“I was sure that I was to bekilled．I became terribly nervous．I fumbled①in mypockets to see if there were any cigarettes which had escaped their search．I foundone and because of my shaking hands，Icould barelyget it to my lips．But Ihad nomatches，they had taken those．I looked throughthe bars at my jailer．He did not make eye contact with me．I called out to him，‘Have you got alight？’He looked at me，shrugged and came over to light my cigarette．As he came close and lit thematch，his eyes inadvertently②locked with mine．At that moment，Ismiled．Idon't knowwhy Ididthat．Perhaps it was nervousness，perhaps it wasbecause，when you get very close，oneto another，it is very hard not to smile．In anycase，Ismiled．In that instant，it was as though a sparkjumped across the gap between our twohearts，ourtwo human souls．Iknow he didn'twantto，butmy smile leaped through the bars and generated asmile on his lips，too．He lit my cigarette butstayednear，looking at me directly in the eyes and continuing to smile．”
“I kept smiling at him，now aware of himas aperson and not just a jailer．And the way he waslooking at me seemed to have a new dimension too．‘Do you have kids？’he asked．‘Yes，here，here．’I took out my wallet and nervously fumbled for thepictures of my family．He，too，took out the picturesof his family and began to talk about his plans and hopes for them．My eyes filled with tears．Isaid thatI feared that I'd never see my family again，neverhave the chance to see them grow up．Tears came tohis eyes，too．Suddenly，without another word，heunlocked my cell and silently led me out．Out of thejail，quietly and by back routes，outof the town．There，at the edge of town，he released me．Andwithout another word，he turned backtoward thetown．”
“My life was saved by a smile．”
Yes，the smile is the unaffected，unplanned，natural connection between people．I really believethat if that part of youand that part of me couldrecognize each other，we wouldn't be enemies．We wouldn't havehate or envy or fear．
Notes：①fumble／5fQmbl／v．摸索②inadvertently／7inEd5vE:tEnt／adv．无意中地
“我确定自己就要没命了，这使我陷入极度的惶恐之中。我翻遍了口袋，终于找到一支没被他们搜走的香烟，但我的手紧张地不停发抖，连将烟送进嘴里都成问题，而我的火柴也在搜身时被拿走了。我透过铁栏望着外面的警卫，他并没有注意到我正在看他。我叫了他一声：‘能跟你借个火吗？’他转过头望着我，耸了耸肩，然后走了过来，点燃我的香烟。当他帮我点火时，他的眼光无意中与我的相接触，这时我突然冲着他微笑。我不知道自己为何有这般反应，也许是过于紧张，或者是当你如此靠近另一个人时，你很难不对他微笑。不管是何理由，我对他笑了。就在这一刹
那，这抹微笑如同火花般，打破了我们心灵间的隔阂。受到了我的感染，他的嘴角不自觉地也现出了笑容，虽然我知道他原无此意。他点完火后并没立刻离开，两眼盯着我瞧，脸上仍带着微笑。”
“我也以笑容回应，仿佛他是个朋友，而不是个守着我的警卫。他看着我的眼神也少了当初的那股凶气，‘你有小孩吗？’他开口问道。‘有，你看。’我拿出了皮夹，手忙脚乱地翻出了我的全家福照片。他也掏出了照片，并且开始讲述他对家人的期望与计划。这时我眼中充满了泪水，我说我害怕再也见不到家人，我害怕没机会看着孩子长大。他听了也流下两行眼泪。突然间，他二话不说地打开了牢门，悄悄地带我从后面的小路逃离了监狱，出了小镇，就在小镇的边上，他放了我，之后便转身往回走，不曾留下一句话。”
“一个微笑居然能救自己一条命。”
是的，微笑是人与人之间最自然真挚的沟通方式。如果我们能用心灵去认识彼此，世间将不会有结怨成仇的憾事；恨意、妒嫉、恐惧也会不复存在。
