《荆棘鸟》(Thorn Birds)

There is a legend about a bird
which sings just once in its life,
more sweetly than any other
creature on the face of the earth.
From the moment it leaves the
nest it searches for a thorn tree,
and does not rest until it has
found one. Then, singing among
the savage branches, it impales
itself upon the longest, sharpest
spine. And, dying it rises above
its own agony to out carol the
lark and the nightingale. One
superlative song, existence the
price. But the whole world stills
to listen, and god in his heaven
smiles.For the best is only bought
at the cost ofgreat pain....
Or so says the legend

-- the Legend about the Thorn Birds

突然覺得，除了《小王子》，《荊棘鳥》應該是我最喜歡的小說了，摘一段出來先：

漸漸地，有關他（弗蘭克）的回憶變得十分淡漠了。回 憶就是這樣的，即使是那些充滿深情厚愛的回憶也概莫能外，好像腦子裡有一種無意識的癒合過程，儘管我們曾痛下決心永不勿忘，但它一樣能使創傷伲和。對梅吉 來說，弗蘭克的形象已經從影影濯濯的可敬的面容，變成了某種聖像。這模糊的聖像和真正的弗蘭克已毫無關係，而是一個想當然是弗蘭克的聖像。梅吉的拳拳追思 就是這樣淡漠下去的。而對菲來說，對弗蘭克的思念已經被一種深不可及的緘默所代替。她的熱情全熄，猶如死水，再也泛不起漣漪了。

在梅吉身上，生的願望就像鋼纜一樣頑強而又富於韌性。