精美英文欣赏:A Great Friendship 伟大的友谊(下)（在线收听）

It's also been a great solace to me to believe that you're engaged in vindicating to posterity the course that we've pursued for preserving to them, in all their purity, their blessings of self-government, which we had assisted in acquiring for them.

我感到一大安慰的是，我相信你还在兢兢业业地致力于造福子孙后代的事业一一这份事业我们曾为他们争取过，我们也努力要把他们透明自治的优良体制流传下去。

If ever the earth has beheld a system of administration conducted with a single and steadfast eye to the general interest and happiness of those committed to it, one which, protected by truth, can never known reproach, it is that to which our lives have been devoted.

希望这世界上有一种治理制度，在执行的时候专门有坚定不移的一只眼睛来审视它，监护大众利益和为之奋斗者的幸福，建立在真理基础上的制度将永远与责难无缘，我们一生所致力的也正在这里。

To myself you have been a pillar of support throughout life.

我自己，还有你，毕生都为此鼎力支持。

Take care of me when dead and be assured that I should leave with you my last affections."

请你照顾我的身后之事，也请相信，我的友情永远和你同在。”

A week later Madison replied—

一个星期后，麦迪逊写了回信——

"You cannot look back to the long period of our private friendship and political harmony with more affecting recollections than I do.

“在过去的漫长岁月中，你我的友谊与一致的政治观，总令我在回想时心中无比感动。

If they are a source of pleasure to you, what aren't they not to be to me?

它们为你带来欢乐，对我又何尝不是如此？

We cannot be deprived of the happy consciousness of the pure devotion to the public good with Which we discharge the trust committed to us and I indulge a confidence that sufficient evidence will find in its way to another generation to ensure, after we are gone, whatever of justice may be withheld whilst we are here. "

我们肩负人民的信任，为大众福利鞠躬尽瘁，从中获得的幸福感是难以泯灭的。我坚信，无论当前对我们的评判怎样，我们的一切贡献，身后的下一代人必将给予公断。”