别人去游泳的时候，我儿子也要去。他从晾衣绳上拽下被刚才的一场雨浇得湿淋淋的裤衩。我心里没有一丝想去的念头，只是无精打采地看着他，注视着他结实、瘦小、赤裸着的身躯。他在穿那湿漉漉、凉冰冰的短裤时，身子微微缩了一下。当他扣上松紧带的扣子，我的腹股沟猛然感到了死亡的寒冷。
A Conversation with a Cat
H.Belloc
The other day I went into the bar of a railway station and， taking a glass of bear， I sat down at a little table by myself to meditate upon the necessary but tragic isolationisolation n.隔绝， 孤立， 隔离， 绝缘， 离析 of the human soul. I began my meditation by consolingconsoling adj.可安慰的 myself with the truth that something in common runs through all nature， but I went on to consider that this cut no ice， and that the heart needed something more. I might by long research have discovered some third term a little less hackneyedhackneyed adj.不新奇的， 陈腐的， 常见的 than these two， when fate， or some fostering star， sent me a tawnytawny n.茶色 adj.茶色的 silky， longhaired cat.
If it be true that nations have the cats they deserve， then the English people deserve well in cats， for there are none so prosperous or so friendly in the world. But even for an English cat this cat was exceptionally friendly and fine - especially friendly. It leapt at one graceful bound into my lap， nestled there， put out an engaging right front paw to touch my arm with a pretty timidity by way of introduction， rolled up at me an eye of bright but innocent affection， and then smiled a secret smile of approval.
No man could be timid after such an approach as not to make some manner of response. So did I. I even took the liberty of stroking Amathea （for by that name did I receive this vision）， and thought I began this gesture in a respectful fashion， after the best models of polite deportmentdeportment n.行为， 举止 with strangers， I was soon lending it some warmth， for I was touched to find that I had a friend； yes， even here， at the ends of the tubes in S.W. 99. I proceeded （as is right） from caress to speech， and said， “Amathea， most beautiful of cats， why have you deigned to single me out for so much favor？ Did you recognize in me a friend to all that breathes， or were you yourself suffering form loneliness （though I take it you are near your own dear home）， or is there pity in the hearts of animals as there is in the hearts of some humans？ What， then， was your motive？ Or am I， indeed， foolish to ask， and not rather to take whatever good comes to me in whatever way form the gods？”
To these questions Amathea answered with a loud purring noise， expressing with closed eyes of ecstasy her delight in the encounter.
“I am more than flatteredflatter vt.过分夸赞， 奉承， 阿谀， 使高兴， 使满意， （画， 肖像上的形象）胜过（真人或实物）， Amathea，” said I， by way of answer； “I am consoled. I did not know that there was in the world anything breathing and moving， let alone so tawny-perfect， who would give companionship for its own sake and seek out， through deep feeling， some one companion out of all living kind. If you do not address me in words I know the reason and I commend it； for in words lie the seeds of all dissensiondissension n.意见不同， 纠纷， 争执， and love at its most profoundprofound adj.深刻的， 意义深远的， 渊博的， 造诣深的 is silent. At least， I read that in a book， Amathea； yes， only the other day. But I confess that the book told me nothing of those gestures which are better than words， or of that caress which I continue to bestow upon you with all the gratitude of my poor heart.”
To this Amathea made a slight gesture of acknowledgement - not disdainful - wagging her head a little， and then settling it down in deep content.
“Oh， beautifulhaired Amathea， many have praised you before you found me to praise you， and many will praise you， some in your own tongue， when I am no longer held in the bonds of your presence. But none will praise you more sincerely. For there is not a man living who knows better than I that the four charms of a cat lie in its closed eyes， its long and lovely hair， its silence， and even its affected love.”
But at the word affected Amathea raised her head， looked up at me tenderlytenderly adv.温和地， 体贴地， once more put forth her paw to touch my arm， and then settled down again to a purring beatitudebeatitude n.至福， 祝福.
“You are secure，” said I sadly；“ mortality is not before you. There is in your complacency no foreknowledge of death nor even of separation. And for that reason， Cat， I welcome you the more. For if there has been given to your kind this repose in common living， why， then， we men also may find it by following your example and not considering too much what may be to come and not remembering too much what has been and will never return. Also， I thank you， for this， Amathea， my sweet Euplokamos” （for I was becoming a little familiar through an acquaintanceacquaintance n.相识， 熟人 of a full five minutes and from the absence of all recalcitrancerecalcitrance n.反抗， 顽抗）)， “that you have reminded me of my youth， and in a sort of shadowy way， a momentary way， have restored it to me. For there is an age， a blessed youthful age （O my Cat） even with the miserablemiserable adj.痛苦的， 悲惨的， 可怜 race of men， when all things are consonant with the life of the body， when sleep is regular and long and deep， when enmities are either unknown or a subject for rejoicingrejoicing n.欣喜， 高兴 and when the whole of being is lapped in hope as you are now lapped on my lap， Amathea. Yes， we also， we of the doomed race， know peace. But whereas you possess it from blind kittenhood to that last dark day so mercifullymercifully adv.宽厚地， 仁慈地 short with you， we grasp it only for a very little while. But I would not sadden you by the mortal plaint. That would be treason indeed， and a vile return for your goodness. What！ When you have chosen me out of seven London millions upon whom to confer the tender solace of heart， when you have proclaimed yourself so suddenly to be my dear， shall I introduce you to the sufferings of those of whom you know nothing save that they feed you， house you and pass you by？ At least you do not take us for gods， as do the dogs， and the more am I humbly beholden to you for this little service of recognition - and something more.”
Amathea slowly raised herself upon her four feet， arched her back， yawned， looked up at me with a smile sweeter than ever and then went round and round， preparing for herself a new couch upon my coat， where on she settled and began once more to purr in settled ecstasyecstasy n.入迷.
