世界上最动人的书信(常春藤英语书系)(全新中英文对照版)-第8部分
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热爱你们的丈夫和父亲，
约翰·布朗
1859年11月30日
于弗吉尼亚州杰弗逊县却尔斯监狱
John Brown
To
Charlestown； Prison； Jefferson Co。； Va。
30th Nov。； 1859
My Dearly Beloved Wife； Sons and Daughters； Everyone，
As I now begin what is probably the last letter I shall ever write to any of you； I conclude to write you all at the same time … I am waiting the hour of my public murder with great posure of mind；and cheerfulness： feeling the strongest assurance that in no other possible way could I be used to so much advance the cause of God； and of humanity； and that nothing that either I or all my family have sacrificed or suffered： will be lost。
The reflection that a wise and merciful； as well as just and holy God： rules not only the affairs of this world； but of all worlds； is a rock to set our feet upon； under all circumstances： even those more severely trying ones： into which our own follies； and wrongs have placed us。 I have now no doubt but that our seeming disaster： will ultimately result in the most glorious success。 So my dear shattered and broken family be of good cheer； and believe and trust in God；“with all your heart and with all your soul；” for “he doeth All things well。” Do not feel ashamed on my account； nor for one moment despair of the cause； or grow weary of well doing。 I bless God； I never felt stronger confidence in the certain and near approach of a bright Morning； and a glorious day； than I have felt； and do now feel； since my confinement here。
…
I beseech you every one to make the bible your daily and nightly study； with a childlike honest； candid； teachable spirit： out of love and respect for your husband； and Father： and I beseech the God of my Fathers； to open all your eyes to a discovery of the truth。 You cannot imagine how much you may soon need the consolations of the Christian religion。
…
Do not be vain； and thoughtless： but sober minded。 And let me entreat you all to love the whole remnant of our once great family：“with a pure heart fervently。” Try to build again： your broken walls； and to make the utmost of every stone that is left。 Nothing can so tend to make life a blessing as the consciousness that you love： and are beloved： and“love ye the stranger” still。 It is ground of the utmost fort to my mind： to know that so many of you as have had the opportunity； have given full proof of your fidelity to the great family of man。
Be faithful until death。 From the exercise of habitual love to man： it cannot be very hard： to learn to love his maker。 I must yet insert a reason for my firm belief in the Divine inspiration of the Bible： notwithstanding I am （perhaps naturally） skeptical：（certainly not； credulous。） I wish you all to consider it most thoroughly； when you read the blessed book； and see whether you can not discover such evidence yourselves。 It is the purity of heart； feeling， or motive： as well as word； and action which is everywhere insisted on； that distinguish it from all other teachings； that mends it to my conscience； whether my heart be“willing and obedient” or not。 The inducements that it holds out， are another reason of my conviction of its truth： and genuineness： that I cannot here omit； in this my last argument for the Bible。
约翰·布朗致亲人（3）
Eternal life， is that my soul is “panting after” this moment。 I mention this， as reason for endeavouring to leave a valuable copy of the Bible to be carefully preserved in remembrance of me： to so many of my posterity； instead of some other things of equal cost。
I beseech you all to live in habitual contentment with very moderate circumstances and gains； of worldly store： and most earnestly to teach this： to your children； and Childrens' Children； after you： by example： as well； as precept。 Be determined to know by experience as soon as may be： whether bible instruction is of Divine origin or not； which says；“Owe no man anything but to love one another。” John Rogers wrote to his children； “Abhor the arrant whore of Rome。” John Brown writes to his children to abhor with unending hatred； also： that “sum of all vilainies” —Slavery。
Remember that “he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty： and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city。” Remember also： that “they that be wise shall shine； and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever。” And now dearly beloved farewell； to God and the word of his grace I mend you all。
Your Affectionate Husband and Father
John Brown
尤金·奥尼尔致儿子（1）
尤金·奥尼尔（1888—1953）；美国剧作家。他生于纽约一个演员家庭，幼年随父亲的剧团走南闯北，漂泊不定。中学毕业后，考入普林斯顿大学，后因酗酒闹事被开除学籍。在此后的冒险生活中，他曾到洪都拉斯淘过金，在非洲和南美当过水手，做过演员、导演、新闻记者、小职员等。1912年患肺结核住院期间，研读了自古希腊以来的戏剧经典作品，并开始戏剧创作，此后成为专业剧作家。1936年，由于“他那体现了传统悲剧概念的剧作所具有的魅力以及真挚和深沉的激情”，奥尼尔获得诺贝尔文学奖。此外，奥尼尔生前曾三次获得普利策奖。他自认为并得到公认的最好作品是《长夜漫漫路迢迢》。这部带有自传性的剧作，按作家生前的声明，于1956年首次在瑞典上演，并再次获普利策奖。
亲爱的尤金：
很高兴收到你的信。我本来已经在给你写信了，不过你在电话中说你正写信给我，于是我就等着详细地了解你的好消息。这确实是好消息！当我从电话中得知你干得如此出色时，我没有感到意外，一点也没有，因为我觉得你先前种种不祥的预兆并不可能在后来应验。我对那些可恶的预兆非常明了，那是我们这些奥尼尔家族成员的共同特征——恐怕这是你从我这里继承的有害遗传因子。我近来也一直遇到这种情况，而且比以前还要糟。因为，这个系列剧拉得太长，似乎这烦人的工作永远也做不完。现在看起来好像还得接下去写另外的一个剧本——第九个剧本，这要将我带回至1770年刚开始创作剧本的阶段。
你在信里所说的关于考试的情形非常有趣，我很高兴你如此详尽地谈了口试的情况。我知道有口试这回事，但并没想到口试竟是那样一种可怕的询问，我可以想像当时你在大厅中走来走去，等待最后结果时焦急的心情。
说到工作，从你跟我描述的情况看，这无疑是一个无与伦比的好机会——薪水比我曾经设想过的要高一些。
说到钱，我希望你能知道，无论你什么时候遇到困难，我都一定会尽力提供帮助的——尽管你也能猜到，今后的两三年里我会比较拮据，除非有人想要购买我的电影版权，不过发生这种事的可能性很小。我想坦率地告诉你我的实际情况。无论我的各种投资能得到多少收益，都不够赡养费这一项开支，考虑到我所承担的夏洛特一半的赡养费以及家庭的各项开支等，我现在是在吃老本，而且今后两年或更长的时间内也将如此，因为，我不希望在系列剧完成前将我的任何一个新剧本上演或出版。书的版税能带来些许收入，但相对来说微不足道。专业剧团和业余演出的使用费加起来没有多少收入，因为我的剧本上演的难度很大，因此很少有人尝试。然而，我的剧本仍然经常在国外上演，对此我感到很高兴。但国外的演出经常是回顾我过去的剧目，一次演几场。一半的收入用于支付译者稿酬、交税等，最后以美元返回给我的钱少得可怜。我原本希望“爱尔兰群体剧团”在伦敦上演的《啊，荒野！》会给我带来收益，尽管该剧引起广泛而热烈的争论，但去看的人还是很少，因此，演出可能已经终止了。
这就是我当前面临的形势——而且情形肯定是每况愈下，而非越来越好。你要明白我告诉你这一切并不是哭穷，而是向你陈述困难的事实。
如果在写作过程中我破产了，我决定也不将系列剧本中的任何一本拿出来，除非我至少有三四部剧本已经脱稿，更多的剧本已经有了初稿。这样做对我来说是必要的，因为，我所重视的当然是这项工作作为一个整体，而不是它的各个部分，这对于将整个系列剧搬上舞台也一样重要。“盖尔德剧团”计划上演好几部戏作为事业的开始，因为他们为了演出这个系列剧而打算组织一个专门的演出团。而且，从现在开始要花三四年时间来敲定男女演员。在如今有声电影对演员造成巨大诱惑的情况下，你得拿出好几部剧本，让他们看看某些片段，这样才会有利于他们签协议。如果只有一两个剧本，含糊地敷衍别人说剧本的精彩部分还没有写好，那么，不论作者是谁，你都不会获得成功。我的计划是每个季度写两个剧本，我想这在以前已经告诉过你了。书包 网 。 想看书来
尤金·奥尼尔致儿子（2）
你看，这个系列剧已经使我在得到回报之前陷入了无穷无尽的工作之中，还要搭进去大量宝贵的时间。你也将会明白，我将度过许多奥尼尔家族的那种烦躁不安的日子。我觉得自己已经年迈了，十分疲惫了，开始怀疑自己和自己的工作。我想弄清楚，究竟为什么我内心中的某种东西一直在驱使我去承担这样一件可怕的工作。我本可以毫不费力地生活下去，像一些举止大方的剧作家那样，写出更多的剧本。
好了，不再说这些了。
我预计你的文章很可能会在中西部受到尖酸的反驳，中西部的人非常敏感，或者说在某一方面就是如此。
把我们的爱带给你和贝蒂，布莱米也带给卡伯特一个甜甜的吻。
父亲
1936年6月20日
Eugene O'Neill
To
June 20th 1936
Dear Eugene；
It was good to get your letter。 I would have written you； only you said in your wire you were writing； so I waited to learn all the details of your good news。 And it sure is good news！ But； as I wired you； I was by no means astonished； or anything like that； that you had done so nobly； for your somber premonitions had not impressed me as being liable to coincide with the facts when they appeared。 I know such dreary forebodings too damned well。 They are the familiar spirits of this branch of the O'Neills— one of the baneful heritages you get from me； I'm afraid。 I've been enjoying more than my usual share of them lately； too； what with this Cycle of plays stretching out into a future of seemingly endless hard labor。 It looks now as if there would have to be still another play— a ninth which will carry me back to 1770 as a starter。
What you write about the exams is damned interesting and I am glad you told me so much about the oral。 Of course； I knew there was one； but had no idea it was such a formidable inquisition。 I can imagine how you felt when you paced the hall waiting for the verdict！
As for the job； from what you tell me； that assuredly is a grand bit of good fortune！ And the salary is more than I ever thought you would get to start with。
Speaking of money； you know； I hope； that if ever you get in a tough spot I can always manage to e across with something； although； as you may guess； the next couple of years will be lean ones unless that rarity for me； a Movierights purchase； es up。 I want to tell you frankly what my exact situation is。 Whatever ine I have from investments is more than abolished by the alimony dole。 That means that as far as my half of Carlotta's and my household expenses； etc。 is concerned I am living on capital and will be for the next two years or more
