In July and August Wallis and the King sailed the Mediterranean. They met Prime Minister Metaxas in Greece, Kemal Ataturk in Turkey, and King Boris in Bulgaria. But that summer is famous for Edward's clothes. On the journey from Athens to Istanbul, the King took off his shirt to get brown in the sun. It was hot, and ten minutes later he was asleep. So he did not see the young photographer who was now taking pictures of the King...
7月和8月,沃利斯和國(guó)王游歷了地中海。他們?cè)谙ED會(huì)見(jiàn)了梅塔克薩斯首相,在土耳其會(huì)見(jiàn)了卡邁勒·阿塔蒂爾克,在保加利亞會(huì)見(jiàn)了博里什國(guó)王。但那個(gè)夏天最著名的事情莫過(guò)于愛(ài)德華的著裝風(fēng)波了。在從雅典前往伊斯坦布爾的旅途中,國(guó)王脫去襯衫做日光浴。天氣很熱,十分鐘后他就睡著了。所以他沒(méi)有注意到,一名年輕的攝影師正在給國(guó)王拍照……
When Edward returned from the Mediterranean, there was a letter waiting for him.
愛(ài)德華從地中海回國(guó)后,有一封信正等著他。
It was from Mr Albert Thompson of Birmingham, who wrote: 'I saw a picture of you in the newspaper this morning and I felt very angry. I have never seen a King dressed as badly as you were! No shirt! And no tie, no socks, no hat... and in short trousers! How could you, Sir?'
信是伯明翰的阿爾伯特·湯普遜先生寫(xiě)來(lái)的,他寫(xiě)道:“今天早上,我在報(bào)上看到一張您的照片,我很生氣。我從未看到一個(gè)國(guó)王穿得如此糟糕!居然沒(méi)穿襯衫!沒(méi)打領(lǐng)帶,沒(méi)穿鞋,沒(méi)戴帽子……還穿著短褲!陛下,您怎么能這樣?”
Edward showed this letter to Stanley Baldwin, the Prime Minister. 'What do you think of this?' the King asked.
愛(ài)德華把信交給首相斯坦利·鮑德溫看。“您覺(jué)得這封信怎么樣?”國(guó)王問(wèn)。
Mr Thompson is right, Sir,' the Prime Minister replied. 'You want to be modern, but the people don't like it.'
“湯普遜先生是對(duì)的,陛下,”首相回答,“您想趕時(shí)髦,可人民不喜歡這樣。”
Edward put the letter on the fire. 'And do you think that divorce is "modern", Mr Baldwin?'
愛(ài)德華把信燒掉。“那么,鮑德溫先生,您覺(jué)得離婚‘時(shí)髦’嗎?”
The Prime Minister sat down. 'Yes, Sir,' he began, 'I've read about this Mrs Simpson. She has two husbands still alive. And you must understand what that means, Sir. She cannot marry a King.'
首相坐了下來(lái)。“是的,陛下,”他開(kāi)口說(shuō),“我讀了關(guān)于這位辛普森夫人的事。她有兩個(gè)丈夫,他們還活著。陛下,您必須明白這意味著什么。她不能嫁給一個(gè)國(guó)王。”
But I cannot live without her,' Edward said.
“但沒(méi)有她我無(wú)法生活。”愛(ài)德華說(shuō)。
Then, Sir,' the Prime Minister replied, 'I can see there's a storm coming. I have talked to your family and to Archbishop Lang, and we will not have this woman as our Queen.'
“那么,陛下,”首相回答,“看得出一場(chǎng)風(fēng)暴就要來(lái)了。我已經(jīng)與您的家庭成員及朗大主教談過(guò),我們不會(huì)讓這個(gè)女人做我們的王后。”
That night the Prime Minister and the King spoke for many hours. There were hundreds of questions, but only one answer. And so, in the early hours of the next morning, Edward said:
那天晚上,首相與國(guó)王談了好幾個(gè)小時(shí)。涉及的問(wèn)題很多,但答案卻只有一個(gè)。于是,第二天凌晨時(shí)分,愛(ài)德華說(shuō):
You tell me that Wallis cannot marry a King. So there is only one thing that I can do. I will give the crown to my brother, and leave England. I must follow my heart. You tell me that it's a crime to fall in love. You tell me that it's wrong to be happy. How strange this country is!'
“您告訴我沃利斯不能嫁給國(guó)王。那么,我能做的只有一件事。我將把王位讓給我的弟弟,然后離開(kāi)英國(guó)。我必須依從自己的心。你告訴我與人相愛(ài)是罪惡。你告訴我幸福是錯(cuò)誤的。這個(gè)國(guó)家多么奇怪啊!”
An hour later Edward telephoned Wallis. 'The Prime Minister says that a storm is coming,' Edward said. 'So I want you to go away.'
一小時(shí)后,愛(ài)德華打電話給沃利斯。“首相說(shuō),一場(chǎng)風(fēng)暴就要來(lái)了,”愛(ài)德華說(shuō),“所以我想讓你離開(kāi)這兒。”
Wallis packed her bags and left for France. Then Edward went to see his mother.
沃利斯收拾了行裝,啟程去法國(guó).然后愛(ài)德華去見(jiàn)母親。
It was a sad, strange, and angry meeting. 'Do you know what you are doing?' the Queen asked. 'Look out of that window. Outside this palace there are 400000000 people who call you King. They need you. And you will leave all this for Mrs Simpson?'
這次會(huì)面?zhèn)?、奇特,而又充滿火藥味。“你知道自己在做什么嗎?”王太后問(wèn),“向窗外看看吧。宮殿外有4億人叫你國(guó)王。他們需要你。而你卻要為了辛普森夫人拋棄這一切?”
Yes, mother, I will. I'm in love.'
“是的,母親。我愛(ài)她。”
Love?' Queen Mary shouted. 'You're a King! You must love your country first!'
“愛(ài)?”瑪麗王太后喊道,“你是國(guó)王!你首先要愛(ài)自己的國(guó)家!”
But I'm also a man,' Edward said softly, 'and there's nothing that I can do.'
“但我首先是一個(gè)男人,”愛(ài)德華輕輕地說(shuō),“我無(wú)能為力。”
That afternoon the King telephoned Winston Churchill, one of his closest friends.
當(dāng)天下午,國(guó)王給自己的一位密友溫斯頓·邱吉爾打電話。
I have some sad news,' Edward began. 'Last night Mr Baldwin came to see me. I have decided to go away next week.'
“我有壞消息要告訴你,”愛(ài)德華說(shuō),“昨晚,鮑德溫先生來(lái)見(jiàn)我。我決定下周離開(kāi)這兒。”
Do you mean on holiday, Sir?'
“您是說(shuō)去度假嗎,陛下?”
No, Winston, I'm leaving England. I'm never coming back. George will be King.'
“不是,溫斯頓,我要離開(kāi)英國(guó)。永遠(yuǎn)也不再回來(lái)。喬治將成為國(guó)王。”
But that's not right, Sir. You're a free man. You must stand and fight.'
“但這樣不行,陛下。你是一個(gè)自由人。你必須堅(jiān)決同他們戰(zhàn)斗。”
No,' the King said. 'I have seen war and it's a terrible thing. I don't want to fight again.'
“不,”國(guó)王說(shuō),“我見(jiàn)過(guò)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng),那太可怕了。我不想再同誰(shuí)打仗,”
But the people love you. And they want Wallis to be Queen.'
“但是人民熱愛(ài)你。而且他們希望沃利斯做王后。”
Perhaps they do,' Edward replied. 'But she cannot be Queen. My enemies are stronger than I am. I am just a sailor. And when the winds change, the sea moves and it takes my boat away.'
“也許是這樣,”愛(ài)德華說(shuō),“但她不能當(dāng)王后。我的敵人比我強(qiáng)大。我只是一名水手。風(fēng)向一轉(zhuǎn),海水就會(huì)把我的船卷走。”