英语听力：一个国王的爱情故事 05.Wallis

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　　5 Wallis

　　This is how Lady Furness described¹ Mrs Simpson's early life² to Edward：

　　Wallis was³ born⁵ in Baltimore．She never knew her father．He died⁶ when she was five months old． But her mother was a strong and loving⁷ woman， and Wallis was a happy child．

　　When she was twenty，she married⁸ a man called Win－field Spencer．For the first few⁹ years they were happy togeth－er． But one day Winfield lost some money in the street．He was very angry． When he came¹⁰ home， he took¹¹ a bottle of whisky¹² from a cupbodrd and began to drink．

　　That night he hit Wallis in the mouth． She screamed¹³ and he hit her again．There was blood¹⁴ on her face and she was shaking¹⁵ like a leaf¹⁶．' Please， Winfield，'she said¹⁷．'No more．

　　But Winfield took her arm and pulled¹⁸ her up the stairs¹⁹．'You're my prisoner，'he shouted at her，'and you're not going²⁰ to leave．'Then he pushed²¹ her into the bathroom and locked²² the door．

　　The next morning Wallis went back to her family．'I can't stay with him，'she said．'I want a divorce²³．'

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

　　'Well，'said Lady Furness，'a few months later²⁴ she met a fine man called Ernest Simpson． He's quiet， but interesting．They got²⁵ married and they now live in a beautiful flat in the centre²⁶ of London．'

　　'And are they happy？'asked Edward．

　　Lady Furness looked at the Prince²⁷ and smiled．'I don't know，Sir，'she said．'I don' t know．'

　　During²⁸ the next two years the Prince saw²⁹ Wallis once or twice³⁰ a week．They had³¹ 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 travel³²． She was very beautiful and her eyes were full of fire． She was friendly³³ and easy to talk to and，after a while，I opened up my heart³⁴． We had no secrets³⁵．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 real³⁶ friends． Perhaps³⁷ 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 alone³⁸ with him， but I knew that wasn't possible³⁹．Did⁴⁰ 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 gave⁴¹ a birthday party for Wallis，and during the next few months he visited the Simpson's flat in London almost⁴² every day．

　　One evening， the Prince asked Wallis and Ernest to go skiing⁴³ in Austria⁴⁴．'I'm sorry， Sir，'Mr Simpson replied⁴⁵．'I have to go to America on business⁴⁶．But perhaps Wallis and her aunt can come with you．'

　　'We went to Kitzbühl as⁴ friends，'Wallis wrote⁴⁷ later，'but when we came home， we were in love． And a few months later the Prince asked me to marry⁴⁸ him． It was just like a dream⁴⁹！'

　　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。”

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