# ■ 11 Paris

For the next thirty years the Duke and Duchess lived in Paris．They gave parties and travelled round the world，but they never went back to Buckingham Palace．

When King George died in 1952 and Queen Mary died in 1961，Edward returned to Windsor for a few days．But Wallis stayed in France．'It's your family，'she said．'Not mine．'

But then，in 1966，the Duke and Duchess met Queen Elizabeth（the daughter of King George）at a small party in London．After thirty long years it was time to forget the past．Elizabeth kissed the Duchess and touched her arm．Then she turned to the Duke and said：'Wallis is so beautiful，uncle．I think you're a lucky man．'

That day Elizabeth was very kind to us，'Edward wrote later．'But why couldn't my mother or my brother say those words to me？'

On BBC television in 1969 the Duke and Duchess spoke about their life together．

Do you argue？'someone asked them．

No，not really，'the Duchess replied．'But there's one thing about my husband that I really don't like．He is always late．It doesn't matter if he's meeting a queen，a president，or a film star．He can never arrive on time．I don't know why．I have tried to change him，but it's just not possible．'

The Duke smiled and touched her hand．'I know that I'm often late，'he said．'But on our wedding day，I arrived at the church twenty minutes before you．I was early and you were late．'

Yes，that's true，'the Duchess said．And they both laughed．

You could see real love in their eyes，'one newspaper wrote．'They were on television，but they forgot about the cameras and the millions of people who were watching．They were just two people in love．'

The Duchess was famous for her jewellery．'After my husband，'she once said，'I love jewellery more than anything else in the world．'And after thirty-five years with the Duke she had hundreds of pieces，which came from all over the world．

I have never met a more beautiful woman than Wallis，'Edward wrote，'and I love giving her presents．She has given me so much happiness．I buy her jewels to say“thank you”．'

In May 1972 the Duke became ill．When the doctor arrived，he listened to Edward's heart and then said：'How many cigarettes do you have a day，Sir？'

About forty or fifty，'the Duke replied．'But please don't ask me to stop．I've smoked for sixty years and I cannot change now．'

That night Edward called Wallis into the room．'I feel very tired，'he said．'And I'm afraid．I love you．I have been very happy with you，and you have been a wonderful wife．When I die，I want you to take my body back to Windsor．Will you do that for me？'

Yes，of course，'she said．And they both began to cry．

The Duke of Windsor died one hour later with Wallis by his side．

Three days later，a blue aeroplane arrived in Paris．Wallis went back to England with the Duke's body and，for the first time in her life，she entered Buckingham Palace．

A week later the Duchess returned to France，and for the next fourteen years she lived alone in Paris．The big house was dark．The doors were locked and she did not go out．

In the afternoons she sat in the dining room with Edward's love letters．'They were so beautiful，'she said．'I read them again and again．'

But then，in 1986，Wallis became ill．She went to a small hospital near the house，and a few days later she died．'With-out Edward，'she once wrote，'my life was empty．'

She was buried in England next to her husband at Wind-sor．'It's a strange thing，'one newspaper wrote．'When they were alive，the Duke and Duchess could never live in Britain．It was only in death that they could be there together．'

■ 11 巴黎

在以後的30年裡，公爵和夫人住在巴黎。他們舉行各種聚會，周遊世界，但從未回過白金漢宮。

愛德華分別在1952年喬治國王去世時，及1961年王太后瑪麗去世時，回溫莎待過幾天。沃利斯則留在法國。“那是你的家庭，”她說，“不是我的。”

但是，1966年公爵和夫人在倫敦的一個小型聚會上見到了伊麗莎白女王（喬治國王的女兒）。事隔30年，該忘記過去了。伊麗莎白吻了公爵夫人，碰了碰她的胳膊。然後她轉向公爵，說：“沃利斯真美，伯父。我覺得您真幸運。”

“那天，伊麗莎白對我們很和氣，”愛德華後來寫道，“但為什麼我的母親和弟弟就不能對我說這些話呢？”

1969年，在BBC電視節目裡，公爵和夫人談起他們的婚姻生活。

“你們吵架嗎？”有人這樣問他們。

“不，不真吵，”公爵夫人回答，“但我丈夫有一點我確實不喜歡。他總是遲到。無論是要會見女王、總統，還是電影明星，他從不準時赴約。我不知道為什麼。我曾試圖改變他，但就是不行。”

公爵微笑著拍拍她的手。“我知道自己常常遲到，”他說，“可我們舉行婚禮那天，我比你早20分鐘趕到教堂。我早到了，而你卻遲到了。”

“對，這倒是真的，”公爵夫人說，他倆都笑了。

“在他們的眼中，你可以看到真正的愛，”一家報紙如此寫道，“他們在接受電視採訪，但他們忘記了攝像機，忘記了幾百萬觀眾在注視著他們。他們只是兩個相愛中的人。”

公爵夫人因她的珠寶而出名。“除了我丈夫，”她有一次說，“這世界上我最愛的莫過於珠寶了。”與公爵一起生活35年後，她擁有了來自世界各地的幾百件珠寶。

“我從未見過比沃利斯更美的女人，”愛德華寫道，“我喜歡送禮物給她。她給了我那麼多快樂。我給她買珠寶，以表達謝意。”

1972年5月，公爵病倒了。醫生趕來後，聽了聽愛德華的心臟，問道：“您一天吸幾枝煙，先生？”

“大約四五十枝，”公爵回答，“但請別讓我戒菸。我已經吸了60年煙，現在已經改不了了。”

那天晚上，愛德華把沃利斯叫進房間。“我覺得很累，”他說，“也很害怕。我愛你。和你在一起我很快樂，你是個出色的妻子。我死後，你要把我的遺體送回溫莎。你會為我做這件事嗎？”

“會，當然會，”她說。然後兩個人都哭了。

1小時後，溫莎公爵溘然長逝，沃利斯一直陪伴在他身旁。

3天后，一架藍色飛機到達巴黎。沃利斯護送公爵的遺體回到了英國，這是她平生第一次踏進白金漢宮。

1周後，公爵夫人回到法國。在這以後的14年裡，她獨自一人住在巴黎，把自己鎖在那所幽暗的大房子裡，足不出戶。

每天下午，她就坐在餐廳裡，讀愛德華寫的情書。“它們是那麼美，”她說，“我讀了一遍又一遍。

然而，1986年，沃利斯病倒了。她住進離家不遠的一家小醫院，幾天後便去世了。“沒有愛德華，”她曾寫到，“我的生活一片空虛。”

她被葬在英國溫莎她丈夫的墓旁。“這真是件奇怪的事，”一家報紙寫道，“公爵和夫人活著的時候不能住在英國。只有死後，他們才得以一起住在那兒。”