What a lovely surprise to receive your letter; , , trolled-unlike my own, but like those from my dear friends.... I''m delighted that you now seem to have found your feet. You should have a much more iing time and lead a much mratifyien London than in Hong Kong.... The day has e, at long last.... I miss my soul-mates like you and all the others who''ve upped and gone. Peter is an iing bloke. I haven''t seen him for 6 months and I hear he''s disillusioned. I''m not sure he quite knows what he wants....
Yes. The day has e, at long last，在你最爱吃的荔枝市的节。的日子，我突觉我不应该再给你写英文信了，虽你是英国人。十几二十年前在北京台湾住了那久，你中国的认识，你的中文造诣，你绝明白我的情。明就是政权移的日子了，我跟随中国的说法，叫“回归”。你中文的年代不兴词。你声国语念两字，温馨很，不是吗？我很喜欢两字，跟你英文的home-ing一那soul-inspiring。是一阵子所有的人在两字，像月亮，走哪，实在有点滑稽，弄我有办法正确表达我七月一日的感受，我改说“回”，说“归人”。……
台湾的报纸我写回归文章，剪裁修补，概有五六千字长。我不知他什候刊登，法遵照你信的吩咐寄给你。记那夜灯走笔，我在“楔子”说，一九六十年夏末，我乘坐一艘破旧的日本兴安丸轮船从南洋台湾念书，全程九九夜，七夜船香港停留一晚，乘客不准岸，我在船远远观赏香港的夜景晨曦，觉很漂亮。那是我一次邂逅香港。我记我跟你说我是一九六五年香港定居的。在你的国住了七年，我是舍不的殖民，又回住现在了。三十几年的感情了，真应了你的中国话口头禅：不知从何说？
我在“楔子”接着说：“是中西意识形态的点：韩素音瞬息缤纷的恋情；张爱玲暗香浮动的绣像；有那千千万万流亡的中国读书人的泪影笑声；千千万万冒险的中国生意人的拚搏兴旺。海的那一边是火红的故国：打一喷嚏香港就烧；捱几顿饿香港就胃痛。突间，九七了。日常生活连柴米油盐酱醋茶染着英国名门望族品味的殖民精英不走。在英帝国悠悠的安魂曲中，他低吟瑞典导演英玛·保曼名片Fanny and Alexander的一段话……”
我在写我写不写的文章。It''s a specialized business and to exercise it too long may very well unfit a man for anything else....因此，万一有一不准我乱写乱读书，我真不知我做什差餬口……我有T.S.真的了。该是七十一岁；在英国住了四十七、八年了吧？他，我又人写L B Namier的一句话：“His pleasure in staying in the English try house art of the romantiglomania which remained with him to the end of his days.”
Miss you. Miss London. Take care.
你的老朋友
九七·六·二十九