5 Wallis

　　This is how Lady Furness described Mrs Simpson's early life to Edward：

　　Wallis was born in Baltimore．She never knew her father．He died when she was five months old． But her mother was a strong and loving woman， and Wallis was a happy child．

　　When she was twenty，she married a man called Win－field Spencer．For the first few years they were happy togeth－er． But one day Winfield lost some money in the street．He was very angry． When he came home， he took a bottle of whisky from a cupbodrd and began to drink．

　　That night he hit Wallis in the mouth． She screamed and he hit her again．There was blood on her face and she was shaking like a leaf．' Please， Winfield，'she said．'No more．

　　But Winfield took her arm and pulled her up the stairs．'You're my prisoner，'he shouted at her，'and you're not going to leave．'Then he pushed her into the bathroom and locked the door．

　　The next morning Wallis went back to her family．'I can't stay with him，'she said．'I want a divorce．'

　　'Poor Wallis，'Edward said．'But what happened next，Lady Furness？'

　　'Well，'said Lady Furness，'a few months later she met a fine man called Ernest Simpson． He's quiet， but interesting．They got married and they now live in a beautiful flat in the centre of London．'

　　'And are they happy？'asked Edward．

　　Lady Furness looked at the Prince and smiled．'I don't know，Sir，'she said．'I don' t know．'

　　During the next two years the Prince saw Wallis once or twice a week．They had the same friends， and they often met at parties．

　　'Mrs Simpson knew a lot about life，'Edward once said．'She loved books， food， people， and travel． She was very beautiful and her eyes were full of fire． She was friendly and easy to talk to and，after a while，I opened up my heart． We had no secrets．I told her everything．And that's how it all began．'

　　'His eyes were always sad，'Wallis said about Edward．'And sometimes he looked like a child— so young， so quiet， so weak． He had no real friends． Perhaps people were a little afraid of him． But he was a warm and kind man． When he talked to me， I felt my heart jump．I wanted to be alone with him， but I knew that wasn't possible．Did the Prince love me in those early days？ No，I don't think so．But each time we met，we just felt closer and closer．'

　　In June 1933 Edward gave a birthday party for Wallis，and during the next few months he visited the Simpson's flat in London almost every day．

　　One evening， the Prince asked Wallis and Ernest to go skiing in Austria．'I'm sorry， Sir，'Mr Simpson replied．'I have to go to America on business．But perhaps Wallis and her aunt can come with you．'

　　'We went to Kitzbühl as friends，'Wallis wrote later，'but when we came home， we were in love． And a few months later the Prince asked me to marry him． It was just like a dream！'

　　5 沃利斯

　　下面就是弗内斯勋爵夫人给爱德华讲述的辛普森夫人早年的生活：

　　沃利斯出生在巴尔的摩。她从不认识自己的父亲。她才5个月大，父亲就去世了。她母亲是个坚强而充满爱心的女人，沃利斯童年很幸福。

　　她 20岁时与一位名叫温菲尔德·斯潘塞的人结了婚。在婚后的最初几年里，他们在一起很幸福。可有一天，温菲尔德在街上丢了钱。他很恼怒。回到家，他从柜子里拿出一瓶威士忌，喝了起来。

　　那天晚上，他扇了沃利斯一记耳光。她尖叫起来，他又打她。她脸上都是血，身体像一片叶子一样颤抖着。“求求你，温菲尔德，”她说，“别打了。”

　　但温菲尔德拽起她的一只胳膊，一直把她拖到楼上。“你是我的囚犯，”他对她吼道，“你别想走。”然后他把她推进浴室，锁上了门。

　　第二天早晨，沃利斯回到娘家。“我不能和他在一起生活了，”她说，“我要离婚。”

　　“可怜的沃利斯，”爱德华说，“可是后来呢，弗内斯勋爵夫人？”

　　“后来，”弗内斯勋爵夫人说，“几个月后她认识了一位叫欧内斯特·辛普森的好人。他很少说话，但很风趣。他们结了婚，现在住在伦敦市中心一套漂亮的公寓里。”

　　“那他们在一起快乐吗？”爱德华问。

　　弗内斯勋爵夫人看着王子笑了。“我不知道，殿下，”她说，“我不知道。”

　　在后来的两年里，王子每星期都能见到沃利斯一两次。他们有共同的朋友，所以经常能在聚会上碰面。

　　“辛普森夫人生活阅历丰富，”爱德华有一次说，“她爱看书，喜欢食物，关爱他人，也喜欢旅行。她非常漂亮，眼里总是充满热情。她待人友善，同她谈话很轻松，没多久我就敞开了心扉。我们之间没有秘密。我对她无所不谈。一切就是这样开始的。”

　　“他的眼神总是那么忧伤，”沃利斯这样描述爱德华，“有时他看起来像个孩子——那么年轻，那么温文尔雅，那么脆弱。他没有真正的朋友。也许人们有点儿怕他。但他是一个热心而善良的人。当他对我说话时，我能感觉到自己的心在跳。我想和他单独在一起，但我知道那是不可能的。王子在与我初识的那些日子里爱我吗？不，我想他不爱。但每次我们相见，都感到彼此更接近了。”

　　1933年6月，爱德华为沃利斯举办了一个生日聚会，在那以后的几个月中，他几乎天天都去辛普森夫妇在伦敦的公寓拜访。

　　一天晚上，王子邀请沃利斯和欧内斯特一起去奥地利滑雪。“对不起，殿下，”辛普森先生回答，“我得去美国出差。不过，也许沃利斯和她姨妈能和您一同去。”