A-conversation-with-a-cat(中英对照)

AConversationwithaCatH.BellocTheotherdayIwentintothebarofarailwaystationand,takingaglassofbear,Isatdownatalittletablebymyselftomeditateuponthenecessarybuttragicisolationofthehumansoul.Ibeganmymeditationbyconsolingmyselfwiththetruththatsomethingincommonrunsthroughallnature,butIwentontoconsiderthatthiscutnoice,andthattheheartneededsomethingmore.Imightbylongresearchhavediscoveredsomethirdtermalittlelesshackneyedthanthesetwo,whenfate,orsomefosteringstar,sentmeatawnysilky,long-hairedcat.Ifitbetruethatnationshavethecatstheydeserve,thentheEnglishpeopledeservewellincats,fortherearenonesoprosperousorsofriendlyintheworld.ButevenforanEnglishcatthiscatwasexceptionallyfriendlyandfine----especiallyfriendly.Itleaptatonegracefulboundintomylap,nestledthere,putoutanengagingrightfrontpawtotouchmyarmwithaprettytimiditybywayofintroduction,rolledupatmeaneyeofbrightbutinnocentaffection,andthensmiledasecretsmileofapproval.Nomancouldbetimidaftersuchanapproachasnottomakesomemannerofresponse.SodidI.IeventookthelibertyofstrokingAmathea(forbythatnamedidIreceivethisvision),andthoughtIbeganthisgestureinarespectfulfashion,afterthebestmodelsofpolitedeportmentwithstrangers,Iwassoonlendingitsomewarmth,forIwastouchedtofindthatIhadafriend;yes,evenhere,attheendsofthetubesinS.W.99.Iproceeded(asisright)fromcaresstospeech,andsaid,Amathea,mostbeautifulofcats,whyhaveyoudeignedtosinglemeoutforsomuchfavor?Didyourecognizeinmeafriendtoallthatbreathes,orwereyouyourselfsufferingformloneliness(thoughItakeityouarenearyourowndearhome),oristherepityintheheartsofanimalsasthereisintheheartsofsomehumans?What,then,wasyourmotive?OramI,indeed,foolishtoask,andnotrathertotakewhatevergoodcomestomeinwhateverwayformthegods?TothesequestionsAmatheaansweredwithaloudpurringnoise,expressingwithclosedeyesofecstasyherdelightintheencounter.Iammorethanflattered,Amathea,saidI,bywayofanswer;Iamconsoled.Ididnotknowthattherewasintheworldanythingbreathingandmoving,letalonesotawny-perfect,whowouldgivecompanionshipforitsownsakeandseekout,throughdeepfeeling,someonecompanionoutofalllivingkind.IfyoudonotaddressmeinwordsIknowthereasonandIcommendit;forinwordslietheseedsofalldissension,andloveatitsmostprofoundissilent.Atleast,Ireadthatinabook,Amathea;yes,onlytheotherday.ButIconfessthatthebooktoldmenothingofthosegestureswhicharebetterthanwords,orofthatcaresswhichIcontinuetobestowuponyouwithallthegratitudeofmypoorheart.TothisAmatheamadeaslightgestureofacknowledgement----notdisdainful----waggingherheadalittle,andthensettlingitdownindeepcontent.Oh,beautiful-hairedAmathea,manyhavepraisedyoubeforeyoufoundmetopraiseyou,andmanywillpraiseyou,someinyourowntongue,whenIamnolongerheldinthebondsofyourpresence.Butnonewillpraiseyoumoresincerely.ForthereisnotamanlivingwhoknowsbetterthanIthatthefourcharmsofacatlieinitsclosedeyes,itslongandlovelyhair,itssilence,andevenitsaffectedlove.ButatthewordaffectedAmathearaisedherhead,lookedupatmetenderly,oncemoreputforthherpawtotouchmyarm,andthensettleddownagaintoapurringbeatitude.Youaresecure,saidIsadly;mortalityisnotbeforeyou.Thereisinyourcomplacencynoforeknowledgeofdeathnorevenofseparation.Andforthatreason,Cat,Iwelcomeyouthemore.Foriftherehasbeengiventoyourkindthisreposeincommonliving,why,then,wemenalsomayfinditbyfollowingyourexampleandnotconsideringtoomuchwhatmaybetocomeandnotrememberingtoomuchwhathasbeenandwillneverreturn.Also,Ithankyou,forthis,Amathea,mysweetEuplokamos(forIwasbecomingalittlefamiliarthroughanacquaintanceofafullfiveminutesandfromtheabsenceofallrecalcitrance),thatyouhaveremindedmeofmyyouth,andinasortofshadowyway,amomentaryway,haverestoredittome.Forthereisanage,ablessedyouthfulage(OmyCat)evenwiththemiserableraceofmen,whenallthingsareconsonantwiththelifeofthebody,whensleepisregularandlonganddeep,whenenmitiesareeitherunknownorasubjectforrejoicingandwhenthewholeofbeingislappedinhopeasyouarenowlappedonmylap,Amathea.Yes,wealso,weofthedoomedrace,knowpeace.Butwhereasyoupossessitfromblindkittenhoodtothatlastdarkdaysomercifullyshortwithyou,wegraspitonlyforaverylittlewhile.ButIwouldnotsaddenyoubythemortalplaint.Thatwouldbetreasonindeed,andavilereturnforyourgoodness.What!WhenyouhavechosenmeoutofsevenLondonmillionsuponwhomtoconferthetendersolaceofheart,whenyouhaveproclaimedyourselfsosuddenlytobemydear,shallIintroduceyoutothesufferingsofthoseofwhomyouknownothingsavethattheyfeedyou,houseyouandpassyouby?Atleastyoudonottakeusforgods,asdothedogs,andthemoreamIhumblybeholdentoyouforthislittleserviceofrecognition----andsomethingmore.Amatheaslowlyraisedherselfuponherfourfeet,archedherback,yawned,lookedupatmewithasmilesweeterthaneverandthenwentroundandround,preparingforherselfanewcouchuponmycoat,whereonshesettledandbeganoncemoretopurrinsettledecstasy.AlreadyhadImadesurethatarootedandanchoredaffectionhadcometomefromouttheemptinessandnothingnessoftheworldandwastofeedmysoulhenceforward;alreadyhadIchangedthemoodoflongyearsandfeltaconversiontowardsthelifeofthings,anappreciation,acousinshipwiththecreatedlight----andallthatthroughonenewlinkoflovingkindness----whenwhateveritisthat