A Passion in the Desert
by Honore de Balzac
Translated by Ernest Dowson
 
 
當《沙漠裡的愛情》這本書問世以後，世界上又引起了轟動。他們都在談論着為什麼結局會是這麼悲慘——小說的主人公用匕首殺死了那頭花豹，而當那頭花豹快死的時候，它卻毫無惱怒地望着他。
在現實生活中，人與人之間的溝通變得越來越少，甚至有的碰面還招呼不打就走開了，别說與那些沒有共同語言的人交流了。文章的主人公深刻地體會了那種感覺。我希望所有的人都不要成為溝通的終結者，人間因為有溝通，才會變得更美好。溝通是人與人之間的橋梁，把握溝通，懂得溝通，将會成為世間最快樂的人。
"The whole show is dreadful," she cried coming out of the menagerie of  M. Martin. She had just been looking at that daring speculator  "working with his hyena,"--to speak in the style of the programme.
 
"By what means," she continued, "can he have tamed these animals to  such a point as to be certain of their affection for----"

"What seems to you a problem," said I, interrupting, "is really quite  natural."

"Oh!" she cried, letting an incredulous smile wander over her lips.
 
"You think that beasts are wholly without passions?" I asked her.  "Quite the reverse; we can communicate to them all the vices arising  in our own state of civilization."
 
She looked at me with an air of astonishment.
 
"But," I continued, "the first time I saw M. Martin, I admit, like  you, I did give vent to an exclamation of surprise. I found myself  next to an old soldier with the right leg amputated, who had come in  with me. His face had struck me. He had one of those heroic heads,  stamped with the seal of warfare, and on which the battles of Napoleon  are written. Besides, he had that frank, good-humored expression which  always impresses me favorably. He was without doubt one of those  troopers who are surprised at nothing, who find matter for laughter in  the contortions of a dying comrade, who bury or plunder him quite  light-heartedly, who stand intrepidly in the way of bullets;--in fact,  one of those men who waste no time in deliberation, and would not  hesitate to make friends with the devil himself. After looking very  attentively at the proprietor of the menagerie getting out of his box,  my companion pursed up his lips with an air of mockery and contempt,  with that peculiar and expressive twist which superior people assume  to show they are not taken in. Then, when I was expatiating on the  courage of M. Martin, he smiled, shook his head knowingly, and said,  'Well known.'
 
" 'How "well known"?' I said. 'If you would only explain me the  mystery, I should be vastly obliged.'
 
"After a few minutes, during which we made acquaintance, we went to  dine at the first restauranteur's whose shop caught our eye. At  dessert a bottle of champagne completely refreshed and brightened up  the memories of this odd old soldier. He told me his story, and I saw  that he was right when he exclaimed, 'Well known.' "
 
When she got home, she teased me to that extent, was so charming, and  made so many promises, that I consented to communicate to her the  confidences of the old soldier. Next day she received the following  episode of an epic which one might call "The French in Egypt."