英语听力：一个国王的爱情故事 11.Paris

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　　11 Paris

　　For the next thirty years the Duke¹ and Duchess lived in Paris．They gave parties and travelled round the world，but they never went back to Buckingham Palace．

　　When King George died in 1952 and Queen² Mary died in 1961，Edward returned to Windsor for a few days．But Wallis stayed in France．'It's your family，'she said．'Not mine．'

　　But then，in 1966，the Duke and Duchess met Queen Elizabeth（the daughter of King George）at a small party in London．After thirty long years it was time to forget the past．Elizabeth kissed the Duchess and touched her arm．Then she turned to the Duke and said：'Wallis is so beautiful，uncle．I think you're a lucky man．'

　　'That day Elizabeth was very kind to us，'Edward wrote later．'But why couldn't my mother or my brother say those words to me？'

　　On BBC³ television in 1969 the Duke and Duchess spoke⁴ about their life together．

　　'Do you argue？'someone asked them．

　　'No，not really，'the Duchess replied．'But there's one thing about my husband that I really don't like．He is always late．It doesn't matter if he's meeting a queen，a president，or a film star．He can never arrive on time．I don't know why．I have tried to change him，but it's just not possible．'

　　The Duke smiled and touched her hand．'I know that I'm often late，'he said．'But on our wedding⁵ day，I arrived at the church twenty minutes before you．I was early and you were late．'

　　'Yes，that's true，'the Duchess said．And they both laughed．

　　'You could see real love in their eyes，'one newspaper wrote．'They were on television，but they forgot about the cameras and the millions of people who were watching．They were just two people in love．'

　　The Duchess was famous for her jewellery⁶．'After my husband，'she once said，'I love jewellery more than anything else in the world．'And after thirty-five years with the Duke she had hundreds of pieces，which came from all over the world．

　　'I have never met a more beautiful woman than Wallis，'Edward wrote，'and I love giving her presents．She has given me so much happiness⁷．I buy her jewels⁸ to say“thank you”．'

　　In May 1972 the Duke became ill．When the doctor arrived，he listened to Edward's heart and then said：'How many cigarettes⁹ do you have a day，Sir？'

　　'About forty or fifty，'the Duke replied．'But please don't ask me to stop．I've smoked for sixty years and I cannot change now．'

　　That night Edward called Wallis into the room．'I feel very tired，'he said．'And I'm afraid．I love you．I have been very happy with you，and you have been a wonderful wife．When I die，I want you to take my body back to Windsor．Will you do that for me？'

　　'Yes，of course，'she said．And they both began to cry．

　　The Duke of Windsor died one hour later with Wallis by his side．

　　Three days later，a blue aeroplane¹⁰ arrived in Paris．Wallis went back to England with the Duke's body and，for the first time in her life，she entered Buckingham Palace．

　　A week later the Duchess returned to France，and for the next fourteen years she lived alone in Paris．The big house was dark．The doors were locked and she did not go out．

　　In the afternoons she sat in the dining room with Edward's love letters．'They were so beautiful，'she said．'I read them again and again．'

　　But then，in 1986，Wallis became ill．She went to a small hospital near the house，and a few days later she died．'With-out Edward，'she once wrote，'my life was empty．'

　　She was buried¹¹ in England next to her husband at Wind-sor．'It's a strange thing，'one newspaper wrote．'When they were alive，the Duke and Duchess could never live in Britain．It was only in death that they could be there together．'

　　11 巴黎

　　在以后的30年里，公爵和夫人住在巴黎。他们举行各种聚会，周游世界，但从未回过白金汉宫。

　　爱德华分别在1952年乔治国王去世时，及1961年王太后玛丽去世时，回温莎待过几天。沃利斯则留在法国。“那是你的家庭，”她说，“不是我的。”

　　但是，1966年公爵和夫人在伦敦的一个小型聚会上见到了伊丽莎白女王（乔治国王的女儿）。事隔30年，该忘记过去了。伊丽莎白吻了公爵夫人，碰了碰她的胳膊。然后她转向公爵，说：“沃利斯真美，伯父。我觉得您真幸运。”

　　“那天，伊丽莎白对我们很和气，”爱德华后来写道，“但为什么我的母亲和弟弟就不能对我说这些话呢？”

　　1969年，在BBC电视节目里，公爵和夫人谈起他们的婚姻生活。

　　“你们吵架吗？”有人这样问他们。

　　“不，不真吵，”公爵夫人回答，“但我丈夫有一点我确实不喜欢。他总是迟到。无论是要会见女王、总统，还是电影明星，他从不准时赴约。我不知道为什么。我曾试图改变他，但就是不行。”

　　公爵微笑着拍拍她的手。“我知道自己常常迟到，”他说，“可我们举行婚礼那天，我比你早20分钟赶到教堂。我早到了，而你却迟到了。”

　　“对，这倒是真的，”公爵夫人说，他俩都笑了。

　　“在他们的眼中，你可以看到真正的爱，”一家报纸如此写道，“他们在接受电视采访，但他们忘记了摄像机，忘记了几百万观众在注视着他们。他们只是两个相爱中的人。”

　　公爵夫人因她的珠宝而出名。“除了我丈夫，”她有一次说，“这世界上我最爱的莫过于珠宝了。”与公爵一起生活35年后，她拥有了来自世界各地的几百件珠宝。

　　“我从未见过比沃利斯更美的女人，”爱德华写道，“我喜欢送礼物给她。她给了我那么多快乐。我给她买珠宝，以表达谢意。”

　　1972年5月，公爵病倒了。医生赶来后，听了听爱德华的心脏，问道：“您一天吸几枝烟，先生？”

　　“大约四五十枝，”公爵回答，“但请别让我戒烟。我已经吸了60年烟，现在已经改不了了。”

　　那天晚上，爱德华把沃利斯叫进房间。“我觉得很累，”他说，“也很害怕。我爱你。和你在一起我很快乐，你是个出色的妻子。我死后，你要把我的遗体送回温莎。你会为我做这件事吗？”

　　“会，当然会，”她说。然后两个人都哭了。

　　1小时后，温莎公爵溘然长逝，沃利斯一直陪伴在他身旁。

　　3天后，一架蓝色飞机到达巴黎。沃利斯护送公爵的遗体回到了英国，这是她平生第一次踏进白金汉宫。

　　1周后，公爵夫人回到法国。在这以后的14年里，她独自一人住在巴黎，把自己锁在那所幽暗的大房子里，足不出户。

　　每天下午，她就坐在餐厅里，读爱德华写的情书。“它们是那么美，”她说，“我读了一遍又一遍。

　　然而，1986年，沃利斯病倒了。她住进离家不远的一家小医院，几天后便去世了。“没有爱德华，”她曾写到，“我的生活一片空虚。”

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