shop girl. That look is a silent and arrogant resistance to wasting youth; Gloomily predicted the coming revenge. Even when she laughed heartily, that look still existed. The same expression can be seen in the eyes of Russian farmers; When Gabriel blows the horn of the final judgment, those of us who are still alive can also see it on Gabriel's face. That look should have made men feel ashamed; But they are always hippies, offering flowers with ulterior motives.

now you can lift your hat and go your way. You have accepted Lu's pleasant "goodbye" and Nancy's sarcastic and sweet smile. Somehow, that smile seemed to pass by you, flapping its wings like a moth over the roof and soaring into the sky.

They are waiting for Dan on the street corner. Dan is Lu's good friend. Do you ask him if he is loyal? Well, if Mary needs to hire a dozen subpoenas to find her lamb, Dan is always there to help.

Are you cold, Nancy? Lu said. "What a fool you are to work in that old shop with only eight dollars a week! I earned eighteen and a half dollars last week. Of course, ironing clothes is not as imposing as selling lace behind the counter, but it can make money. Our ironing workers earn at least ten dollars a week. And I don't think that's a disgraceful job. "

"You just do your job." Nancy cocked her nose and said. "I am willing to take eight dollars a week and live in a room. I like to stay where there are good things to associate with rich people. Besides, I have many opportunities! A girl in our glove department married a man from Pittsburgh-a steelmaker, or a blacksmith, or something else-worth a million dollars. One day, I will find a rich man myself. I'm not bragging about my looks or other strengths; But since there is a great opportunity, I have to take a chance. What's the point of staying in the laundry? "

"Not really. I met Dan in the laundry." Lu proudly said. "He came to pick up the shirt and collar he wore on Sunday and saw me ironing clothes on the first table. All the girls in our laundry want to work at the first table. Ella Maginness was ill that day, and I took her place. Dan said that he noticed at a glance how plump and white my arms were. I work by rolling up my sleeves. There are also upper-class people who come to do laundry. You can recognize them by the way they hide their clothes in their suitcases and suddenly sneak in. "

"How can you wear that waistcoat, Lu?" Nancy said, squinting her eyes and staring at the annoying dress with concern and reproach. "It shows that your aesthetic power is too poor."

"This waistcoat?" Lu Zheng big eyes, said angrily. "Hey, this waistcoat cost me sixteen dollars. Actually, it's worth twenty-five dollars. A woman sent it for washing and ironing, and never came to get it. The boss sold it to me. There are many yards of hand embroidery on it. You'd better comment on that ugly and plain thing on yourself. "

"This ugly and plain thing," Nancy said quietly, "was sewn according to the pattern of a suit on Mrs. Van Alston Fisher. The female colleagues in the store said that she bought 12 thousand yuan in our store last year. I made this one myself, and it cost me a dollar and fifty cents. You can hardly see the difference between mine and hers from ten paces away. "

"Oh, well," Lu said gently, "if you want to show off on an empty stomach, go ahead. I still do my job and get my good salary; After finishing my work, I will buy some fancy clothes for myself when my economic conditions permit. "

At this moment, Dan came. He was an electrician with a weekly salary of 3 yuan. He wore a snap-on tie and looked like a teenager, without the frivolous habits of the city. He looked at Lu with Romeo's sad eyes and thought that her embroidered waistcoat was a spider web that any fly would stick to.

"This is my friend, Mr. Owens-shake hands with Miss Danforth." Lu said.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Danforth." Dan held out his hand and said. "I often hear Lu mention you."

"Thank you," Nancy said coldly, touching Dan's finger with her fingertips. "I heard her mention you, too-a few times."

Lu giggled.

"Did you learn that handshake from Mrs. Van Alston Fisher, too, Nancy?" She asked.

"If I learned it, you can copy it with confidence." Nancy said.

"well, I don't deserve it at all. That way is too fancy for me. The gesture of holding your hand high is to show off the diamond ring. After I get a few pieces, I will start learning. "

"You might as well learn first," Nancy said shrewdly. "Then you have a better chance of getting the ring."

"To settle your argument," Dan said with a happy smile, "let me make a suggestion. Since I can't accompany you two to Tiffany to do my duty, would you like to go to the amusement park? I have a ticket. We don't have a chance to shake hands with people who really wear diamond rings, so let's go and see how the diamonds are on the stage? "

The loyal attendant walks on the sidewalk near the road; Reed is next to him, wearing bright and beautiful clothes, a bit like a peacock; Nancy walked at the bottom, slender and dressed as a sparrow, but her walking posture was authentic Van Alstin Fisher style-so the three of them set out to find their inexpensive evening pastime.

I don't think many people regard a big department store as an educational institution. But the one where Nancy works is a bit like an educational institution to her. She is surrounded by beautiful things with elegance and delicacy. If you are in a luxurious atmosphere, whether you or others spend money, that luxury belongs to you.

Most of Nancy's customers are women, and their clothes, manners and social status are cited as models for discussion. Nancy began to learn from each other's strengths-taking the best place from everyone according to her own opinion.

She imitated a gesture from a person and practiced it. I learned a meaningful look of eyebrows from another person; He also absorbed the gestures of walking, carrying wallets, smiling, greeting friends and answering "low status" people from the rest of the people. From her most admired model, Mrs. Van Alston Fisher, she requisitioned that wonderful feature: a soft and deep voice, as clear as a silver bell and as mellow as a thrush. She is immersed in this elegant atmosphere, and it is impossible not to be deeply influenced. It is said that good habits can surpass good principles, so good manners may surpass good habits. Your parents' teaching may not keep your conscience in New England; However, if you sit in a straight armchair and read the words "prism and pilgrim" forty times, the devil will not dare to invade you. When Nancy spoke in the voice of Van Alstin Fisher, even in her bones, she felt comfortable that "the noble people did not live up to expectations".

There is another source of knowledge in big department stores. Whenever you see three or four shop girls whispering together, accompanied by bracelets jingling, as if talking about irrelevant topics, don't think they are criticizing Ethel's hair style there. This meeting may not be as grand as a man's deliberation meeting; But it is no less important than Eve's first meeting with her eldest daughter. At that meeting, they made Adam understand his proper position in the family. It was a women's conference against the world and men, defending and exchanging offensive and defensive strategies. The world is a stage, and men are spectators throwing bouquets on it. Women are the weakest and most helpless of all small animals-they have the elegance of a deer, but not its agility; There is the beauty of a bird, but there is no ability to fly; There is the honey brew of bees, but there is none-oh, let's give up that metaphor-someone may be stung.

In this kind of military meeting, they supply weapons to each other in exchange for the strategies they created and worked out in their life tactics.

"I told him," said Sadie, "how presumptuous you are! Who do you think I am to say such things to me? Guess what he said to me? "

heads with different colors of hair, brown, black, flaxen, red and yellow, are put together; Found the answer, decided to tit-for-tat words, ready to later everyone to * * * with the enemy-men-used in a debate.

therefore, Nancy learned the art of defense; For women, successful defense means victory.

the courses in department stores are all-inclusive. I'm afraid no other university can better train her to achieve her lifelong wish: winning the lottery in marriage.

her position in the shop is favorable. The music department is not far from the department where she works, which gives her a chance to get familiar with the works of first-rate composers-at least to the degree of familiarity, pretending to have the ability to appreciate music in the social world where she is trying to get involved. She has also been cultivated from works of art, expensive and exquisite fabrics, and decorations that can almost replace women's cultivation.

before long, all the other salesgirls discovered Nancy's ambition. "Here comes your millionaire, Nancy." Whenever a man who looks like a rich man approaches Nancy's counter, they greet Nancy like this. When men accompany their wives out to buy things, they are bored and always go to the handkerchief counter to look at linen handkerchiefs. Nancy's imitation, noble bearing and real beauty are very attractive to them. So many men came to her to show off their style. Some of them may be real millionaires, and the rest are just fakes. Nancy learned the trick of identification. There is a window at the end of the handkerchief counter; From above, she can see the rows of cars waiting for their owners to buy things in the shop. She has seen a lot and knows that cars are different from their owners.

On one occasion, a gentleman with extraordinary manners bought four dozen handkerchiefs and flirted with her across the counter with the style of King Copithua. After he left, a salesgirl said,

"What's the matter, Nancy, you were not affectionate with that man just now. In my opinion, he is a real rich man. "

"him?" Nancy said with the most indifferent, charming and detached Van Alstin Fisher smile, "I don't like it. I saw him come by car. A 12-horsepower car and an Irish driver! Do you know what kind of handkerchief he bought? -silk! And he also has finger inflammation. Sorry, I want to be a real rich man, otherwise I would rather not. "

There are two most fashionable women in the shop-one is the head waiter and the other is the cashier-and they have several "rich boyfriends" who often go out together. Once, they invited Nancy to go with them. That dinner was eaten in a magnificent restaurant, where seats for New Year's Eve dinner were reserved one year in advance. There are two "boyfriends" here, one is bald (we can prove that the luxurious life has caused him to lose all his hair), and the other is a young man. He uses two convincing ways to make you appreciate his worth and sophistication: one is that he wears diamond cufflinks; The other is that he always curses that any wine smells of cork. The young man found something unusual in Nancy. His hobby is inclined to shop girls; And the one in front of him, in addition to the relatively straightforward charm of her own class, also has the talk and demeanor of the upper class to which he belongs. So, the next day he went to the department store, bought a box of Irish linen handkerchief bleached by indigenous methods, and solemnly proposed to her. Nancy flatly refused. Ten paces away, a colleague with brown hair in Pompadou style has been watching and listening. After the suitor left, she gave Nancy a good scolding.

"You are such a hopeless little fool! That guy is a millionaire-he's the nephew of old man Van Skittles. And he is sincere. Are you crazy, Nancy? "

"me?" Nancy said. "I didn't promise him, did I? In fact, he is not a millionaire, which is not ugly at all. His family only gives him 2 thousand yuan a year. At dinner that day, the bald guy made fun of him about it. "

The girl with brown hair in Pompadou style narrowed her eyes and came closer.

"What do you want?