大学英语第一册-unit6-A-Valentine-Story

AvalentinestoryAValentineStoryJohnBlanchardstoodupfromthebench,straightenedhisArmyuniform,andstudiedthecrowdofpeoplemakingtheirwaythroughGrandCentralStation.Helookedforthegirlwhoseheartheknew,butwhosefacehedidn't,thegirlwiththerose.HisinterestinherhadbeguntwelvemonthsbeforeinaFloridalibrary.Takingabookofftheshelfhesoonfoundhimselfabsorbed,notbythewordsofthebook,butbythenotespenciledinthemargin.Thesofthandwritingreflectedathoughtfulsoulandinsightfulmind.Inthefrontofthebook,hediscoveredthepreviousowner'sname,MissHollisMeynell.Withtimeandefforthelocatedheraddress.ShelivedinNewYorkCity.Hewroteheraletterintroducinghimselfandinvitinghertocorrespond.ThenextdayhewasshippedoverseasforserviceinWorldWarII.Blanchardrequestedaphotograph,butsherefused.Sheexplained:Ifyourfeelingformehasanyreality,anyhonestbasis,whatIlooklikewon'tmatter.SupposeI'mbeautiful.I'dalwaysbehauntedbythefeelingthatyouhadbeentakingachanceonjustthat,andthatkindoflovewoulddisgustme.SupposeI'mplain(andyoumustadmitthatthisismorelikely).ThenI'dalwaysfearthatyouweregoingonwritingtomeonlybecauseyouwerelonelyandhadnooneelse.No,don'taskformypicture.WhenyoucometoNewYork,youshallseemeandthenyoushallmakeyourdecision.Remember,bothofusarefreetostoportogoonafterthat—whicheverwechoose…WhenthedayfinallycameforhimtoreturnfromEurope,theyscheduledtheirfirstmeeting—7:00p.m.atGrandCentralStation,NewYork.“You'llrecognizeme,”shewrote,“bytheredroseI'llbewearingonmylapel.”So,at7:00p.m.hewasinthestationlookingforagirlwhohadfilledsuchaspecialplaceinhislifeforthepast12months,agirlhehadneverseen,yetwhosewrittenwordshadbeenwithhimandsustainedhimunfailingly.I'llletMr.Blanchardtellyouwhathappened:Ayoungwomanwascomingtowardme,herfigurelongandslim.Hergoldenhairlaybackincurlsfromherdelicateears;hereyeswereblueasflowers.Herlipsandchinhadagentlefirmness,andinherpalegreensuitshewaslikespringtimecomealive.Istartedtowardher,entirelyforgettingtonoticethatshewasnotwearingarose.AsImoved,asmall,provocativesmilecurvedherlips.“Goingmyway,sailor?shemurmured.AlmostuncontrollablyImadeonestepclosertoher,andthenIsawHollisMeynell.Shewasstandingalmostdirectlybehindthegirl.Awomanwellpast40,shehadgrayinghairpinnedupunderawornhat.Shewasmorethanalittleoverweight,herthick-ankledfeetthrustintolow-heeledshoes.Thegirlinthegreensuitwaswalkingquicklyaway.IfeltasthoughIwassplitintwo,sokeenwasmydesiretofollowher,andyetsodeepwasmylongingforthewomanwhosespirithadtrulycompanionedmeandupheldmyown.Isquaredmyshouldersandsalutedandheldoutthebooktothewoman,eventhoughwhileIspokeIfeltchokedbythebitternessofmydisappointment.“I'mLieutenantJohnBlanchard,andyoumustbeMissMeynell.Iamsogladyoucouldmeetme;mayItakeyoutodinner?”Thewoman'sfacebroadenedintoasmile.“Idon'tknowwhatthisisabout,son,”sheanswered,“buttheyoungladyinthegreensuitwhojustwentby,shebeggedmetowearthisroseonmycoat.Andshesaidifyouweretoaskmeouttodinner,Ishouldgoandtellyouthatsheiswaitingforyouinthebigrestaurantacrossthestreet.Shesaiditwassomekindoftest!”It'snotdifficulttounderstandandadmireMissMeynell'swisdom.Thetruenatureofaheartisseeninitsresponsetotheunattractive.“Tellmewhomyoulove,Houssayewrote,“andIwilltellyouwhoyouare.”BR_St.Valentine’sStory1St.Valentine’sStoryNewWordsintheStorypriestClaudiusceremonyjailer牧师克劳迪亚斯典礼，仪式看守监狱的人，狱卒罗马自愿斩首，砍…的头RomevolunteerbeheadBR_St.Valentine’sStory_script1ValentinewasapriestlivinginRomeduringthethirdcentury.Atthattime,RomewasruledbyanemperornamedClaudius.Hewantedtohaveabigarmyandexpectedmentovolunteertojoin.Howevermanymenjustdidnotwanttofightinwars.Theydidnotwanttoleavetheirwivesandfamilies.ThismadeClaudiusveryangry.Hethoughtthatifmenwerenotmarried,theywouldnotmindjoiningthearmy.SoClaudiusbannedmarriageevenengagementfromhisempire.ButValentinewouldkeeponperformingmarriageceremoniessecretly.Hewascaughtbythesoldiersatawedding,andwasthrownintoprisonandbeheaded.BR_St.Valentine’sStory_script2Valentinefellinlovewiththedaughterofhisjailerwhenhewasinprison.BeforehewastakentohisdeathonFebruary14,269A.D.,hesignedafarewellmessagetoher,“LovefromyourValentine.”ThatnotestartedthecustomofexchanginglovemessagesonValentine’sDay.BR_ValentineTraditionsValentineTraditionsClickthePictures!BR_ValentineTraditions_picture1IntheMiddleAges,youngmenandwomendrewnamesfromabowltoseewhotheirvalentineswouldbe.Theywouldwearthesenamesontheirsleevesforoneweek.“Wearyourheartonyoursleeve”nowmeansthatitiseasyforotherpeopletoknowhowyouarefeeling.BR_ValentineTraditions_picture2Ifyoucutanappleinhalfandcounthowmanyseedsareinside,youwillalsoknowhowmanychildrenyouwillhave.BR_ValentineTraditions_picture3InWales,woodenlovespoonswerecarvedandgivenasgiftsonFebruary14th.Hearts,keysandkeyholeswerefavoritedecorationsonthespoons.Thedecorationmeant“Youunlockmyheart!”BR_BirdsandLoveBirdsandLoveClickthePictures!EuropeansalsobelievethatFeb.14thisthedaywhenbirdsbegintochoosetheirmates.Chaucer,Shakespeare,andnumerousotherpoetsmentionthetraditionintheirworks.Inaccordancewiththetradition,itisbelievedthatayounggirlwillbeabletotellwhattypeofmanshewillmarrybaseduponthefirstbirdthatsheseesonVale