novel notes-第20节

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〃In　the　distance　it　sees　a　policeman；　and　stops　suddenly　within　the　shelter　of　a　shadow。　　'Now　what's　he　doing　there；'　it　says；　'and　close　to　our　door　too？　　I　can't　go　in　while　he's　hanging　about。　He's　sure　to　see　and　recognise　me；　and　he's　just　the　sort　of　man　to　talk　to　the　servants。'

〃It　hides　itself　behind　a　post　and　waits；　peeping　cautiously　round　the　corner　from　time　to　time。　　The　policeman；　however；　seems　to　have　taken　up　his　residence　at　that　particular　spot；　and　the　cat　becomes　worried　and　excited。

〃'What's　the　matter　with　the　fool？'　it　mutters　indignantly；　'is　he　dead？　　Why　don't　he　move　on；　he's　always　telling　other　people　to。　Stupid　ass。'

〃Just　then　a　far…off　cry　of　'milk'　is　heard；　and　the　cat　starts　up　in　an　agony　of　alarm。　　'Great　Scott；　hark　at　that！　　Why；　everybody　will　be　down　before　I　get　in。　　Well；　I　can't　help　it。　　I　must　chance　it。'

〃He　glances　round　at　himself；　and　hesitates。　　'I　wouldn't　mind　if　I　didn't　look　so　dirty　and　untidy；'　he　muses；　'people　are　so　prone　to　think　evil　in　this　world。'

〃'Ah；　well；'　he　adds；　giving　himself　a　shake；　'there's　nothing　else　for　it；　I　must　put　my　trust　in　Providence；　it's　pulled　me　through　before：　　here　goes。'

〃He　assumes　an　aspect　of　chastened　sorrow；　and　trots　along　with　a　demure　and　saddened　step。　　It　is　evident　he　wishes　to　convey　the　idea　that　he　has　been　out　all　night　on　work　connected　with　the　Vigilance　Association；　and　is　now　returning　home　sick　at　heart　because　of　the　sights　that　he　has　seen。

〃He　squirms　in；　unnoticed；　through　a　window；　and　has　just　time　to　give　himself　a　hurried　lick　down　before　he　hears　the　cook's　step　on　the　stairs。　　When　she　enters　the　kitchen　he　is　curled　up　on　the　hearthrug；　fast　asleep。　　The　opening　of　the　shutters　awakes　him。　　He　rises　and　comes　forward；　yawning　and　stretching　himself。

〃'Dear　me；　is　it　morning；　then？'　he　says　drowsily。　　'Heigh…ho！　　I've　had　such　a　lovely　sleep；　cook；　and　such　a　beautiful　dream　about　poor　mother。'

〃Cats！　do　you　call　them？　　Why；　they　are　Christians　in　everything　except　the　number　of　legs。〃

〃They　certainly　are；〃　I　responded；　〃wonderfully　cunning　little　animals；　and　it　is　not　by　their　moral　and　religious　instincts　alone　that　they　are　so　closely　linked　to　man；　the　marvellous　ability　they　display　in　taking　care　of　'number　one'　is　worthy　of　the　human　race　itself。　　Some　friends　of　mine　had　a　cat；　a　big　black　Tom：　　they　have　got　half　of　him　still。　　They　had　reared　him　from　a　kitten；　and；　in　their　homely；　undemonstrative　way；　they　liked　him。　　There　was　nothing；　however；　approaching　passion　on　either　side。

〃One　day　a　Chinchilla　came　to　live　in　the　neighbourhood；　under　the　charge　of　an　elderly　spinster；　and　the　two　cats　met　at　a　garden　wall　party。

〃'What　sort　of　diggings　have　you　got？'　asked　the　Chinchilla。

〃'Oh；　pretty　fair。'

〃'Nice　people？'

〃'Yes；　nice　enoughas　people　go。'

〃'Pretty　willing？　　Look　after　you　well；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing？'

〃'Yesoh　yes。　　I've　no　fault　to　find　with　them。'

〃'What's　the　victuals　like？'

〃'Oh；　the　usual　thing；　you　know；　bones　and　scraps；　and　a　bit　of　dog…　biscuit　now　and　then　for　a　change。'

〃'Bones　and　dog…biscuits！　　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　eat　bones？'

〃'Yes；　when　I　can　get　'em。　　Why；　what's　wrong　about　them？'

〃'Shade　of　Egyptian　Isis；　bones　and　dog…biscuits！　　Don't　you　ever　get　any　spring　chickens；　or　a　sardine；　or　a　lamb　cutlet？'

〃'Chickens！　　Sardines！　　What　are　you　talking　about？　　What　are　sardines？'

〃'What　are　sardines！　　Oh；　my　dear　child　（the　Chinchilla　was　a　lady　cat；　and　always　called　gentlemen　friends　a　little　older　than　herself　'dear　child'）；　these　people　of　yours　are　treating　you　just　shamefully。　　Come；　sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it。　　What　do　they　give　you　to　sleep　on？'

〃'The　floor。'

〃'I　thought　so；　and　skim　milk　and　water　to　drink；　I　suppose？'

〃'It　IS　a　bit　thin。'

〃'I　can　quite　imagine　it。　　You　must　leave　these　people；　my　dear；　at　once。'

〃'But　where　am　I　to　go　to？'

〃'Anywhere。'

〃'But　who'll　take　me　in？'

〃'Anybody；　if　you　go　the　right　way　to　work。　　How　many　times　do　you　think　I've　changed　my　people？　　Seven！and　bettered　myself　on　each　occasion。　　Why；　do　you　know　where　I　was　born？　　In　a　pig…sty。　　There　were　three　of　us；　mother　and　I　and　my　little　brother。　　Mother　would　leave　us　every　evening；　returning　generally　just　as　it　was　getting　light。　　One　morning　she　did　not　come　back。　　We　waited　and　waited；　but　the　day　passed　on　and　she　did　not　return；　and　we　grew　hungrier　and　hungrier；　and　at　last　we　lay　down；　side　by　side；　and　cried　ourselves　to　sleep。

〃'In　the　evening；　peeping　through　a　hole　in　the　door；　we　saw　her　coming　across　the　field。　　She　was　crawling　very　slowly；　with　her　body　close　down　against　the　ground。　　We　called　to　her；　and　she　answered　with　a　low　〃crroo〃；　but　she　did　not　hasten　her　pace。

〃'She　crept　in　and　rolled　over　on　her　side；　and　we　ran　to　her；　for　we　were　almost　starving。　　We　lay　long　upon　her　breasts；　and　she　licked　us　over　and　over。

〃'I　dropped　asleep　upon　her；　and　in　the　night　I　awoke；　feeling　cold。　I　crept　closer　to　her；　but　that　only　made　me　colder　still；　and　she　was　wet　and　clammy　with　a　dark　moisture　that　was　oozing　from　her　side。　　I　did　not　know　what　it　was　at　that　time；　but　I　have　learnt　since。

〃'That　was　when　I　could　hardly　have　been　four　weeks　old；　and　from　that　day　to　this　I've　looked　after　myself：　　you've　got　to　do　that　in　this　world；　my　dear。　　For　a　while；　I　and　my　brother　lived　on　in　that　sty　and　kept　ourselves。　　It　was　a　grim　struggle　at　first；　two　babies　fighting　for　life；　but　we　pulled　through。　　At　the　end　of　about　three　months；　wandering　farther　from　home　than　usual；　I　came　upon　a　cottage；　standing　in　the　fields。　　It　looked　warm　and　cosy　through　the　open　door；　and　I　went　in：　　I　have　always　been　blessed　with　plenty　of　nerve。　　Some　children　were　playing　round　the　fire；　and　they　welcomed　me　and　made　much　of　me。　　It　was　a　new　sensation　to　me；　and　I　stayed　there。　　I　thought　the　place　a　palace　at　the　time。

〃'I　might　have　gone　on　thinking　so　if　it　had　not　been　that；　passing　through　the　village　one　day；　I　happened　to　catch　sight　of　a　room　behind　a　shop。　　There　was　a　carpet　on　the　floor；　and　a　rug　before　the　fire。　　I　had　never　known　till　then　that　there　were　such　luxuries　in　the　world。　　I　determined　to　make　that　shop　my　home；　and　I　did　so。'

〃'How　did　you　manage　it？'　asked　the　black　cat；　who　was　growing　interested。

〃'By　the　simple　process　of　walking　in　and　sitting　down。　　My　dear　child；　cheek's　the　〃Open　sesame〃　to　every　door。　　The　cat　that　works　hard　dies　of　starvation；　the　cat　that　has　brains　is　kicked　downstairs　for　a　fool；　and　the　cat　that　has　virtue　is　drowned　for　a　scamp；　but　the　cat　that　has　cheek　sleeps　on　a　velvet　cushion　and　dines　on　cream　and　horseflesh。　　I　marched　straight　in　and　rubbed　myself　against　the　old　man's　legs。　　He　and　his　wife　were　quite　taken　with　what　they　called　my　〃trustfulness；〃　and　adopted　me　with　enthusiasm。　　Strolling　about　the　fields　of　an　evening　I　often　used　to　hear　the　children　of　the　cottage　calling　my　name。　　It　was　weeks　before　they　gave　up　seeking　for　me。　　One　of　them；　the　youngest；　would　sob　herself　to　sleep　of　a　night；　thinking　that　I　was　dead：　they　were　affectionate　children。

〃'I　boarded　with　my　shopkeeping　friends　for　nearly　a　year；　and　from　them　I　went　to　some　new　people　who　had　lately　come　to　the　neighbourhood；　and　who　possessed　a　really　excellent　cook。　　I　think　I　could　have　been　very　satisfied　with　these　people；　but；　unfortunately；　they　came　down　in　the　world；　and　had　to　give　up　the　big　house　and　the　cook；　and　take　a　cottage；　and　I　did　not　care　to　go　back　to　that　sort　of　life。

〃'Accordingly　I　looked　about　for　a　fresh　opening。　　There　was　a　curious　old　fellow　who　lived　not　far　off。　　People　said　he　was　rich；　but　nobody　liked　him。　　He　was　shaped　differently　from　other　men。　　I　turned　the　matter　over　in　my　mind　for　a　day　or　two；　and　then　determined　to　give　him　a　trial。　　Being　a　lonely　sort　of　man；　he　might　make　a　fuss　over　me；　and　if　not　I　could　go。

〃'My　surmise　proved　correct。　　I　have　never　been　more　petted　than　I　was　by　〃Toady；〃　as　the　village　boys　had　dubbed　him。　　My　present　guardian　is　foolish　enough　over　me；　goodness　knows；　but　she　has　other　ties；　while　〃Toady〃　had　nothing　else　to　love；　not　even　himself。　　He　could　hardly　believe　his　eyes　at　first　when　I　jumped　up　on　his　knees　and　rubbed　myself　against　his　ugly　face。　　〃Why；　Kitty；〃　he　said；　〃do　you　know　you're　the　first　living　thing　that　has　ever　come　to　me　of　its　own　accord。〃　　There　were　tears　in　his　funny　little　red　eyes　as　he　said　that。

〃'I　remained　two　years　with　〃Toady；〃　and　was　very　happy　indeed。　Then　he　fell　ill；　and　strange　people　came　to　the　house；　and　I　was　neglected。　　〃Toady〃　liked　me　to　come　up　and　lie　upon　the　bed；　where　he　could　stroke　me　with　his　long；　thin　hand；　and　at　first　I　used　to　do　this。　　But　a　sick　man　is　not　the　best　of　company；　as　you　can　imagine；　and　the　atmosphere　of　a　sick　room　not　too　healthy；　so；　all　things　considered；　I　felt　it　was　time　for　me　to　make　a　fresh　move。

〃'I　had　some　difficulty　in　getting　away。　　〃Toady〃　was　always　asking　for　me；　and　they　tried　to　keep　me　with　him：　　he　seemed　to　lie　easier　when　I　was　there。　　I　succeeded　at　length；　however；　and；　once　outside　the　door；　I　put　sufficient　distance　bet