·Henry Beecher·
Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose. And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.The year he died, the roses were deIivered to her door.The card said,“Be my Valentine”,like all the years before.Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,“I love you even more this year than last year on this day.My love for you will always grow, with every passing year.”She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.Her loving husband did not know that he would pass away.He always liked to do things early, way before the time.Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.
She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase. Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face, she would sit for hours in her husband's favorite chair, while staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate, with loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before, the doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.Then, she went to get the telephone to call the fIorist shop.The owner answered and she asked him if he would explain, why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain.“I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,”the owner said,“I knew you'd call and you would want to know.The flowers you received today were paid for in advance.Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to change.There is a standing order that I have on file down here, and he has paid, well in advance, so that you'll get them every year.There also is another thing that I think you should know.He wrote a special little card……h(huán)e did it years ago.Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here, that's the card……that should be sent to you the following year.”She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.Her fingers shaking as she slowly reached to get the card.Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.Then, as she stared in total siIence, this is what he wrote……“Hello, my love.I know it’s been a year since I’ve been gone, I hope it hasn’t been too hard for you to overcome.I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.For if it were the other way, I know how I would feel.The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.I loved you more than words can say.You were the perfect wife.You were my friend and lover, you fuIfiIIed my every need.I know it’s only been a year, but please try not to grieve.I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.When you get these roses, think of all the happiness that we had together and how both of us were bIessed.I have always loved you and I know I always will.But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.Please……try to find happiness, while living out your days.I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.The roses will come every year and they will only stop when your door is not answered when the florist stops to knock.He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt to take the roses to the place where I’ve instructed him, and place the roses where we are together once again.”
亨利·比徹
羅絲最喜歡紅玫瑰,她的名字也叫Rose(玫瑰)。每年,丈夫都會(huì)送給她一些玫瑰花,花上系著漂亮的絲帶。這一年,她丈夫去世了,玫瑰花卻依然送到了她的門前,卡片上寫著和往年一樣的話語:做我的妻子吧!年年送花,他都寫這樣的話:“對(duì)你的愛今朝更勝往年,時(shí)光流轉(zhuǎn),卻愛你越來越多?!彼?,今年的玫瑰一定是丈夫提前預(yù)訂的,以后再也不會(huì)有玫瑰花了。她心愛的丈夫并不知道自己會(huì)去世,他總是喜歡把事情提前安排妥當(dāng),以便即使再忙,凡事亦都能從容辦好。
羅絲修整了花束,把玫瑰插進(jìn)一只很特別的花瓶里,花瓶旁擺放著丈夫滿面笑容的遺像。她在丈夫心愛的椅子里一坐就是幾小時(shí),伴著玫瑰花,癡望著他的相片,沉浸在美好的回憶中。一年過去了,失去了丈夫的日子十分難熬,孤獨(dú)和寂寞占據(jù)了她的生命。情人節(jié)前夕,門鈴響了,門口有人送來了玫瑰花。她把花拿進(jìn)來,非常驚訝。于是她打電話給花店:“是誰在惡作?。繛槭裁匆俏覀??”店主解釋說:“我知道您的丈夫一年前去世了,也知道您會(huì)打電話來詢問究竟。您今天收到的花,是您丈夫提前預(yù)訂的。您丈夫總是提前做好計(jì)劃,萬無一失。他預(yù)付了貨款,委托我們每年送花給您。還有一件事我想應(yīng)該讓您知道,就在去年他還寫了一張?zhí)貏e的小卡片,他以前年年如此。他還囑咐我們,如果他不在了,卡片在第二年仍將如期而至?!彼x過店主,掛上了電話,頓時(shí)淚如泉涌,手指顫抖著慢慢地打開了附在玫瑰花上的卡片??ㄆ锸且粡垖懡o她的便條。她靜靜地看著:“你好嗎,我的妻子?我知道我已經(jīng)去世一年了,我希望挺過這一年的你沒有受太多的苦。我知道你一定很孤單,很痛苦。因?yàn)槿绻催^來,去世的人是你,我也會(huì)如此。我們的愛使生活里的一切如此美好,任何語言都表達(dá)不了我對(duì)你的愛。你是完美的妻子,是我的朋友和情人,讓我心滿意足。時(shí)間只過去了一年,請(qǐng)不要悲傷,我要你即使流淚也是幸福的,這就是我年年都會(huì)送你玫瑰花的原因。當(dāng)你收到玫瑰的時(shí)候,想想我們?cè)谝黄饡r(shí)的快樂吧,我們?cè)?jīng)是多么幸福。我一直很愛你,更會(huì)永遠(yuǎn)地愛你。但是,我的妻子,你一定要好好地活著啊!請(qǐng)……珍惜生命,追尋幸福吧。我知道那不容易,但是你一定要想想辦法。玫瑰花每年都會(huì)如期而至,除非你不再應(yīng)門,花店才會(huì)停止送花。那一天,花店的伙計(jì)會(huì)上門來訪五次,以防你偶爾出門了。但是,訪問過五次之后,他就可以確認(rèn):這些花該送到我指示給他的另一個(gè)地方——我們?cè)俅蜗嗑鄣牡胤健!?/p>
Practising&Exercise 實(shí)戰(zhàn)提升篇
核心單詞
deIiver[di'liv?]v.投遞;傳送;運(yùn)送
trim[trim]v.修剪;整理
fIorist['fl?rist]n.花商;種花者
cause[k?:z]n.原因;起因v.引起
siIence['sail?ns]n.無聲;沉默,默不作聲
fuIfiII[ful'fil]v.執(zhí)行(命令等);服從;履行(諾言等)
bIess[bles]v.為……祝福,為……祈神賜福;保佑
instruct[in'str?kt]v.指示,命令,吩咐
實(shí)用句型
Her Ioving husband did not know that he wouId pass away.
她心愛的丈夫并不知道自己會(huì)去世。
①這里是由that 引導(dǎo)的賓語從句。
②pass away去世。類似的表達(dá)還有pass by經(jīng)過,pass off消失。
翻譯練習(xí)
1.儀仗隊(duì)走在前面。(in advance)
2.我不再是個(gè)學(xué)生了。(no longer)
3.如果她回來了,請(qǐng)立刻告訴我。(in case)