第3章 年老的甘比貓[11]
書名: 老負鼠的實用貓經作者名: (英)T.S.艾略特本章字數: 989字更新時間: 2022-11-03 11:50:28
我心中有只甘比貓,她的名字叫珍妮點點;
她的外套屬于斑貓類型,帶著虎紋和豹斑。
她整天坐在樓梯上或者臺階上或者墊子上;
她坐著坐著坐著坐著——成為一只甘比貓!
一天的鬧鬧哄哄剛剛過去,
甘比貓的工作還沒有開始。
而當所有的家人上床睡著,
她才掖好裙子[12]爬進地下室。
她深深關心耗子的生活方式——
他們表現不好,沒有禮貌;
所以她讓他們在席上列隊,
她教他們音樂、鉤鉤織織。
我心中有只甘比貓,她的名字叫珍妮點點;
難以找到匹敵貓,她喜歡溫暖明媚的場所。
她整天坐在爐邊或者床上[13]或者我的帽子上:
她坐著坐著坐著坐著——成為一只甘比貓!
一天的鬧鬧哄哄剛剛過去,
甘比貓的工作還沒有開始。
當她發現耗子永遠不會保持安靜,
她確信這是由于飲食不規律;
她相信沒有什么事情不可以嘗試,
她開始進行烘烤煎炸的工作。[14]
她給他們做了一個面包和干豌豆的耗子蛋糕,
美味的煎炸瘦培根和奶酪。
我心中有只甘比貓,她的名字叫珍妮點點;
她喜歡纏繞窗簾繩,并且把它綁成水手結。
她坐在窗臺上或者任何光滑平整的東西上:
她坐著坐著坐著坐著——成為一只甘比貓!
一天的鬧鬧哄哄剛剛過去,
甘比貓的工作還沒有開始。
她認為蟑螂只是需要就業
免得他們閑著而肆意亂搞。
所以她把這些無序的鄉巴佬組成
一伙紀律嚴明助人為樂的童子軍,
具有生活目標并且喜做好事——
她甚至創造出一種甲蟲的歸營號。
因此讓我們現在為年老的甘比貓歡呼三次——
為秩序井然的家庭依賴而出現的,甘比貓。
The Old Gumbie Cat
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits — and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice—
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits — and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse-cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.
I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits —and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!
But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do—
And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.
So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers—
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.