狄更斯39歲那年,他的小女兒朵拉(Dora)不幸病逝。他寫此信,將這個不幸的消息告知妻子。

小朵拉沒有感覺到一點痛苦就突然病倒了。她的臉色非常平靜 ― 如果你看見她安詳的表情,你會誤以為她正在平靜地睡覺呢。但我知道她病得不輕,而且我也不敢對她的康復抱太大的希望。我不相信(親愛的,我為什麼要對你說假話呢?),我根本不相信她甚至還有復原的可能。

我不想離家外出,雖然我留在這裡也幫不了什麼忙,但我還是覺得留在這兒的選擇是正確的。我知道你也不願意離家在外,你不在家的時候我總是心懷不安。福斯特還是像往常一樣關心我們,他現在給你送去這封信並接你回家。然而,我在結束這封信之前還必須堅決地要求和嚴厲地命令你,回家時一定要保持鎮靜沉著 ―

要記住我平時對你說過的話:我們的孩子多,別的父母所遭受到的不幸,我們根本不能指望得到幸免。如果 ― 如果你回來的時候,我不得不忍住悲痛對你說"我們的小寶寶死了",你仍然要對其他孩子盡做母親的責任,要向他們証明你值得他們對你充分地信賴。

如果你看完這封信的時候能保持冷靜,我就會完全相信你能正確處理好這件事情。

永遠愛你的,

查爾斯•狄更斯

1851年4月15日星期二晨於

德文郡泰拉斯街

Devonshire-terrace

Tuesday morning, 15th April, 1851

My dearest Kate, ― Now observe, you must read this letter very slowly and carefully. If you have hurried on thus far without quite understanding (apprehending some bad news) I rely on your turning back and reading again.

Litter Dora, without being in the least pain, is suddenly stricken ill. There is nothing in her appearance but perfect rest ― you would suppose her quietly asleep, but I am sure she is very ill, and I cannot encourage myself with much hope of her recovery. I do not (and why should I say I do to you, my dear?) I do not think her recovery at all likely.

I do not like to leave home, I can do no good here, but I think it right to stay. You will not like to be away, I know, and I cannot reconcile it to myself to keep you away. Forster, with his usual affection for us, comes down to bring you this letter and to bring you home, but I cannot close it without putting the strongest entreaty and injunction upon you to come with perfect composure ― to remember what I have often told you, that we never can expect to be exempt, as to our many children, from the afflictions of other parents, mad that if ― if when you come. I should even have to say to you, "Our little baby is dead," you are to do your duty to the rest, and to show yourself worthy of the great trust you hold in them.

If you will only read this steadily I have a perfect confidence in your doing what is right.

Ever affectionately,

Charles Dickens