11岁小女孩给亚伯拉罕·林肯的信: 改写历史面貌

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[00:01.70]20 Changing the Face of History	改写历史的面貌
[00:07.22](By Sonya NiChols Burton)	（译 / 张丽）
[00:09.49]When eleven-year-old Grace Bedell wrote a letter in 1860, ・1860年，当11岁的格雷丝・比德尔动笔写信的时候，
[00:16.09]she couldn't have known that people would be reading it more than one hundred years later. 她不会想到100多年后人们仍会读到这封信。
[00:21.22]But Grace's letter was written to Abraham Lincoln, who was running for President of the United States.	不过，格雷丝的这封信可是写给当时正在竞选美国总统的亚伯拉罕・林肯的。
[00:28.08]Abraham Lincoln, sometimes called "Honest Abe", felt it was time to put an end to slavery. 亚伯拉罕・林肯有时又被人们叫作“诚实的亚伯”，他觉得到了该结束奴隶制的时候了。
[00:34.29]He was well liked by most, but faced several other candidates who felt differently about slavery.	大多数人都很喜欢他，但他仍要面对来自另外几位对奴隶制有不同见解的候选人的竞争。
[00:41.79]Grace Bedell desperately wished she could vote for Mr. Lincoln. 格雷丝・比德尔多么希望自己可以投票给林肯先生啊！
[00:46.17]"If only there were something I could do to help him get elected," she thought. 她想：“要是我能做点什么帮他当选就好了。”
[00:52.24]Grace was about to get her chance.	格雷丝的机会就要来了。
[00:55.00]One evening, Grace's father returned from a fair in her hometown of Westfield, New York. 格蕾丝的家乡在纽约市韦斯特菲尔德镇。一天晚上，她的父亲从那里的市集上回来时，
[01:01.32]He brought Grace a picture of Abraham Lincoln. 带给她一张亚伯拉罕・林肯的照片。
[01:04.41]She was thrilled to have a picture of him and took it to her room. 能够拥有一张林肯的照片让格雷丝非常兴奋。她把照片拿进了自己的房间。
[01:09.24]As Grace looked closely at the image, she noticed how the shadows in her bedroom covered Mr. Lincoln's narrow face. 当她细细打量这张照片的时候，她注意到，自己房间里的阴影投在照片中林肯先生那消瘦的脸庞上时，
[01:17.03]The shadows gave the illusion of a beard, and Grace liked how it looked.	看上去就像是一副胡须，而格雷丝很喜欢这种效果。
[01:22.76]Perhaps there was a way Grace could help Mr. Lincoln. 或许格雷丝也有办法能帮上林肯先生的忙，
[01:28.00]She transferred her thoughts onto paper and wrote to him:	她把自己的想法付诸笔端，给林肯先生写了封信。
[01:32.29]Dear Sir,	亲爱的先生：
[01:33.29]My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin's (Lincoln's running mate ). 我爸爸刚从集市上回来，带回了您和哈姆林先生(林肯的副总统竞选伙伴)的照片。
[01:41.34]I am a little girl only eleven years old, but want you to be President of the United States very much. 我是一个只有11岁的小女孩，可我非常希望您能当上美国总统，
[01:50.53]So I hope you won't think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are. 所以希望您不会觉得我给您这样的伟人写信太冒失了。
[01:56.62]Have you any little girls about as large as I am? If so, give them my love and tell her to write to me if you cannot answer this letter. 您有和我年龄相仿的女儿吗？要是有，请代我问候她们；要是您不能亲自回信，可以请她们代您给我回信。
[02:07.37]I have got four brothers and part of them will vote for you any way.我有四个哥哥，其中几个无论如何都会投票支持您。 
[02:12.23]And if you will let your whiskers grow, I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you. 但如果您能把胡子蓄起来，我将会尽力让其余的几个哥哥也把票投给您。
[02:18.25]You would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. 您留胡子的样子应该会更好看，因为您的脸太瘦了。
[02:21.88]All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President. 女士们全都喜欢留胡子的男人，她们会缠着自己的丈夫让他们投票给您。那样，您就能当上总统了。(译注：当时的美国妇女没有选举权。)
[02:29.32]My father is going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you, too. 我爸爸打算投您一票。 要是我是男的，我也会投您一票。
[02:35.37]But I will try and get everyone to vote for you.不过，我会努力让大家都投您一票。
[02:38.82]When you direct your letter, direct to Grace Bedell, Westfield County, New York.	您给我回信时，把信寄到纽约州韦斯特菲尔德县，写上“格雷丝・比德尔收”就行。
[02:45.15]I must not write any more. 我只能写到这儿了。
[02:47.06]Answer this letter right off. Good bye.	请速回信。再见。
[02:50.23]Grace Bedell	格雷丝・比德尔
[02:52.27]Grace secretly mailed her letter on a gray day in October 1860. ・1860年10月的一个阴天里，格雷丝悄悄把信寄了出去。
[02:58.60]It was addressed to The Honorable Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois. 收信人一栏写着“伊利诺伊州斯普林菲尔德，尊敬的亚伯拉罕・林肯”。
[03:04.24]Seven days later, Grace received this reply:	七天后，格雷丝收到了下面这封回信。
[03:08.76]My dear little Miss,	亲爱的小女士：
[03:11.04]Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received. 很高兴收到你15日的来信。
[03:15.12]I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters. 我不得不遗憾地说我没有女儿――
[03:19.47]I have three sons - one seventeen, one nine, and one seven years of age. 我有三个儿子，一个17岁，一个9岁，还有一个7岁――
[03:26.00]They, with their mother, constitute my whole family.他们，再加上他们的母亲，就是我全部的家人了。 
[03:29.78]As to the whiskers, having never worn any,do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affection if I were to begin it now?	关于胡子的问题，因为我从来没有留过，如果我现在开始留的话，你不觉得人们会把它说成是一种傻气的癖好吗？
[03:40.93]Your very sincere well-wisher,	真诚地祝愿你一切都好的人，
[03:43.66]A. Lincoln	・A・林肯
[03:45.34]Word spread quickly through Westfield that Mr.Lincoln had a correspondent there. 林肯先生和一个本地人通信的消息很快就在韦斯特菲尔德传开了。
[03:51.00]Grace couldn't have been more pleased that Mr. Lincoln had answered her letter, until she heard the exciting announcement that came by telegraph on November 7, 1860. 收到林肯先生的回信让格雷丝高兴极了，而1860年11月7日，
[04:03.33]Mr.Lincoln had been elected to be the 16th President of the United States!	当电报传来林肯当选为美国第16任总统的喜讯时，她更是快乐得无与伦比。
[04:09.23]The news kept getting better. 不久又有更好的消息传来：
[04:11.85]On his way to Washington D.C., the new President would be on a train that was scheduled to stop in Westfield. 在去华盛顿特区的路上，这位新总统乘坐的火车计划在韦斯特菲尔德站停留片刻。
[04:20.14]Grace begged to go to the station.	格雷丝请求大人让她去火车站。
[04:22.91]She stood on tiptoe behind the crowd, hoping for a glimpse of him. 她踮着脚站在人群后面，希望能看一眼林肯，
[04:27.77]This surely would be a moment she would remember forever. 这绝对将会成为她永远铭记的一刻。
[04:31.72]Grace didn't know that things were going to become even more memorable. 格雷丝没有想到事情会变得让她更加难忘――
[04:36.31]When Mr. Lincoln got off the train and greeted the crowds, he asked for Grace Bedell.	当林肯先生走下火车问候人们时，他要求见见格雷丝・比德尔。
[04:42.85]Grace saw the stares of many people. 格雷丝看到众人的目光纷纷投向自己。
[04:45.20]The crowd moved aside for the little girl to timidly make her way to Mr. Lincoln. 人们为这个小女孩让开一条道，她怯怯地向林肯先生走去。
[04:51.47]It became a memorable moment for everyone present. 对在场的所有人而言，这成了令人难忘的一刻。
[04:55.75]Grace walked toward the platform and received a kiss from the fully bearded Abraham Lincoln, who had obviously taken her advice.	格雷丝走上月台，已经蓄起了络腮胡子的亚伯拉罕・林肯亲了她一下。显然，林肯早已接受了她的建议。
[05:05.19]Today, a statue stands in Westfiefd that captures the magic of that historical day. 如今，在韦斯特菲尔德伫立着一座雕像，记下了那个神奇的历史时刻。
[05:11.85]Grace's innocent letter uncovered a side of the new President that people hadn't seen: 格雷丝充满稚气的信件揭开了这位新总统身上不为人们所知的一面。
[05:18.21]Abraham Lincoln responded to Grace's request with kindness - and a full growth of whiskers that became as legendary as her letter. 亚伯拉罕・林肯不仅善意地回应了格雷丝的来信，并应她的请求蓄起了络腮胡子――林肯的络腮胡子和格雷丝的信一样都变得十分著名。
[05:28.08]Some say she changed the face of history.	有人说格雷丝改写了历史的面貌。

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11岁小女孩给亚伯拉罕·林肯的信: 改写历史面貌