09 约瑟芬致拿破仑 Josephine to Napoleon

09 约瑟芬致拿破仑 Josephine to Napoleon

玛丽·约瑟芬(Marie Josephine)

名人档案

玛丽·约瑟芬(1763—1814),法兰西第一帝国皇帝拿破仑·波拿巴的第一任妻子,法兰西第一帝国的皇后(1804—1809)。1809年,因不能再生育,被迫与拿破仑取消婚约。离婚后独居的约瑟芬始终对拿破仑怀有感情,留恋他们在一起共同生活的日子,尽管仍旧和拿破仑保持通信,但她一直郁郁寡欢,直至生命的终结。在本书选取的这封信中,离婚后的约瑟芬再诉衷肠,重申自己对拿破仑的爱。

简介与鉴赏

在信的开头,约瑟芬表达了收到拿破仑来信的欣喜:“我怀着炽热的感情,用了很长的时间才读完它,因为信里每一个字都让我潸然泪下。”接着,她为前一封信的意气用事道歉,希望获得拿破仑的谅解。在信的结尾处,不再是拿破仑妻子和爱人的约瑟芬以“我的朋友,我将用无限的温柔来感谢你,如同我一直用无限的温柔来爱你那样”来称呼拿破仑并再一次表达了自己不渝的感情。

这封信情深意切,真挚而又凄美,是约瑟芬真实的情感表达。对照前一封拿破仑写给约瑟芬的感情热烈的情书,不免使人对他们感情和婚姻的结局唏嘘不已。

英文正文

Navarre,

April 1810

A thousand, thousand tender1thanks for not having forgotten me. My son has just brought me your letter. With what ardor2I read it and yet it has taken a deal of time, because there is not a word which has not made me weep3; but those tears were very sweet! I have recovered my heart entirely, and such as it will always be; there are feelings which are life itself, and which may not end but with life.

I am in despair that my letter of the 19th should have displeased you. I do not entirely recall the wording4,but I know what very painful feeling had dictated5it. It was grief6at not having a word from you.

I wrote you on leaving Malmaison, and how many times thereafter did I wish to write! But I felt the reasons for your silence, and I feared to seem importunate7by writing. Your letter has been a balm8to me. Be happy; be as happy as you deserve; it is my whole heart that speaks. You have given me my share, too, of happiness, and a share very keenly felt; nothing else can have for me the value of a token of remembrance9.

Adieu, my friend, I thank you as tenderly as I shall love you always.

Josephine

经典语句

With what ardor I read it and yet it has taken a deal of time, because there is not a word which has not made me weep.

Adieu, my friend, I thank you as tenderly as I shall love you always.

单词/词组

1 tender4adj. 温柔的;柔软的

2 ardor6n. 热情;狂热

3 weep4vi. 哭泣;流泪

4 wording6n. 措辞;用语

5 dictate4vt. 命令;使听写

6 grief4n. 悲痛;忧伤

7 importunate6adj.急切的;缠扰不休的

8 balm6n. 香膏

9 remembrance4n. 回想,回忆;纪念

中文译文

你并没有把我忘记,我心中感激不尽。刚才,我的儿子把你的信带给我。我怀着炽热的感情,用了很长的时间才读完它,因为信里每一个字都让我潸然泪下;不过,这是甜蜜的眼泪,我已彻底恢复平静了,以后也一直会这样;有些感情就如同生命本身,它们只会随着生命的结束而终止。

当知道我十九日的信让你感到不快时,我非常失望。那封信的内容我已经记不清了,然而,我知道自己是怀着非常痛苦的心情写下那封信的,痛苦的原因是我从你那里没有收到哪怕是一个字。

我刚离开马尔梅松时就曾写信给你;后来我又有多少次想写信给你啊!但是我感觉到你保持缄默是有原因的,我怕给你写信会让你觉得我对你纠缠不休。对我而言,你的信是莫大的安慰。我衷心地祝你快乐,尽情地享受你所应得的快乐吧。你也曾带给我快乐,一份极大的快乐,没有其他东西比它更值得我深深地刻在记忆里了。

再见了,我的朋友,我将用无限的温柔来感谢你,如同我一直用无限的温柔来爱你那样。

约瑟芬

1810年4月于那伐勒

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