以下是小編整理的情感類英語美文欣賞：遲到的情書， 希望對你有所感觸。

　　The Love letter

　　遲到的情書

　　I was always a little in awe of Great-auntStephina Roos. Indeed, as children we were allfrankly terrified of her. The fact that she did not livewith the family, preferring her tiny cottage andsolitude to the comfortable but rather noisyhousehold where we were brought up-added to therespectful fear in which she was held.

　　我對斯蒂菲娜老姑總是懷著敬畏之情。說實(shí)在話，我們幾個(gè)孩子對她都怕得要死。她不和家人一塊生活，寧愿住在她的小屋子里，而不愿住在舒舒服服、熱熱鬧鬧的家里--我們六個(gè)孩子都是在家里帶大的--這更加重了我們對她的敬畏之情。

　　We used to take it in turn to carry small delicacies which my mother had made down fromthe big house to the little cottage where Aunt Stephia and an old colored maid spent their days.Old Tnate Sanna would open the door to the rather frightened little messenger and wouldusher him-or her - into the dark voor-kamer, where the shutters were always closed to keepout the heat and the flies. There we would wait, in trembling but not altogether unpleasant.

　　我們經(jīng)常輪替著從我們住的大房子里帶些母親為她做的可口的食品到她和一名黑人女仆一塊過活的那間小屋里去。桑娜老姨總是為每一個(gè)上門來的怯生生的小使者打開房門，將他或她領(lǐng)進(jìn)昏暗的客廳。那里的百葉窗長年關(guān)閉著，以防熱氣和蒼蠅進(jìn)去。我們總是在那里哆哆嗦嗦、但又不是完全不高興地等著斯蒂菲娜老姑出來。

　　She was a tiny little woman to inspire so much veneration. She was always dressed inblack, and her dark clothes melted into the shadows of the voor-kamer and made her looksmaller than ever. But you felt. The moment she entered. That something vital and strong andsomehow indestructible had come in with her, although she moved slowly, and her voice wassweet and soft.

　　一個(gè)像她那樣身材纖細(xì)的女人居然能贏得我們?nèi)绱俗鹁?。她總是身穿黑色衣服，與客廳里的陰暗背景融成一體，將她的身材襯托得更加?jì)尚?。但她一進(jìn)門，我們就感到有一種說不清道不明、充滿活力和剛強(qiáng)的氣氛，盡管她的步子慢悠、聲調(diào)甜柔。

　　She never embraced us. She would greet us and take out hot little hands in her ownbeautiful cool one, with blue veins standing out on the back of it, as though the white skin werealmost too delicate to contain them.

　　她從不擁抱我們，但總是和我們寒暄，將我們熱乎乎的小手握在她那雙秀美清爽的手里，她的手背上露出一些青筋，就像手上白嫩的皮膚細(xì)薄得遮不住它們似的。

　　Tante Sanna would bring in dishes of sweet, sweet, sticky candy, or a great bowl of grapes orpeaches, and Great-aunt Stephina would converse gravely about happenings on the farm,and, more rarely, of the outer world.

　　桑娜阿姨每次都要端出幾碟粘乎乎的南非糖果和一缽葡萄或桃子給我們吃。斯蒂菲娜老姑總是一本正經(jīng)他說些農(nóng)場里的事，偶爾也談些外邊世界發(fā)生的事。

　　When we had finished our sweetmeats or fruit she would accompany us to the stoep,bidding us thank our mother for her gift and sending quaint, old-fashioned messages to herand the Father. Then she would turn and enter the house, closing the door behind, so that itbecame once more a place of mystery.

　　待我們吃完糖果或水果，她總要將我們送到屋前的門廊，叮囑我們要多謝母親給她送食品，要我們對父母親轉(zhuǎn)達(dá)一些稀奇古怪的老式祝愿，然后就轉(zhuǎn)身回到屋里，隨手關(guān)上門，使那里再次成為神秘世界。

　　As I grew older I found, rather to my surprise, that I had become genuinely fond of myaloof old great-aunt. But to this day I do not know what strange impulse made me takeGeorge to see her and to tell her, before I had confided in another living soul, of ourengagement. To my astonishment, she was delighted.

　　讓我感到吃驚的是，隨著我逐漸長大，我發(fā)現(xiàn)打心眼里喜歡起我那位孤伶伶的老姑姑來。至今我仍不知道那是一種什么樣的奇異動力，使我在還沒有透露給別人之前就把喬治領(lǐng)去看望姑姑，告訴她我們已經(jīng)訂婚的消息。不成想，聽到這個(gè)消息以后，她竟非常高興。

　　"An Englishman,"she exclaimed."But that is splendid, splendid. And you,"she turned toGeorge,"you are making your home in this country? You do not intend to return to Englandjust yet?"

　　"是英國人!"她驚訝地大聲說道，"好極了。你，"她轉(zhuǎn)向喬治，"你要在南非安家嗎?你現(xiàn)在不打算回國吧?"

　　She seemed relieved when she heard thatGeorge had bought a farm near our own farm andintended to settle in South Africa. She becamequite animated, and chattered away to him.

　　當(dāng)她聽說喬治已經(jīng)在我們農(nóng)場附近購置了一片農(nóng)場并打算定居下來時(shí)，好像松了一口氣。她興致勃勃地和喬治攀談起來。

　　After that I would often slip away to the little cottageby the mealie lands. Once she was somewhat disappointed on hearing that we had decided towait for two years before getting married, but when she learned that my father and motherwere both pleased with the match she seemed reassured.

　　從那以后，我常常到那所位于玉米地邊的小屋。有一次，當(dāng)斯蒂菲娜老姑聽說我們決定再過兩年結(jié)婚時(shí)，露出了失望的神色，但一聽說我的父母親都對這門親事滿意時(shí)，她又放寬了心。

　　Still, she often appeared anxious about my love affair, and would ask questions thatseemed to me strange, almost as though she feared that something would happen to destroymy romance. But I was quite unprepared for her outburst when I mentioned that Georgethought of paying a lightning visit to England before we were married."He must not do it,"shecried."Ina, you must not let him go. Promise me you will prevent him."she was trembling allover. I did what I could to console her, but she looked so tired and pale that I persuaded herto go to her room and rest, promising to return the next day.

　　但她對我的婚姻大事還是經(jīng)常掛在嘴邊。她常常問一些怪怪的問題，幾乎像擔(dān)心我的婚事會告吹一樣。當(dāng)我提到喬治打算在婚前匆匆回一趟國時(shí)，她竟激動了起來。只見她渾身哆嗦著大聲嚷道："他不能回去!愛娜!你不能放他走，你得答應(yīng)我不放他走!"我盡力安慰她，但她還是顯得萎靡不振。我只得勸她回屋休息，并答應(yīng)第二天再去看她。

　　When I arrived I found her sitting on the stoep. She looked lonely and pathetic, and for thefirst time I wondered why no man had ever taken her and looked after her and loved her.Mother had told me that Great-aunt Stephina had been lovely as a young girl, and although notrace of that beauty remained, except perhaps in her brown eyes, yet she looked so small andappealing that any man, one felt, would have wanted to protect her.

　　我第二天去看她時(shí)，她正坐在屋前的門廊上，流露出抑郁孤寂的神情。我第一次感到納悶：以前怎么沒有人娶她、照料和愛撫她呢?記得母親曾經(jīng)說過，斯蒂菲娜老姑以前曾是一個(gè)楚楚可愛的小姑娘。盡管除了她那褐色的眼睛尚能保留一點(diǎn)昔日的風(fēng)韻之外，她的美貌早已蕩然無存。但她看上去還是那樣小巧玲瓏、惹人愛憐，引起男人們的惜香憐玉之情。 　　She paused, as though she did not quite know how to begin.

　　Then she seemed to give herself, mentally, a little shake. "You must have wondered ", she said, "why I was so upset at the thought of young George's going to England without you. I am anold woman, and perhaps I have the silly fancies of the old, but I should like to tell you my ownlove story, and then you can decide whether it is wise for your man to leave you before you aremarried."

　　我走到她的跟前。她拍著身邊的椅子，淡淡一笑。"坐下吧，親愛的，"她說，"我有話要告訴你。"她欲言又止，好像不知道話從何說起似的。接著，她仿佛振作了起來。她說："我聽你說喬治要回國，又不帶你走，心里非常不安。我這份心事你是不明白的。我是一個(gè)老婆子了，大概還懷著老人們的那顆癡心吧。不過，我想把自己的愛情故事講給你聽。這樣你就能明白在你們結(jié)婚之前讓你的未婚夫離開你，是不是一個(gè)明智之舉。"

　　"I was quite a young girl when I first met Richard Weston. He was an Englishman whoboarded with the Van Rensburgs on the next farm, four or five miles from us. Richard was notstrong. He had a weak chest, and the doctors had sent him to South Africa so that the dry aircould cure him. He taught the Van Rensburg children, who were younger than I was, though weoften played together, but he did this for pleasure and not because he needed money.

　　"我第一次遇見理查德·威斯頓時(shí)還是一個(gè)年輕姑娘。他是一個(gè)英國人，寄宿在我家附近四、五英里一個(gè)農(nóng)場上的范·倫斯堡家里。他身體不好，胸悶氣短。醫(yī)生讓他去南非讓干燥的氣候治好他的病。他教倫斯堡的孩子們念書，他們都比我小，盡管我們經(jīng)常在一塊玩。理查德是以教書為樂，并不是為了賺錢。

　　"We loved one another from the first moment we met, though we did not speak of our loveuntil the evening of my eighteenth birthday. All our friends and relatives had come to my party,and in the evening we danced on the big old carpet which we had laid down in the barn. Richardhad come with the Van Rensburgs, and we danced together as often as we dared, which wasnot very often, for my father hated the Uitlanders. Indeed, for a time he had quarreled withMynheer Van Rensburg for allowing Richard to board with him, but afterwards he got used tothe idea, and was always polite to the Englishman, though he never liked him.

　　"我和理查德是一見鐘情，盡管直到我18歲生日那天我們才表示彼此的愛慕之情。那天晚上的舞會上，我們的親友都來了。我們在倉房里鋪上一條寬大的舊毛毯，翩翩起舞。我和他壯起膽子頻頻起舞。但事實(shí)上，沒有多少次，因?yàn)槲业母赣H很討厭'洋人'。有一次，他曾抱怨說倫斯堡先生不應(yīng)該讓理查德寄住在他的家里，為此還跟他吵過一場，他后來就習(xí)以為常了。雖談不上喜歡，但對這個(gè)英國人以禮相待。"那是我一生中最快樂的一個(gè)生日，因?yàn)槔聿榈略谔栝g歇將我領(lǐng)到外面清涼的月光中，在點(diǎn)點(diǎn)繁星之下對我傾訴愛慕之情，并向我求婚。我二話沒說答應(yīng)了他的要求，因?yàn)槲以缫研淖砩衩?，想不到父母親會說什么。我的心中除了理查德和他的愛情，什么也顧不上了。

　　"That was the happiest birthday of my life, for whilewe were resting between dances Richard took meoutside into the cool, moonlit night, and there, underthe stars ,he told me he loved me and asked me tomarry him. Of course I promised I would, for I wastoo happy to think of what my parents would say, orindeed of anything except Richard was not at ourmeeting place as he had arranged. I wasdisappointed but not alarmed, for so many thingscould happen to either of us to prevent out keepingour tryst. I thought that next time we visited theVan Ransburgs, I should hear what had kept him and we could plan further meetings…

　　"從那以后，我們就盡可能多地見面，但往往是秘密進(jìn)行。我們就這樣度過了將近1年時(shí)間。后來有一天，在他安排的約會處，理查德爽約沒有來。失望之際，我沒有大驚小怪，因?yàn)槲覀儌z誰碰到形形色色的事都可能使我們無法幽會。我想我們以后去范·倫斯堡家看望之時(shí)，我就會明白理查德未能赴約的原因，再安排以后的約會……

　　"So when my father asked if I would drive with him to Driefontein I was delighted. But whenwe reached the homestead and were sitting on the stoep drinking our coffee, we heard thatRichard had left quite suddenly and had gone back to England. His father had died, and now hewas the heir and must go back to look after his estates.

　　"所以，當(dāng)父親問我是否愿意和他一塊開車去德里方丹時(shí)，我就高興地答應(yīng)了。但待我們趕到范·倫斯堡家，坐在他們家屋前的門廊上喝咖啡時(shí)，卻聽說理查德已經(jīng)不辭而別回英國去了。他的父親死了，他是繼承人，不得不回去料理遺產(chǎn)。 　　"I do not remember very much more about that day, except thatthe sun seemed to have stopped shining and the country no longer looked beautiful and full ofpromise, but bleak and desolate as it sometimes does in winter or in times of drought. Latethat afternoon, Jantje, the little Hottentot herd boy, came up to me and handed me a letter ,which he said the English baas had left for me. It was the only love letter I ever received, but itturned all my bitterness and grief into a peacefulness which was the nearest I could get,then, to happiness. I knew Richard still loved me, and somehow, as long as I had his letter, Ifelt that we could never be really parted, even if he were in England and I had to remain on thefarm. I have it yet, and though I am an old, tired woman, it still gives me hope and courage."

　　"那天的事我記不大清楚了，只記得當(dāng)時(shí)陽光慘淡，田野也失去了美麗的豐采和欣欣向榮的景象，蕭瑟凄涼得跟冬天或大旱時(shí)一樣。那天傍晚，在我和父親動身回家之前，霍但托特族的小牧童詹杰交給我一封信，他說是那位英國老爺留給我的。這可是我有生以來收到的唯一的情書!它將我的憂傷一掃而光，使我的心情變得平靜--當(dāng)時(shí)對我來說幾乎類似幸福的平靜。我知道理查德仍在愛著我。不知怎么回事，有了這封信，我便覺得我們不可能真正分開，哪怕他到了英國、我還留在南非的農(nóng)場。這封信我至今仍保留著，盡管我已經(jīng)年邁體衰，但它仍能帶給我希望和勇氣。"

　　I was always a little in awe of Great-aunt Stephina Roos. Indeed, as children we were all franklyterrified of her. The fact that she did not live with the family, preferring her tiny cottage andsolitude to the comfortable but rather noisy household where we were brought up-added tothe respectful fear in which she was held.

　　我對斯蒂菲娜老姑總是懷著敬畏之情。說實(shí)在話，我們幾個(gè)孩子對她都怕得要死。她不和家人一塊生活，寧愿住在她的小屋子里，而不愿住在舒舒服服、熱熱鬧鬧的家里--我們六個(gè)孩子都是在家里帶大的--這更加重了我們對她的敬畏之情。

　　We used to take it in turn to carry small delicacies which my mother had made down fromthe big house to the little cottage where Aunt Stephia and an old colored maid spent their days.Old Tnate Sanna would open the door to the rather frightened little messenger and wouldusher him-or her - into the dark voor-kamer, where the shutters were always closed to keepout the heat and the flies. There we would wait, in trembling but not altogether unpleasant.

　　我們經(jīng)常輪替著從我們住的大房子里帶些母親為她做的可口的食品到她和一名黑人女仆一塊過活的那間小屋里去。桑娜老姨總是為每一個(gè)上門來的怯生生的小使者打開房門，將他或她領(lǐng)進(jìn)昏暗的客廳。那里的百葉窗長年關(guān)閉著，以防熱氣和蒼蠅進(jìn)去。我們總是在那里哆哆嗦嗦、但又不是完全不高興地等著斯蒂菲娜老姑出來。

　　She was a tiny little woman to inspire so much veneration. She was always dressed inblack, and her dark clothes melted into the shadows of the voor-kamer and made her looksmaller than ever. But you felt. The moment she entered. That something vital and strong andsomehow indestructible had come in with her, although she moved slowly, and her voice wassweet and soft.

　　一個(gè)像她那樣身材纖細(xì)的女人居然能贏得我們?nèi)绱俗鹁础Ｋ偸巧泶┖谏路?，與客廳里的陰暗背景融成一體，將她的身材襯托得更加?jì)尚?。但她一進(jìn)門，我們就感到有一種說不清道不明、充滿活力和剛強(qiáng)的氣氛，盡管她的步子慢悠、聲調(diào)甜柔。

　　She never embraced us. She would greet us and take out hot little hands in her ownbeautiful cool one, with blue veins standing out on the back of it, as though the white skin werealmost too delicate to contain them.

　　她從不擁抱我們，但總是和我們寒暄，將我們熱乎乎的小手握在她那雙秀美清爽的手里，她的手背上露出一些青筋，就像手上白嫩的皮膚細(xì)薄得遮不住它們似的。

　　Tante Sanna would bring in dishes of sweet, sweet, sticky candy, or a great bowl ofgrapes or peaches, and Great-aunt Stephina would converse gravely about happenings onthe farm ,and, more rarely, of the outer world.

　　桑娜阿姨每次都要端出幾碟粘乎乎的南非糖果和一缽葡萄或桃子給我們吃。斯蒂菲娜老姑總是一本正經(jīng)他說些農(nóng)場里的事，偶爾也談些外邊世界發(fā)生的事。

　　When we had finished our sweetmeats or fruit she would accompany us to the stoep,bidding us thank our mother for her gift and sending quaint, old-fashioned messages to herand the Father. Then she would turn and enter the house, closing the door behind, so that itbecame once more a place of mystery.

　　待我們吃完糖果或水果，她總要將我們送到屋前的門廊，叮囑我們要多謝母親給她送食品，要我們對父母親轉(zhuǎn)達(dá)一些稀奇古怪的老式祝愿，然后就轉(zhuǎn)身回到屋里，隨手關(guān)上門，使那里再次成為神秘世界。

　　As I grew older I found, rather to my surprise, that I had become genuinely fond of myaloof old great-aunt. But to this day I do not know what strange impulse made me takeGeorge to see her and to tell her, before I had confided in another living soul, of ourengagement. To my astonishment, she was delighted.

　　讓我感到吃驚的是，隨著我逐漸長大，我發(fā)現(xiàn)打心眼里喜歡起我那位孤伶伶的老姑姑來。至今我仍不知道那是一種什么樣的奇異動力，使我在還沒有透露給別人之前就把喬治領(lǐng)去看望姑姑，告訴她我們已經(jīng)訂婚的消息。不成想，聽到這個(gè)消息以后，她竟非常高興。 　　"An Englishman,"she exclaimed."But that issplendid, splendid. And you,"she turned to George,"you are making your home in this country?You do not intend to return to England just yet?"

　　"是英國人!"她驚訝地大聲說道，"好極了。你，"她轉(zhuǎn)向喬治，"你要在南非安家嗎?你現(xiàn)在不打算回國吧?"

　　She seemed relieved when she heard that George had bought a farm near our own farmand intended to settle in South Africa. She became quite animated, and chattered away tohim.

　　當(dāng)她聽說喬治已經(jīng)在我們農(nóng)場附近購置了一片農(nóng)場并打算定居下來時(shí)，好像松了一口氣。她興致勃勃地和喬治攀談起來。

　　After that I would often slip away to the little cottage by the mealie lands. Once she wassomewhat disappointed on hearing that we had decided to wait for two years before gettingmarried, but when she learned that my father and mother were both pleased with the matchshe seemed reassured.

　　從那以后，我常常到那所位于玉米地邊的小屋。有一次，當(dāng)斯蒂菲娜老姑聽說我們決定再過兩年結(jié)婚時(shí)，露出了失望的神色，但一聽說我的父母親都對這門親事滿意時(shí)，她又放寬了心。

　　Still, she often appeared anxious about my loveaffair, and would ask questions that seemed to mestrange, almost as though she feared thatsomething would happen to destroy my romance.But I was quite unprepared for her outburst when Imentioned that George thought of paying alightning visit to England before we weremarried."He must not do it,"she cried."Ina, you must not let him go. Promise me you willprevent him."she was trembling all over. I did what I could to console her, but she looked sotired and pale that I persuaded her to go to her room and rest, promising to return the nextday.

　　但她對我的婚姻大事還是經(jīng)常掛在嘴邊。她常常問一些怪怪的問題，幾乎像擔(dān)心我的婚事會告吹一樣。當(dāng)我提到喬治打算在婚前匆匆回一趟國時(shí)，她竟激動了起來。只見她渾身哆嗦著大聲嚷道："他不能回去!愛娜!你不能放他走，你得答應(yīng)我不放他走!"我盡力安慰她，但她還是顯得萎靡不振。我只得勸她回屋休息，并答應(yīng)第二天再去看她。

　　When I arrived I found her sitting on the stoep. She looked lonely and pathetic, and for thefirst time I wondered why no man had ever taken her and looked after her and loved her.Mother had told me that Great-aunt Stephina had been lovely as a young girl, and although notrace of that beauty remained, except perhaps in her brown eyes, yet she looked so small andappealing that any man, one felt, would have wanted to protect her.

　　我第二天去看她時(shí)，她正坐在屋前的門廊上，流露出抑郁孤寂的神情。我第一次感到納悶：以前怎么沒有人娶她、照料和愛撫她呢?記得母親曾經(jīng)說過，斯蒂菲娜老姑以前曾是一個(gè)楚楚可愛的小姑娘。盡管除了她那褐色的眼睛尚能保留一點(diǎn)昔日的風(fēng)韻之外，她的美貌早已蕩然無存。但她看上去還是那樣小巧玲瓏、惹人愛憐，引起男人們的惜香憐玉之情。

　　She paused, as though she did not quite know how to begin.

　　Then she seemed to give herself, mentally, a little shake. "You must have wondered ", she said, "why I was so upset at the thought of young George's going to England without you. I am anold woman, and perhaps I have the silly fancies of the old, but I should like to tell you my ownlove story, and then you can decide whether it is wise for your man to leave you before you aremarried."

　　我走到她的跟前。她拍著身邊的椅子，淡淡一笑。"坐下吧，親愛的，"她說，"我有話要告訴你。"她欲言又止，好像不知道話從何說起似的。接著，她仿佛振作了起來。她說："我聽你說喬治要回國，又不帶你走，心里非常不安。我這份心事你是不明白的。我是一個(gè)老婆子了，大概還懷著老人們的那顆癡心吧。不過，我想把自己的愛情故事講給你聽。這樣你就能明白在你們結(jié)婚之前讓你的未婚夫離開你，是不是一個(gè)明智之舉。"

　　"I was quite a young girl when I first met Richard Weston. He was an Englishman whoboarded with the Van Rensburgs on the next farm, four or five miles from us. Richard was notstrong. He had a weak chest, and the doctors had sent him to South Africa so that the dry aircould cure him. He taught the Van Rensburg children, who were younger than I was, though weoften played together, but he did this for pleasure and not because he needed money.

　　"我第一次遇見理查德·威斯頓時(shí)還是一個(gè)年輕姑娘。他是一個(gè)英國人，寄宿在我家附近四、五英里一個(gè)農(nóng)場上的范·倫斯堡家里。他身體不好，胸悶氣短。醫(yī)生讓他去南非讓干燥的氣候治好他的病。他教倫斯堡的孩子們念書，他們都比我小，盡管我們經(jīng)常在一塊玩。理查德是以教書為樂，并不是為了賺錢。

　　"We loved one another from the first moment we met, though we did not speak of our loveuntil the evening of my eighteenth birthday. All our friends and relatives had come to my party,and in the evening we danced on the big old carpet which we had laid down in the barn. Richardhad come with the Van Rensburgs, and we danced together as often as we dared, which wasnot very often, for my father hated the Uitlanders. Indeed, for a time he had quarreled withMynheer Van Rensburg for allowing Richard to board with him, but afterwards he got used tothe idea, and was always polite to the Englishman, though he never liked him.

　　"我和理查德是一見鐘情，盡管直到我18歲生日那天我們才表示彼此的愛慕之情。那天晚上的舞會上，我們的親友都來了。我們在倉房里鋪上一條寬大的舊毛毯，翩翩起舞。我和他壯起膽子頻頻起舞。但事實(shí)上，沒有多少次，因?yàn)槲业母赣H很討厭'洋人'。有一次，他曾抱怨說倫斯堡先生不應(yīng)該讓理查德寄住在他的家里，為此還跟他吵過一場，他后來就習(xí)以為常了。雖談不上喜歡，但對這個(gè)英國人以禮相待。"那是我一生中最快樂的一個(gè)生日，因?yàn)槔聿榈略谔栝g歇將我領(lǐng)到外面清涼的月光中，在點(diǎn)點(diǎn)繁星之下對我傾訴愛慕之情，并向我求婚。我二話沒說答應(yīng)了他的要求，因?yàn)槲以缫研淖砩衩?，想不到父母親會說什么。我的心中除了理查德和他的愛情，什么也顧不上了。 　　"That was the happiest birthday of my life, for while we were restingbetween dances Richard took me outside into the cool, moonlit night, and there, under thestars ,he told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. Of course I promised I would, for Iwas too happy to think of what my parents would say, or indeed of anything except Richardwas not at our meeting place as he had arranged. I was disappointed but not alarmed, for somany things could happen to either of us to prevent out keeping our tryst. I thought that nexttime we visited the Van Ransburgs, I should hear what had kept him and we could plan furthermeetings…

　　"從那以后，我們就盡可能多地見面，但往往是秘密進(jìn)行。我們就這樣度過了將近1年時(shí)間。后來有一天，在他安排的約會處，理查德爽約沒有來。失望之際，我沒有大驚小怪，因?yàn)槲覀儌z誰碰到形形色色的事都可能使我們無法幽會。我想我們以后去范·倫斯堡家看望之時(shí)，我就會明白理查德未能赴約的原因，再安排以后的約會……

　　"So when my father asked if I would drive with him to Driefontein I was delighted. But whenwe reached the homestead and were sitting on the stoep drinking our coffee, we heard thatRichard had left quite suddenly and had gone back to England. His father had died, and now hewas the heir and must go back to look after his estates.

　　"所以，當(dāng)父親問我是否愿意和他一塊開車去德里方丹時(shí)，我就高興地答應(yīng)了。但待我們趕到范·倫斯堡家，坐在他們家屋前的門廊上喝咖啡時(shí)，卻聽說理查德已經(jīng)不辭而別回英國去了。他的父親死了，他是繼承人，不得不回去料理遺產(chǎn)。

　　"I do not remember very much more about that day,except that the sun seemed to have stoppedshining and the country no longer looked beautifuland full of promise, but bleak and desolate as itsometimes does in winter or in times of drought.Late that afternoon, Jantje, the little Hottentot herdboy, came up to me and handed me a letter , whichhe said the English baas had left for me. It was theonly love letter I ever received, but it turned all mybitterness and grief into a peacefulness which wasthe nearest I could get, then, to happiness. I knewRichard still loved me, and somehow, as long as I had his letter, I felt that we could never bereally parted, even if he were in England and I had to remain on the farm. I have it yet, andthough I am an old, tired woman, it still gives me hope and courage."

　　"那天的事我記不大清楚了，只記得當(dāng)時(shí)陽光慘淡，田野也失去了美麗的豐采和欣欣向榮的景象，蕭瑟凄涼得跟冬天或大旱時(shí)一樣。那天傍晚，在我和父親動身回家之前，霍但托特族的小牧童詹杰交給我一封信，他說是那位英國老爺留給我的。這可是我有生以來收到的唯一的情書!它將我的憂傷一掃而光，使我的心情變得平靜--當(dāng)時(shí)對我來說幾乎類似幸福的平靜。我知道理查德仍在愛著我。不知怎么回事，有了這封信，我便覺得我們不可能真正分開，哪怕他到了英國、我還留在南非的農(nóng)場。這封信我至今仍保留著，盡管我已經(jīng)年邁體衰，但它仍能帶給我希望和勇氣。"

　　"I must have been a wonderful letter, Aunt Stephia,"I said.

　　"斯蒂菲娜老姑，那封信一定美極了吧，"我說。

　　The old lady came back from her dreams of that far-off romance."Perhaps," she said, hesitatinga little, "perhaps, my dear, you would care to read it ?"

　　老太太從她那久遠(yuǎn)的愛之夢中醒過神來。"也許，"她帶著猶豫的神情說，"也許，親愛的，你想看看那封信吧?"

　　"I should love to , Aunt Stephia,"I said gently.

　　"我很想看，斯蒂菲娜老姑，"我輕聲說。

　　She rose at once and tripped into the house as eagerly as a young girl. When she came backshe handed me a letter, faded and yellow with age, the edges of the envelope worn and frayedas though it had been much handled. But when I came to open it I found that the seal wasunbroken.

　　她猛地站起身，奔進(jìn)屋里，急切得像個(gè)小姑娘。她從屋里出來后，遞給我一封信。由于天長日久，那信已經(jīng)褪色發(fā)黃，信封邊已經(jīng)磨損，好像曾被摩挲過好多次。但在取信時(shí)，我發(fā)現(xiàn)封口還沒有拆開。

　　"Open it ,open it,"said Great-aunt Stephia, and her voice was shaking.

　　"拆開，拆開吧!"斯蒂菲娜老姑聲音顫抖地說。

　　I broke the seal and read.

　　我撕開封口，開始念信。

　　It was not a love letter in the true sense of the word, but pages of the minutest directions ofhow"my sweetest Phina"was to elude her father's vigilance, creep down to the drift at nightand there meet Jantje with a horse which would take her to Smitsdorp. There she was to go to"my true friend, Henry Wilson",who would give her money and make arrangements for her tofollow her lover to Cape Town and from there to England ," where, my love, we can he bemarried at once. But if, my dearest, you are not sure that you can face lift with me in a landstrange to you, then do not take this important step, for I love you too much to wish you thesmallest unhappiness. If you do not come, and if I do not hear from you, then I shall know thatyou could never be happy so far from the people and the country which you love. If, however,you feel you can keep your promise to me, but are of too timid and modest a journey toEngland unaccompanied, then write to me, and I will, by some means, return to fetch my bride."

　　嚴(yán)格說來，它算不上是一封情書，實(shí)際是只是幾頁內(nèi)容詳盡的行動指南。信里稱"我最親愛的菲娜"該怎么擺脫她父親的監(jiān)視，夜里逃出家門，詹杰會在淺灘上牽馬等著她，然后將她馱到史密斯多普，到了那里再去找理查德的"知心朋友亨利·威爾遜"，他會給她錢為她作好安排，使她能跟隨她的情人到開普敦，隨后轉(zhuǎn)道英國。"親愛的，這樣我們就可以在英國結(jié)婚了。但是我的至愛，如果你不能保證你能在一個(gè)陌生的地方和我一塊生活，你就不必采取這個(gè)重大行動，因?yàn)槲姨珢勰懔耍荒茏屇愀械浇z毫不快。如果你不來，如果我聽不到你的回信，我就會知道，如果你離開你摯愛的親人和鄉(xiāng)土，你是不會幸福的。但如果你能實(shí)踐你對我的許諾而由于你生性持重膽怯不愿單身前往英國，就來信告訴我，那我就會設(shè)法回南非來迎接我的新娘。"

　　I read no further.

　　我沒有再念下去。

　　"But Aunt Phina!"I gasped. "Why…why…?"

　　"可是，菲娜老姑，"我氣喘吁吁地說，"為什么……?為什么……"

　　The old lady was watching me with trembling eagerness, her face flushed and her eyesbright with expectation."Read it aloud, my dear,"she said."I want to hear every word of it.There was never anyone I could trust…Uitlanders were hated in my young days…I could not askanyone."

　　老太太的身子由于渴望知道信的內(nèi)容而顫抖，她的眼睛炯炯有神地凝視著我，臉龐因急切的期待一片緋紅。"親愛的，大聲念吧!"她說，"信里的一字一句，我都要聽!當(dāng)時(shí)我找不到可靠的人給我念……我年輕時(shí)，'洋人'是被人深惡痛絕的……我找不到人給我念啊!"

　　"But, Auntie, don't you even know what he wrote?"

　　"可是老姑，難道你一直不知道信里的事嗎?"

　　The old lady looked down, troubled and shy like a child who has unwittingly done wrong.

　　老太太低頭俯視著，像一個(gè)無心做錯(cuò)事的孩子一樣怯生生的，不知說什么才好。

　　"No, dear," she said, speaking very low."You see, I never learned to read.

　　"不知道，親愛的，"她用低沉的聲調(diào)說，“你知道，我從來沒有念過書啊!”