肯尼迪总统亲笔情书将在网上公开拍卖

 Before the days of "Netflix and chill," people had to hand-write their desires for one another -- even presidents.

过去，在“出去约炮”之前，人们只能通过书信来传情达意，这一点，就连美国总统也不例外。

A four-page love letter written by John F. Kennedy to his mistress is being auctioned².

现在，美国总统约翰·肯尼迪的一封四页纸的亲笔情书将被拍卖。

The note, which was penned in October 1963, never made it to the intended recipient³, who is thought to have been Mary Meyer, the President's mistress.

这封信写于1963年10月，写完后从来没有被寄出。有人推断收件人是玛丽·迈耶，也就是肯尼迪总统的情妇。

Meyer was the wife of a CIA agent and she was killed in October 1964, a year after the letter was crafted. Her slaying⁴ has not been solved. The letter also was one of the last Kennedy wrote. He was assassinated⁵ a month later.

迈耶是一名中情局特工的妻子，她于1964年（在这封信写出的第二年）10月被杀。迈耶的谋杀案至今悬而未决。而这封信也是肯尼迪留下的最后几封绝笔信，一个月后，他就被暗杀了。

The love letter shows Kennedy's earnestness to see the unnamed woman.

在信中，肯尼迪用真切的话语表达了他对这名不知名的情妇的思念。

"Why don't you leave suburbia for once — come and see me — either here — or at the Cape⁶ next week or in Boston the 19th. I know it is unwise, irrational⁷, and that you may hate it — on the other hand you may not -- and I will love it. You say that it is good for me not to get what I want. After all of these years — you should give me a more loving answer than that. Why don't you just say yes?"

信中说，“你为什么不从郊区来看我，哪怕过来一次。要么来这里找我，要么下周去卡纳维拉尔角或者19日在波士顿。我知道这样做不对，不理智，你也许不喜欢，甚至不过来。但是我想要你来。你说过，得不到我想要的感情也许是好事。但是这么多年过去了，你应该让我知道你爱我。你为什么不快点告诉我？”

The letter, written on White House stationery⁸, is missing the tops of the official letterhead. But when held to the light, the faded presidential seal watermarks are visible.

这封信是用白宫的信笺纸写的。虽然纸张的抬头被撕掉了，但是在灯光下，还是可以看到已经褪了色的总统密封水印。

It isn't known why the letter was never mailed, but Kennedy's personal secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, saved it in her collection of memorabilia from the late president.

这封信为何没有寄出去的原因尚不清楚，不过肯尼迪的私人秘书伊芙琳·林肯把它作为总统的遗物给保存了下来。

"An exceedingly rare Kennedy letter boasting revelatory content on his personal life during the presidency," said Robert Livingston, executive vice⁹ president at RR Auction¹, which obtained the letter from a client.

名人签名拍卖行的副总裁罗伯特·利文斯顿从一个客户手中得到了这封信，他说：“这是一封极其罕见的、揭露肯尼迪总统在任期内的私生活的信件。”

Through handwriting tests, RR Auction was able to determine the letter's authenticity¹⁰. Also, historical records suggest Kennedy was in Boston on October 19 for a Democratic Party fundraiser.

通过核实笔迹，该拍卖行确认了这份情书是真迹，而历史档案也显示，肯尼迪10月19日的确在波士顿出席了一场民主党的筹款活动。

RR Auction is holding an online auction beginning June 16 that will conclude on June 23. The value of the letter is estimated to be $30,000, based on similar items sold.

名人签名拍卖行将于6月16日至6月23日对该信件进行网上拍卖。参照同类物件的报价，估计该情书售价将高达3万美元。

Along with the letter, several other JFK items are for sale, including a wooden rocking chair used by him.

与其一同拍卖的还有肯尼迪的其他一些物品，包括他用过的一把木质摇椅。

1 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 auctioned   

v.拍卖( auction的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was sad to see all grandmother's lovely things being auctioned off. 眼看着祖母那些可爱的东西全都被拍卖掉，心里真不好受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。

4 slaying   

杀戮。

参考例句：

• The man mimed the slaying of an enemy. 此人比手划脚地表演砍死一个敌人的情况。
• He is suspected of having been an accomplice in the slaying,butthey can't pin it on him. 他有嫌疑曾参与该杀人案，但他们找不到证据来指控他。

5 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

6 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

7 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

8 stationery   

n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封

参考例句：

• She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
• There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

10 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。