georgewashingtontohiswife
华盛顿致妻子的信
anonymous/佚名
youmaybelieveme，wheniassureyouinthemostsolemnmannerthat，sofarfromseekingthisemployment，ihaveusedeveryeffortinmypowertoavoidit，notonlyfrommyunwillingnesstopartwithyouandthefamily，butfromaconsciousnessofitsbeingatrusttoogreatformycapacity；andishouldenjoymorerealhappinessinonemonthwithyouathomethatihavethemostdistantprospectoffindingabroad；ifmystayweretobeseventimessevenyears.butasithasbeenakindofdestinythathasthrownmeuponthisservice，ishallhopethathasmyundertakingitisdesignedtoanswersomegoodpurpose…ishallrelyconfidentlyonthatprovidencewhichhasheretoforepreservedandbeenbountifuome，notdoubtingbutthatishallreturnsafetoyouinthefall.ishallfeelnopainfromthetoilordangerofthecampaign；myunhappinesswillflowfromtheuneasinessiknowyouwillfeelfrombeingleftalone.ithereforebegthatyouwillsummonyourwholefortitude，andpassyourtimesagreeablyaspossible.nothingwillgivemesomuchsinceresatisfactionastohearthis，andtohearitfromyourownpen.
——georgewashington
当我以最庄严的方式向您保证时，希望您能相信我，我并没有去谋求这个职位；相反，我始终竭尽全力去回避这个职位。这不仅因为我自觉难以胜任；恐怕我在异乡待上七七四十九年所寻求的快乐也比不上你我在家相守一个月所享受的快乐。可是，既然被委以重任是命中注定了的是，我只求接受这一重任是为了实现崇高的目的……我祈求一直庇护着我的上帝，能够让我在今秋安然无恙地回到你身边。我不会因军营之中的种种磨练和危险而感到痛苦，可是当我想到你独资一人在家为我感到不安的时候却常常忧心忡忡。正因如此，我希望你能够鼓足勇气，坚强地面对生活，要尽可能让自己快乐起来。如果能够收到你的亲笔来信，告诉我一切都好，那将是最令我感到安慰的事情。
——乔治·华盛顿（未完待续）