Chapter 12 Chapter Eleven Shopping for Christmas

"I can smell snow," said Jane as she got off the bus. "I smell a Christmas tree," Michael said. "I smell fish," said Aunt Mary. But there was no time to smell anything else, because the bus stopped in front of the world's largest department store, and they were going in to do their Christmas shopping. "Shall we look in the window first?" Michael asked vigorously, hopping on one foot. "As you please," said Aunt Mary with surprising tenderness.Jane and Michael were not really surprised, because they knew that Aunt Mary loved looking at shop windows.They also knew that they were looking at toys and books and holly boughs and plum cakes in the glass cases, but Aunt Mary only looked at her own reflection in the glass.

"Look at the plane!" Michael said quickly, seeing a toy plane flying back and forth on a wire in a display window. "Look here," said Jane, "there are two black dolls in a cradle . . . chocolate or china, do you think?" "Look how pretty you are!" said Mary to herself, especially when she saw how pretty her new fur gloves were.This is the first time she wears this kind of gloves, and she really likes them on the cabinet A?Not tired.From the gloves to her whole being--coat, hat, scarf, and shoes, herself included--she thought she had never seen anyone so beautiful.But she knew that in winter the days were short, and they had to go home by tea time.So she sighed and turned away from her pretty shadow.

"We've got to go in," she said, and ended up spending half the day at the sewing supply counter, picking out a ball of black thread with great difficulty, much to the dismay of Jane and Michael. "The toy department is over there," Michael reminded her. "Thank you, I know. Don't point fingers." She paid, exasperatingly slow. But at last they came to Santa Claus, who struggled to help them choose presents. "It's just right for Dad," Michael picked out a clockwork train with a special signal light, "I'll keep it for him when he goes to work."

"I'd like to get this for my mother," said Jane, speaking of a toy stroller, which she was sure her mother had always wanted. "She lends me a pushchair sometimes." Then Michael picked out a box of hairpins for each of the twins, a set of dressing utensils for the mother, a stripped beetle for Robertson Ai, and a pair of glasses for Ellen (Ellen has no eyes. a little bug), picked out a pair of shoelaces for Mrs. Brill (although Mrs. Brill always wore slippers). Jane thought about it, and finally decided that the fake white shirt front was just what Dad wanted, and bought a copy for the twins to read when they were older.

"I can see it myself before they grow up," she said, "and they'll certainly lend it to me." Then Aunt Mary and Santa Claus fought for a long time for a piece of soap. "Why don't you buy a lifebuoy card?" Santa Claus wanted to help her, and looked at Aunt Mary anxiously, because she was in a hurry. "I want a Venolia." She said proudly, and bought one. "My God," she said, stroking the hair on her right glove, "I don't even want to drink tea!" "Then you can think a quarter of it?" Michael asked. "I didn't tell you to be joking," said Aunt Mary, and it seemed to Michael that what she said was not in jest.

"But it's time to go home." oops!She finally said the sentence they wanted her not to say.Aunt Mary is always like this. "Five more minutes," Jane begged her. "Just five minutes, Aunt Mary! You look so good in your new gloves," said Michael slyly.Although Aunt Mary liked this sentence, she was not fooled. "No." After she finished speaking, she immediately closed her mouth and strode towards the door. "Oh, my God!" said Michael to himself, carrying his heavy bags, swaying after her. "It would be nice if she said 'yes' just once!"

But Aunt Mary hurried on, and they had to follow.Santa Claus waved behind them, and the fairy queen and all the dolls on the Christmas tree were sad but smiling and said: "Who will take us there!" Say: "Let me fly! Oh, please let me fly!" Jane and Michael didn't listen to the boisterous voices, but felt that time somehow passed so fast in the toy department. They had just arrived at the door when something strange happened. When they were about to turn the revolving glass door to go out, they saw the figure of a girl running towards them flickering outside the door. "Look!" said Jane and Michael in unison.

"My God, how strange!" cried Aunt Mary, stopping. It was really strange, because the girl had no clothes at all, and only a blue veil was hanging lightly around her body, which seemed to be torn from the sky and wrapped around her naked body. She obviously didn't know much about revolving doors, and she turned and turned in the door, and the door was pushed faster and faster, and she kept turning around, laughing.Then she slipped out all at once and jumped into the shop. She stood on tiptoe and turned her head to and fro as if looking for someone, when she suddenly saw Jane, Michael and Aunt Mary half hidden behind the big Christmas tree, and she was very happy and ran over happily.

"Oh, there you are! Thank you for waiting for me. I'm afraid I'm a little late," said the child, spreading her shining arms to Jane and Michael. "Well," she tilted her head, "are you happy to see me? Say you're happy, say you're happy!" "Happy," said Jane with a smile, because she felt that no one could be unhappy to see such a bright and happy person. "But who are you?" she asked curiously. "Who am I? What's my name? You don't know me? Oh, of course..." The girl looked very surprised and a little disappointed.Suddenly she turned to Aunt Mary and pointed at her.

"She knows me. Don't you know me? I'm sure you know me!" Aunt Mary had a strange look on her face.Jane and Michael saw her eyes glow with blue fire, as if the girl's blue veil and her light were reflected in it. "Your name...your name..." Aunt Mary said softly, "is the first word Ma?" The child jumped up with one foot in joy. "Of course you do. Maya. My name is Maya." She turned to Jane and Michael. "You know me now, don't you? I'm the second child of the Seven Sisters. The eldest is Elektro, and she can't come because she has to take care of Merope. Merope is a suckling baby, and she is the youngest. The middle five were also little girls. Our mother was disappointed at first that there were no boys, but now she doesn't care."

The girl jumped a few steps, and said again in her excited little voice: "Oh, Jane! Oh, Michael! I used to watch you from the sky, and now I'm really talking to you. I don't know anything about you." Yes. Michael is afraid of brushing his hair, and Jane has a ￥—#—￥ egg in a jam jar on the fireplace. Your daddy is starting to go bald on the top of his head. I like him. He was the one who introduced us first, remember? Last year One summer evening he said, "Look, that's the Seven Sisters.Seven stars together, is the smallest star in the sky.There is one you cannot see. " "The star he meant, of course, was Merope. She was too small to be there all night. She was a nursing baby and had to go to bed early. We were in the sky, we were called Seven Sisters, and sometimes Seven Pigeons, Orion called us 'you little girls' and took us hunting." "But what are you doing here?" Michael still felt strange and asked her. Maya laughed. "Ask Aunt Mary. I'm sure she knows." "Tell us, Aunt Mary," said Jane. "Well," said Aunt Mary quickly, "I suppose it's not just you two shopping for Christmas... ..." "That's right," Maya squealed happily. "She's right. I'm coming down to buy toys for the guys. You know, we can't come down often because we're busy making and storing the spring rain there. This is the Seven Sisters star cluster." Special mission. We managed to stock up enough so I could get down. Good luck, eh?" She happily hugged her shoulders. "Okay, come on. I can't delay. You guys have to go back and help me pick." She danced around them, jumping on this side and that side, leading them back to the toy department. As they walked, a large group of customers stood watching, so surprised that they dropped their bags. "She's so cold. What did her parents do!" said the mothers, their voices suddenly soft. "I said," it was the fathers this time, "that's not allowed. A letter to the Times has to be written." Their voices were particularly angry. The pickets in the company were also weird, they walked by, and these pickets bowed to Maya as if they were queens.But Jane, Michael, Aunt Mary, and Maya were too busy thinking about their adventure. "Here we go!" Maya said, jumping into the toy department. "What shall we pick?" The salesman was surprised when he saw them, and immediately bowed politely. "I want to give each sister something, six in total. Please help me choose." Maya smiled at him. "Of course, miss." The salesman agreed immediately. "Number one is my big sister," said Maya, "who loves to do housework. How about that little stove, and those silver frying pans? correct.And that striped broom.Cosmic dust is terribly annoying.She'll be glad to have this broom sweeping them away. "The salesperson wrapped these things in floral paper. "Now for Teggett. She loves to jump. Jane, do you see a pair of skipping ropes for her? Will you tie them up carefully?" she said to the salesman. "I've got to go a long way. " She didn't stop for a moment, floating like quicksilver among the toys, and still seemed to be flashing in the sky.She kept coming to Aunt Mary, Jane, and Michael for advice, and they couldn't take their eyes off her. "It's Archione's turn. She's difficult. She's always quietly thinking, and never seems to want anything. Aunt Marie, how about choosing a book for her? What kind of family is this? The Swiss Family Roux Binsun? I think she'll enjoy reading it. She can read the illustrations instead. Wrap it up, please!" She handed the book to the salesperson. "I know what Keleno wants," she went on, "a hoop. She can roll the hoop in the sky by day and have it go round her by night. She'll love the red and blue one." Salesman He bowed again and wrapped up the hoop. "There are only two little ones left now. Michael, what did you say to Sturpe?" "How about a top?" Michael replied after careful consideration. "A humming top? What an idea! She'd love to see it whirl and hum under the sky. And what do you say to her, Baby Merope, Jane?" "Rubber ducks for John and Barbara!" said Jane shyly. Maya cheered and hugged her shoulders. "Oh, Jane, how clever you are! I would never have thought of that. Please give Merope a rubber duck, the blue one with the yellow eyes." As the salesman tied up the packages, Maya walked around him, feeling the wrapping paper and pulling on the string to see if it was securely tied. "Very well," she said, "I can't lose any of it." Michael has been guarding her since the first time he saw her, and turned to Aunt Mary and whispered loudly: "But she didn't bring a wallet. Who paid her for these toys?" "None of your business," said Aunt Mary sharply, "and it's not polite to bite your ear," she said, feeling her pockets hastily. "What did you say?" Maya asked with rounded eyes in surprise, "Pay? Don't pay. Don't pay, right?" She turned to look at the salesman with shining eyes. "You don't have to pay at all, Miss." He said, putting the big bag into her arms, and bowed again. "I thought so too. See," she said, turning to Michael, "Christmas has to be given, isn't it? And what can I pay for? There's no money in the sky," she said, laughing. "Now we have to go," she said, taking Michael's arm. "We all have to go home. It's getting late, and I heard your mother tell you you gotta go home at tea time. Besides, I have to go back. Come on." She led Michael, Jane, and Aunt Mary through the shop to the revolving door. Out of the door, Jane suddenly said: "But she has no presents herself. She has picked out things for her sisters, but not for herself. Maya has no Christmas presents." She hurriedly searched among the bags she brought to see which one she could give to Maya. Aunt Mary glanced quickly at the window beside her.She saw her shining reflection, very pretty, very funny, her hat stiff, her coat close, and her new gloves made her look even better. "Don't be busy," she said to Jane in her crispest voice.Before long, she took off her new gloves and slipped one into Maya's hand. "Here you are!" she said gruffly. "It's cold today. You'll be glad to wear it!" Maya looked at the glove, it was too big and almost empty on the hand.Without speaking, she approached Aunt Mary, put her free arm around Aunt Mary's neck, and kissed her.They looked at each other for a while, smiling knowingly.Then Mary turned and touched Jane and Michael lightly on the cheeks.They formed a circle in the air vent at the corner, and looked at each other for a long time, happily. "I'm so happy," said Mary softly, breaking the silence. "Don't forget me, don't you?" They shook their heads. "Goodbye," Maya said. "Goodbye," said the others, though it was the last thing they wanted to say. Then Maya stood on tiptoe, raised her hands, and jumped up.She walked up step by step in the air, higher and higher, as if there were invisible stairs leading to the gray sky.She walked all the way and turned her head to wave to them, and the three of them waved to her too. "What's the matter?" said someone nearby. "It's impossible," said another voice. "Absurd!" said a third.But it seems that a large crowd has gathered, and they can testify to the strange fact that Maya went home. A policeman pushes through the crowd and tells everyone to move with a baton. "Hey, what's the matter? What happened?" He raised his head and followed everyone to look up to the sky. "Hey!" he yelled angrily, shaking his fist at Maya. "Come down! What are you doing up there? Obstructing traffic. Come down! You can't do this in public places. It's against the rules!" People heard Maya's laughter in the distance, and saw something shiny dangling under her arm.That's the skipping rope.The bag finally fell apart. A moment later, they saw her hopping up the air stairs, and then a cloud hid her.But they knew she was behind the clouds, for there was light shining along the edges of the thick black clouds. "Oh, I can't stand it!" said the policeman, looking up, desperately clutching his head under the hat. "It deserves it!" said Aunt Mary, in such a fierce voice that one would have thought she was really angry at the police.But Jane and Michael didn't think so.Because they saw something in Aunt Mary's eye, and if it wasn't Aunt Mary but someone else, they could call it a tear... "Could this be something we imagined?" Michael said when they went home and told their mother about it. "Maybe," said Mother, "we can think of anything quaint and lovely, my darling." "But what about Aunt Mary's gloves?" said Jane. "We saw her give them to Maya. She has no gloves now. So it must be true! " "What, Mary Poppins!" cried Ma. "Your best fur glove! You gave it away!" Aunt Mary sniffed. "The glove is mine, and I can do what I like with it!" she said proudly. She adjusted her hat and went to the kitchen to prepare her tea...