八句著名的名人遗言

 　　No one really knows what happens right before you die. Maybe you see your entire life flash before your eyes. Or maybe you just have some pretty profound thoughts. Here are the final words of eight famous people which are as haunting as they are memorable¹.

　　谁也不知道自己临死前会发生什么，或许你一生的光阴会在眼前一闪而过，或许你会突然迸发出极其深刻的想法。下面是八位名人的临终遗言，和他们本人一样令人难忘。

　　1. "No, I certainly can't."

　　“是啊，当然不能。”

　　President John F. Kennedy was assassinated² on November 22, 1963 while riding in a motorcade with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, and the governor and first lady of Texas. It's alleged³ that Nellie Connally, the governor's wife, looking at the crowds, said "You certainly can’t say that the people of Dallas haven’t given you a nice welcome." "No, I certainly can't," the president reportedly replied, just moments before he was shot.

　　1963年11月22日，美国总统约翰·F·肯尼迪遭暗杀。当时，他和夫人杰奎琳·肯尼迪在德克萨斯州州长和第一夫人的陪同下，乘着轿车，在车队中行进。据称，当时州长夫人奈丽·康娜利看着拥挤的人群说道：“你可不能说我们达拉斯人民没有热烈欢迎你呀。”“是啊，当然不能，”总统据称是这么回答的。话音刚落，肯尼迪总统即遭枪击。

　　2. "You're right. It's time. I love you all."

　　“你是对的，我该离开这个世界了，我爱你们。”

　　We always knew Michael Landon as the loving father on "Little House on the Prairie," and it seems in real life he was just as much a family man. In his final days, Landon was said to have been surrounded by his nine children and wife, Cindy. Before saying his final words to his family, he asked to be alone with his wife when he passed. He died of cancer in 1991.

　　我们都知道迈克尔·兰登在《草原小屋》里扮演一位慈爱的父亲，其实现实生活中的他只是一位普通的居家男人。据称，在兰登最后的日子里，妻子辛迪和九个孩子一直陪在他身边。在对家人说遗言之前，他要求临终前单独和妻子呆在一起。1991年，兰登死于癌症。

　　3. "My Florida water."

　　“我的佛罗里达香水。”

　　The actress and comedienne (Lucille Ball) asked for her perfumed water before she died from a ruptured⁴ aorta⁵ following open-heart surgery in 1989.

　　1989年，这位喜剧女演员（露西尔·鲍尔）死于心脏直视手术后的主动脉破裂，临死前，她向别人要她的香水。

　　4. "I hope I haven't bored you."

　　“我希望我没有让你厌烦。”

　　Those were music legend Elvis Presley's last words at his final press conference. Presley died of an overdose in August 1977 in his home and some reports suggest his last words were promising⁶ his fiancee Ginger⁷ Alden that he wouldn't fall asleep in the bathroom.

　　这是音乐界传奇人物埃维斯·普里斯利（猫王）在最后一场新闻发布会上，说的最后一句话。1977年8月，普里斯利因服药过量死在家中。一些报道称，普里斯利临死前的最后一句话是答应他的未婚妻金杰·奥尔登，他不会在浴室睡觉。

　　5. "I finally get to see Marilyn."

　　“我终于能见到玛丽莲了。”

　　We know of course that Joe DiMaggio must have been speaking about his ex-wife Marilyn Monroe who died decades before him in 1962. After her death, DiMaggio reportedly still had roses delivered to her crypt several times a week for around 20 years. DiMaggio died in 1999 from lung cancer.

　　当然，我们知道乔·狄马乔说的一定是他的前妻玛丽莲·梦露。梦露死于1962年，比狄马乔早几十年。据报道，玛丽莲·梦露死后二十年的时间里，狄马乔坚持每周送几次玫瑰花到她的墓地。1999年，狄马乔死于肺癌。

　　6. "I'm going away tonight."

　　“今晚我将永远离开。”

　　The singer knew he was going to pass as he uttered his last words to his manager. James Brown died from heart failure in 2006.

　　这位歌手知道自己将不久于人世，所以他把遗言告诉了经纪人。2006年，詹姆斯·布朗死于心力衰竭。

　　7. "I've had a hell of a lot of fun and I've enjoyed every minute of it."

　　“我活得快活极了，我享受到了每一分生命。”

　　Errol Flynn apparently⁸ uttered those bittersweet words -- according to various media accounts - just before he died in 1959 from a heart attack. The fun-loving actor was also buried with six bottles of whiskey.

　　1959年，埃洛·弗林死于心脏病发作。据多家媒体报道，埃洛临死前说了这句苦乐参半的话。这位爱笑爱闹的演员还与六瓶威士忌一同埋葬于地下。

　　8. "I should never have switched from Scotch⁹ to martinis."

　　“我不应该从苏格兰威士忌转向马丁尼酒。”

　　Those were allegedly the last words of "Casablanca" actor Humphrey Bogart, who died in 1957 from esophageal cancer. Other stories say his actual last words were, "Goodbye, kid. Hurry back," to his wife, Lauren Bacall, who was briefly¹⁰ leaving his side to go pick up their children from school.

　　1957年，《北非谍影》男演员亨弗莱·鲍嘉死于食道癌。据称，这句话是他的遗言。但也有传言称，他的真正遗言是对他妻子劳伦·白考尔说的“再见了，我的孩子，你们快点回来。”当时，劳伦只是离开他一小会儿，去接孩子们放学。

　　Vocabulary

　　motorcade：车队

　　comedienne：喜剧女演员

　　crypt：(尤指用作墓穴的)教堂地下室

　　esophageal cancer：食道癌

1 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

2 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

3 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

4 ruptured   

v.（使）破裂( rupture的过去式和过去分词 )；（使体内组织等）断裂；使（友好关系）破裂；使绝交

参考例句：

• They reported that the pipeline had ruptured. 他们报告说管道已经破裂了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The wall through Berlin was finally ruptured, prefiguring the reunification of Germany. 柏林墙终于倒塌了，预示着德国的重新统一。 来自辞典例句

5 aorta   

n.主动脉

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Put down that jelly doughnut and look carefully at this aorta.放下手头上的东西，认真观察这张大动脉图片。

6 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

7 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

10 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。