英语听力：一个国王的爱情故事 04.The Meeting

 　　4 The Meeting

　　In the autumn of 1930 Edward went to stay with his friends Lord¹ and Lady Furness．This is how he described that weekend in a book called A King's Story：

　　On Saturday the weather was cold and windy．It was raining heavily² so we could not ride our horses． We decided³ to stay in the house and have an early lunch with some of Lady Furness' friends．

　　At one o'clock Wallis arrived with her husband． She was beautifully⁴ dressed and she smiled all the time．She spoke⁵ with Lord Furness for a few minutes，and then Lady Fur－ness brought her over to see me．

　　'Sir，I would like you to meet one of my dearest and sweetest American friends，Mrs Wallis Simpson．'

　　'How do you do， Mrs Simpson，'I said．'Please come and sit down．'

　　Lady Furness left us and we began to talk．

　　I could see that Wallis was not felling very well．She had a bad cold and her eyes were red． 'I'm afraid that our English houses aren't very warm，'I said． 'We don't have American central heating⁶ here．'

　　There was a long silence⁷．Mrs Simpson turned her face and looked out of the window．Then she said：'You have disappointed⁸ me，Sir．'

　　'And why is that？'I asked．

　　'Because everybody asks me about American central heat－ing．I thought that the Prince⁹ of Wales¹⁰ would talk about something more interesting．'

　　I began to laugh．

　　'What's the matter，Sir？'Wallis asked．'Have I said something wrong？'

　　'No，'I replied．'I'm laughing because you didn't lie to me．You told me the truth．'

　　'But why is that funny？ Doesn't everybody do that？'

　　'One day I'll be King of England，' I replied．'And people are afraid of me．If I say that the sky is yellow， they say，“Yes，Sir，you are right”． If I say that Wednesday is the first day of the week， they say，“Yes，Sir，you are right”． And if I say that Scotland¹¹ is bigger than Canada，they say， “Yes，Sir，you are right”．But you told me that I was boring！ You told me the truth．I like that！'

　　There was another silence and then Wallis began to laugh．'Can I say one more thing，Sir？'

　　'Yes， Mrs Simpson，what is it？'

　　'It's your trousers，Sir．'

　　'My trousers？'

　　'Yes， Sir．They are black and your shoes are brown．'These two colours don't look right together．'

　　I stood up and looked in the mirror．'Yes，Mrs Simp－son，you're right．I look very strange．The next time we meet，I will be better dressed．'

　　When lunch was ready，we walked through into the dining room．I sat at one end of the table and Wallis sat at the other end．I was watching her very carefully．I thought how beautiful her hands were．She began talking to Lady Furness and then， a few minutes later， she turned and smiled at me．I felt very happy．

　　After lunch Wallis came over to say goodbye．'My hus－band and I have to leave now，Sir．We're going to another party in London．'

　　I wanted to speak to her but I could not find the right words．I don't know why． We shook hands and Wallis walked away．

　　I went into the next room and sat down near Lady Fur－ness．'Tell me about Mrs Simpson，'I said．

　　'What would you like to know？'she asked．

　　'Everything！' I said．

　　'Then perhaps，Sir，you would like to walk in the gar－den．We can talk more freely¹² there．'

　　We stood up and left the house by the back door．We walked slowly through the trees，and Lady Furness told me about Wallis…

　　4 相识

　　1930年的秋天，爱德华去他的朋友弗内斯勋爵夫妇那里小住。在《一个国王的故事》一书中，他是这样描述那个周末的：

　　星期六，天气很冷，刮着风。雨下得很大，所以我们无法出去骑马。我们决定待在屋里，早点开午饭。与我们共进午餐的是弗内斯勋爵夫人的一些朋友。

　　1点钟，沃利斯和她的丈夫来了。她穿得很漂亮，始终面带微笑。她与弗内斯勋爵夫人谈了几分钟，然后弗内斯勋爵夫人把她带到我面前。

　　“殿下，我想介绍您认识我的一位最可爱、最甜美的美国朋友，沃利斯·辛普森夫人。”

　　“您好，辛普森夫人，”我说，“请过来坐坐。”

　　弗内斯勋爵夫人走开了，我们交谈起来。

　　我看得出，沃利斯不太舒服。她得了重感冒，眼睛红红的。“恐怕我们英国的房子不够暖和，”我说，“我们这儿没有美国的中央供暖系统。”

　　接着是长长的一段沉默。辛普森夫人转头向窗外望去。然后她说：“您让我感到失望，殿下。”

　　“为什么？”我问。

　　“因为每个人都问我美国中央供暖的事儿。我想，威尔士亲王准会谈些比较有趣的事。”

　　我大笑起来。

　　“怎么了，殿下？”沃利斯问，“我说错什么了吗？”

　　“没有，”我回答，“我笑是因为你没对我说谎。你讲了真话。”

　　“可这有什么可笑的？难道大家不都这样吗？”

　　“有朝一日我会成为英国的国王，”我答道，“所以人们都怕我。如果我说天是黄的，他们会说，'对，殿下，您说得对'。如果我说星期三是一周里的第一天，他们会说，'对，殿下，您说得对'。如果我说苏格兰比加拿大还要大，他们会说，'对，殿下，你说得对'。可是，您却告诉我，我令人乏味！您讲了真心话。我喜欢这样！”

　　又是一段沉默，然后沃利斯笑了起来。“我能再说一件事吗，殿下？”

　　“可以，辛普森夫人，什么事？”

　　“是您的裤子，殿下。”

　　“我的裤子？”

　　“是的，殿下。您的裤子是黑色的，鞋却是棕色的。这两种颜色配在一起有点儿不协调。”

　　我站起身，照了照镜子。“不错，辛普森夫人，您说得对。我看上去真奇怪。等我们下次见面时，我会穿得更得体些。”

　　午餐准备好了，我们走进餐厅。我坐在桌子一头，沃利斯坐在另一头。我仔细地打量她。我想，她的手多美呀！她开始和弗内斯勋爵夫人谈话，几分钟后，她转过头来向我微笑。我觉得很高兴。

　　午餐后，沃利斯过来向我道别。“我和我丈夫现在得走了，殿下。我们要去伦敦参加另一个聚会。”

　　我想对她说点什么，可一时找不到合适的话。我不懂为什么会这样。我们握了握手，沃利斯走了。

　　我走到隔壁房间里，坐在弗内斯夫人身旁。“给我讲讲辛普森夫人的事。”我说。

　　“您想知道什么？”她问。

　　“她的一切！”我说。

　　“那样的话，殿下，也许您会愿意去花园里走走。我们在那儿谈起来会比较自由些。”

　　我们起身从后门走出去。我们漫步在树丛中，弗内斯夫人给我讲起了沃利斯的事……

1 lord   

n.上帝，主；主人，长官；君主，贵族

参考例句：

• I know the Lord will look after him.我知道上帝会眷顾他的。
• How good of the Lord not to level it beyond repair!上帝多么仁慈啊，竟没有让这所房子损毁得不可收拾！

2 heavily   

adv.猛烈地；大量地；厉害地

参考例句：

• They fined him heavily.他们重罚了他。
• It snowed heavily last night.昨夜的雪下得很大。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 beautifully   

adv.极好地；优美地

参考例句：

• You play the piano beautifully.你钢琴弹得真漂亮。
• He struck the ball beautifully.他这个球打得极漂亮。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 heating   

n.加热，供暖，暖气装置；adj.加热的，供暖的

参考例句：

• They will install a heating and lighting system in our house.他们将在我们家装上供热供电系统。
• If the pressure is too low,the heating system will act up.如果压力太低，供暖系统就会出毛病。

7 silence   

n.沉默，无声，静寂，湮没，无声息；vt.使缄默；int.安静！

参考例句：

• She raised a hand for silence.她举手示意大家安静。
• They drove home in silence.他们默不作声地开车回家。

8 disappointed   

adj.失望的，不满意的，不如意的

参考例句：

• He seemed disappointed when the man refused his request.当那个人拒绝了他的要求时他看起来很失望。
• He was disappointed so often that he became hopeless.他屡次失望，以致变为了绝望。

9 prince   

n.王子，太子，诸侯

参考例句：

• Prince Charles has again fallen from his horse.查尔斯王子又一次从马上摔了下来。
• The prince and the princess lived happily ever after.从此以后王子和公主就一直过着幸福的日子。

10 Wales   

n.威尔士(在大不列颠岛西南部)

参考例句：

• The company are opening up a new factory in Wales.公司将在威尔士开一家新工厂。
• She teaches English at the University of Wales.她在威尔士大学教英语。

11 Scotland   

n.苏格兰

参考例句：

• He has been hiking round Scotland for a month.他围着苏格兰徒步旅行了一个月。
• Scotland is to the north of England.苏格兰在英格兰之北。

12 freely   

adv.自由地，随便地，无拘无束地

参考例句：

• She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水，痛痛快快地哭了起来。
• A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动，无固定形态。