汉诺威广场

　　Can it really be sixty-two years ago that I first saw you?

　　我初见你，至今果真已六十二年了么？

　　It is truly a life time, I know. But as I gaze into your eyes now, it seems like only yesterday that I first saw you, in that small café in Hanover Square.

　　不消说，这的确是一生的光阴。可如今我注视你的双眸，却依然如昨，你第一次进入我的视线，在汉诺威广场的小咖啡馆里。

　　From the moment I saw you smile, as you opened the door for that young mother and her new-born baby. I knew. I knew that I wanted to share the rest of my life with you.

　　那一刻我见到你为一个年轻的妈妈和她新生的孩子开了门，面带笑靥。也就在那一刻，我知道，我知道我想同你天荒地老了。

　　I still think of how foolish I must have looked, as I gazed at you, that first time. I remember watching you intently, as you took off your hat and loosely shook your short dark hair with your fingers.

　　我常常回想当时的自己，初逢却一心盯着你看，那样子是何等的愚憨。可我记得我心无旁骛地凝视着你，看到你摘下帽子，用手指随意拨弄你乌黑的短发。

　　I felt myself becoming immersed in your every detail, as you placed your hat on the table and cupped your hands around the hot cup of tea, gently blowing the steam away with your pouted lips.

　　我只觉得自己被你的举手投足完全吸引，尤其是看到你把帽子放在桌上，两手拢着一杯热茶，撅起小嘴轻轻地吹走上面的热气。

　　From that moment, everything seemed to make perfect sense to me. The people in the café and the busy street outside all disappeared into a hazy blur. All I could see was you.

　　还是从那一刻起，我感到一切都顺心如意。咖啡馆里的人们、外面繁忙的街道皆幻化模糊。我能看清的，只有你。

　　All through my life I have relived that very first day. Many, many times I have sat and thought about that first day, and how for a few fleeting moments I am there, feeling again what is like to know true love for the very first time. It pleases me that I can still have those feelings now after all those years, and I know I will always have them to comfort me.

　　回首此生，初逢那一天在我脑海中频频重现。有太多次，我静静坐着，回味当天的点滴，轻叹那时光何其短暂，回味自己第一次懂得真爱的美妙感觉。多年来，我欣喜于这种体会真切如初，且它终将陪着我，慰藉我。

　　Not even as I shook and trembled uncontrollably in the trenches, did I forget your face. I would sit huddled into the wet mud, terrified, as the hails of bullets and mortars crashed down around me. I would clutch my rifle tightly to my heart, and think again of that very first day we met.

　　我曾经在战壕里不能自已地颤抖战栗，但却丝毫没有忘掉你的容颜。我总会蜷坐在稀泥上，战战兢兢，任凭枪林弹雨和连天炮火在我身边炸成碎片。我也总是紧握钢枪，贴着心口，回想着初逢的那天。

　　I would cry out in fear, as the noise of war beat down around me. But, as I thought of you and saw you smiling back at me, everything around me would become silent, and I would be with you again for a few precious moments, far from death and destruction.It would not be until I opened my eyes once again, that I would see and hear the carnage of the war around me.

　　身边战火的巨响让我不免在恐惧中嚎哭，但每当我想到你，想到你投来的笑容，一切就都安宁了。我想象着再次回到你的身边，一起度过美好的时光，远离杀伐。闭上眼，是这等福祉，睁开眼，我却不能无视战争的屠戮。

　　I cannot tell you how strong my love for you was back then, when I returned to you on leave in the September, feeling battered, bruised and fragile. We held each other so tight I thought we would burst. I asked you to marry me the very same day and I whooped with joy when you looked deep into my eyes and said "yes" to being my bride.

　　九月假期，身心疲倦、脆弱不堪的我重回你的身边，你可知那一刻我对你的爱是有多深。我们紧紧拥抱在一起，再也不想分开。就在这天，我向你求婚，你深情凝视着我，答应做我的新娘。我喜不自胜。

　　I'm looking at our wedding photo now, the one on our dressing table, next to your jewellery box. I think of how young and innocent we were back then. I remember being on the church steps grinning like a Cheshire cat, when you said how dashing and handsome I looked in my uniform.

　　现在，我正端详着我们梳妆台上的结婚照，旁边还有你的首饰盒。我说，那时候的我们真年轻，真单纯。我忘不了自己站在教堂的台阶上，合不拢嘴地傻笑着，听着你跟我说我穿制服的样子英挺帅气。

　　The photo is old and faded now, but when I look at it, I only see the bright vibrant colours of our youth. I can still remember every detail of the pretty wedding dress your mother made for you, with its fine delicate lace and pretty pearls.

　　这照片有些旧得泛黄了，但我还是能从中清楚看到我们年轻时候那奕奕的神采。你妈妈亲手为你做的婚礼服历历在目，精致的蕾丝花边，美丽的各色珠宝。

　　If I concentrate hard enough, I can smell the sweetness of your wedding bouquet as you held it so proudly for everyone to see.

　　再仔细些回忆，我甚至都能嗅到婚礼上你不无自豪地捧在胸前好让大家看到的鲜花的沁人香气。

　　I remember being so over enjoyed, when a year later, you gently held my hand to your waist and whispered in my ear that we were going to be a family.

　　我也清楚记得一年以后的一天，我又再次被喜悦萦绕。你温柔地将我的双手揽在你的腰间，在我耳边细语，告诉我咱们很快就会成为一个大家庭了。

　　I know both our children love you dearly; they are outside the door now, waiting.

　　不用说，咱们的两个孩子都爱你至深。他们此时就在门外，等着你。

　　Do you remember how I panicked like a mad man when Jonathon was born? I can still picture you laughing and smiling at me now, as I clumsily held him for the very first time in my arms. I watched as your laughter faded into tears, as I stared at him and cried my own tears of joy.

　　妻，你还记得Jonathon出生的时候，我像疯癫了一样手足无措么？我却是记得你羞我、笑我的样子的。我毛手毛脚地抱着他，那是我第一次把他抱在自己的怀中啊。我看到你喜极而泣，正如我盯着宝贝儿子一直看到自己也热泪盈眶一般。

　　Sarah and Tom arrived this morning with little Tessie. Can you remember how we both hugged each other tightly when we saw our tiny granddaughter for the first time? I can't believe she will be eight next month.

　　今天早上，Sarah和Tom带着小Tessie也来了。你也肯定不会忘记咱们第一次见到自己可爱的小孙女儿的时候，是怎样紧紧拥抱着彼此的吧。下个月她就过八岁生日了，你说日子快不快。

　　I am trying not to cry, my love, as I tell you how beautiful she looks today in her pretty dress and red shiny shoes, she reminds me so much of you that first day we met. She has her hair cut short now, just like yours was all those years ago. When I met her at the door her smile wrapped around me like a warm glove, just like yours used to do, my darling.

　　妻，宝贝儿，我不会哭的，我要告诉你她穿着漂亮的小礼服，擦的锃亮的小红鞋有多美。她让我再次深深回忆起我人生中第一次见到的你。她现在也把头发剪短了，就像多年前你的小短发一样。今早我在门口见到她冲我笑，仿佛温暖的手套一般包覆着我，那笑容亦如你长久以来所拥有的一样。我的妻。

　　I know you are tired, my dear, and I must let you go. But I love you so much it hurts to do so.

　　好了，我知道你累了，宝贝儿，我知道你得走了。但是我真舍不得。我爱你。真的。

　　As we grew old together, I would tease you that you had not changed since we first met. But it is true, my darling. I do not see the wrinkles and grey hair that other people see.

　　我们的年龄越长，我越爱取笑你，笑话你怎么多年来未曾老去，还像我初见你时一般。我没说瞎话，宝贝儿。我没在意别人在你这儿看到的皱纹和白发。

　　When I look at you now, I only see your sweet tender lips and youthful sparkling eyes as we sat and had our first picnic next to that small stream, and chased each other around that big old oak tree. I remember wishing those first few days together would last forever. Do you remember how exciting and wonderful those days were?

　　我看着你，总是看到甜美娇柔的红唇，青春夺目的眼神。那一回，我们是坐在小溪边，第一次野炊，第一次在一棵高大的老橡树周围追逐嬉戏。我不会忘记自己曾许愿，祈祷我们最初共度的时光永无休止，祈祷我们长相厮守，绝不分离。你一定跟我一样忘不了那些日子多么让人心旌摇荡，多么甜美绝伦。

　　I must go now, my darling. Our children are waiting outside. They want to say goodbye to you.

　　宝贝儿，我得走了。我们的孩子在外面等着你呢。他们也想，跟你说声，再见。

　　I wipe the tears away from my eyes and bend my frail old legs down to the floor, so that I can kneel beside you. I lean close to you and take hold of your hand and kiss your tender lips for the very last time.

　　我擦干眼泪，弯下不中用的一双老腿，好跪在你的旁边。我靠着你，握着你的手，吻着你的唇。这真的是生命中的最后一回了。你知道么？

　　Sleep peacefully my dear.

　　休息吧，宝贝儿。

　　I am sad that you had to leave me, but please don't worry. I am content, knowing I will be with you soon. I am too old and too empty now to live much longer without you.

　　我真舍不得你就此离开我。但别担心。我知道，我们肯定很快就会重逢。没有了你，我就真的老了，也真的孤独了。我不会自己一个人生活太久的。

　　I know it won't be long before we meet again in that small café in Hanover Square.

　　相信我，很快，咱们又会相逢，在汉诺威广场上的小咖啡馆里的。

　　Goodbye, my darling wife.

　　再见，我挚爱的妻。