英语听力：曾达的囚徒 13.Goodbye to Ruritania

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　　13 Goodbye to Ruritania

　　Old Sapt worked hard to keep our secret hidden．He sent messages，told lies，and gave orders．All his plans were successful，except one．Nothing can stop a woman in love．

　　When Princess¹ Flavia heard that the King was hurt，she refused to stay at Tarlenheim House and rode at once to the Castle² of Zenda．Sapt had hidden me in a room in the old castle，and he and Fritz brought her to me there．How happy she was to see me！She threw her arms round my neck and kissed me．

　　'No！'cried Sapt．'It's not the King．Don't kiss him．He is the man you love-but he is not the King！'

　　Flavia's face went white．'What do you mean？'she cried．She turned to me again．'Rudolf！Why do you let them say these things？'

　　I looked deeply³ into her eyes．

　　'It's true，'I said quietly．'I am not the King．'

　　For a minute she continued to hold on to me．She looked at Sapt，at Fritz，and finally at me again．Then，slowly，she fell forward and I laid her gently⁴ on the ground．

　　'I wish that Rupert had killed me，'I said．

　　* * *

　　I saw the King once more．He thanked me，and I gave him back the royal⁵ Elphberg ring．If he noticed Flavia's ring on my finger，he said nothing．We both knew that we would never meet again．

　　Before I left Ruritania，Princess Flavia asked to see me again，and Fritz took me to her．They had told her everything．

　　We had so much to say-and so little to say．A princess is not free to choose who to love．

　　'Flavia，'I said，'I love you．I'll love you until the day I die．'

　　As I walked away，I heard her say my name again and again．'Rudolf…Rudolf…'I can hear it now．

　　* * *

　　I live quietly now，but every year Fritz and I meet in a little town outside Ruritania．There，he gives me news of the Queen⁶ of Ruritania，the wife of King Rudolf the Fifth．And every year he brings me a red rose and a note with the words written：Rudolf-Flavia-always．And I send her a red rose with the same message．

　　Shall⁷ I ever see her again？ Who knows？

　　13 告别卢里塔尼亚

　　老萨普特花了很大力气使我们的秘密不泄露出去。他发布消息，撒谎，下命令。他的所有计划都成功了，只有一件事除外。什么也阻挡不了一个恋爱中的女人。

　　当弗蕾维亚公主听说国王受了伤，她拒绝呆在塔伦汉姆庄园，而是立刻骑马赶来曾达城堡。萨普特把我藏在城堡的一间房子里，他和弗里茨把她带到我这儿。当她见到我时她是多么幸福啊！她搂住我的脖子亲吻我。

　　“不！”萨普特叫道：“他不是国王，别亲他。他是你爱的那个男人，但他不是国王！”

　　弗蕾维亚的脸白了：“你是什么意思？”她叫道，她又转脸对着我：“鲁道夫！为什么你允许他们说这些？”

　　我深深地看着她的眼睛：

　　“这是真的。”我平静地说：“我不是国王。”

　　有一会儿她仍然搂着我。她看看萨普特，弗里茨，最后又看着我，然后，慢慢地，她倒下了。我把她轻轻地放在地上。

　　“我真希望鲁帕特杀死了我。”我说。

　　我又一次见到了国王。他谢了我。我把艾尔弗伯格的王室戒指还给他。即使他看见弗蕾维亚的戒指戴在我的手上，他也没说什么。我们都知道我们再也不会相见了。

　　在我离开卢里塔尼亚之前，弗蕾维亚公主请求再见我一面。弗里茨带我去见她，他们把一切都告诉了她。

　　我们有这么多话可说——然而又没什么可说的。一位公主是没有权利自由选择爱什么人的。

　　“弗蕾维见，”我说，“我爱你。我会一直爱你直到我死的那一天。”

　　我离开的时候，我听见她一遍又一遍叫我的名字：“鲁道夫……鲁道夫……”我现在还能听见。

　　如今我过着平静的生活。不过每年在靠近卢里塔尼亚的一座小城里，我和弗里茨会见上一面。在那儿，他告诉我关于卢里塔尼亚王后的消息，她是鲁道夫五世的妻子。每年她都给我一枝红玫瑰，还有一张纸条，上面写着“鲁道夫——弗蕾维亚——永远！”而我也送给她一枝红玫瑰，还有同样的字条。

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