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