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A Dog's Tale(中英)

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2021-02-01 17:39
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2021年2月1日发(作者:thermally)



A Dog's Tale


Author: Mark Twain




My father was a St. Bernard, my mother was a collie, but I am a Presbyterian. This is what my


mother told me, I do not know these nice distinctions myself. To me they are only fine large words


meaning nothing. My mother had a fondness for such; she liked to say them, and see other dogs


look surprised and envious, as wondering how she got so much education. But, indeed, it was not


real


education;


it


was


only


show:


she


got


the


words


by


listening


in


the


dining-room


and


drawing-room


when


there


was


company,


and


by


going


with


the


children


to


Sunday-school


and


listening there; and whenever she heard a large word she said it over to herself many times, and so


was able to keep it until there was a dogmatic gathering in the neighborhood, then she would get it


off, and surprise and distress them all, from pocket-pup to mastiff, which rewarded her for all her


trouble. If there was a stranger he was nearly sure to be suspicious, and when he got his breath


again he would ask her what it meant. And she always told him. He was never expecting this but


thought he would catch her; so when she told him, he was the one that looked ashamed, whereas


he had thought it was going to be she. The others were always waiting for this, and glad of it and


proud of her, for they knew what was going to happen, because they had had experience. When


she told the meaning of a big word they were all so taken up with admiration that it never occurred


to


any


dog


to


doubt


if


it


was


the


right


one;


and


that


was


natural,


because,


for


one


thing,


she


answered up so promptly that it seemed like a dictionary speaking, and for another thing, where


could they find out whether it was right or not? for she was the only cultivated dog there was. By


and


by,


when


I


was


older,


she


brought


home


the


word


Unintellectual,


one


time,


and


worked


it


pretty hard all the week at different gatherings, making much unhappiness and despondency; and


it


was


at


this


time


that


I


noticed


that


during


that


week


she


was


asked


for


the


meaning


at


eight


different assemblages, and flashed out a fresh definition every time, which showed


me that she


had more presence of mind than culture, though I said nothing, of course. She had one word which


she always kept on hand, and ready, like a life-preserver, a kind of emergency word to strap on


when she was likely to get washed overboard in a sudden way--that was the word Synonymous.


When she happened to fetch out a long word which had had its day weeks before and its prepared


meanings gone to her dump-pile, if there was a stranger there of course it knocked him groggy for


a couple of minutes, then he would come to, and by that time she would be away down wind on


another tack, and not expecting anything; so when he'd hail and ask her to cash in, I (the only dog


on the inside of her game) could see her canvas flicker a moment-- but only just a moment--then it


would belly out taut and full, and she would say, as calm as a summer's day,


supererogation,


away on the next tack, perfectly comfortable, you know, and leave that stranger looking profane


and


embarrassed,


and


the


initiated


slatting


the


floor


with


their


tails


in


unison


and


their


faces


transfigured with a holy joy.




And it was the same with phrases. She would drag home a whole phrase, if it had a grand sound,


and play it six nights and two matinees, and explain it a new way every time--which she had to,


for all she cared for was the phrase; she wasn't interested in what it meant, and knew those dogs


hadn't


wit


enough


to


catch


her,


anyway.


Yes,


she


was


a


daisy!


She


got


so


she


wasn't


afraid


of


anything, she had such confidence in the ignorance of those creatures. She even brought anecdotes




that she had heard the family and the dinner-guests laugh and shout over; and as a rule she got the


nub of one chestnut hitched onto another chestnut, where, of course, it didn't fit and hadn't any


point; and when she delivered the nub she fell over and rolled on the floor and laughed and barked


in the most insane way, while I could see that she was wondering to herself why it didn't seem as


funny as it did when she first heard it. But no harm was done; the others rolled and barked too,


privately ashamed of themselves for not seeing the point, and never suspecting that the fault was


not with them and there wasn't any to see.




You can see by these things that she was of a rather vain and frivolous character; still, she had


virtues, and enough to make up, I think. She had a kind heart and gentle ways, and never harbored


resentments for injuries done her, but put them easily out of her mind and forgot them; and she


taught her children her kindly way, and from her we learned also to be brave and prompt in time of


danger, and not to run away, but face the peril that threatened friend or stranger, and help him the


best we could without stopping to think what the cost might be to us. And she taught us not by


words only, but by example, and that is the best way and the surest and the most lasting. Why, the


brave things she did, the splendid things! she was just a soldier; and so modest about it--well, you


couldn't help admiring her, and you couldn't help imitating her; not even a King Charles spaniel


could


remain


entirely


despicable


in


her


society.


So,


as


you


see,


there


was


more


to


her


than


her


education.





When I was well grown, at last, I was sold and taken away, and I never saw her again. She was


broken-hearted, and so was I, and we cried; but she comforted me as well as she could, and said


we were sent into this world for a wise and good purpose, and must do our duties without repining,


take


our


life


as


we


might


find


it,


live


it


for


the


best


good


of


others,


and


never


mind


about


the


results; they were not our affair. She said men who did like this would have a noble and beautiful


reward by and by in another world, and although we animals would not go there, to do well and


right without reward would give to our brief lives a worthiness and dignity which in itself would


be


a


reward.


She


had


gathered


these


things


from


time


to


time


when


she


had


gone


to


the


Sunday-school with the children, and had laid them up in her memory more carefully than she had


done with those other words and phrases; and she had studied them deeply, for her good and ours.


One may see by this that she had a wise and thoughtful head, for all there was so much lightness


and vanity in it.




So we said our farewells, and looked our last upon each other through our tears; and the last thing


she said--keeping it for the last to make me remember it the better, I think--was,


me, when there is a time of danger to another do not think of yourself, think of your mother, and


do as she would do.




Do you think I could forget that? No.




It


was


such


a


charming


home! --my


new


one;


a


fine


great


house,


with


pictures,


and


delicate


decorations, and rich furniture, and no gloom anywhere, but all the wilderness of dainty colors lit




up


with


flooding


sunshine;


and


the


spacious


grounds


around


it,


and


the


great


garden --oh,


greensward, and noble trees, and flowers, no end! And I was the same as a member of the family;


and they loved me, and petted me, and did not give me a new name, but called me by my old one


that was dear to me because my mother had given it me--Aileen Mavourneen. She got it out of a


song; and the Grays knew that song, and said it was a beautiful name.




Mrs. Gray was thirty, and so sweet and so lovely, you cannot imagine it; and Sadie was ten, and


just like her mother, just a darling slender little copy of her, with auburn tails down her back, and


short


frocks;


and


the baby


was


a


year


old,


and


plump


and


dimpled,


and


fond


of me,


and


never


could get enough of hauling on my tail, and hugging me, and laughing out its innocent happiness;


and Mr. Gray was thirty-eight, and tall and slender and handsome, a little bald in front, alert, quick


in


his


movements,


business-like,


prompt,


decided,


unsentimental,


and


with


that


kind


of


trim- chiseled


face


that


just


seems


to


glint


and


sparkle


with


frosty


intellectuality!


He


was


a


renowned scientist. I do not know what the word means, but my mother would know how to use it


and get effects. She would know how to depress a rat- terrier with it and make a lap-dog look sorry


he came. But that is not the best one; the best one was Laboratory. My mother could organize a


Trust on that one that would skin the tax-collars off the whole herd. The laboratory was not a book,


or a picture, or a place to wash your hands in, as the college president's dog said--no, that is the


lavatory;


the


laboratory


is


quite


different,


and


is


filled


with


jars,


and


bottles,


and


electrics,


and


wires, and strange machines; and every week other scientists came there and sat in the place, and


used the machines, and discussed, and made what they


called experiments and discoveries; and


often I came, too, and stood around and listened, and tried to learn, for the sake of my mother, and


in loving memory of her, although it was a pain to me, as realizing what she was losing out of her


life and I gaining nothing at all; for try as I might, I was never able to make anything out of it at


all.




Other times


I lay on the floor in the


mistress's


work-room and slept, she gently using me for a


foot- stool, knowing it pleased me, for it was a caress; other times I spent an hour in the nursery,


and got well tousled and made happy; other times I watched by the crib there, when the baby was


asleep and the nurse out for a few minutes on the baby's affairs; other times I romped and raced


through the grounds and the garden with Sadie till we were tired out, then slumbered on the grass


in


the


shade of


a


tree


while


she


read her book; other


times


I


went


visiting


among the


neighbor


dogs--for there were some most pleasant ones not far away, and one very handsome and courteous


and graceful one, a curly- haired Irish setter by the name of Robin Adair, who was a Presbyterian


like me, and belonged to the Scotch minister.




The servants in our house were all kind to me and were fond of me, and so, as you see, mine was a


pleasant life. There could not be a happier dog that I was, nor a gratefuller one. I will say this for


myself,


for


it


is


only


the


truth:


I


tried


in


all


ways


to


do


well


and


right,


and


honor


my


mother's


memory and her teachings, and earn the happiness that had come to me, as best I could.




By and by came my little puppy, and then my cup was full, my happiness was perfect. It was the


dearest


little


waddling


thing,


and


so


smooth


and


soft


and


velvety,


and


had


such


cunning


little


awkward paws, and such affectionate eyes, and such a sweet and innocent face; and it made me so




proud to see how the children and their mother adored it, and fondled it, and exclaimed over every


little wonderful thing it did. It did seem to me that life was just too lovely to--




Then came the winter. One day I was standing a watch in the nursery. That is to say, I was asleep


on the bed. The baby was asleep in the crib, which was alongside the bed, on the side next the


fireplace. It was the kind of crib that has a lofty tent over it made of gauzy stuff that you can see


through. The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. A spark from the wood-fire was shot


out, and it lit on the slope of the tent. I suppose a quiet interval followed, then a scream from the


baby


awoke


me,


and


there


was


that


tent


flaming


up


toward


the


ceiling!


Before


I


could


think,


I


sprang


to


the


floor


in


my


fright,


and


in


a


second


was


half-way


to


the


door;


but


in


the


next


half- second my


mother's farewell was sounding in my


ears, and I was back on the bed again. I


reached my head through the flames and dragged the baby out by the waist-band, and tugged it


along, and we fell to the floor together in a cloud of smoke; I snatched a new hold, and dragged


the screaming little creature along and out at the door and around the bend of the hall, and was still


tugging away, all excited and happy and proud, when the master's voice shouted:





me up, striking furiously at me with his cane, I dodging this way and that, in terror, and at last a


strong blow fell upon my left foreleg, which made me shriek and fall, for the moment, helpless;


the


cane


went


up


for


another


blow,


but


never


descended,


for


the


nurse's


voice


rang


wildly


out,



saved.




The pain was cruel, but, no matter, I must not lose any time; he might come back at any moment;


so I limped on three legs to the other end of the hall, where there was a dark little stairway leading


up into a garret where old boxes and such things were kept, as I had heard say, and where people


seldom went. I managed to climb up there, then I searched my way through the dark among the


piles of things, and hid in the secretest place I could find. It was foolish to be afraid there, yet still


I


was;


so


afraid


that


I


held


in


and


hardly


even


whimpered,


though


it


would


have


been


such


a


comfort to whimper, because that eases the pain, you know. But I could lick my leg, and that did


some good.




For


half


an


hour


there


was


a


commotion


downstairs,


and


shoutings,


and


rushing


footsteps,


and


then there was quiet again. Quiet for some minutes, and that was grateful to my spirit, for then my


fears began to go down; and fears are worse than pains--oh, much worse. Then came a sound that


froze me. They were calling me--calling me by name--hunting for me!




It was muffled by distance, but that could not take the terror out of it, and it was the most dreadful


sound


to


me


that


I


had


ever


heard.


It


went


all


about,


everywhere,


down


there:


along


the


halls,


through all the rooms, in both stories, and in the basement and the cellar; then outside, and farther


and farther away--then back, and all about the house again, and I thought it would never, never


stop. But at last it did, hours and hours after the vague twilight of the garret had long ago been


blotted out by black darkness.






Then in that blessed stillness my terrors fell little by little away, and I was at peace and slept. It


was


a


good


rest


I


had,


but


I


woke


before


the


twilight


had


come


again.


I


was


feeling


fairly


comfortable, and I could think out a plan now. I made a very good one; which was, to creep down,


all the way down the back stairs, and hide behind the cellar door, and slip out and escape when the


iceman came at dawn, while he was inside filling the refrigerator; then I would hide all day, and


start on my journey when night came; my journey to--well, anywhere where they would not know


me and betray me to the master. I was feeling almost cheerful now; then suddenly I thought: Why,


what would life be without my puppy!




That was despair. There was no plan for me; I saw that; I must stay where I was; stay, and wait,


and


take


what


might


come-- it


was


not


my


affair;


that


was


what


life


is--my


mother


had


said


it.


Then--well, then the calling began again! All my sorrows came back. I said to myself, the master


will never forgive. I did not know what I had done to make him so bitter and so unforgiving, yet I


judged it was something a dog could not understand, but which was clear to a man and dreadful.




They called and called--days and nights, it seemed to me. So long that the hunger and thirst near


drove me mad, and I recognized that I was getting very weak. When you are this way you sleep a


great deal, and I did. Once I woke in an awful fright--it seemed to me that the calling was right


there in the garret! And so it was: it was Sadie's voice, and she was crying; my name was falling


from her lips all broken, poor thing, and I could not believe my ears for the joy of it when I heard


her say:







I


broke


in


with


SUCH


a


grateful


little


yelp,


and


the


next


moment


Sadie


was


plunging


and


stumbling through the darkness and the lumber and shouting for the family to hear,


she's found!




The days that followed--well, they were wonderful. The mother and Sadie and the servants-- why,


they just seemed to worship me. They couldn't seem to make me a bed that was fine enough; and


as


for


food,


they


couldn't


be


satisfied


with


anything


but


game


and


delicacies


that


were


out


of


season; and every day the friends and neighbors flocked in to hear about my heroism--that was the


name they called it by, and it means agriculture. I remember my mother pulling it on a kennel once,


and explaining it in that way, but didn't say what agriculture was, except that it was synonymous


with intramural incandescence; and a dozen times a day Mrs. Gray and Sadie would tell the tale to


new-comers, and say I risked my life to say the baby's, and both of us had burns to prove it, and


then the company would pass me around and pet me and exclaim about me, and you could see the


pride in the eyes of Sadie and her mother; and when the people wanted to know what made me


limp, they looked ashamed and changed the subject, and sometimes when people hunted them this


way and that way with questions about it, it looked to me as if they were going to cry.




And


this


was


not


all


the


glory;


no,


the


master's


friends


came,


a


whole


twenty


of


the


most


distinguished


people,


and


had


me


in


the


laboratory,


and


discussed


me


as


if


I


was


a


kind


of


discovery;


and


some


of


them


said


it


was


wonderful


in


a


dumb


beast,


the


finest


exhibition


of


-


-


-


-


-


-


-


-



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