A certain cat had made the acquaintance of a mouse, and had said so much to her about the great love and friendship she felt for her, that at length the mouse agreed that they should live and keep house together. —
一只猫与一只老鼠结成了朋友，她对老鼠表达了自己对她的深厚友谊和爱意，最后老鼠同意他们一起生活并共同经营家务。 —

‘But we must make a provision for winter, or else we shall suffer from hunger, ’ said the cat; —
“但我们必须为冬天做好准备，否则我们会挨饿，” 猫说。 —

‘and you, little mouse, cannot venture everywhere, or you will be caught in a trap some day. —
“而且你，小老鼠，不能随处乱跑，否则总有一天你会被陷进陷阱里。 —

’ The good advice was followed, and a pot of fat was bought, but they did not know where to put it. —
“好的建议被采纳了，他们买了一锅油脂，但他们不知道要放在哪里。 —

At length, after much consideration, the cat said: —
经过考虑，猫说：” —

‘I know no place where it will be better stored up than in the church, for no one dares take anything away from there. —
我知道没有比教堂更安全的地方了，因为从那里没人敢拿走任何东西。 —

We will set it beneath the altar, and not touch it until we are really in need of it. —
“我们将它放在祭坛下面，不到真正需要的时候我们不会动它。 —

’ So the pot was placed in safety, but it was not long before the cat had a great yearning for it, and said to the mouse: —
“于是锅里的油脂被安全地放置了，但没过多久，猫就对它念念不忘，对老鼠说： —

‘I want to tell you something, little mouse; —
‘我想告诉你一件事，小老鼠； —

my cousin has brought a little son into the world, and has asked me to be godmother; —
我的堂兄生了一个小儿子，他让我当教母； —

he is white with brown spots, and I am to hold him over the font at the christening. —
他是白色带有棕色斑点，我要把他拿到洗礼盆上。 —

Let me go out today, and you look after the house by yourself. —
今天让我出去，你自己照看房子。 —

’ ‘Yes, yes,’ answered the mouse, ‘by all means go, and if you get anything very good to eat, think of me. —
‘是的，是的，’老鼠回答道，’ 你尽管去吧，如果你得到什么很好吃的东西，想到我。 —

I should like a drop of sweet red christening wine myself. —
我也想尝一口甜红的洗礼酒。’然而， —

’ All this, however, was untrue; —
这一切都是假的； —

the cat had no cousin, and had not been asked to be godmother. —
猫没有堂兄，也没有被要求当教母。 —

She went straight to the church, stole to the pot of fat, began to lick at it, and licked the top of the fat off. —
她径直走到教堂，偷走了罐子里的肥脂，开始舔它，舔掉了肥脂的表面。 —

Then she took a walk upon the roofs of the town, looked out for opportunities, and then stretched herself in the sun, and licked her lips whenever she thought of the pot of fat, and not until it was evening did she return home. —
然后她在城市的屋顶上散步，寻找机会，然后在太阳下舒展身体，每当她想到肥脂罐时舔着嘴唇，直到傍晚她才回到家。 —

‘Well, here you are again,’ said the mouse, ‘no doubt you have had a merry day. —
“噢，你又来了，”老鼠说，“毫无疑问，你今天过得开心吧。 —

’ ‘All went off well, ’ answered the cat. —
”“一切顺利，”猫回答道。 —

‘What name did they give the child? —
“他们给孩子起了什么名字？ —

’ ‘Top off!’ said the cat quite coolly. —
”“顶上！”猫冷冷地说。“顶上！ —

‘Top off! —
” —

’ cried the mouse, ‘that is a very odd and uncommon name, is it a usual one in your family? —
“哎呀！”老鼠叫道，“那是个非常奇怪和不寻常的名字，你家里是常用的吗？ —

’ ‘What does that matter,’ said the cat, ‘it is no worse than Crumb-stealer, as your godchildren are called.’
“那又怎样，”猫说，“这名字也不比你的干儿子们被称为“面包屑偷窃者”更糟糕。”

Before long the cat was seized by another fit of yearning. —
没过多久，猫又被另一股渴望所折磨。 —

She said to the mouse: —
她对老鼠说： —

‘You must do me a favour, and once more manage the house for a day alone. —
“你必须帮我一个忙，再次独自管理这个房子一天。 —

I am again asked to be godmother, and, as the child has a white ring round its neck, I cannot refuse. —
我又被请去做教母了，因为这个孩子的脖子上有一个白色的圆环，我不能拒绝。 —

’ The good mouse consented, but the cat crept behind the town walls to the church, and devoured half the pot of fat. —
“老鼠答应了，但猫躲到城墙后面的教堂去了，把一半的油脂吃掉了。 —

‘Nothing ever seems so good as what one keeps to oneself, ’ said she, and was quite satisfied with her day’s work. —
“没有什么比把东西留给自己更好的了，”她说。对于她的一天工作，她感到非常满意。 —

When she went home the mouse inquired: —
当她回家时，老鼠询问道： —

‘And what was the child christened? —
“孩子叫什么名字？ —

’ ‘Half-done,’ answered the cat. —
” “半熟的，”猫回答说。 —

‘Half-done! —
“半熟的！ —

What are you saying? I never heard the name in my life, I’ll wager anything it is not in the calendar!’
你在说什么？我从没听说过这个名字，我敢打赌它不在日历上！

The cat’s mouth soon began to water for some more licking. —
猫口水开始涌了出来，渴望再舔一些。 —

‘All good things go in threes,’ said she, ‘I am asked to stand godmother again. —
“好事总是三,”它说，“我又被要求当教母了。 —

The child is quite black, only it has white paws, but with that exception, it has not a single white hair on its whole body; —
小孩全身都是黑色的，只有白色的爪子，但除此之外，它的身上没有一根白色的头发； —

this only happens once every few years, you will let me go, won’t you? —
这种情况几年才发生一次，你会让我去的，对吗？” “顶着吧！半熟的！”老鼠回答道， —

’ ‘Top-off! Half-done! —
“这些名字太奇怪了，让我很想知道。” —

’ answered the mouse, ‘they are such odd names, they make me very thoughtful. —
“你就坐在家里，穿着你的深灰色皮大衣，拖着长尾巴，充满幻想，那是因为你白天不出门。 —

’ ‘You sit at home,’ said the cat, ‘in your dark-grey fur coat and long tail, and are filled with fancies, that’s because you do not go out in the daytime. —
“You sit at home，”猫说，“in your dark-grey fur coat and long tail，and are filled with fancies，that’s because you do not go out in the daytime. —

’ During the cat’s absence the mouse cleaned the house, and put it in order, but the greedy cat entirely emptied the pot of fat. —
猫不在的时候，老鼠打扫了房子，收拾得井井有条，但贪婪的猫却把锅里的油全部倒空了。 —

‘When everything is eaten up one has some peace, ’ said she to herself, and well filled and fat she did not return home till night. —
“当一切都被吃光了，我就能享受宁静了。”她对自己说，吃得饱饱的猫儿直到夜晚才回家。 —

The mouse at once asked what name had been given to the third child. —
老鼠立刻问第三个孩子叫什么名字。 —

‘It will not please you more than the others, ’ said the cat. —
“它不会比其他孩子的名字更让你高兴。”猫说。 —

‘He is called All-gone.’ ‘All-gone, ’ cried the mouse ‘that is the most suspicious name of all! —
“他叫阿尔冈。” “阿尔冈！”老鼠喊道，“这是最可疑的名字！我从来没在书上见过。阿尔冈，这是什么意思？” —

I have never seen it in print. —
她摇了摇头，卷起身子， —

All-gone; what can that mean? —
开始睡觉。 —

’ and she shook her head, curled herself up, and lay down to sleep.
从那时起，再也没有人邀请猫当教父母了，但当冬天来临，外面再也找不到东西时，老鼠想起他们的存粮，便说道：

From this time forth no one invited the cat to be godmother, but when the winter had come and there was no longer anything to be found outside, the mouse thought of their provision, and said: —
“你们听我说，我知道一个地方，可以有好吃的橡子供我们享用。” —

‘Come, cat, we will go to our pot of fat which we have stored up for ourselves–we shall enjoy that. —
“来吧，猫咪，我们去拿我们存起来的食物，我们好好享用一下吧。” —

’ ‘Yes,’ answered the cat, ‘you will enjoy it as much as you would enjoy sticking that dainty tongue of yours out of the window. —
“是的，” 猫咪回答道， “你会像伸出你那可爱的舌头伸出窗外一样享受它。” —

’ They set out on their way, but when they arrived, the pot of fat certainly was still in its place, but it was empty. ‘Alas! —
他们出发了，但当他们到达时，罐子还在原位，但是已经空了。 “唉！” —

’ said the mouse, ‘now I see what has happened, now it comes to light! —
小老鼠说道： “现在我知道发生了什么了，现在事情真相大白了！ —

You are a true friend! —
你是一个真正的朋友！” —

You have devoured all when you were standing godmother. —
“你在当教母的时候，你把一切都吃光了。 —

First top off, then half-done, then–’ ‘Will you hold your tongue, ’ cried the cat, ‘one word more, and I will eat you too. —
先是盖子，然后是一半，然后是——” “闭嘴！” 猫咪喊道， “再说一个字，我就把你也吃掉。” —

’ ‘All-gone’ was already on the poor mouse’s lips; —
“全没”这个话刚刚从可怜的老鼠的嘴边说出来， —

scarcely had she spoken it before the cat sprang on her, seized her, and swallowed her down. —
猫咪就一跃而上，抓住她，把她吞掉了。 —

Verily, that is the way of the world.
实际上，这就是世界的方式。