# ■ 6 The King is Dead！Long Live the King！

In January 1936 Edward went to Windsor for a few weeks． He was tired of town life and he wanted to work in his garden and ride his horses．

But then，one afternoon，there was a phone call from Queen Mary．'Edward，'she said，'you must come back im-mediately． Your father is very ill and I think he's going to die．'

When Edward arrived， he went straight to his father's room．He walked to the side of the bed and kissed his father's white face． The King opened his eyes and smiled．Then he took his son's hand and said：'Be a good King，Edward．And be good to your mother．'

Yes，father， I will．'

The King closed his eyes and did not speak again． Just af－ter midnight he died．

Then Queen Mary took Edward's hand and kissed it．'My child， you are now King，'she said softly．'God be with you．

His three brothers came to him， one by one， and they each kissed his hand．'The King is dead．Long live the King，'they said．

At one o'clock Edward left the room to telephone Wallis．“My father is dead，'he said．

I'm so sorry， Sir．'

I must stay here for a while，'Edward went on．'But I'll phone you at the weekend．Nothing will change between you and me．I love you more than ever，and you will be my Queen．'

Let's not talk about that now，'Wallis replied．'You must go back to your family．'

But you are my family， Wallis． You are everything to me．Goodnight．Sleep well．'

When Wallis put the phone down that night， she sudden-ly felt afraid．'Edward is now King，'she thought，'but what will happen to me？'

6 國王逝世！國王萬歲！

1936年1月，愛德華去溫莎小住幾個星期。他厭倦了城市生活，只想侍弄侍弄自己的花園，騎騎馬。

然而，一天下午，王后瑪麗打來電話。“愛德華，”她說，“你必須馬上趕回來。你父親病得很厲害，我想他快不行了。”

愛德華一趕到，便徑直去了父親的房間。他走到床邊，吻了吻父親蒼白的臉。國王睜開眼睛，微微一笑。他拉住兒子的手，說：“做個出色的國王，愛德華。要好好待你的母親。”

“是，父親，我會的。”

國王閉上眼睛，再沒說什麼。午夜剛過，他就去世了。

瑪麗王后握住愛德華的手，吻了吻。“我的孩子，現在你是國王了。”她溫柔地說，“願上帝與你同在。”

他的3個弟弟先後走過來，吻了他的手。“國王逝世了，國王萬歲！”他們說。

1點鐘，愛德華離開父親的房間，去給沃利斯打電話。“我父親去世了。”他說。

“我很難過，殿下。”

“我必須在這兒待一段時間，”愛德華接著說，“但週末我會給你打電話的。什麼也不能改變你我之間的事。我比任何時候都更愛你，你將成為我的王后。”

“現在我們還是不要談這些，”沃利斯回答，“你必須回到你的家庭裡。”

“可你就是我的家庭啊，沃利斯。對我而言，你就是一切。晚安。睡個好覺。”

那天晚上，沃利斯放下電話時，突然覺得很害怕。“愛德華現在是國王了，”她想，“但我會怎樣呢？”