k
    ,,*apt} ,,n9ete5
     ,,*ri/mas ,,memories
     ,,dec4` #aici

,=a man's life 3si/e? n 9 ! abund.e (! ?+s : he possesse?4
--,luke #ab3ae;b1

  ,s"eal l;g1 cold "ds _h pass$4 ,x 0 ,*ri/mas ,eve4 ,rudi sat al"o 9 ! =e/ 0! fire1 w>m+ hmf & ?9k+ on all ! ,*ri/mases t _h g"o 2f4
  ,he saw hmf 2s a di6}5t fire1 8 "f s1t$ next 6hm4 ,!y _h _h _! fill ( ,*ri/mas d9n}1 & 7 n{ settl+ d{n 6r1d ! ,*ri/mas /ory & op5 _! pres5ts4 ,rudi recall$ 8 "f's /r;g1 mell{ voice z he r1d ! ,scripture4 ,he !n rememb}$ ! look ( pl1sure on 8 "f's face z he wat*$ ,rudi exam9e ea* new gift he op5$4 ,he rememb}$1 t,oo1 8 {n feel+ ( satisfac;n :5 he saw t 8 "f 0 pl1s$ )! gift ,rudi _h c>e;lly *os5 = hm4
  ,s* memories tum#d 96,rudi's m9d "o ~u ano!r4 ,z !y did1 he 2gan 6r1lize "s?+ ab all ! ,*ri/mas ,eves & morn+s he _h "kn4 ,he 2gan 6awak5 6! fact t all ! pl1sant memories 7 n c5t}$ 9 ! w>m? ( fires1 9 ! food or fe/ivities1 or ev5 9 ! pres5ts4 ,!y 7 c5t}$ 9 8 "f4
  ,ev5 9 ! =e/ he cd make a fire4 ,& ?anks 6,osc>1 he cd al f9d a way 6eat 8 fill4 ,z =! pres5ts1 ,rudi 0 c}ta9 t ev5 if he _h _h a c>tload ( gifts1 !y cd n h *e}$ hm4
  8,p1 p >e important1 ,rudi1 n ?+s40 ,h{ _m "ts he _h he>d 8 "f say ~? ~ws1 b only n{ did he feel t he truly "u/ood4
  ,r1*+ 9side 8 coat pocket1 he pull$ | 8 "m's la/ unop5$ lr4 ,he ran 8 f+}s ov} x c>e;lly4 ,despite 8 c>e1 x _h 2come wr9kl$ & soil$ dur+ 8 travel+ 9 ! =e/4
  ,p}h1 he ?"|1 ,i'll g ah1d & op5 x tn4 ,he r1son$ t 8 bir?"d seem$ s v f> away1 & r1d+ ! lr n{ wd 2 "s?+ special he cd d1 "s?+ t wd make ! ni<t seem m l ,*ri/mas ,eve4
  ,he laid ! 5velope acr 8 knee & g5tly ran 8 h&s ov} x 6smoo? x |4 ,!n )a decisive air he turn$ x ov} & tore x op51 & l1n+ close 6! fire1 he unfold$ x & 2gan 6r1d4

,nov4 #ae1 #aidj ,de> ,rudi1
  ,9 my f/ lr ,i promis$ y t 9 lat} lrs ,i wd tell y m ( :at ,i knew ab yr "f4 ,s9ce ? is probably ! la/ lr ,i w 2 writ+ y1 x is "t 6keep t promise4
  ,i'll 2g9 0tell+ y t ,i h "kn few m5 :o >e z /r;g1 z wise1 or z k9d z yr ""f4 ,he possesses qualities t evoke respect f m5 9 man ,,*ri/mas ,,memories any age4 ,_h he liv$ 9 ano!r "t1 he mi<t h be5 a gallant kni<t1 a no# w>rior1 or a wor?y sage4
  ,( c|rse1 "! wd 2 ~? :o wd 4cr$it my a3.t ( hm 0say+ t ,i see hm too m* "? love's eyes4 ,b ,i am safe ) y1 = ,i imag9e t y see hm "? ! same eyes4 ,& 6s* critics we c say1 :o wd "k hm bett} ?an y & ,i8 ,i wd po9t |1 too1 t if a man c e>n ! love & admir,n ( 8 family1 he w h ll di6iculty 9 secur+ ! respect ( 8 nei<bors4 ,any h"o/ man admit t x is easi} 6be ?"| no# 9 public ?an x is 6be 3si/5tly s at home4
  ,b 5 ( 8public0 op9ion4 ,my 3c}n is n ) yr "f's reput,n1 = ,i ?9k we bo? agree on ! k9d ( man he is4 ,my 3c}n is t y "k h{ he came 6be s* a man4 ,x c 2 /at$ simply3 ,he le>n$ e>ly ! import.e ( dy+ 6self4 ,& ,i h wat*$ hm die ag & ag ov} ! ye>s4 ,if y w wat* hm closely1 y w see ! same4 ,don't mis"u/& me3 x has n alw be5 easy = hm4 ,dy+ is n"e easy4 ,despite ! h>d%ip1 h{"e1 he has seldom fail$4
  ,b h{ c a man--or boy--"k t he has su3e$$ 9 dy+ 6self8 ,y m/ ask yrf4 ,c ,i easily =give "s"o :o's hurt me8 ,c ,i *e};lly meet "s"o else's ne$1 "k+ t ,i w n"e rcv any?+ 9 return8 ,or c ,i d "s gd de$ or a3ompli% "s h>d task & 2 3t5t t ano!r rcvs ! cr$it = :at ,i h d"o8
  ,if y c d s* ?+s1 ,rudi1 y h 2gun 6die 6self4 ,= y h c1s$ rjcg 9 ! glory t do+ gd c br+ & h />t$ rjcg 9 ! gd xf4
  ,s1 ,i ask y1 son1 :ile y >e "y1 6die will+ly4 ,until y d1 y w 2 only a %ad{ ( :at y cd 2come4 ,z y "k1 a %ad{ only looks l a man4 ,l;g ago yr "f c1s$ 2+ %ad{ & 2came a man4 ,2 z he is1 ,rudi1 & nei ,god nor ,i % "e h cause 6be 4appo9t$ 9 y4
  ,love1 ,"m
  ,z ,rudi sat 0! fire & ?"| ab 8 "m & "f1 he 0 fill$ )a l;g+ unlike any he _h "e "kn4 ,x 0 a l;g+ =! _w 6be z ,god 9t5d$ x1 &)! l;g+ came a desire t he %d help 6make x s4
  ,x seem$ =! f/ "t t he _h 2gun 6see ?+s cle>ly4 ,hav+ se51 he felt t he cd n"e ag 2 satisfi$ )! h}oic de$s t took place only 9 8 imag9,n4 ,lo/ 9 s* ?"|1 ,rudi fail$ 6fe$ ! fire1 & he n{ r1liz$ t x 0 dw9dl+4 ,a w9t} sleet _h />t$4 ,r ?an try 6rek9dle ! fire1 he decid$ t x wd 2 bett} = hm 6h1d t{>d "o (! villages & f9d an op5 b>n 6sleep in4 ,"! he cd /ay dry & get a gd ni<t's sleep z well4 ,2ss he felt l walk+4 ,af ?r{+ sn{ on ! la/ emb}s (! fire1 he set |4
  ,at dawn ! next morn+ ,rudi 0 half-r|s$ f sleep 0a ru/l+ s.d4 ,x 0 fa9t1 s fa9t t he soon decid$ he _h be5 only dr1m+4 ,he turn$ on 8 side1 &! /r;g smell ( damp hay rem9d$ hm t he 0 9side "s"o's b>n & t he ne$$ 6get up & move on 2f ! "d 2gan4 ,reluctantly he /ood1 bru%$ hmf (f1 & h1d$ t{>d ! la4} at ! 5d (! l(t4 ,he _h j />t$ 8 desc5t :5' he he>d ! ru/l+ s.d ag4 ,he _h n be5 dr1m+4 ,he scann$ ! l(t c>e;lly1 b x 0 / v e>ly & di6icult 6see cle>ly4 ,he ?"| ( climb+ back up & tak+ a clos} look b decid$ ag/ x4 ,x seem$ wis} 6get mov+4
  ,he made 8 desc5t z qkly z possi# & h1d$ =! door4 ,b z he did1 he turn$ back & ?"| he saw ! |tl9e ( ano!r figure -+ d{n ! la4}4 ,he wd h bolt$ | ! door1 b ! =m seem$ small & un/1dy4
  ,decid+ he _h no?+ 6fe>1 he return$ 6! foot (! la4} & wait$4 ,x wasn't l;g 2f a ll girl /epp$ d{n & /ood 2f hm4 ,z %e /ood look+ up at hm expectantly1 he notic$ t %e held a ra7$ /u6$ ra2it ti<tly 0! e>4
  ,x o3urr$ 6hm t he _h possibly be5 sleep+ 9 h} family's b>n4 ,b he qkly 4miss$ ! ?"| = he cd n imag9e any p>5ts s5d+ _! ll girl | 6sleep 9 ! l(t4
  ,he !n rememb}$ ,osc> tell+ hm ( *n :o slept 9 b>ns & be7$ food f ! villag}s4 ,b surely ? ll girl 0 too "y 6su3e$ at s* a life4 ,0h} size1 he guess$ t %e cd 2 no m ?an ab ?ree or f|r4
  8,:at >e y do+ "h80 he ask$4 ,%e sd no?+4 ,%e simply /ood "! z if wait+ = ,rudi 6d "s?+4
  ,he knelt d{n 6get a bett} look at h}4 ,x 0 !n he r1liz$ t he _h se5 ? ll girl 2f4 ,x 0 ! same ll girl t he _h c>$ = 8 f/ "d at ! hospital '''! same "o ~: si/} _h be5 kill$ 9 ! field4
  ,al? %e 0 pal}1 ?9n} ?an %e _h be5 2f1 %e 0 / a lovely ll girl4 ,h} d>k hair & l>ge1 d>k eyes made h} sk9 03tra/ seem t m* :it}4
  ,rudi & 8 "f _h be5 =c$ 6l1ve ! hospital 2f %e recov}$ f h} w.ds4 ,z a result !y _h n"e 4cov}$ :e!r h} "m & "f _h be5 f.d4 ,n{ he hesitat$ 6ask4
  8,": d y live80 he f9,y ask$4
  ,%e / sd no?+4 ,& he rememb}$ 8 "f's say+1 8,%e has n sd a ~w s9ce "o (! soldi}s br"| h} "h40
  ,x o3urr$ 6hm t maybe %e n"e _h sd any?+1 or at l1/ _h n spok5 s9ce t f/ "d he _h met h}4 ,he wond}$ if %e ev5 "u/ood :at he 0 say+1 & he decid$ 6try "o m "t4
  8,d y sleep "h e ni<t80 he ask$4
  ,x 0 no use2 %e wd n or cd n reply4 8,well10 he sd1 /&+1 8y're welcome 6-e al;g ) me--t is1 if y don't h any": else 6g4 ,i c take c>e ( y4 ,i c get u ?+s 6eat & make sure t we >e w>m & dry at ni<t40
  ,a fa9t smile spr1d acr h} face4
  8,-e on1 if y want10 he sd1 mov+ t{>d ! door4 8,we re,y %d get | ( "h 2f ! f>m}s wake up4 ,y "k !y wake up aw;lly e>ly40
  ,cat*+ up 6hm1 %e r1*$ up & took 8 h&4 ,x seem$ s small 9side 8 {n4
  8,y "k10 he sd1 /opp+1 8,i don't ev5 "k yr "n1 & s9ce y don't seem 6be a# 6tell me1 ,i'm go+ 6h 6?9k ( "s?+ 6call y4 ,i m1n1 ,i c't g >.d call+ y ,8ll girl10' c ,i80
  ,he wait$1 b %e made no ge/ure or *ange ( expres.n 69dicate :e!r %e object$4
  8,h{ ab if ,i call y ,9grid8 ,t 0 my "m's "n1 & x's a v pretty "n1 ,i ?9k4 ,is t all "r ) y80
  ,%e no4$4 ,rudi 0 5c|rag$4 ,despite h} sil;e %e def9itely "u/ood :at 0 sd 6h}4
  8,gd10 he sd4 8,!n x's settl$40
  ,he pu%$ ! b>n door op5 c>e;lly & look$ |4 ,"ey?+ 0 / quiet4 ,he /epp$ |1 keep+ a firm hold on h} h&4
  ,!y _h gott5 pa/ ! f>m}'s cottage & 7 h1d+ t{>d ! op5 field1 :5 ! ll girl /opp$ abruptly4
  8,:at's wr;g80 ask$ ,rudi4 ,%e _h su45ly 2come f"r5$4
  8,-e on10 he urg$4 8,we re,y m/ 2 go+2 "!'s n m* "t40
  ,/ %e wd n move4
  ,he look$ | ov} ! field try+ 6see if "! 0 any?+ 6f"r5 h}4 ,"! 0 no?+4
  ,! field1 he ?"|1 look+ d{n at h}4 ,maybe x's ! field t %e's afraid (4 ,af all1 h{ c %e 2 sure t "! >e n ,g}man planes wait+ = h} 6/ep | 96! op5 space ag8
  ,/1 !y _h 6cross t field4 ,"! 0 no o!r way 96! =e/4
  8,h{ ab if ,i c>ry y80 he sd1 te/+ h}4
  ,%e rema9$ immova#1 look+ d{n at ! gr.d 2f h}4
  8,i promise t ,i won't let any?+ happ510 he assur$ h}4
  ,%e look$ up sl{ly & /udi$ 8 face = s"eal mo;ts4 ,at la/ %e r1*$ up & let hm take h}1 & z he set | acr ! field1 he rememb}$3 x 0 ,*ri/mas morn+4