THERE was a miller who left no more estate to the three sons he had than his mill, his ass, and his cat. —
从前有一个磨坊主，他给了他的三个儿子的遗产仅限于他的磨坊，驴子和猫。 —

The partition was soon made. —
很快就进行了分配。 —

Neither scrivener nor attorney was sent for. —
没有派遣书记或律师。 —

They would soon have eaten up all the poor patrimony. —
他们很快就会把所有的可怜财产吃光。 —

The eldest had the mill, the second the ass, and the youngest nothing but the cat. —
大儿子得到了磨坊，二儿子得到了驴子，小儿子除了猫什么也没有。 —

The poor young fellow was quite comfortless at having so poor a lot.
这个可怜的年轻人对自己如此贫穷的命运感到非常沮丧。

“My brothers,” said he, “may get their living handsomely enough by joining their stocks together; —
“我的兄弟们，”他说，“他们可以通过合并他们的财产过得相当好， —

but for my part, when I have eaten up my cat, and made me a muff of his skin, I must die of hunger.”
但是对于我来说，当我吃光我家猫并用他的皮制作一只手套之后，我只能死于饥饿。”

The Cat, who heard all this, but made as if he did not, said to him with a grave and serious air:
猫听到了这一切，但假装没听见，他以一种庄严而认真的口吻对主人说:

“Do not thus afflict yourself, my good master. —
“别这样苦恼，我的好主人。 —

You have nothing else to do but to give me a bag and get a pair of boots made for me that I may scamper through the dirt and the brambles, and you shall see that you have not so bad a portion in me as you imagine.”
你只需要给我一个口袋，并为我做一双靴子，我就能在泥土和荆棘中飞快奔跑，你就会发现我的价值远不止你想象的那么糟糕。”

The Cat’s master did not build very much upon what he said. He had often seen him play a great many cunning tricks to catch rats and mice, as when he used to hang by the heels, or hide himself in the meal, and make as if he were dead; —
猫的主人并没有很多地遵循他说的话。他经常看到猫做很多狡猾的把戏来捉老鼠，比如他常常倒挂着来或者躲在面粉里装死的样子； —

so that he did not altogether despair of his affording him some help in his miserable condition. —
所以他并没有完全绝望，希望猫在他可怜的情况下提供一些帮助。 —

When the Cat had what he asked for he booted himself very gallantly, and putting his bag about his neck, he held the strings of it in his two forepaws and went into a warren where was great abundance of rabbits. —
当猫得到他要求的东西后，他非常英勇地把自己装备好，把袋子挂在脖子上，用两只前爪拿住绳子，走进了一个有很多兔子的兔穴。 —

He put bran and sow-thistle into his bag, and stretching out at length, as if he had been dead, he waited for some young rabbits, not yet acquainted with the deceits of the world, to come and rummage his bag for what he had put into it.
他把麸皮和蒲公英放进袋子里，然后伸开身子躺下，装作死的样子，等待一些对世界的欺骗还不太了解的小兔子来翻找他袋子里的东西。

Scarce was he lain down but he had what he wanted. —
他刚躺下，就得到了他想要的东西。 —

A rash and foolish young rabbit jumped into his bag, and Monsieur Puss, immediately drawing close the strings, took and killed him without pity. —
一个年轻而愚蠢的兔子跳进了他的袋子里，布鲁斯先生立刻拉紧了绳子，毫不慈悲地抓住并杀死了它。 —

Proud of his prey, he went with it to the palace and asked to speak with his majesty. —
他为自己的猎物感到自豪，带着它一同前往皇宫，并要求见他的陛下。 —

He was shown upstairs into the King’s apartment, and, making a low reverence, said to him:
他被带到楼上的国王公寓，低头行了一个恭敬的问候后对他说：

“I have brought you, sir, a rabbit of the warren, which my noble lord the Marquis of Carabas” (for that was the title which puss was pleased to give his master) “has commanded me to present to your majesty from him.”
“先生，我带来了一个兔子，是我尊贵的主人卡拉巴斯侯爵（因为那是猫咪喜欢给他主人的称号）命令我代表他向陛下献上的。”

“Tell thy master,” said the king, “that I thank him and that he does me a great deal of pleasure.”
“告诉你的主人，”国王说，“我感谢他，他给了我很多的快乐。”

Another time he went and hid himself among some standing corn, holding still his bag open, and when a brace of partridges ran into it he drew the strings and so caught them both. —
又一次，他隐藏在一片站立的庄稼中，依然打开袋子，当一对鹧鸪跑进去时，他拉紧了绳子，捉住了它们。 —

He went and made a present of these to the king, as he had done before of the rabbit which he took in the warren. —
他把这些鸟献给国王，就像之前他把兔子带到陛下面前一样。 —

The king, in like manner, received the partridges with great pleasure, and ordered him some money for drink.
国王也同样高兴地接收了鹧鸪，并为他提供了一些饮料的钱。

The Cat continued for two or three months thus to carry his Majesty, from time to time, game of his master’s taking. —
猫接着持续了大约两三个月，每次都替他的主人捕到猎物。 —

One day in particular, when he knew for certain that he was to take the air along the river-side, with his daughter, the most beautiful princess in the world, he said to his master:
特别的一天，他知道他将与世界上最美丽的公主一起沿着河边散步，所以他对他的主人说：

“If you will follow my advice your fortune is made. —
“如果您听从我的建议，您的命运就会改变。 —

You have nothing else to do but go and wash yourself in the river, in that part I shall show you, and leave the rest to me.”
您只需要去找到我会指给您的地方在河里洗个澡，其他就交给我吧。”

The Marquis of Carabas did what the Cat advised him to, without knowing why or wherefore. —
Carabas依照猫的建议做了，尽管他不知道原因。 —

While he was washing the King passed by, and the Cat began to cry out:
在他洗澡的时候，国王经过了，猫开始大喊：

“Help! help! My Lord Marquis of Carabas is going to be drowned.”
“救命！救命！我的贵族阁下卡拉巴斯侯爵要被淹死了。”

At this noise the King put his head out of the coach-window, and, finding it was the Cat who had so often brought him such good game, he commanded his guards to run immediately to the assistance of his Lordship the Marquis of Carabas. —
听到这声音，国王从马车窗口探出头来，并意识到这只猫曾经给他带来过那么多好猎物，他立刻命令卫兵去救助他的贵族阁下卡拉巴斯侯爵。 —

While they were drawing the poor Marquis out of the river, the Cat came up to the coach and told the King that, while his master was washing, there came by some rogues, who went off with his clothes, though he had cried out: —
当他们从河里救起可怜的侯爵时，猫走近马车告诉国王，当他的主人在洗澡时，有一些流氓路过，把他的衣服偷走了，尽管他大声喊叫了几次：“贼！贼！” —

“Thieves! thieves!” several times, as loud as he could.
这只狡猾的猫把衣服藏在一块大石头下面。

This cunning Cat had hidden them under a great stone. —
当他们救起侯爵的同时，猫走近马车告诉国王，当他的主人在洗澡时，有一些流氓路过，把他的衣服偷走了，尽管他大声喊叫了几次：“贼！贼！” —

The King immediately commanded the officers of his wardrobe to run and fetch one of his best suits for the Lord Marquis of Carabas.
国王立即命令他的侍从立即去取出他最好的一套衣服给卡拉巴斯侯爵。

The King caressed him after a very extraordinary manner, and as the fine clothes he had given him extremely set off his good mien (for he was well made and very handsome in his person), the King’s daughter took a secret inclination to him, and the Marquis of Carabas had no sooner cast two or three respectful and somewhat tender glances but she fell in love with him to distraction. —
国王异常亲切地抚摸着他，并且由于华丽的衣服极好地衬托出他的风度（因为他身材高大、相貌英俊），国王的女儿对他产生了秘密的好感，卡拉巴斯侯爵只需要投以两三个尊重而稍微温柔的眼神，她便对他痴迷地爱上了。 —

The King would needs have him come into the coach and take part of the airing. —
国王想要他坐进马车里一同散心。 —

The Cat, quite overjoyed to see his project begin to succeed, marched on before, and, meeting with some countrymen, who were mowing a meadow, he said to them:
看到自己的计划开始成功，猫高兴得不得了，径直向前走，在遇到一些正在割草的乡下人时对他们说道：

“Good people, you who are mowing, if you do not tell the King that the meadow you mow belongs to my Lord Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot.”
“善良的人们，你们这些正在割草的人，如果你们不告诉国王这片草地属于卡拉巴斯侯爵，你们将被剁成小菜一样。”

The King did not fail asking of the mowers to whom the meadow they were mowing belonged.
国王没有忘记询问正在修剪草地的割草工是为谁工作。

“To my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” answered they altogether, for the Cat’s threats had made them terribly afraid .
“都是为卡拉巴斯侯爵大人准备的！”他们一致回答，因为猫的威胁让他们非常害怕。

“You see, sir,” said the Marquis, “this is a meadow which never fails to yield a plentiful harvest every year.”
“您看，阁下，这片草地每年都能丰收。”卡拉巴斯侯爵说道。

The Master Cat, who went still on before, met with some reapers, and said to them:
领先的智猫还在前面，遇到了一些收割者，对他们说道：

“Good people, you who are reaping, if you do not tell the King that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall be chopped as small as herbs for the pot.”
“善良的人们，你们这些正在收割的人，如果你们不告诉国王这些谷物都属于卡拉巴斯侯爵，你们将会被切碎成小块，煮进锅中。”

The King, who passed by a moment after, would needs know to whom all that corn, which he then saw, did belong.
国王稍后经过时，一定要知道他眼前的这些谷物是属于谁的。

“To my Lord Marquis of Carabas,” replied the reapers, and the King was very well pleased with it, as well as the Marquis, whom he congratulated thereupon. —
“谷物都归卡拉巴斯侯爵大人所有。”收割者回答，国王对此非常满意，也向卡拉巴斯侯爵表示祝贺。 —

The Master Cat, who went always before, said the same words to all he met, and the King was astonished at the vast estates of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.
猫大师总是对他遇到的人说同样的话，国王对卡拉巴斯侯爵的广阔领地感到惊讶。

Monsieur Puss came at last to a stately castle, the master of which was an ogre, the richest had ever been known; —
猫先生最后来到了一座宏伟的城堡，城堡的主人是一个有史以来最富有的食人魔。 —

for all the lands which the King had then gone over belonged to this castle. —
因为国王曾经统治的所有土地都属于这座城堡。 —

The Cat, who had taken care to inform himself who this ogre was and what he could do, asked to speak with him, saying he could not pass so near his castle without having the honor of paying his respects to him.
猫事先打听清楚了这个食人魔是谁以及他的能力，便要求与他交谈，表示在经过他的城堡附近时不能不来向他致敬。

The ogre received him as civilly as an ogre could do, and made him sit down.
食人魔以食人魔最礼貌的方式接待了他，并让他坐下。

“I have been assured,” said the Cat, “that you have the gift of being able to change yourself into all sorts of creatures you have a mind to; —
猫说：“我听说您有能力变成任何您想要的生物，比如狮子、大象之类的。” —

you can, for example, transform yourself into a lion, or elephant, and the like.”
“没错，”食人魔活泼地回答道，“为了让您相信，您现在就可以看到我变成一只狮子。”

“That is true,” answered the ogre very briskly; —
食人魔非常果断地回答道。 —

“and to convince you, you shall see me now become a lion.”
“That is true,” answered the ogre very briskly;

Puss was so sadly terrified at the sight of a lion so near him that he immediately got into the gutter, not without abundance of trouble and danger, because of his boots, which were of no use at all to him in walking upon the tiles. —
小猫对于近在眼前的狮子感到非常害怕，以至于他立刻爬进了排水沟里，这是因为他穿着的靴子在瓦片上行走毫无作用，这样做充满了困难和危险。 —

A little while after, when Puss saw that the ogre had resumed his natural form, he came down, and owned he had been very much frightened.
不久之后，当小猫看到巨人恢复了原形后，他下去承认自己非常害怕。

“I have been, moreover, informed,” said the Cat, “but I know not how to believe it, that you have also the power to take on you the shape of the smallest animals; —
“我还听说过，”小猫说，“但我不知道该相信与否，你也有能力变成最小的动物； —

for example, to change yourself into a rat or a mouse; —
比如变成老鼠或者小老鼠； —

but I must own to you I take this to be impossible.”
但是我必须承认这是不可能的。”

“Impossible!” cried the ogre; —
“不可能！”巨人喊道； —

“you shall see that presently. ”
“你马上就会看到。”

And at the same time he changed himself into a mouse, and began to run about the floor. —
说着他立刻变成了一只老鼠，在地板上跑来跑去。 —

Puss no sooner perceived this but he fell upon him and ate him up.
小猫一见此情况，立即扑过去吃掉了他。

Meanwhile the King, who saw, as he passed, this fine castle of the ogre’s, had a mind to go into it. —
与此同时，国王看到他经过时这个巨人的豪华城堡，他想进去看看。 —

Puss, who heard the noise of his Majesty’s coach running over the draw-bridge, ran out, and said to the King:
小猫急忙听到陛下的马车声从吊桥上疾驰而过，跑出来对国王说道：

“Your Majesty is welcome to this castle of my Lord Marquis of Carabas.”
陛下，欢迎您来到我主人卡拉巴斯侯爵的城堡。

“What! my Lord Marquis,” cried the King, “and does this castle also belong to you? —
什么！我的卡拉巴斯侯爵，陛下惊呼道，这个城堡也属于您？ —

There can be nothing finer than this court and all the stately buildings which surround it; —
这个宫廷和周围所有宏伟的建筑实在无与伦比； —

let us go into it, if you please.”
请陛下随意进入。

The Marquis gave his hand to the Princess, and followed the King, who went first. —
侯爵挽起公主的手，紧随在先的国王后面。 —

They passed into a spacious hall, where they found a magnificent collation, which the ogre had prepared for his friends, who were that very day to visit him, but dared not to enter, knowing the King was there. —
他们走进了一座宽敞的大厅，里面摆满了一个巨大的宴席，是食人魔准备给他的朋友们的，但他们因为知道国王在场，所以不敢进来。 —

His Majesty was perfectly charmed with the good qualities of my Lord Marquis of Carabas, as was his daughter, who had fallen violently in love with him, and, seeing the vast estate he possessed, said to him, after having drunk five or six glasses:
陛下对卡拉巴斯侯爵悉心的款待感到非常满意，他的女儿也深深地爱上了他，并在喝了五六杯酒之后对他说道：

“It will be owing to yourself only, my Lord Marquis, if you are not my son-in-law.”
“如果您不成为我的女婿，那将完全是因为您自己，我的圣马奎斯大人。”

The Marquis, making several low bows, accepted the honor which his Majesty conferred upon him, and forthwith, that very same day, married the Princess.
圣马奎斯大人恭敬地鞠躬接受陛下赐予的荣誉，并立即在当天与公主成婚。

Puss became a great lord, and never ran after mice any more but only for his diversion.
小猫成为了一位伟大的领主，不再追逐老鼠，只是为了自己的娱乐。