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ATestofTrueLove真爱的考验Sixminutestosix,saidthedigitalclockovertheinformationdeskinGrandCentralStation.JohnBlandford,atallyoungarmyofficer,focusedhiseyesightontheclocktonotetheexacttime.LanguagePoint1Insixminuteshewouldseethewomanwhohadfilledaspecialplaceinhislifeforthepastthirteenmonths,awomanhehadneverseen,yetwhosewrittenwordshadbeenwithhimandhadgivenhimstrengthwithoutfail..大中央车站问询处桌子上方的数字钟显示：差六分六点。约翰·布兰福德，一个年轻的高个子军官，眼睛盯着大钟，看确切的时间。六分钟后，他将见到一位在过去13个月里在他生命中占有特殊位置的女人，一位他素未谋面、却通过书信始终给予他力量的女人。Soonafterhevolunteeredformilitaryservice,hehadreceivedabookfromthiswoman.Aletter,whichwishedhimcourageandsafety,camewiththebook.Hediscoveredthatmanyofhisfriends,alsointhearmy,hadreceivedtheidenticalbookfromthewoman,HollisMeynell.LanguagePoint3Andwhiletheyallgotstrengthfromit,andappreciatedhersupportoftheircause,JohnBlandfordwastheonlypersontowriteMs.Meynellback.LanguagePoint4Onthedayofhisdeparture,toadestinationoverseaswherehewouldfightinthewar,hereceivedherreply.Aboardthecargoshipthatwastakinghimintoenemyterritory,hestoodonthedeckandreadherlettertohimagainandagain.在他自愿参军后不久，他收到了一本这位女子寄来的书。随书而来的还有一封信，祝他勇敢和平安。他发现自己很多参军的朋友也收到了这位名叫霍利斯·梅内尔的女子寄来的同样的书。他们所有的人都从中获得了勇气，也感激她对他们为之战斗的事业的支持，但只有他给梅内尔女士回了信。在他启程前往海外战场战斗的那天，他收到了她的回信。站在即将带他进入敌人领地的货船甲板上，他一遍又一遍地读着她的来信。Forthirteenmonths,shehadfaithfullywrittentohim.Whenhislettersdidnotarrive,shewroteanyway,withoutdecrease.LanguagePoint6Duringthedifficultdaysofwar,herlettersnourishedhimandgavehimcourage.Aslongashereceivedlettersfromher,hefeltasthoughhecouldsurvive.Afterashorttime,hebelievedhelovedher,andshelovedhim.Itwasasiffatehadbroughtthemtogether.13个月来，她忠实地给他写信。即使没有他的回信，她仍然一如既往地写信给他，从未减少过。在那段艰苦战斗的日子里，她的信鼓励着他，给予他力量。收到她的信，他就仿佛感到自己能存活下去。一段时间后，他相信他们彼此相爱，就像是命运让他们走到了一起。Butwhenheaskedherforaphoto,shedeclinedhisrequest.Sheexplainedherobjection:Ifyourfeelingsformehaveanyreality,anyhonestbasis,whatIlooklikewon'tmatter.SupposeI'mbeautiful.I'dalwaysbebotheredbythefeelingthatyoulovedmeformybeauty,andthatkindoflovewoulddisgustme.SupposeI'mplain.ThenI'dalwaysfearyouwerewritingtomeonlybecauseyouwerelonelyandhadnooneelse.LanguagePoint10Eitherway,Iwouldforbidmyselffromlovingyou.WhenyoucometoNewYorkandyouseeme,thenyoucanmakeyourdecision.Remember,bothofusarefreetostoportogoonafterthat—ifthat'swhatwechoose...但当他向她索要照片时，她却婉然拒绝。她解释道：“如果你对我的感情是真实和真诚的，那么我长什么样又有什么关系呢。假如我很漂亮，我会因为觉得你爱的只是我的美貌而时时困扰，那样的爱会让我厌恶。假如我相貌平平，那我又会常常害怕你只是出于寂寞和别无他选才给我写信的。不管是哪种情况，我都会阻止自己去爱你。当你来纽约见我时，你可以做出自己的决定。记住，那时候我们两个人都可以自由选择停止或继续下去──如果那是我们的选择……”Oneminutetosix...Blandford'sheartleaped.差一分六点……布兰福德的心怦怦乱跳。Ayoungwomanwascomingtowardhim,andhefeltaconnectionwithherrightaway.Herfigurewaslongandthin,herspectaculargoldenhairlaybackincurlsfromhersmallears.Hereyeswereblueflowers;herlipshadagentlefirmness.Inherfancygreensuitshewaslikespringtimecomealive.一名年轻女子向他走来，他立刻感到自己与她之间存在着一种联系。她身材修长而苗条，漂亮的金色长发卷曲在小巧的耳后。她的眼睛如蓝色的花朵，双唇间有着一种温柔的坚毅。她身穿别致的绿色套装，犹如春天般生气盎然。Hestartedtowardher,entirelyforgettingtonoticethatshewasn'twearingarose,andashemoved,asmall,warmsmileformedonherlips.他向她迎去，完全忘记了她并没有佩戴玫瑰。看他走来，她的嘴角露出一丝热情的微笑。Goingmyway,soldier?sheasked.“当兵的，跟我同路？”她问道。Uncontrollably,hemadeonestepclosertoher.ThenhesawHollisMeynell.他不由自主地向她靠近了一步。然后，他看见了霍利斯·梅内尔。Shewasstandingalmostdirectlybehindthegirl,awomanwellpastforty,andafossiltohisyoungeyes,herhairsportingpatchesofgray.LanguagePoint18Shewasmorethanfat;herthicklegsshookastheymoved.Butsheworearedroseonherbrowncoat.她就站在那少女的身后，一位四十好几的女人，头发斑斑灰白。在年轻的他的眼里，梅内尔简直就是一块活脱脱的化石。她不是一般的胖，粗笨的双腿移动时摇摇晃晃。但她棕色的外衣上戴着一朵红色的玫瑰。Thegirlinthegreensuitwaswalkingquicklyawayandsoonvanishedintothefog.LanguagePoint20Blandfordfeltasthoughhisheartwasbeingcompressedintoasmallcementball,sostrongwashisdesiretofollowthegirl,yetsodeepwashislongingforthewomanwhosespirithadtrulycompanionedandbroughtwarmthtohisown;andthereshestood.Herpale,fatfacewasgentleandintelligent;hecouldseethatnow.Hergrayeyeshadawarm,kindlylook.绿衣少女快速地走过，很快消失在了雾中。布兰福德觉得自己的心好像被压缩成一个小水泥球，他多想跟着那女孩，但又深深地向往那位以心灵真诚地陪伴他、带给他温暖的女人；而她正站在那里。现在他可以看见，她苍白而肥胖的脸上透着和善与智慧。她灰色的眼中闪烁着温暖和善良。Blandfordresistedtheurgetofollowtheyoungerwoman,thoughitwasnoteasytodoso.Hisfingersheldthebookshehadsenttohimbeforehewentofftothewar,whichwastoidentifyhimtoHollisMeynell.LanguagePoint24Thiswouldnotbelove.However,itwouldbesomethingprecious,somethingperhapsevenlesscommonthanlove—afriendshipforwhichhehadbeen,andwouldalwaysbe,thankful.布兰福德克制住跟随年轻女子而去的冲动，尽管这样做并不容易。他的手抓着那本在他去战场前她寄给他的书，为的是让霍利斯·梅内尔认出他。这不会成为爱情，但将成为一样珍贵的东西，一样可能比爱情更不寻常的东西──一份他一直感激、也将继续感激的友情。Heheldthebookouttowardthewoman.他向那个女人举起书。I'mJohnBlandford,andyou—youareMs.Meynell.I'msogladyoucouldmeetme.MayItakeyoutodinner?Thewomansmiled.Idon'tknowwhatthisisallabout,son,sheanswered.Thatyoungladyinthegreensuit—theonewhojustwentby—beggedmetowearthisroseonmycoat.Andshesaidthatifyouaskedmetogooutwithyou,Ishouldtellyouthatshe'swaitingforyouinthatbigrestaurantnearthehighway.Shesaiditwassomekindofatest.“我是约翰·布兰福德，你──你就是霍利斯·梅内尔吧。我非常高兴你能来见我。我能请你吃晚餐么？”那女人微笑着。“我不知道这到底是怎么回事，孩子，”她答道：“那位穿绿色套装的年轻女士──刚走过去的那位──请求我把这朵玫瑰别在衣服上。她说如果你邀请我和你一起出去，我就告诉你她在公路附近的那家大餐厅等你。她说这是一种考验。”