汉尼巴尔
亲爱的克莱丽丝：
在你遭受耻辱与在公众面前脸上无光的这段时间里，我的生活充满了激情。除了监禁带来的不方便外，我的耻辱对自己倒无大碍。不过你也许会对此怀有异议。从我们在地牢的谈话中，我明显看出你的父亲–那个死了的守夜人–在你的价值观里起着多么举足轻重的作用。
我 想，你之所以高兴自己能成功地完结了詹姆斯·甘的收集工作，是基于你想象父亲会为此感到欣慰吧。可如今呢，唉，联邦调查局却给了你不少苦头。你是否想到了 你爸爸因你而蒙羞？你是否看到躺在普普通通的松木棺材里的他痛苦不堪，因为你的失败断送了自己的光辉前程，落得一个如此遗憾而可怜的结局？
还有什么比这样的羞辱更糟的呢，克莱丽丝？你的失败怎样地让你父母的名声蒙羞啊？人们会从现在至将来一直都相信下去，你父母是只有罐头吃的乡下穷佬，你大概也不过如此，这是不是最为你所惧怕的呢？嗯？
顺便提一下，我不禁在访问联邦调查局那枯燥无味的网站时，从局里的卷宗看到自己已由普通罪犯荣升至声望更高的十大要犯名列。你是否会碰巧重新负责这个案子呢？
果真如此就最好不过了，因为我将结束退休生活，重返到公众中去。我想你此时可能正坐在幽暗的地下室里，俯看文件和电脑屏幕吧。我说得对不对呢？请告诉我实话，史达林探员。
此致，
敬礼!
你的老朋友：
汉尼巴尔·雷克特医生
另：显然这项新任务非你所选，我倒以为是谈判的部分内容，克莱丽丝，而你接受了下来。你的工作就是策划我的末日。所以我不很确定该怎样祝福你才好。不过可以肯定的是我们会有一番乐趣了。再会。
汉尼巴尔
hannibal
Dear Clarice,
I have followed with enthusiasm the course of your disgrace
and public shaming. My own never bothered me except for the inconvenience of being 17)incarcerated. But you may lack perspective. In our discussions down in the 18)dungeon it was apparent to me that your father, the dead night watchman, figures largely in your value system.
I think your success in putting an end to James Gum’s career as a curator pleased you most because you could imagine your father being pleased. But now alas you’re embattled over the FBI. Do you imagine your daddy being shamed by your disgrace? Do you see him in his plain pine box crushed by your failure, a sorry petty end of a promising career?
What is worst about this humiliation, Clarice? Is it how your failure will reflect on your mommy and daddy? Is your worst fear that people will nowand forever believe they were indeed just good old trailor-canned, 19)tornado-made white trash and that perhaps you are too? Hmm?
By the way I couldn’t help noticing on the FBI’s rather dull blub, blub, blub website that I have been 20)hoisted from the bureau’s 21)archives of the common criminal and elevated as the more prestigious ten most wanted list. Is this coincidence or are you back on the case?
If so, goody-goody because I need to come out of retirement and return to public life. I imagine you sitting in a dark basement room bent over papers and computer screens. Is that accurate? Please tell me truly, special agent Starling.
Regard
Your old pal,
Hannibal Lecter, M.D.
P.S. Clearly this new assignment is not your choice. Rather I suppose it is part of the bargain but you accepted it, Clarice. Your job is to craft my doom. So I’m not sure how well I should wish you. But I’m sure we’ll have a lot of fun. Ta-ta.
H.
(Source: wwenglish.com)
Salted DuckTaste: Salty and delicious.