# ■ 9 The Woman I Love

A few days later Mr Churchill came to see Edward at Buckingham Palace．At first the King was quiet．Then he said：'This is my last night in England，Winston．I love this country．I wanted to be a modern，kind King．I wanted to change the world，but they stopped me．And now I have to leave．'

It was ten o'clock．Edward stood up and walked over to the window．In the dark streets below there were hundreds of people．They were singing and calling his name：'Edward，Edward，we love Edward！'they shouted．'Long live the King！Long live love！'

Suddenly the King turned to Mr Churchill．'Why is this happening to me，Winston？'he cried．'What have I done wrong？'

He sat down and put his head in his hands．There was a silence in the room，but through the open window came the shouting from the street．'Long live Edward！Long live love！Long live Edward！Long live love！'

Mr Churchill came over and put his hand on the King's arm．Edward looked up．'Thank you，Winston，'he said．'You were a good friend to me．'

Thank you，Sir．And you were a good King．'

At ten o'clock the next morning the telephone rang in Edward's bedroom．

They're ready for you now，Sir，'a voice said．

The King walked slowly down the stairs．In front of him there was an open door．The family were waiting for him．His mother sat near the window，dressed in black．His brothers stood beside her．'How close they are！'the King thought．

On a small table in the centre of the room there was a piece of paper．Edward sat down and read these words：

I，Edward the Eighth，King of Great Britain，King of India，King of Australia，King of New Zealand，King of Canada，King of Kenya，King of Nigeria，King of Bur-ma，King of Malaya，King of Singapore，and King of thirty-two other countries，have today given the crown to my brother George．

God be with him and all his people．

10th December 1936．

Edward took a pen and wrote his name at the bottom of the page．Then he stood up and kissed his brother's hand．

I never wanted this to happen，'George said．'This is the worst day of my life．'

Edward walked over to his mother．'Before I kiss you，'she said，'there are some things that I want to say．I have never understood you，child．This morning you were a King．But tonight，you'll run from England like a thief．Alone．An-gry．Afraid．You think that you're free．But you're not．You cannot be free．

Everyone needs their family．Everyone needs their home．And tonight you have lost both those things．

I love you．I am your mother and nothing can change that．But if you marry that woman，you will break my heart．Go now．It is all very sad．'

Edward kissed Queen Mary's hand．Then he turned and walked away．

The next day Edward returned to Windsor Castle．He went into a small，cold room at the top of the building．From there，he spoke on BBC radio to Britain and the world．

This is what he said：

Tonight，for the first time，I can say a few words to you．Earlier today I gave the crown to my brother George．He is now your King．I will soon leave this country and travel to France．My heart is with Wallis and I cannot live without the woman I love．'

I don't know what will happen to me．Perhaps I will never see England again．But think of me tonight when I sail across the sea．

God be with you．Long live King George！

Edward left Windsor Castle and got into a large black car．It was now midnight and it was just beginning to rain．

Take me away as quickly as you can，'he said．The car moved off into the darkness and the rain．

What a night！'said the driver．'I think the sky is cry-ing，Sir．'

At 1．30 a．m．they arrived at Portsmouth．Edward got out of the car and a voice said：'The King is here！'

Edward stopped and looked out across the open sea．There was a thin，cold smile on his face．'King？'he said．'No，I am not the King．I am just a man in love．'

Then he turned and walked onto the ship and into the night．

■ 9 我愛的女人

幾天後，邱吉爾先生來白金漢宮拜訪愛德華。開始，國王沉默不語。然後他說：“溫斯頓，這是我在英國的最後一個晚上了。我愛這個國家。我想做一個跟得上時代的、仁慈的國王。我想改變這個世界，但他們阻止了我。現在，我不得不離開。”

10點了。愛德華站起身，走到窗前。夜幕中，下面街道上站了好幾百人。他們唱著歌，叫著他的名字：“愛德華，愛德華，我們愛愛德華！”他們喊著，“國王萬歲！愛情萬歲！”

國王突然轉向邱吉爾先生。“溫斯頓，為什麼這會發生在我身上？”他喊道，“我做錯了什麼？”

他坐下來，雙手抱著頭。屋裡一片寂靜，但街上的叫喊聲從打開的窗戶傳進來。“愛德華萬歲！愛情萬歲！愛德華萬歲！愛情萬歲！”

邱吉爾先生走上前，把手放在國王的胳膊上。愛德華抬起頭。“謝謝你，溫斯頓，”他說。“你是我的好朋友。”

“謝謝您，陛下。您是位出色的國王。”

第二天上午10點，愛德華臥室裡的電話響了。

“他們準備好了，正在等您，陛下。”一個聲音說。

國王緩緩走下樓梯。在他面前，有一扇敞開的門。全家人都在等他。他的母親坐在窗戶旁，身穿黑衣。他的弟弟們站在她身旁。“他們之間是多麼親密呀！”國王想。

屋子中央有一張小桌子。上面放了一張紙。愛德華坐下來，讀到下面的話：

我，愛德華八世，英國國王、印度國王、澳大利亞國王、新西蘭國王、加拿大國王、肯尼亞國王、尼日利亞國王、緬甸國王、馬來亞國王、新加坡國王，以及其他32個國家的國王，今天把王位交給我的弟弟喬治。

願上帝與他同在，與他的臣民同在。

1936年12月10日。

愛德華取出一支筆，在這頁紙的下部簽了自己的名字。然後站起來，吻了吻弟弟的手。

“我從未期望過這種事發生，”喬治說，“這是我一生中最糟糕的一天。”

愛德華走到母親身邊。“在我吻你之前，”她說，“有些話我想說。孩子，我一直都不理解你。今天早晨你還是國王。但今晚，你就要像小偷一樣逃離英國，孤零零一個人，憤憤不平，忐忑不安。你以為自己自由了，但你沒有。你永遠也不會自由。”

“每個人都需要自己的家庭。每個人都需要自己的家園。但今晚，這兩樣你都失去了。”

“我愛你。我是你的母親，這是什麼都改變不了的。但如果你娶了那個女人，就會傷透我的心。現在走吧。這太讓人傷心了。”

愛德華吻了王太后瑪麗的手。然後他轉身走了。

第二天，愛德華回到了溫莎城堡。他走進城堡頂部一間狹小陰冷的房間。在那裡，他通過BBC的廣播向英國和全世界講了話。

下面就是他所說的：

今晚，我第一次有機會向你們講幾句話。今天早些時候，我把王位讓給了我的弟弟喬治。現在，他是你們的國王了。我不久將離開這個國家去法國。我的心和沃利斯在一起，沒有我愛的女人，我無法生活。”

我不知道我將來會怎麼樣。也許我再也看不到英國了。但是，今晚我跨越海峽時，請大家想著我。

願上帝與你們同在。喬治國王萬歲！

愛德華離開溫莎城堡，坐進一輛黑色大轎車。時值午夜，天下起了雨。

“帶我離開這兒，越快越好，”他說。汽車駛入黑夜和雨幕中。

“這是怎樣的一個晚上啊！”司機說，“我想天空都在哭泣了，陛下。”

凌晨1點30分，他們到達朴茨茅斯。愛德華走下汽車，只聽一個聲音叫道：“國王來了！”

愛德華停下腳步，向大海那邊望去。他的臉上掛著淡淡的、冷漠的微笑。“國王？”他說，“不，我不是國王。我只是一個戀愛中的男人。”

然後，他轉身走上船，消失在夜色裡。