Sweetheart,  
　　Please, please don't be so depressed—We'll be married soon, and then these lonesome1 nights will be over forever—and until we are, I am loving, loving every tiny2 minute of the day and night—Maybe you won't understand this, but sometimes when I miss you most, it's hardest to write—and you always know when I make myself—Just the ache3 of it all—and I can't tell you. If we were together, you'd feel how strong it is—you're so sweet when you're melancholy4. I love your sad tenderness5—when I've hurt you—That's one of the reasons I could never be sorry for our quarrels—and they bothered6 you so—Those dear, dear little fusses7, when I always tried so hard to make you kiss and forget— 
　　Scott—there's nothing in all the world I want but you—and your precious8 love—All the material9 things are nothing. I'd just hate to live a sordid10, colorless existence11—because you'd soon love me less—and less—and I'd do anything—anything—to keep your heart for my own —I don't want to live—I want to love first, and live incidentally12— Why don't you feel that I'm waiting— I'll come to you, Lover, when you're ready—Don't don't ever think of the things you can't give me— You've trusted me with the dearest heart of all—and it's so damn13 much more than anybody else in all the world has ever had—
　　How can you think deliberately14 of life without me—If you should die—O Darling15—darling Scott—It'd be like going blind. I know I would, too, —I'd have no purpose in life—just a pretty-decoration16. Don't you think I was made for you? I feel like you had me ordered17—and I was delivered18 to you—to be worn19—I want you to wear me, like a watch-charm20 or a button21 hole bouquet22—to the world. And then, when we're alone, I want to help—to know that you can't do anything without me.

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甜心，
　　求你，求你别这么沮丧——我们很快就要结婚，到那时这些寂寞的夜晚将永远成为过去——在那一天到来之前，我珍爱着，珍爱着白天黑夜的分分秒秒——或许你不明白，但有时当我非常想念你的时候，却最难以文字表述——你该清楚我有时——如饥似渴地想念你——而我无法对你明说。假若我们此时在一起，你就会感受到我的思念有多么强烈——当你忧伤的时候你是那么地可爱。我爱你那伤感的柔情——当我伤害了你的时候——这正是我永远不会为我们之间的争吵感到懊悔的原因之一——它们却让你倍觉烦扰——那些弥足珍贵的小题大做，然后我总是费尽心思让你吻我，忘掉不快——
　　司各特——在这个世界上除了你——还有你那宝贵的爱，我别无所求——一切物质的东西皆微不足道。我讨厌过那种可怜、乏味的生活——因为你的爱会很快褪色——越来越少——而我将不惜一切——一切——让你的心归属于我——我不愿苟且地活着——我要的首先是爱，然后才是附带地活着——你难道不觉得我是在等你——我会来到你的身边，我的爱人，当你准备好了的时候——不要、千万不要去想那些你不能给我的东西——你已经用一颗最宝贵的心来信任我——这比全世界任何人所拥有的都要珍贵许多——
　　你怎能认真地考虑起没有我的生活——假如你死了——噢亲爱的——亲爱的司各特——那将如同失去光明。我知道我也会死的——我的生活将毫无意义——只是一个漂亮的——摆设。难道你不认为我是为你而生的？我感觉我好像是你叫人定制的——并为你送上门——戴在身上——我想让你把我戴在身边，像戴怀表、小饰物或是插在扣眼的花束一样——向世人展示。然后，当我们独处的时候，我就来帮助你——我要确信你做任何事情都少不了我。

　　司各特·菲茨杰拉德（1896-1940）：美国小说作家。其代表作包括：《了不起的盖茨 比》，《爵士时代的故事》，《夜之柔情》。本文是其未婚妻写给他的情书，断断续续的语句足见伊波澜起伏、澎湃难抑之情感。

 

1． lonesome adj． 寂寞的
2． tiny  adj． 很少的, 微小的
3． ache [eik] n． 渴望
4． melancholy  n． 忧郁
5． tenderness  n． 嫩, 亲切, 柔和
6． bother  v． 烦扰, 打扰
7． fuss  v． 忙乱, 大惊小怪
8． precious  adj． 宝贵的, 贵重的
9． material  adj． 物质的, 肉体的
10．sordid adj． 可怜的, 悲惨的
11．existence  n． 存在, 实在, 生活
12．incidentally  adv． 附带地; 偶然地
13．damn  v． 谴责
14．deliberately  adv． 慎重地，熟思地
15．darling  n． 心爱的人, 亲爱的
16．decoration  n． 装饰, 装饰品
17．order  v． 命令, 定购
18．deliver v． 递送, 交付
19．worn：“wear”之过去分词  v． 穿, 戴
20．charm  n． 小饰品
21．button  n． 钮扣
22．bouquet  n． 花束