第27封信 - 1951.04.16
“细品每一封信，感受日期，感受人类的长情。”
寄语
《84, Charing Cross Road》
从前的日色变得慢
车、马、邮件都慢
一生只够爱一个人
细品每一封信
感受书信的缓慢
感受人类的长情
英文原文
14 East 95th St. New York City April 16, 1951
To All at 84, Charing Cross Road:
Thank you for the beautiful book. I’ve never owned a book before with pages edged all round in gold. Would you believe it arrived on my birthday?
I wish you hadn’t been so over-courteous about putting the inion on a card instead of on the flyleaf. It’s the bookseller coming out in you all, you were afraid you’d decrease its value.You would have increased it for the present owner. (And possi-bly for the future owner. I love inions on flyleaves and notes in margins, I like the comradely sense of turning pages someone else turned, and reading passages some one long gone has called my attention to.)
And why didn’t you sign your names? I expect Frank wouldn’t let you, he probably doesn’t want me writing love letters to anybody but him.
I send you greetings from America— faithless friend that she is, pouring millions into rebuilding Japan and Germany while letting England starve. Some day, God willing, I’ll get over there and apologize personally for my country’s sins (and by the time i come home my country will certainly have to apologize for mine ).
Thank you again for the beautiful book, I shall try very hard not to get gin and ashes all over it, it’s really much too fine for the likes of me.
Yours,
Helene Hanff
中文翻译
东九十五大街14号 纽约市 1951年4月16日
此致伦敦查令十字街84号全体同仁：
谢谢你们送我这本书。我从没拥有过这么一本三边的页缘都上金的书。你们知道吗？我竟在生日当天收到这本书！
你们另外写了一张卡片，而不直接题签在扉页上，我真希望你们不要这样过分拘谨。如果我猜得没错，这一定是你们的“书商本性”作祟使然吧，你们担心一旦写了字在书上，将会折损了它的价值。差矣，你们如果真能这么做，不仅对我而言，对未来的书主，都增添了无可估算的价值。我喜欢扉页上有题签、页边写满注记的旧书；我爱极了那种与心有灵犀的前人冥冥共读，时而戚戚于胸、时而被耳提面命的感觉。
还有，为什么大家都不签上名字呢？我猜一定是弗兰克不准你们签的，他大概怕我会撇下他，一一给你们大家写情书吧！
隔着汪洋，我在美国此端遥寄我对你们的祝福——“美国”，好一个“坚定的盟邦”！当她一掷千金帮日本、德国从败仗中“复苏”，却眼睁睁看着英国同胞饱受饥馑之苦！皇天为证，总有一天我要亲自去英国，当面为她向你们道歉。(等我回国后，我会叫她加倍向我赔罪！)
再次感谢你们送我这本美丽的书，我一定会格外小心，免得让它溅到酒滴、沾了烟灰。这份礼物对我这种人来说实在太隆重了。
海莲·汉芙
原文图片
结尾
二十年间缘悭一面
相隔万里莫逆于心
致敬经典，《查令十字街84号》
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