让我们来读一读这封信，揭开那一段埋藏在历史深处充满屈辱的真相：

25th October

（10月25日）

… Rather a good trait in their character was it not， restoring the prisoners without having tortured them or done them any injury… we found that our shells had done great execution。 In one place I counted not less than 18 dead bodies in a space of less than 50 yards。。。

（……清军性格中的这一点很好啊是不是，他们释放的俘虏都未受虐待、毫发未损……我们发现我们的炮弹杀伤力十足。在某处方圆50码以内，就有不下18具尸体，伤员全都被运走……）

Their loss was tremendous。 A flag of truce was sent over and the surrender of the remaining forts was demanded。

（他们的损失极为惨重。最终一面停战的旗帜被送来，剩下的堡垒也全被要求投降。）

The war is now virtually at an end， and before many months are over I expect we shall all be on our way home， I am afraid that I shall not be at home in time for Xmas…

（现在战争显然已经结束了。我估计过不了几个月，我们就该踏上回家的路了，我担心我没法在圣诞节前赶回家了。。。。。。）

Peking is now virtually ours， one of the gates have been surrendered to us several days ago， on the day on which we were to have opened fire…

（北京现在已经几乎是我们的了，就在好几天前我们将要开火的时候，它的一个城门上向我们竖起了白旗……）

。。。the following day we were to have gone on to the Summer Palace。。。 there being only about 300 servants left to look after the place， and a small guard of about 50 men， who of course did not attempt any resistance。

（第二天我们就要进入圆明园了……那里只留下了大约300个照看圆明园的仆人，和50人左右的卫兵，当然他们没尝试任何抵抗。）

The French got lots of valuable loot in the way of watches， clocks， fur coats， silks etc。 The General （Sir Hope Grant） sent out all the carts he could find， brought in as much as they could carry， and all the things were sold by auction for prize money for the force actually present on the 6th， and a considerable amount was realized as the things went at fabulous prices。

（法国人搜刮了大量值钱的战利品，包括手表、钟表、皮大衣、丝绸等。霍普·格兰特将军号令用上所有能找到的推车，能装多少就装多少回来。而所有这些宝贝都被现场拍卖掉，卖的钱作为奖励发给6号参战的部队，这些宝物售价高昂，最后的金额相当可观。）

There was also a large sum of sycee silver and gold found， which will also be divided amongst the troops。 Some of the money has already been distributed。 I expect to get about five and forty Pounds for my share。

（还发现了一大笔银锭和金锭，这些钱也会被分发给军队上下。其中一部分已经被派发出去了。我预计自己能分到54镑。）