第 4 节
作者:漂亮格子      更新:2021-04-30 16:08      字数:9321
  exhibit; inly trembling to think what the gorgeous gathering of
  fashion would say if they discovered the trick he was playing on
  them。 He had passed all around the outer aisles and seen many
  prize…winners; but no sign of Slum Kitty。 The inner aisles were
  more crowded。 He picked his way down them; but still no Kitty;
  and he decided that it was a mistake; the judges had rejected the
  Cat later。 Never mind; he had his exhibitor's ticket; and now
  knew where several valuable Persians and Angoras were to be
  found。
  In the middle of the centre aisle were the high…class Cats。 A
  great throng was there。 The passage was roped; and two policemen
  were in place to keep the crowd moving。 Jap wriggled in among
  them; he was too short to see over; and though the richly gowned
  folks shrunk from his shabby old clothes; he could not get near;
  but he gathered from the remarks that the gem of the show was
  there。
  〃Oh; isn't  she a beauty!〃 said one tall woman。
  〃What distinction!〃 was the reply。
  〃One cannot mistake the air that comes only from ages of the most
  refined surroundings。〃
  〃How I should like to own that superb creature!〃
  〃Such dignitysuch repose!〃
  〃She has an authentic pedigree nearly back to the Pharaohs; I
  hear〃; and poor; dirty little Jap marvelled at his own cheek in
  sending his Slum Cat into such company。
  〃Excuse me; madame。〃 The director of the show now appeared;
  edging his way through the crowd。 〃The artist of the'sporting
  Element' is here; under orders to sketch the 'pearl of the show'
  for immediate use。 May I ask you to stand a little aside? That's
  it; thank you。
  〃Oh; Mr。 Director; cannot you persuade him to sell that beautiful
  creature?〃
  〃Hm; I don't know;〃 was the reply。 〃I understand he is a man of
  ample means and
  not at all approachable; but I'11 try; I'll try; madame。 He was
  quite unwilling to exhibit his treasure at all; so I understand
  from his butler。 Here; you; keep out of the way;〃 growled the
  director; as the shabby little man eagerly pushed between the
  artist and the blue…blooded Cat。 But the disreputable one wanted
  to know where valuable Cats were to be found。 He came near enough
  to get a glimpse of the cage; and there read a placard which
  announced that 〃The blue ribbon and gold medal of the
  Knickerbocker High Society Cat and Pet Show〃 had been awarded to
  the 〃thoroughbred; pedigreed Royal Analostan; imported and
  exhibited by J。 Malee; Esq。; the well…known fancier。 (Not for
  sale。)〃 Jap caught his breath and stared again。 Yes; surely;
  there; high in a gilded cage; on velvet cushions; with four
  policemen for guards; her fur bright black and pale gray; her
  bluish eyes slightly closed; was his Slum Kitty; looking the
  picture of a Cat bored to death with a lot of fuss that she likes
  as little as she understands it。
  VII
  Jap Malee lingered around that cage; taking in the remarks; for
  hoursdrinking a draught of glory such as he had never known in
  life before and rarely glimpsed in his dreams。 But he saw that it
  would be wise for him to remain unknown; his 〃butler〃 must do all
  the business。
  It was Slum Kitty who made that show a success。 Each day her
  value went up in her owner's eyes。 He did not know what prices
  had been given for Cats; and thought that he was touching a
  record pitch when his 〃butler〃 gave the director authority to
  sell the Analostan for one hundred dollars。
  This is how it came about that the Slum Cat found herself
  transferred from the show to a Fifth Avenue mansion。 She evinced
  a most unaccountable wildness at first。 Her objection to petting;
  however; was explained on the ground of her aristocratic dislike
  of familiarity。 Her retreat from the Lap…dog onto the centre of
  the dinner…table was understood to express a deep…rooted though
  mistaken idea of avoiding a defiling touch。 Her assaults on a pet
  Canary were condoned for the reason that in her native Orient she
  had been used to despotic example。 The patrician way in which she
  would get the cover off a milk…can was especially applauded。 Her
  dislike of her silk…lined basket; and her frequent dashes against
  the plate…glass windows; were easily understood: the basket was
  too plain; and plate…glass was not used in her royal home。 Her
  spotting of the carpet evidenced her Eastern modes of thought。
  The failure of her several attempts to catch Sparrows in the
  high…walled back yard was new proof of the royal impotency of her
  bringing up; while her frequent wallowings in the garbage…can
  were understood to be the manifestation of a little pardonable
  high…born eccentricity。 She was fed and pampered; shown and
  praised; but she was not happy。 Kitty was homesick! She clawed at
  that blue ribbon round her neck till she got it off; she jumped
  against the plate…glass because that seemed the road to outside;
  she avoided people and Dogs because they had always proved
  hostile and cruel; and she would sit and gaze on the roofs and
  back yards at the other side of the window; wishing she could be
  among them for a change。
  But she was strictly watched; was never allowed outsideso that
  all the happy garbage…can moments occurred while these
  receptacles of joy were indoors。 One night in March; however; as
  they were set out a…row for the early scavenger; the Royal
  Analostan saw her chance; slipped out of the door; and was lost
  to view。
  Of course there was a grand stir; but Pussy neither knew nor
  cared anything about thather one thought was to go home。 It may
  have been chance that took her back in the direction of Gramercy
  Grange Hill; but she did arrive there after sundry small
  adventures。 And now what? She was not at home; and she had cut
  off her living。 She was beginning to be hungry; and yet she had a
  peculiar sense of happiness。 She cowered in a front garden for
  some time。 A raw east wind had been rising; and now it came to
  her with a particularly friendly message; man would have called
  it an unpleasant smell of the docks; but to Pussy it was welcome
  tidings from home。 She trotted down the long Street due east;
  threading the rails of front gardens; stopping like a statue for
  an instant; or crossing the street in search of the darkest side;
  and came at length to the docks and to the water。 But the place
  was strange。 She could go north or south。 Something turned her
  southward; and; dodging among docks and Dogs; carts and Cats;
  crooked arms of the bay and straight board fences; she got; in an
  hour or two; among familiar scenes and smells; and; before the
  sun came up; she had crawled back …weary and foot…sore through
  the same old hole in the same old fence and over a wall to her
  junk…yard back of the bird…cellaryes; back into the very
  cracker…box where she was born。
  Oh; if the Fifth Avenue family could only have seen her in her
  native Orient!
  After a long rest she came quietly down from the cracker…box
  toward the steps leading to the cellar; engaged in her old…time
  pursuit of seeking for eatables。 The door opened; and there stood
  the negro。 He shouted to the bird…man inside:
  〃Say; boss; come hyar。 Ef dere ain't dat dar Royal Ankalostan am
  comed back!〃
  Jap came in time to see the Cat jumping the wall。 They called
  loudly and in the most seductive; wheedling tones: 〃Pussy; Pussy;
  poor Pussy! Come; Pussy!〃 But Pussy was not prepossessed in their
  favor; and disappeared to forage in her old…time haunts。
  The Royal Analostan had been a windfall for Japhad been the
  means of adding many comforts to the cellar and several prisoners
  to the cages。 It was now of the utmost importance to recapture
  her majesty。 Stale meat…offal and other infallible lures were put
  out till Pussy; urged by the reestablished hunger…pinch; crept up
  to a large fish…head in a box…trap; the negro; in watching;
  pulled the string that dropped the lid; and; a minute later; the
  Analostan was once more among the prisoners in the cellar。
  Meanwhile Jap had been watching the 'Lost and Found' column。
  There it was; 〃25 reward;〃 etc。 That night Mr。 Malee's butler
  called at the Fifth Avenue mansion with the missing cat。 〃Mr。
  Malee's compliments; sah。 De Royal Analostan had recurred in her
  recent proprietor's vicinity and residence; sah。 Mr。 Malee had
  pleasure in recuperating the Royal Analostan; sah。〃 Of course Mr。
  Malee could not be rewarded; but the butler was open to any
  offer; and plainly showed that he expected the promised reward
  and something more。
  Kitty was guarded very carefully after that; but so far from
  being disgusted with the old life of starving; and glad of her
  ease; she became wilder and more dissatisfied。
  VIII
  The spring was doing its New York best。 The dirty little English
  Sparrows were tumbling over each other in their gutter brawls;
  Cats yowled all night in the areas; and the Fifth Avenue family
  were thinking of their country residence。 They packed up; closed
  house and moved off to their summer home; some fifty miles away;
  and Pussy; in a basket; went with them。
  〃Just what she needed: a change of air and scene to wean her away
  from her former owners and make her happy。〃
  The basket was lifted into a Rumble…shaker。 New sounds and
  passing smells were entered and left。 A turn in the course was
  made。 Then a roaring of many fee