The Flowing Years



追忆似水年华



Can it really be sixty-two years ago that I first saw you?



那真是我们六十二年前的初相遇吗？



It is truly a lifetime, I know. But as I gaze into your eyes now, it seems like only yesterday that I first saw you, in that small cafe in Hanover Square.



我明白，我们携手走过一生。但此刻凝视你的双眼，当年汉诺威广场小咖啡馆里的初相遇，仿佛就发生在昨日。



From the moment I saw you smile, as you opened the door for that young mother and her newborn baby. I knew. I knew that I wanted to share the rest of my life with you.



那一刻，我见你盈盈笑靥，为那位抱着小宝宝的年轻母亲开门，从那一刻起，我明白我想与你共度余生。



I still think of how foolish I must have looked, as I gazed at you, that first time. I remember watching you intently, as you took off your hat and loosely shook your short dark hair with your fingers. I felt myself becoming immersed in your every detail, as you placed your hat on the table and cupped your hands around the hot cup of tea, gently blowing the steam away with your pouted lips.



我仍在想自己初次凝望你的样子一定很傻；我记得我呆望着你摘帽后用手指梳理短短的黑发。我感觉自己沉迷于你的一举一动，望着你把帽子放在桌上，双手捧起一杯热茶，撅嘴轻吹飘腾的热气。



From that moment, everything seemed to make perfect sense to me. The people in the cafe and the busy street outside all disappeared into a hazy blur. All I could see was you.



从那一刻起，一切对我似乎有了完美意义。咖啡馆里与忙碌街道上的人们都消失在朦胧中，我看到的，只有你。



All through my life I have relived that very first day. Many, many times I have sat and thought about that the first day, and how for a few fleeting moments I am there, feeling again what is like to know true love for the very first time. It pleases me that I can still have those feelings now after all those years, and I know I will always have them to comfort me.



这一生一世，我不断回味着初相遇的那一天。多少次，我坐下来追忆那一天，回味那些飞纵的瞬间，再次体会一见钟情有多美。岁月流逝，那些感觉仍在我心中，永远地陪伴我，安慰我。



Not even as I shook and trembled uncontrollably in the trenches, did I forget your face. I would sit huddled into the wet mud, terrified, as the hails of bullets and mortars crashed down around me. I would clutch my rifle tightly to my heart, and think again of that very first day we met. I would cry out in fear, as the noise of war beat down around me. But, as I thought of you and saw you smiling back at me, everything around me would become silent, and I would be with you again for a few precious moments, far from the death and destruction. It would not be until I opened my eyes once again, that I would see and hear the carnage of the war around me.



即使战壕中止不住颤抖，我也未曾忘记你的容颜。我惊恐地蜷缩在稀泥中，子弹飞啸，炮声轰鸣。我把步枪紧攥在胸前，又想起我们初逢的那一天。身旁战火呼啸，我惊恐地喊叫，但当我想起你，见你对我盈盈浅笑，周遭一切都沉寂了，我再次与你相依，那些珍贵的片刻，远离了死亡和毁灭。直到再睁开眼，我又重见充满血光的战场。



I cannot tell you how strong my love for you was back then, when I returned to you on leave in the September, feeling battered, bruised and fragile. We held each other so tight I thought we would burst. I asked you to marry me the very same day and I whooped with joy when you looked deep into my eyes and said "yes" to being my bride.



九月休假，回到你身边，我满怀疲惫，伤痕累累，说不出我对你的爱有多强烈。我们紧紧相拥，仿佛要挤炸一般。就在那天，我向你求婚，你凝望我的双眼，说愿做我的新娘，我呐喊着喜悦。



I'm looking at our wedding photo now, the one on our dressing table, next to your jewellery box. I think of how young and innocent we were back then. I remember being on the church steps grinning like a Cheshire cat, when you said how dashing and handsome I looked in my uniform. The photo is old and faded now, but when I look at it, I only see the bright vibrant colors of our youth. I can still remember every detail of the pretty wedding dress your mother made for you, with its fine delicate lace and pretty pearls. If I concentrate hard enough, I can smell the sweetness of your wedding bouquet as you held it so proudly for everyone to see.



此刻，我看着妆台上你首饰盒旁的结婚照。那时我们多年轻，多纯真。我记得我们在教堂的台阶上笑得那么开心，你还说穿着制服的我多么英俊勇敢。照片旧得泛黄了，但我只看到我们青春的光彩。我仍然记得当时你妈妈为你做的新娘礼服，配着精致花边与漂亮珠饰。倘使我凝神，还能闻到那婚礼花束的芳香，你捧着花自豪地向每个人展示你的幸福。



I remember being so over enjoyed, when a year later, you gently held my hand to your waist and whispered in my ear that we were going to be a family.



一年后，你把我的手轻放在你腹上，在我耳旁低语着我们快有宝宝了，闻讯后我欣喜若狂。



I know both our children love you dearly; they are outside the door now, waiting.



我知道，孩子们都深爱着你，此刻，他们就在门外等候。



Do you remember how I panicked like a mad man when Jonathon was born? I can still picture you laughing and smiling at me now, as I clumsily held him for the very first time in my arms. I watched as your laughter faded into tears, as I stared at him and cried my own tears of joy.



你还记得乔纳森出生时我惊慌失措的样子吗？此刻，我还记得你笑话我的样子，当时，我第一次抱着他，那么笨拙。当我看着他流着喜悦的泪水，你的笑容也融化在泪水中。



Sarah and Tom arrived this morning with little Tessie. Can you remember how we both hugged each other tightly when we saw our tiny granddaughter for the first time? I can't believe she will be eight next month. I am trying not to cry, my love, as I tell you how beautiful she looks today in her pretty dress and red shiny shoes, she reminds me so much of you that first day we met. She has her hair cut short now, just like yours was all those years ago. When I met her at the door her smile wrapped around me like a warm glove, just like yours used to do, my darling.



今早莎拉和汤姆带着小泰西也赶到了。你还记得第一次看到小孙女时我俩紧紧拥抱吗？我真不敢相信，下个月她就八岁了。亲爱的，我忍着泪告诉你，穿着漂亮衣裳和闪亮红鞋的她今天有多美，她让我想起了初相遇时的你。此刻，她剪了短发，就像多年前的你。亲爱的，当我在门口遇到她时，她笑似春风拂面，就像你当初的模样。



I know you are tired, my dear, and I must let you go. But I love you so much and it hurts to do so.



我明白，亲爱的，你累了，我必须让你离开。但我如此爱你，怎堪你离我而去！



As we grew old together, I would tease you that you had not changed since we first met. But it is true, my darling. I do not see the wrinkles and grey hair that other people see. When I look at you now, I only see your sweet tender lips and youthful sparkling eyes as we sat and had our first picnic next to that small stream, and chased each other around that big old oak tree. I remember wishing those first few days together would last forever. Do you remember how exciting and wonderful those days were?



当我们一起慢慢变老，我总逗你说你容颜未改，一如往昔。但真是如此，亲爱的，我看不见别人眼里你的皱纹与白发。此刻，我看着你，只能看到你娇嫩温软的樱唇与青春闪烁的眼眸，那时我们在那条小溪边第一次野炊，绕着那棵又粗又老的橡树追逐嬉戏。我希望那些初恋的时光永远延续。你还记得那些时光多么激动，多么美妙吗？



I must go now, my darling. Our children are waiting outside. They want to say goodbye to you.



亲爱的，我该走了。孩子们在外面等着，要和你道别。



I wipe the tears away from my eyes and bend my frail old legs down to the floor, so that I can kneel beside you. I lean close to you and take hold of your hand and kiss your tender lips for the very last time.



我抹去眼角的泪，弯曲枯朽的腿，跪在你的身边。轻轻靠近你，握住你的双手，最后一次吻你温软的樱唇。



Sleep peacefully my dear.



亲爱的，安心睡吧。



I am sad that you had to leave me, but please don't worry. I am content, knowing I will be with you soon. I am too old and too empty now to live much longer without you.



你先我而去，我黯然心碎。但别担心，我很快会来陪你。失去了你，我如此衰老，如此空寂，已难久活人世。



I know it won't be long before we meet again in that small cafe in Hanover Square.



我知道，不久我们就会在汉诺威广场那间小咖啡馆里重逢。



Goodbye, my darling wife.



再会了，我的爱妻。


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