A First World War postcard has finally been delivered - a staggering 94 years after it was sent. Soldier Alfred Arthur, 19, sent the card to his sister Ellen, known as Nell, in January 1916 at the height of the Great War. Tragically the hero was killed in the brutal fighting which killed millions from all sides in the blood-soaked trenches on the Western Front in France.

第一次世界大戰的硝煙早已經散去，讓我們銘記起這場戰爭只有目前為數不多的黑白照片以及當時的紀錄片等等，誰也沒有想到，一張由一戰19歲的士兵阿爾弗雷德·阿瑟在1916年郵寄出的賀卡，在快100年之后才郵寄到家中，這恐怕是史上最慢的"快遞"了。據悉，這張“古老的”賀卡是在士兵阿爾弗雷德·阿瑟在法國即將上前線前郵寄給自己的姐姐的，當時他希望自己參戰后能按時返家，與姐姐見面。十分不幸的是，阿爾弗雷德·阿瑟在發出賀卡后就犧牲在戰場上了，而這張賀卡卻在94年之后才郵寄到。

The postcard is dated 1916 and bears a cartoon picture of a newly-recruited soldier on the front. Thoughtful Alfred has written to his beloved sister: "Dear Nell, Just a postcard to let you know I have not forgotten you. On the other side you will see our orders for next week. I will need your pity. Drop me a line, your brother Alfred." His sister Nell died, still heartbroken by his brutal wartime death, in 1964.

據悉，這張賀卡產自1916年，卡片的封面是一個新招募的士兵在前線奮勇殺敵的圖案。而19歲的士兵阿爾弗雷德·阿瑟在賀卡中是這樣寫給他摯愛的姐姐的：“親愛的姐姐，為了表達我想念你的心情，郵寄一張賀卡給你，下禮拜我們會有新的任務，同情一下我吧！看到賀卡后能給我回信嗎？你親愛的弟弟阿爾弗雷德。” 阿爾弗雷德的姐姐尼爾死于1964，死時仍為弟弟的死而傷心。

Not only was the postcard 94 years late, but it was also delivered to a different door number from the one it was addressed to. But Royal Mail said it is very unlikely the card was with them all that time as they regularly clean out their sorting office and post boxes. The postcard's history for the last 94 years remains a total mystery.

記者獲悉，這個史上最慢快遞不僅僅是整整遲到了近100年，而且郵寄的地址還錯了，郵寄到了鄰居家。但是，英國皇家郵政否認是他們的失責，辯解稱他們經常有規律的清理信箱以及郵局存放郵件的倉庫，賀卡不大可能因他們的疏忽而導致郵寄的推遲。可能這個一戰賀卡為什么推遲了100年才郵寄成功的原因永遠是一個謎了。

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（來源：滬江英語 編輯：崔旭燕）