在小说《面纱》中，沃尔特发现妻子凯蒂与查理偷情后，便带着报复心理将凯蒂带到了每天有上百人死亡的霍乱疫区湄潭府。
结果凯蒂却安然无恙，并顺利经由香港返回英国故乡，而沃尔特自己却身染霍乱命丧湄潭府(他或许在实验室故意为之)。
死前他跟凯蒂说的最后一句话便是：“死的那个是狗。”
“死的那个是狗。”选自一首诗《一只疯狗之死的挽歌》。这首诗是由十八世纪英国著名剧作家奥利弗·哥德史密斯所创作。大意是一个好心人领养了一条狗，起初相处融洽，突然一天，狗发疯咬了主人。大家都为即将死去的好心人哀叹，但是人好好地活了下来，狗却死了。
对于小说中作者借用这句诗想表达什么意思，读者众说纷纭，见仁见智。
今天在此把这首诗的全文分享一下，并附上作者简介。
奥利弗·哥德史密斯(1728-1774)
奥利弗·哥德史密斯(1728-1774)
奥利弗·哥德史密斯，十八世纪著名的英国剧作家。1728年生于爱尔兰，毕业于都柏林圣三一学院(Trinity College)，并于爱丁堡就读医科。写作风格：以嬉笑怒骂的形式，藉以讽刺时弊。
《一只疯狗之死的挽歌》英文全文：
An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog
Good people all,of every sort,
Give ear unto my song,
And if you find it wondrous short,
It cannot hold you long.
In Islington there was a man,
Of whom the world might say
That still a godly race he ran,
Where'er he went to pray.
A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes.
The naked every day he clad,
When he put on his clothes.
And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be,
Both mongrel,puppy,whelp and hound,
And curs of low degree.
This dog and man at first were friends,
but when a pique began,
the dog,to gain some private ends,
went mad and bit the man.
Around from all the neighbouring streets
The wondering neighbours ran,
And swore the dog had lost his wits,
To bite so good a man.
The wound it seemed both sore and sad
To every Christina eye.
And while they swore the dog was mad,
They swore the man would die.
But soon a wonder came to light,
That showed the rogues they lied:
The man recovered of the bite,
The dog it was that died.
中文网译：
《一只疯狗之死的挽歌》
善良仁翁齐聚堂，
且听小儿把歌唱；
莫嫌此曲未够长，
唯恐匆匆将其忘。
伊斯林顿一善人，
口碑在外有名声，
教堂祷告表虔诚，
俨然上帝好仆人。
温柔和善见宽仁，
劝慰不将敌友分。
遮体避寒显慈恩，
衣冠楚楚勤助人。
偶遇一狗镇上逛，
好似同伴一模样，
杂种幼犬贱又脏，
卑微低等可怜相。
初与善人喜结友，
终惹怨怼怒成仇，
不达目的誓不休，
猛咬主家变疯狗。
左邻右里围四周，
惊讶万分互奔走。
断言此狗失心疯，
丧心病狂使人愁，
岂可咬此大恩人，
不分好歹妄争斗。
重创看在信徒眼，
凄惨苦痛个个怜。
誓言狗疯招罪愆，
论断此兄气奄奄。
然有奇事忽显现，
戳破谎言假嘴脸。
仁翁犬口来脱险，
重获新生乐颠颠。
疯狗黄泉把命捐，
空留玄机在人间。
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