催命符(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
催命符
in february 1862, union general ulysses grant led his troops to victory at the battle of fort donelson. this was the north's first major victory in the civil war, and made grant famous. it was also the victory that killed him.
after the battle, numerous articles were written about the brilliant general, and he was represented as smoking a cigar in the midst of the conflict. people across the north sent him boxes of the choicest brands of cigars. as many as 10,000 were soon received.
grant, who was originally a light smoker, wrote later:"i gave away all i could get rid of, but having such a quantity on hand i naturally smoked more than i would have done under normal circumstances, and i have continued the habit ever since."

grant died of throat cancer in 1885 at the age of 63.
一八六二年二月，美国北军将领攸里西斯．格兰特率兵在多纳尔森堡战役中取胜。这是南北战争之中北军第一场重要胜利。这场胜利令格兰特声誉鹊起，也成为他的催命符。
多纳尔森堡一役之后，报刊纷纷报道这位出色将领，说战酣时他在吸雪茄。一盒盒最上品的雪茄于是从北部各州寄到格兰特手上，不久就有一万盒之多。
格兰特本来不多吸烟。他事后写道：「我尽可能把那些雪茄送给人，但既然有那么多，我自然比平常多吸了，而且从此成为习惯。」
一八八五年，格兰特死于喉癌，死时六十三岁。