3 The Royal Star

　　After a year at Oxford University， Edward went to fight in the First World War．He wrote：

　　I lived in a house with twenty-five other soldiers． At night we talked about our lives and our families．It was very inter－esting．

　　I could speak freely to different people-rich and poor，young and old． But I also saw the blood and noise of war．

　　One day in 1916 my driver took me to the town of Loos in Belgium．I got out of the car and walked to the top of the hill．Down below me there was heavy fighting and I felt very sad．

　　An hour later I returned to my car．I'll never forget what I saw．My driver was dead． While I was away，some－body shot him in the neck．

　　When the war finished in 1918， Edward returned to Bucking－ham Palace． One night he was talking to his father in the din－ing room．

　　'I don't understand why countries fight，'the Prince said．'The war has finished， but nothing has changed．There are still millions of poor and hungry people． It's not right．Somebody must do something！'

　　'Well，'King George replied，'you can't change the world if you sit by the fire． You must travel．Meet people．Talk to them．Listen to what they say． And then， when you are King， you can make the world a better place．'

　　And so，in 1920，Edward left England again． During the next five years he travelled 240 000 kilometres and visited 45 different countries．

　　He saw India， Argentina， Nigeria， Mexico， New Zealand， Germany， and Japan．When he came to Toronto，in Canada， there were 500 000 people in the streets to meet him．Everywhere thousands of people waited to see him—there were crowds of 190 000 in Cape Town， 300 000 in Paris， 500 000 in New York， and 750 000 in Melbourne．

　　'Edward is the first royal star，'one newspaper wrote，'and he is now the most famous man in the world．In the old days princes were cold and bored．But Edward is different． He gets out of his car and walks down the street． Every two or three minutes he stops and speaks with the crowd．He laughs．He smiles． He shakes a thousand hands． He is a man of the people with a heart of gold．'

　　3 皇族明星

　　在牛津大学学习了一年之后，爱德华参加了第一次世界大战。他写道：

　　我和其他25名士兵住在一间房子里。晚上，我们就谈各自的生活和家庭。谈话十分有趣。

　　我可以和各种各样的人随意交谈——无论是富人还是穷人，年轻人还是老年人。但我也领略了战争的血腥和喧嚣。

　　1916年的一天，我的司机送我去比利时的卢斯镇。我下了车，往山顶走去。山下正进行着激烈的战斗，我心里十分难过。

　　一小时后，我回到汽车上。我永远也忘不了我看到的那一幕。我的司机死了。我离开的时候，有人射中了他的颈部。

　　1918年战争结束后，爱德华回到白金汉宫，一天晚上，他在餐厅里同父亲交谈。

　　“我不明白国家之间为什么要打仗，”王子说。“战争已经结束了，但一切依旧。还是有许许多多的人生活在贫困中，忍饥挨饿。这不公平。总得有人做些什么！”

　　“嗯，”乔治国王答道，“光坐在壁炉旁是不能改变世界的。你得出去走走。去和人们结识一下，与他们谈一谈，听听他们说些什么。这样，当你成为国王的时候，就可以把世界变得更美好。”

　　于是，1920年，爱德华再次离开英国。在随后的5年里，他行程达24万公里，访问了45个国家。

　　他访问了印度、阿根廷、尼日利亚、墨西哥、新西兰、德国和日本。当他到达加拿大多伦多时，受到50万人的夹道欢迎。每到一处，都有成千上万的人盼着一睹他的风采——在开普敦有19万人，在巴黎有30万人，在纽约有50万人，在墨尔本有75万人。