为你读书：Roses for Rose《来自天堂的玫瑰》

一位丈夫在去世前为妻子订下了每年的玫瑰花，希望每年情人节，妻子都能收到这来自天堂的玫瑰花，感受到他对她的深远的爱——真正的爱情是：我在，便是你避风的港湾；我不在，也希望你能幸福安好。

——编者语

 

Red roses were her favorites and her name was also Rose. Every year her husband sent her roses tied with pretty bows. The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door. The card said, "Be my Valentine", like all the years before.

红玫瑰是她的最爱，她的名字叫罗斯，也是“玫瑰”的意思。每年情人节，丈夫都要送她一些玫瑰花，并用漂亮的丝带扎着。卡片像往年一样写着：“献给我的爱人！”丈夫去世的那年，她依然收到了玫瑰花。

 

Each year before he sent her roses, and the note would always say, "I love you even more this year than last year on this day." "My love for you will always grow, with every passing year." She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.

每年，丈夫送她花时，都要写下这样一些话：“我爱你，今朝更胜往昔。”“时光流转，我对你的爱历久弥新。”她知道，这是她最后一次收到丈夫的玫瑰花了。

 

She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day. Her loving husband did not know that he would pass away. He always liked to do things early, way before the time. Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.

她想，玫瑰花一定是他预订的。她亲爱的丈夫或许不知道，自己会死去。他总喜欢提前把一些事情安排妥当，这样，即使再忙，也可以从容应对，处理好一切。

 

She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase. Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face. She would sit for hours in her husband's favorite chair, while staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.

她修剪好枝叶，将花插到一只别致的花瓶里。然后，把花瓶放到面带微笑的丈夫的遗像旁。她在丈夫最喜欢的椅子里一坐就是几个小时。伴着玫瑰花，凝神地望着他的照片。

 

A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate. With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate. Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before. The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.

一年终于过去了，没有丈夫的日子十分难捱。在孤独与寂寞中，她又迎来一个情人节。情人节前夕，家里门铃响了。有人送来一束玫瑰花，放在了门口。

 

She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock. Then, went to get the telephone to call the florist shop. The owner answered and she asked him if he would explain why someone would do this to her, causing her such pain.

她把玫瑰花拿进屋，吃惊地看着它们。然后走到电话旁，拨通了花店的电话是店主接的。她要他解释为什么还有人送花给她，增添她的悲伤。

 

"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago," The owner said, "I knew you'd call and you would want to know. The flowers you received today were paid for in advance. Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance.”

“我知道您的丈夫一年前就过世了，”店主说：“我也知道您会打电话来问究竟的。您今天收到的花，已经提前付款了。您丈夫总是提前做好计划，万无一失。”

 

“There is a standing order that I have on file down here. And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year. There also is another thing that I think you should know. He wrote a special little card... he did this years ago.”

“这里有一份委托书，我已存档。他预付了花款，委托我们每年给您送花。还有一件事，我想您有必要知道，还有一张特别的小卡片……是他去年写的。”

 

“Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here. That's the card... that should be sent to you the following year.” She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard. Her fingers shaking as she slowly reached to get the card.

“那张卡片……是他让我们要在他死后的第二年送给您。现在他不在了，所以就把卡片送给您了。”她谢过店主，挂断了电话，泪如泉涌。她的手抖动着，慢慢地伸向那张卡片。

 

Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note. Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote... "Hello, my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone. I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome.”

卡片里丈夫写给她的一张便条。她静静地注视着它，这是他亲手写给她的……“亲爱的，你好！我知道已经离开你一年了，我希望这一年里你没有受太多的苦。”

 

“I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real. For if it were the other way, I know how I would feel. The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life. I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife.”

“亲爱的，你好！我知道已经离开你一年了，我知道这一年你一定很孤单，很痛苦。如果换上我是你，我也会那样的。我们的爱使生命中的一切都变得美好。我对你的爱用语言无法表达，你是我完美的爱妻。”

 

“You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need. I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve. I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears. That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.”

“你是我的朋友，我的爱人，你让我时刻都心满意足。我知道这才仅仅一年，但我还是要你努力去忘记苦痛。我想让你快乐，即便流泪也是因幸福而泣。所以每年我都要送你玫瑰花。”

 

“When you get these roses, think of all the happiness. That we had together and how both of us were blessed. I have always loved you and I know I always will. But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.”

“当你收到这些玫瑰时，想想我们一起度过的美好时光，我们曾经是多么幸福呀！我一直深爱着你，并将一直深爱下去。但是，亲爱的，答应我，一定要好好活着。”

 

“Please... try to find happiness, while living out your days. I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways. The roses will come every year and they will only stop. When your door's not answered when the florist stops to knock.”

“请努力寻找幸福，珍惜生命中的每一天。我知道那并不容易，但我仍希望你能努力去做。玫瑰花每年都会如期而至，除非你不再开门，花店才会停止送花。”

 

“He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out. But after his last visit, he will know, without a doubt, to take the roses to the place where I've instructed him. And place the roses where we are, together once again."

“每年送花时，花店派人来送五次，以免你外出。五次来访后，送花人便可确定把花送别到我告诉他们的另一个地方，那就是我们的重逢之地。”

 

词汇点津：

work out 找到 (解决办法等)

例句：It took me some time to work out what was causing this.

它花了我一些时间，找到导致这种状况的原因。

solitude ['sɒlɪtjuːd] n. 孤独；隐居

例句：He enjoyed his moments of solitude before the pressures of the day began in earnest.

他很喜欢开始一天的压力前的独处时刻。

florist ['flɒrɪst] n. 花商

例句：The florist's son handed her a gift.  

花商的儿子递给她一份礼物。