Mark Twain's Letter to Olivia

Livy dear,

I have already mailed today's letter, but I am so proud of my privilege of writing the dearest girl in the world whenever I please, that I must add a few lines if only to say I love you, Livy.

For I do love you, Livy —

as the dew loves the flowers; as the birds love the sunshine;

as the wavelets love the breeze; as mothers love their first-born;

as memory loves old faces; as the yearning tides love the moon;

as the angels love the pure in heart.

I so love you that if you were taken from me

it seems as if all my love would follow after you and leave my heart a dull and vacant ruin forever and forever. . . .

Take my kiss and my benediction, and try to be reconciled to the fact that I am

Yours forever and always,

Sam

馬克吐溫給奧莉薇婭的信

親愛的莉薇

雖然已經(jīng)寄了今天的信，但是能有幸隨時給世界上最親愛的姑娘寫信，讓我自豪不已，因此不得不再加上幾行，只為說——莉薇，我愛你！莉薇，我真愛你！

就像清露愛花朵，就像鳥兒愛陽光

就像皺波愛和風(fēng)，就像母親愛第一個孩子

就像思憶愛舊顏，就像孤潮愛月亮

就像天使愛心之純良

我非常愛你，如果沒有你，我的一切情感都將隨你而去，徒留一顆空心，如廢墟空洞無著，永遠(yuǎn)永遠(yuǎn)苦熬…

收下我的親吻和我的祝禱吧！并試著接受一個事實——我永遠(yuǎn)永遠(yuǎn)都是你的！

薩姆

2020年3月29日23:42試譯

【注】馬克·吐溫Mark Twain原名Samuel Langhorne Clemens馬克·吐溫是筆名，與其早年水手經(jīng)歷有關(guān)。Sam薩姆是撒母耳Samuel的昵稱，來源于希伯來。馬克·吐溫對奧利維亞 (即信中的Livy，Livy一詞是Olivia和Olive的昵稱) 一見傾心，他向奧利維亞求婚，不過遭到拒絕。不甘于此的馬克·吐溫展開了情書攻勢，向她寫了184封情書。馬克·吐溫最終贏得美人芳心，與她步入婚姻殿堂。