Ode

on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Goldfishes

Thomas Gray

’Twas on a lofty vase’s side,
Where China’s gayest art had dyed
The azure flowers that blow;
Demurest of the tabby kind,
The pensive Selima, reclined,
Gazed on the lake below.

Her conscious tail her joy declared;
The fair round face, the snowy beard,
The velvet of her paws,
Her coat, that with the tortoise vies,
Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,
She saw; and purred applause.

Still had she gazed; but ’midst the tide
Two angel forms were seen to glide,
The genii of the stream;
Their scaly armour’s Tyrian hue
Through richest purple to the view
Betrayed a golden gleam.

The hapless nymph with wonder saw;
A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish,
She stretched in vain to reach the prize.
What female heart can gold despise?
What cat’s averse to fish?

Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch’d, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between.
(Malignant Fate sat by, and smiled)
The slippery verge her feet beguiled,
She tumbled headlong in.
Eight times emerging from the flood
She mewed to every watery god,
Some speedy aid to send.
No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred;
Nor cruel Tom, nor Susan heard;
A Favourite has no friend!

From hence, ye beauties, undeceived,
Know, one false step is ne’er retrieved,
And be with caution bold.
Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize;
Nor all that glisters, gold.

一只心爱的猫在金鱼缸中淹死有感

[英]托马斯·格雷
顾子欣 译

那是在一个高大的磁缸边上——
中国磁器的色彩多么绚丽明亮，
上面绘有盛开的天蓝色的花朵——
赛莉玛趴在缸沿上深思默想；
她是一只最庄严最斯文的猫，
正盯着脚下的湖水不住地照。

轻摇的尾巴表露出她的喜悦：
她照见漂亮的圆脸，髭须如雪，
她的爪子象丝绒般柔滑，
她的皮毛象鱼壳般闪着光泽，
还有墨玉似的耳朵，碧玉似的眼睛；
她发出呜呜的叫声十分高兴。

她两眼盯着水面，只见水波中
游荡着一双天仙似的倩影，
那模样就象是一对水妖，
披着紫红色的鳞甲在水中翔泳：
那鳞色好比用海螺浸出的染料，
在浓艳的绛紫中有金光闪耀。

不幸的猫美人她越看越惊奇，
炽热的欲望在她心中升起，
她先探出胡须，又伸爪到水中，
拼命抓捞，但却枉费心机。
哪个女人的心能鄙视黄金？
哪只猫的嘴巴能不馋鱼腥？

冒失的猫小姐呵！她两眼似火烧，
不住地探下身，不住地去抓捞，
她不知道脚下是一片深渊——
恶意的命运坐在一旁暗暗狞笑——
缸沿太滑，她的脚站立不稳，
她一失足一头栽进了水中。
她先后八次浮出激荡的水面，
挣扎呼叫向各位水神求援，
快来把她救出这危险；——
但既不见海豚，仙女也没出现，
连狠心的汤姆和苏珊也毫无所闻，
心爱的猫呵临危时竟没一个友人！

你们，还未受骗上当的美人，
从此该知道一失足将成千古恨，
你们要大胆，但更须谨慎：
那使你们流盼的秀目和轻浮的心
感到诱惑的，并非都是可猎取的目标，
那熠熠生辉的并非都是金子在闪耀！