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此时，他就要听到她真实的声音了，还有4分钟就6点了。
一个女孩走近他，布兰福德中尉一惊。她戴着一朵花，但不是他们约好的那种红玫瑰。这个女孩只有18岁左右，而霍丽丝？梅内尔告诉过他，她已30岁。“有什么关系呢？”他还回信说，“我32岁”，其实他只有29岁。
他又想到了在训练营时看过的一本书——《人性的枷锁》，书里有一个女人写的批注。他难以相信，一个女人竟能如此透彻地读懂男人的心。书签上有她的名字：霍丽丝？梅内尔。于是他找来一本纽约市电话簿，查到了地址，给她写信，并收到了回信。因为执行任务，第二天他就坐船离开了，但他们仍然保持通信。
13个月里，她始终诚挚地给他回信，通常是他的信还未到，她的信就来了。因此，他深信，他们彼此深爱着。
然而，她拒绝送他照片，并解释说：“如果你真心对我，我的外表并不重要。如果我长得很漂亮，我会认为，你是爱我的外貌，那样会令我很反感。如果我长相平凡（你必须承认这个更有可能），就会担心，你和我通信，是因为内心孤独，无人倾诉。别向我要照片。你来纽约时就可以看到我了，可以在那时作出某些决定。”
还有1分钟就6点了……布兰福德猛抽了一口烟，心跳更加快了。
一位年轻的女士向他走来，她身材苗条，金黄的卷发拢在小巧的耳后，双唇红润，下巴精致，眼睛深蓝动人。她穿着淡绿的西装，浑身散发着青春的活力。
他开始向她走去，根本没注意她是否戴着玫瑰花，他走近，看到她嘴角浮起动人的微笑。
“问路吗，军人？”她轻轻地说。他又走近一步，接着，他看到了霍丽丝？梅内尔。
霍丽丝？梅内尔就站在这姑娘的身后，一个40多岁的女人，灰白的头发塞在破旧的帽子下面，很胖，厚实的双脚穿着低跟鞋。
可在她那皱巴巴的外衣上别着一朵红玫瑰。
绿衣女孩匆匆离去。
布兰福德心碎了，他多想跟着那女孩啊，然而他又真切地渴望见这个女人，是她的精神一直陪伴他，激励他；她就站在那里，苍白丰满的面庞，温柔而理性；灰色的眼睛里闪着温和的光芒。
布兰福德没有犹豫，他紧抓着那本破旧的《人性的枷锁》，它是向她证明身份的依据。尽管这不会是爱情，但是一种珍贵的东西，是他曾经拥有并要感激的友情……
尽管因深深的失望而感到痛苦，布兰福德仍摆正双肩，敬了个礼，然后把书递给那个女人，“我是约翰？布兰福德，您——您是梅内尔女士吧，我可以——可以请您吃饭吗？”
女人微笑着。“孩子，我不明白这是怎么回事，”她说道，“那位穿绿衣服的年轻小姐请求我戴上这朵玫瑰，她说如果你请我一块出去，就告诉你，她在街对面的餐厅等你。她说这是一种考验。”
■ 心灵小语
爱情之花需要甘露的沐浴才能绽放。如果你是一个向往爱情的人，那么开始用美好的品质来浇这盆爱之花，这样它才能成长，才能长出蓓蕾，才能美丽绽放。
爱的约会（2）
Appointment with Love
Anonymous
Six minutes to six； said the clock over the information booth in New York’s Grand Central Station。 The tall； young Army lieutenant1 lifted his sunburned face and narrowed his eyes to note the exact time。 His heart was pounding with a beat。 In six minutes he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 13 months； the woman he had never seen； yet whose written words had sustained2 him unfailingly。
Lieutenant Blandford remembered one day in particular； during the worst of the fighting； when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of enemy planes。 In one of his letters he had confessed3 to her that he often felt fear； and only a few days before this battle he had received her answer，“Of course you fear。。。 all brave men do。 Next time you doubt yourself； I want you to hear my voice reciting to you，‘ Yeah； though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death； I will fear no evil： for thou art with me。’。。。” He had remembered； and it had renewed his strength。
Now he was going to hear her real voice。 Four minutes to six。
A girl passed close to him； and Lieutenant Blandford started。 She was wearing a flower； but it was not the little red rose they had agreed upon。 Besides； this girl was only about 18； and Hollis Meynell had told him she was 30。 “What of it？” he had answered。 “I’m 32。” He was 29。
His mind went back to that book he had read in the training camp。 Of Human Bondage it was； and throughout the book were notes in a woman’s handwriting。 He had never believed that a woman could see into a man’s heart so tenderly； so understandingly。 Her name was on the book plate： Hollis Meynell。 He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address。 He had written； she had answered。 Next day he had been shipped out； but they had gone on writing。
For 13 months she had faithfully replied。 When his letters did not arrive； she wrote anyway； and now he believed that he loved her and that she loved him。
But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph。 She had explained， “If your feeling for me has any reality； what I look like won’t matter。 Suppose I’m beautiful。 I’d always be haunted4 by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just that； and that kind of love would disgust me。 Suppose I’m plain （and you must admit that this is more likely）； then I’d always fear that you were only going on writing because you were lonely and had no one else。 No； don’t ask for my picture。 When you e to New York； you shall see me and then you shall make your decision。”
One minute to six 。。。 he pulled hard on a cigarette。 Then Lieutenant Blandford’s heart leaped。
A young woman was ing toward him。 Her figure was long and slim； her blond hair lay back in curls over her delicate ears。 Her eyes were as blue as flowers； her lips and chin had a gentle firmness。 In her pale…green suit； she was like springtime e alive。书包 网 。 想看书来
爱的约会（3）
He started toward her； forgetting to notice that she was wearing no rose； and as he moved； a small； provocative smile curved her lips。
“Going my way； soldier？” she murmured。 He made one step closer to her。 Then he saw Hollis Meynell。
She was standing almost directly behind the girl； a woman well past 40； her graying hair tucked under a worn hat。 She was more than plump5； her thick ankled feet were thrust into low…heeled shoes。
But she wore a red rose on her rumpled coat。 The girl in the green suit was walking quickly。 Blandford felt as though he were being split into two； so keen was his desire to follow the girl； yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly panioned and upheld his own； and there she stood。 He could see her pale； plump face was gentle and sensible； her gray eyes had a warm twinkle6。
Lieutenant Blandford did not hesitate。 His fingers gripped the worn copy of Human Bondage which was to identify him to her。 This would not be love； but it would be something precious； a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful。。。
He squared his shoulders； saluted； and held the book out toward the woman； although even while he spoke he felt the bitterness of his disappointment。 “I’m John Blandford； and you—you are Miss Meynell。 May—may I take you to dinner？”
The woman smiled。 “I don’t know what this is all about； son；” she answered。 “That young lady in the green suit； she begged me to wear this rose on my coat。 And she said that if you asked me to go out with you； I should tell you she’s waiting for you in that restaurant across the street。 She said it was some kind of a test。”
来自天堂的玫瑰（1）
佚名
红玫瑰是她的最爱，她的名字叫罗斯，也是“玫瑰”的意思。每年情人节，丈夫都要送她一些玫瑰花，并用漂亮的丝带扎着。丈夫去世的那年，她依然收到了玫瑰花，卡片像往年一样写着：“献给我的爱人！”
每年，丈夫送她花时，都要写下这样一些话：“我爱你，今朝更胜往昔。”“时光流转，我对你的爱历久弥新。”她知道，这是她最后一次收到丈夫的玫瑰花了。
她想，玫瑰花一定是他预订的。她亲爱的丈夫或许不知道，自己会死去。他总喜欢提前把一些事情安排妥当，这样，即使再忙，也可以从容应对，处理好一切。
她修剪好枝叶，将花插到一个别致的花瓶里。然后，把花瓶放到面带微笑的丈夫的遗像旁。她在丈夫最喜欢的椅子里一坐就是几个小时，伴着玫瑰花，凝神地望着他的照片。
一年终于过去了，没有丈夫的日子十分难挨。在孤独与寂寞中，她又迎来一个情人节。情人节前夕，家里门铃响了，有人送来一束玫瑰花，放在了门口。
她把玫瑰花拿进屋，吃惊地看着它们。然后走到电话旁，拨通了花店的电话，是店主接的，她要他解释为什么还有人送花给她，增添她的悲伤。
“我知道您的丈夫一年前就过世了，”店主说，“我也知道您会打电话来问究竟的。您今天收到的花，已经提前付过款了。您丈夫总是提前做好计划，万无一失，而预订好的。
“他预付了花款，委托我们每年给您送花。还有一件事，我想您有必要知道；还有一张特别的小卡片……是他去年写的。
“那张卡片……是他让我们要在他死后的第二年送给您。现在他不在了，所以就把卡片送给您了。”
她谢过店主，挂断了电话，泪如泉涌。她的手抖动着，慢慢地伸向那张卡片。
卡片里丈夫写给她的一张便条，她静静地注视着它，这是他亲手写给她的……“亲爱的，你好！我知道我已经离开你一年了，我希望这一年里你没有受太多的苦。
“我知道这一年你一定很孤单，很痛苦。如果换上我是你，我也会那样的。我们的爱使生命中的一切都变得美好。我对你的爱用语言无法表达，你是我完美的爱妻。
“你是我的朋友，我的爱人，你让我时刻都心满意足。我知道这才仅仅过去一年，但我还是要你努力去忘记痛苦。我想让你快乐，即使流泪也是因幸福而泣。所以每年我都要送你玫瑰花。
“当你收到这些玫瑰时，想想我们一起度过的美好时光，我们曾经是多么幸福呀！我一直深爱着你，并将一直深爱下去。但是，亲爱的，答应我，一定要好好活着。
“请努力寻找幸福，珍惜生命中的每一天。我知道那并