His mind went back to that book-the book the Lord Himself must have put into his hands out of the hundreds of Army library books sent to the Florida training camp.

 

他又想到了在训练营时看过的一本书—《人性的枷锁》，

Of Human Bondage, it was; and throughout the book were notes in a woman's writing. He had always hated that writing-in-habit, but these remarks were different.

书里有一个女人的批注。

He had never believed that a woman could see into a man's heart so tenderly, so understandingly. Her name was on the bookplate: Hollis Meynell.

他难以相信，一个女人竟能如此透彻地读懂男人的心，书签上有她的名字：霍丽丝梅内尔。

He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address. He had written, she had answered.

于是他找来一本纽约市电话簿，查到了地址，给她写信，并收到了回信。

Next day he had been shipped out, but they had gone on writing.

因为执行任务，第二天他就坐船离开了，但他们仍保持通信。

For 13 months, she had faithfully replied, and more than replied.

13个月里，她始终诚挚地给他回信，

When his letters did not arrive she wrote anyway, and now he believed he loved her, and she loved him.

 

通常是他的信还未到，她的信就来了。因此，他深信，他们彼此深爱着。

But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph. That seemed rather bad, of course.

然而，她拒绝送他照片，

But she had explained: "If your feeling for me has any reality, any honest basis, what I look like won't matter.

并解释说：“如果你是真心对我，我的外表并不重要。

Suppose I'm beautiful. I'd always be haunted by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just that, and that kind of love would disgust me.

如果我长得很漂亮，我会认为，你是爱我的外表，那样会另我很反感。

Suppose I'm plain (and you must admit that this is more likely).

如果我长相平凡（你必须承认这个更有可能），

Then I'd always fear that you were going on writing to me only because you were lonely and had no one else. No, don't ask for my picture.

就会担心，你和我通信，是因为内心孤独，无人倾诉。别向我要照片。

When you come to New York, you shall see me and then you shall make your decision.

你来纽约时就可以看到我了，可以在那时做出某些决定。”

One minute to six...he pulled hard on a cigarette. Then Lieutenant Blandford's heart leaped higher than his plane had ever done.

还有1分钟就6点了…布兰福德猛抽了一口烟，心跳更加快了。

A young woman was coming toward him. Her figure was long and slim; her blond hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears.

一位年轻的女士向他走来，她身材苗条，金黄的卷发拢在小巧的耳后，

Her eyes were blue as flowers, her lips and chin had a gentle firmness.

双唇红润，下巴精致，眼睛深蓝动人。

In her pale green suit, she was like springtime come alive.

她穿着淡绿色的西装，浑身散发着青春的活力。