As my uncle Pyotr Demyanitch, a lean, bilious collegiate councillor, exceedingly like a stale smoked fish with a stick through it, was getting ready to go to the high school, where he taught Latin, he noticed that the corner of his grammar was nibbled by mice.
当我叔叔彼得·德米扬尼奇开始准备去他教拉丁文的高中时，他发现他的语法书的角被老鼠咬了。

“I say, Praskovya,” he said, going into the kitchen and addressing the cook, “how is it we have got mice here? —-
“我说，普拉斯科夫娅，”他走进厨房对着厨师说，“我们这儿怎么有老鼠了？ —-

Upon my word! yesterday my top hat was nibbled, to-day they have disfigured my Latin grammar . —-
看我这个样子！昨天我的高礼帽被咬了，今天他们又毁了我的拉丁文语法书。 —-

. . . At this rate they will soon begin eating my clothes!
以这个速度，他们很快就会开始吃我的衣服了！

“What can I do? I did not bring them in!” answered Praskovya.
“我能怎么办？我没带它们进来！”普拉斯科夫娅回答道。

“We must do something! You had better get a cat, hadn’t you?”
“我们得想办法！你最好买只猫，是不是？”

“I’ve got a cat, but what good is it?”
“我有只猫，但它有什么用呢？”

And Praskovya pointed to the corner where a white kitten, thin as a match, lay curled up asleep beside a broom.
普拉斯科夫娅指着一个白色的小猫，瘦得像根火柴，在扫把旁边蜷缩睡着。

“Why is it no good?” asked Pyotr Demyanitch.
“它有什么不好？”彼得·德米扬尼奇问道。

“It’s young yet, and foolish. It’s not two months old yet.”
“它还小，又愚蠢。它还不到两个月大。”

“H’m. . . . Then it must be trained. It had much better be learning instead of lying there.”
“嗯……那就得训练它。它最好去学习，而不是躺在那儿。”

Saying this, Pyotr Demyanitch sighed with a careworn air and went out of the kitchen. —-
彼得·德米扬尼奇说完这话，带着忧心忡忡的神情离开了厨房。 —-

The kitten raised his head, looked lazily after him, and shut his eyes again.
小猫抬起头，懒洋洋地看着他，然后又闭上了眼睛。

The kitten lay awake thinking. Of what? Unacquainted with real life, having no store of accumulated impressions, his mental processes could only be instinctive, and he could but picture life in accordance with the conceptions that he had inherited, together with his flesh and blood, from his ancestors, the tigers (vide Darwin). —-
小猫躺在那儿醒着思考。思考着什么？对于真实生活一无所知，缺乏积累的印象，他的思维过程只能是本能的，他只能按照他从祖先、老虎（参见达尔文）那里继承下来的概念来描绘生活。 —-

His thoughts were of the nature of day-dreams. —-
他的思绪属于白日梦的性质。 —-

His feline imagination pictured something like the Arabian desert, over which flitted shadows closely resembling Praskovya, the stove, the broom. —-
他的猫儿般的想象力描绘出一幅阿拉伯沙漠的景象，其中飘过的影子与普拉斯科夫娅、炉灶和扫帚密切相似。 —-

In the midst of the shadows there suddenly appeared a saucer of milk; —-
在这些影子的中间突然出现了一碟牛奶。 —-

the saucer began to grow paws, it began moving and displayed a tendency to run; —-
这个碟子开始长出爪子，开始移动并显示出奔跑的倾向。 —-

the kitten made a bound, and with a thrill of blood-thirsty sensuality thrust his claws into it.
小猫跳了起来，带着嗜血的感性刺激抓住了它。

When the saucer had vanished into obscurity a piece of meat appeared, dropped by Praskovya; —-
当碟子消失在黑暗中时，普拉斯科夫娅弄掉了一块肉。 —-

the meat ran away with a cowardly squeak, but the kitten made a bound and got his claws into it. . —-
这块肉带着胆怯的尖叫声逃走了，但小猫一跳就抓住了它。 —-

. . Everything that rose before the imagination of the young dreamer had for its starting- point leaps, claws, and teeth. —-
年轻的梦想家想象出的一切都以跳跃、爪子和牙齿作为起点。 —-

. . The soul of another is darkness, and a cat’s soul more than most, but how near the visions just described are to the truth may be seen from the following fact: —-
另一个人的灵魂是黑暗的，而猫的灵魂尤其如此，但通过刚才描述的幻觉，我们可以看出以下事实： —-

under the influence of his day-dreams the kitten suddenly leaped up, looked with flashing eyes at Praskovya, ruffled up his coat, and making one bound, thrust his claws into the cook’s skirt. —-
在白天的梦想影响下，小猫突然跳了起来，眼睛闪烁着看着普拉斯科夫娅，把毛都炸开了，然后一跳就把爪子插进了厨师的裙子里。 —-

Obviously he was born a mouse catcher, a worthy son of his bloodthirsty ancestors. —-
显然，他生来就是个捉老鼠的，他是他血腥祖先的值得骄傲的儿子。 —-

Fate had destined him to be the terror of cellars, store-rooms and cornbins, and had it not been for education . —-
命运注定他将成为地下室、储藏室和储粮箱的恐怖之源，如果不是因为教育… —-

. . we will not anticipate, however.
不过，我们不会预测。

On his way home from the high school, Pyotr Demyanitch went into a general shop and bought a mouse-trap for fifteen kopecks. —-
从高中回家路上，彼得·德米扬尼奇进了一家杂货店，用15戈比买了一只捕鼠器。 —-

At dinner he fixed a little bit of his rissole on the hook, and set the trap under the sofa, where there were heaps of the pupils’ old exercise-books, which Praskovya used for various domestic purposes. —-
在晚餐时，他把一小块馅饼挂在钩子上，把捕鼠器放在沙发下，那里堆满了学生们的旧练习本，普拉斯科夫娅用来做各种家务。 —-

At six o’clock in the evening, when the worthy Latin master was sitting at the table correcting his pupils’ exercises, there was a sudden “klop! —-
晚上六点，这位可敬的拉丁语老师坐在桌子前批改学生的作业时，突然传来一声“咔嗒！” —-

” so loud that my uncle started and dropped his pen. —-
“声音太大，我的叔叔吓得一下子把笔掉到了地上。” —-

He went at once to the sofa and took out the trap. —-
他立刻走到沙发上取出了捕鼠器。 —-

A neat little mouse, the size of a thimble, was sniffing the wires and trembling with fear.
一个整洁的小老鼠，只有一个针扣大小，正在嗅闻着电线，并颤抖着害怕。

“Aha,” muttered Pyotr Demyanitch, and he looked at the mouse malignantly, as though he were about to give him a bad mark. —-
“啊哈，”皮奥特·德米扬尼奇喃喃自语道，他恶毒地瞪着老鼠，仿佛要给它一个差评。 —-

“You are cau—aught, wretch! Wait a bit! —-
“你被抓住了，混蛋！等一下！ —-

I’ll teach you to eat my grammar!”
我会教训你吃掉我的语法！”

Having gloated over his victim, Poytr Demyanitch put the mouse-trap on the floor and called:
皮奥特·德米扬尼奇炫耀完自己的作品后，把老鼠夹放在地上，喊道：

“Praskovya, there’s a mouse caught! Bring the kitten here!
“普拉斯科维娅，有一只老鼠被抓住了！把小猫带过来！”

“I’m coming,” responded Praskovya, and a minute later she came in with the descendant of tigers in her arms.
“我来了，”普拉斯科维娅回应道，一分钟后她带着这只继承自老虎的猫走了进来。

“Capital!” said Pyotr Demyanitch, rubbing his hands. “We will give him a lesson. . . . —-
“太好了！”皮奥特·德米扬尼奇揉着双手说道，“我们要给他上一课……” —-

Put him down opposite the mouse-trap . . . that’s it. . . . —-
把它放在老鼠夹的对面……就这样…… —-

Let him sniff it and look at it. . . . That’s it. . . .”
让它嗅嗅看看……就这样……

The kitten looked wonderingly at my uncle, at his arm-chair, sniffed the mouse-trap in bewilderment, then, frightened probably by the glaring lamplight and the attention directed to him, made a dash and ran in terror to the door.
小猫惊奇地看着我的叔叔、他的扶手椅，迷茫地嗅闻着老鼠夹，然后可能是被炫目的灯光和大家的关注吓坏了，它突然猛扑向门口，吓得大吼一声。

“Stop!” shouted my uncle, seizing him by the tail, “stop, you rascal! —-
“停！”我的叔叔喊着，抓住它的尾巴，“停下，你这个坏蛋！ —-

He’s afraid of a mouse, the idiot! Look! —-
它怕老鼠，白痴！看！ —-

It’s a mouse! Look! Well? Look, I tell you!”
它是只老鼠！看！嗯？看吧，我告诉你！

Pyotr Demyanitch took the kitten by the scruff of the neck and pushed him with his nose against the mouse-trap.
彼得·德米扬尼奇拎住小猫的脖子，用鼻子把他推到老鼠夹上。

“Look, you carrion! Take him and hold him, Praskovya. . . . —-
“看，你这个畜生！抓住他，普拉斯科维娅…… —-

Hold him opposite the door of the trap. . . . —-
请把他拿到老鼠夹门的对面…… —-

When I let the mouse out, you let him go instantly. . . . —-
当我放老鼠出来时，你立刻松手…… —-

Do you hear? . . . Instantly let go! Now!”
听见了吗？…… 立刻松手！现在！”

My uncle assumed a mysterious expression and lifted the door of the trap. . . . —-
我叔叔脸上带着神秘的表情，抬起老鼠夹的门…… —-

The mouse came out irresolutely, sniffed the air, and flew like an arrow under the sofa. . . . —-
老鼠踌躇地走了出来，嗅了嗅空气，像箭一样飞进了沙发底下…… —-

The kitten on being released darted under the table with his tail in the air.
小猫被放出来后，迅速扎进了桌子底下，尾巴高高翘起。

“It has got away! got away!” cried Pyotr Demyanitch, looking ferocious. —-
“它逃走了！逃走了！”彼得·德米扬尼奇大喊着，眼神凶狠。 —-

“Where is he, the scoundrel? Under the table? You wait. . .”
“他在哪里，这个恶棍？在桌子下面吗？你等着……”

My uncle dragged the kitten from under the table and shook him in the air.
我叔叔把小猫从桌子底下拖了出来，把他抓起来晃了晃。

“Wretched little beast,” he muttered, smacking him on the ear. —-
“可恶的小东西，”他嘀咕着，拍了他的耳光。 —-

“Take that, take that! Will you shirk it next time? —-
“拿去吧！拿去吧！下次还敢逃脱吗？ —-

Wr-r-r-etch. . . .”
嗯……畜生……”

Next day Praskovya heard again the summons.
第二天，Praskovya又听到了召唤。

“Praskovya, there is a mouse caught! Bring the kitten here!”
“Praskovya，有只老鼠被困住了！把小猫带过来！”

After the outrage of the previous day the kitten had taken refuge under the stove and had not come out all night. —-
在前一天的折磨之后，小猫躲到了炉子底下，整夜都没有出来。 —-

When Praskovya pulled him out and, carrying him by the scruff of the neck into the study, set him down before the mouse-trap, he trembled all over and mewed piteously.
当Praskovya把他拉出来，揪着他的脖子把他带进书房，放在老鼠夹前，他浑身颤抖着，可怜兮兮地喵喵叫着。

“Come, let him feel at home first,” Pyotr Demyanitch commanded. “Let him look and sniff. —-
“来，先让他适应一下。” Pyotr Demyanitch命令道，“让他看看，闻闻。 —-

Look and learn! Stop, plague take you!” he shouted, noticing that the kitten was backing away from the mouse-trap. —-
“看看，学学！停下来，该死的！”他注意到小猫正在从老鼠夹后退。 —-

“I’ll thrash you! Hold him by the ear! That’s it. . . . —-
“我要揍你！扣住他的耳朵！就这样…… —-

Well now, set him down before the trap. . . .”
“好了，现在把他放在夹子前面……”

My uncle slowly lifted the door of the trap . . . —-
我叔叔慢慢地抬起夹子的门…… —-

the mouse whisked under the very nose of the kitten, flung itself against Praskovya’s hand and fled under the cupboard; —-
老鼠在小猫的鼻子下一溜烟地钻了过去，扑向Praskovya的手，逃进了橱柜下； —-

the kitten, feeling himself free, took a desperate bound and retreated under the sofa.
小猫感到自己自由了，猛地一跳，躲进了沙发下面。

“He’s let another mouse go!” bawled Pyotr Demyanitch. “Do you call that a cat? —-
“他又放走了一只老鼠！” Pyotr Demyanitch叫喊着，“你把这个也算猫？ —-

Nasty little beast! Thrash him! thrash him by the mousetrap!”
这个恶心的小东西！揍他！用老鼠夹揍他！”

When the third mouse had been caught, the kitten shivered all over at the sight of the mousetrap and its inmate, and scratched Praskovya’s hand. —-
当第三只老鼠被抓住时，小猫看到老鼠夹和里面的囚犯，浑身颤抖，并抓伤了Praskovya的手。 —-

. . . After the fourth mouse my uncle flew into a rage, kicked the kitten, and said:
……在第四只老鼠之后，我叔叔勃然大怒，踢了小猫一脚，说道：

“Take the nasty thing away! Get rid of it! Chuck it away! It’s no earthly use!”
“把这个讨厌的东西拿走！扔掉它！毫无用处！”

A year passed, the thin, frail kitten had turned into a solid and sagacious tom-cat. —-
一年过去了，那只瘦弱的小猫已经变成了一只结实而聪明的公猫。 —-

One day he was on his way by the back yards to an amatory interview. —-
有一天，他正在经过后院去进行一次爱情约会。 —-

He had just reached his destination when he suddenly heard a rustle, and thereupon caught sight of a mouse which ran from a water-trough towards a stable; —-
他刚到达目的地，突然听到一阵沙沙声，然后看到一只老鼠从水槽跑向马厩； —-

my hero’s hair stood on end, he arched his back, hissed, and trembling all over, took to ignominious flight.
我的英雄的毛竖了起来，他弓起背，发出嘶嘶声，颤抖着，屈辱地逃走了。

Alas! sometimes I feel myself in the ludicrous position of the flying cat. —-
唉！有时候我感到自己像只飞猫那样可笑的处境。 —-

Like the kitten, I had in my day the honour of being taught Latin by my uncle. —-
就像小猫一样，我也曾有幸从我叔叔那里学习拉丁文。 —-

Now, whenever I chance to see some work of classical antiquity, instead of being moved to eager enthusiasm, I begin recalling, ut consecutivum, the irregular verbs, the sallow grey face of my uncle, the ablative absolute. —-
现在，每当我碰巧看到一些古典古代的作品时，我不是被激动的热情所感动，而是开始回忆起，不规则动词，我叔叔苍白的脸，以及独立宾语。 —-

. . . I turn pale, my hair stands up on my head, and, like the cat, I take to ignominious flight.
…我脸色苍白，头发竖立起来，就像那只猫一样，屈辱地逃走了。