爱驻我心 （5）致亲爱的贝茜
29th, January 1945.
1945年1月29日。
My dearest one, I have just heard the news that all the Army men taken POW are to return to their homes.
我的挚爱，我刚刚听到一个消息。战俘们就要返乡了。
Because of the shipping situation we may not commence to go before the end of February, but can probably count on being in England sometime in March, maybe sooner.
鉴于航运情况，二月底之前我们可能都上不了船。不过三月应该就能回到英国了。也许更快。
It’s made me very warm inside.
想到这儿，我心里暖洋洋的。
It is terrific, wonderful, shattering.
激动、喜悦、兴奋。
I don’t know what to say. And I cannot think.
无以言表，我甚至没法思考。
The delay is nothing, the decision is everything.
延误算不了什么。只要有能回家的决定就够了。
I must spend the first days at home. I must consider getting a party somewhere.
刚回去那几天我要待在家里，可能会办个聚会。
Above all I must be with you.
但最重要的是一定要和你在一起。
I must warm you, surround you, love you, and be kind to you.
我一定要哄你开心，和你形影不离，宠着你。
I would prefer not to get married, but want you to agree on the point.
我个人更希望不结婚，但必须征得你的同意。
In the battle I was afraid,for you, for my mother, for myself.
在战场上，我很害怕。担心你和我的母亲，也担心我自己。
Wait we must, my love, my darling, let us meet, let us be, let us know.
我们必须等待，我的爱人，我的宝贝。
But do not let us now make any mistakes.
我们必须相见，在一起互相了解。但不能犯下错误。
How good for us to see each other before I am completely bald.
真好，在我头发掉光之前还能见到你。
I have some fine little wisps of hair on the top of my head.
我头顶上还有几缕头发。
It’s not much good me trying to write about recent experiences, now that I know I should be able to tell you everything myself within such a short time.
已经没什么必要给你讲我最近的经历了。因为不久我就能面对面地向你述说。
What I have my eye on now is the first letter from you saying that you know I am all right and the next saying you know I am coming to you.
眼下我手边放着你给我的第一封信，说你知道我已平安。还有第二封说你知道我就要回去了。
Plan a week somewhere, not Boscombe or Bournemouth.
我们去那儿待一周吧，只要不是博斯库姆或伯恩茅斯就行。
Think of being together.
想想看，就我们俩。
The glory of you.
你是如此美丽。
I hope you will not start buying any clothes if you have any coupons left because you think you must look nice for me.
我希望你别去添置衣服，就算你的折价券还没用光，你可能觉得需要为了迎接我而精心打扮。
Just carry on as near as possible to normal.
但我只希望看到最平常的你。
I shall tell my family I hope to spend a week away with you somewhere during my leave.
我会告诉家人回家期间我想要花上一周和你一起外出。
My counsel to you is to tell as few people as possible to avoid preening yourself and saying much.
我建议知道这件事的人越少越好。这样免去了炫耀的嫌疑，也省了口舌。
This is my advice, not anything but that. Hope you understand.
这是我的建议，并没什么重要。希望你能理解。
I do not ever want it to be anything but our affair. Do not permit any intrusion.
我希望这是完全属于我们的时光。我不想受任何打扰。
I do not know how long a leave I shall get. I could get as little as 14 days I may get as much as a month.
我不知道我能放多久的假期，可能只有14天，也可能有足足一个月。
I’m wondering how I shall tell you I am in England. Probably still quicker to send a telegram than a letter.
到达英国之后我该如何告诉你呢。可能发电报比寄信快。
I hope to send you one announcing that I am on the same island.
我希望一踏上英国土地我就发电报通知你。
I would send another one I am actually soon to get to the London bound train and you can ring Lee Green 0905 when you think I have arrived there.
登上火车前往伦敦之前还会再给你发一封，你觉得快到了就打Lee Green 0905。
It’s a strange thing because I cannot seem to get going and write very freely.
真奇怪，因为想到要出发，我反而没办法好好写信了。
All I am thinking about is I am going home, I am going to see her.
我脑子里想的全是“我要回家了！我要见到她了！”
It’s a fact, a real thing, an impending event like Shrove Tuesday, X’ mas Day, or the Lord Mayor’s Banquet.
这是事实，千真万确。像是忏悔节、圣诞节或者市长大人的宴会一样近在眼前。
You have to be abroad, you have to be hermetically sealed off from you intimates from you home to realize what a gift this going-home is.
只有远在海外漂泊，彻底与亲朋挚友切断联系才懂得回家是怎样的幸福。
The few letters of yours that I had on me I burnt the day previous to our surrender so no one but myself has read your words.
我随身带着你的几封信，但在投降前一天我把它们都烧了。所以你的话语只有我读过。
It’s a pity that the winter weather will not be kind to us out of doors.
真遗憾，现在是寒冬，在屋外我们得忍受严寒。
But it would be nice sitting next to you at the pictures no matter what may be on the screen.
但只要想到是和你坐在一起，无论在哪都是幸福。
It would be grand to be having each other’s support and sympathy.
我们彼此支持，相互理解真是三生有幸。
It would be wonderful to be together,really together in the flesh, not just to know that a letter is all we can send.
能和你在一起是多么美妙，而不是互通书信，是真的和你在一起，肌肤相亲。
I Love you, Chris.
我爱你。克里斯。