Itwastheoldlady’seightiethbirthday.ShewassureMyrawouldn’tforgethermother’sbirthday,evenifshewasbusy.Afterall,eightywasaspecialbirthday.PerhapsMyramightcome.EvenifMyradidnotcome,shewouldsendapresent.Theoldladywassureofthat.Twospotsofcolourbrightenedhercheeks.Shewasexcitedlikeachild.
Mrs.Morrisonhadbroughtacardandabunchofflowerswhenshecametodothebreakfast.Mrs.Grantdownstairshadmadeacake.Johnnie,thelittleboynextdoor,wasnowupwithherwithapacketofsweets.
“Iguessyou’llgetlotsandlotsofpresents,”hesaid.“IdidlastweekwhenIwassix.”
Whatwouldshelike?Apairofslippers,perhaps.Abluenewcardigan(羊毛衫).Oratablelamp.Oralittleclock,withclearblacknumbers.Somanylovelythings.
Shestoodbythewindow,watching.Thepostmanturnedroundthecorneronhisbicycle.Herheartbeatfast.Johnniehadseenhimtooandrantothegate.
“Granny,granny,”Johnniereturned.“I’vegotyourpost!”
Hegaveherfourenvelopes.Threewerefromoldfriends.ThefourthwasinMyra’swriting.
“Noparcel(包裹),Johnnie?”
“No,granny.”
Almostreluctantly,shetorethefourthenvelopeopen.Foldedinthecardwasacheck.Writtenonthecardwasamessage:HappyBirthday—Buyyourselfsomethingnicewiththecheck,MyraandHarold.
Thesix-figurecheckfelltothefloorlikeabirdwithabrokenwing.Slowlytheoldladybenttopickitup.Herpresent,herlovelypresent.Withtremblingfingersshetoreitintolittlebits.
小题1:Ascanbeinferredfromthepassage,_______.