第二册第2篇：致比克斯比夫人的信

2 Letter to Mrs. Bixby(1) 致比克斯比夫人的信

Executive Mansion(2),
Washington,
Nov. 21, 1864
Mrs. Bixby,
Boston, Massachusetts,
 
Dear Madam,
I have been shown in the files of the War Department(3) a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile¹ you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation² that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our heavenly Father may assuage³ the anguish⁴ of your bereavement⁵, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost(4), and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly⁶ a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
       Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
               Abraham Lincoln

中文译文：
 华盛顿
总统府
一八六四年十一月二十一日
马萨诸塞州，波士顿
比克斯比夫人
 
亲爱的夫人：
在送我披阅的陆军部档案中，我看到一份马萨诸塞州陆军副官长写的报告，说您便是有五个儿子光荣牺牲在战场上的那位母亲。我深深感到，无论我用什么言词，企图来排遣如此巨大的损失给您带来的悲痛，都一定是无力和徒劳的。但我还是抑制不住要向您表示慰问，这种慰问体现在您的儿子们献身拯救的共和国对您的感谢之中。我祈求我们的天父减轻您的丧子之痛，使您只怀有对于已故亲人的美好回忆和庄严的自豪感，您有这种自豪感是理所当然的，因为您在自由的祭坛上献出了代价如此昂贵的牺牲。
               您的最诚挚的亚伯拉罕·林肯
    
英文注释：
(1)Mrs. Bixby: 一位美国妇女。她的五个儿子都在南北战争中光荣牺牲，林肯总统知道这事后，就写了这封信去慰问她
(2)Executive Mansion：美国总统府，现在叫白宫(White House )。
(3)War Department：陆军部。也可以说Department of War;相当于英国的War Office。
(4)the loved and lost:失去了的亲人。

1 beguile   

vt.欺骗，消遣

参考例句：

• They are playing cards to beguile the time.他们在打牌以消磨时间。
• He used his newspapers to beguile the readers into buying shares in his company.他利用他的报纸诱骗读者买他公司的股票。

2 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

3 assuage   

v.缓和，减轻，镇定

参考例句：

• The medicine is used to assuage pain.这种药用来止痛。
• Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering.你带来的这些振奋人心的消息一定能减轻她的痛苦。

4 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

5 bereavement   

n.亲人丧亡，丧失亲人，丧亲之痛

参考例句：

• the pain of an emotional crisis such as divorce or bereavement 诸如离婚或痛失亲人等情感危机的痛苦
• I sympathize with you in your bereavement. 我对你痛失亲人表示同情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。