TO MRS. HAWTHORNE

 TO MRS. HAWTHORNE

 

Liverpool, Decr. 11th, 1858

 

Dearest,

 

This despatch¹ for O'Sullivan has just reached me; and I do not know whether there will be time to send it by the steamer that sails to-day.

 

Your letters, written immediately after the receipt of the sad news, did not reach me till yesterday; while those by the Southampton steamer, written afterwards, arrived here days ago. Those Liverpool steamers are not nearly such safe mediums as those by Southampton; and no letters of importance ought to be trusted to them.

 

Mrs. Blodgett will buy the articles required by Mrs. O'Sullivan, and likewise the soap for you, and have them in readiness for the next Liverpool steamer.

 

We are quite well (Julian and I) and as contented² as we can expect to be, among strangers, and in a continual cold fog. I have heard no private news from America, since I wrote last. 262

 

I have not a moment's time to write Una; but kiss her for me, and Rosebud³ too. Neither can I tell thee, in this little moment, how infinitely⁴ I love thee.

 

Thinest.

 

P.S. Tell O'Sullivan that Mr. Miller⁵ (Despatch Agent) will allow the postage of this package in his account with Government.

1 despatch   

n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道

参考例句：

• The despatch of the task force is purely a contingency measure.派出特遣部队纯粹是应急之举。
• He rushed the despatch through to headquarters.他把急件赶送到总部。

2 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

3 rosebud   

n.蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女

参考例句：

• At West Ham he was thought of as the rosebud that never properly flowered.在西汉姆他被认为是一个尚未开放的花蕾。
• Unlike the Rosebud salve,this stuff is actually worth the money.跟玫瑰花蕾膏不一样，这个更值的买。

4 infinitely   

adv.无限地，无穷地

参考例句：

• There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
• The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。

5 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。