Hemingway-cat-in-the-rain-雨中的猫

ErnestHemingway–‘CatintheRain’TherewereonlytwoAmericansstoppingatthehotel.Theydidnotknowanyofthepeopletheypassedonthestairsontheirwaytoandfromtheirroom.Theirroomwasonthesecondfloorfacingthesea.Italsofacedthepublicgardenandthewarmonument.Therewerebigpalmsandgreenbenchesinthepublicgarden.Inthegoodweathertherewasalwaysanartistwithhiseasel.Artistslikedthewaythepalmsgrewandthebrightcolorsofthehotelsfacingthegardensandthesea.Italianscamefromalongwayofftolookupatthewarmonument.Itwasmadeofbronzeandglistenedintherain.Itwasraining.Theraindrippedfromthepalmtrees.Waterstoodinpoolsonthegravelpaths.Theseabrokeinalonglineintherainandslippedbackdownthebeachtocomeupandbreakagaininalonglineintherain.Themotorcarsweregonefromthesquarebythewarmonument.Acrossthesquareinthedoorwayofthecaféawaiterstoodlookingoutattheemptysquare.TheAmericanwifestoodatthewindowlookingout.Outsiderightundertheirwindowacatwascrouchedunderoneofthedrippinggreentables.Thecatwastryingtomakeherselfsocompactthatshewouldnotbedrippedon.‘I’mgoingdownandgetthatkitty,’theAmericanwifesaid.‘I’lldoit,’herhusbandofferedfromthebed.‘No,I’llgetit.Thepoorkittyouttryingtokeepdryunderatable.’Thehusbandwentonreading,lyingproppedupwiththetwopillowsatthefootofthebed.‘Don’tgetwet,’hesaid.Thewifewentdownstairsandthehotelownerstoodupandbowedtoherasshepassedtheoffice.Hisdeskwasatthefarendoftheoffice.Hewasanoldmanandverytall.‘Ilpiove,1’thewifesaid.Shelikedthehotel-keeper.‘Si,Si,Signora,bruttotempo2.Itisverybadweather.’Hestoodbehindhisdeskinthefarendofthedimroom.Thewifelikedhim.Shelikedthedeadlyseriouswayhereceivedanycomplaints.Shelikedhisdignity.Shelikedthewayhewantedtoserveher.Shelikedthewayhefeltaboutbeingahotel-keeper.Shelikedhisold,heavyfaceandbighands.Likinghimsheopenedthedoorandlookedout.Itwasrainingharder.Amaninarubbercapewascrossingtheemptysquaretothecafé.Thecatwouldbearoundtotheright.Perhapsshecouldgoalongundertheeaves.Asshestoodinthedoorwayanumbrellaopenedbehindher.Itwasthemaidwholookedaftertheirroom.‘Youmustnotgetwet,’shesmiled,speakingItalian.Ofcourse,thehotel-keeperhadsenther.Withthemaidholdingtheumbrellaoverher,shewalkedalongthegravelpathuntilshewasundertheirwindow.Thetablewasthere,washedbrightgreenintherain,butthecatwasgone.Shewassuddenlydisappointed.Themaidlookedupather.‘Haperdutoqualquecosa,Signora?’3‘Therewasacat,’saidtheAmericangirl.‘Acat?’‘Si,ilgatto.’‘Acat?’themaidlaughed.‘Acatintherain?’‘Yes,–’shesaid,‘underthetable.’Then,‘Oh,Iwanteditsomuch.Iwantedakitty.’WhenshetalkedEnglishthemaid’sfacetightened.‘Come,Signora,’shesaid.‘Wemustgetbackinside.Youwillbewet.’‘Isupposeso,’saidtheAmericangirl.1‘It’sraining.’2‘Yes,yesMadam.Awfulweather.’3‘Haveyoulostsomething,Madam?’Theywentbackalongthegravelpathandpassedinthedoor.Themaidstayedoutsidetoclosetheumbrella.AstheAmericangirlpassedtheoffice,thepadronebowedfromhisdesk.Somethingfeltverysmallandtightinsidethegirl.Thepadronemadeherfeelverysmallandatthesametimereallyimportant.Shehadamomentaryfeelingofbeingofsupremeimportance.Shewentonupthestairs.Sheopenedthedooroftheroom.Georgewasonthebed,reading.‘Didyougetthecat?’heasked,puttingthebookdown.‘Itwasgone.’‘Wonderwhereitwentto,’hesaid,restinghiseyesfromreading.Shesatdownonthebed.‘Iwanteditsomuch,’shesaid.‘Idon’tknowwhyIwanteditsomuch.Iwantedthatpoorkitty.Itisn’tanyfuntobeapoorkittyoutintherain.’Georgewasreadingagain.Shewentoverandsatinfrontofthemirrorofthedressingtablelookingatherselfwiththehandglass.Shestudiedherprofile,firstonesideandthentheother.Thenshestudiedthebackofherheadandherneck.‘Don’tyouthinkitwouldbeagoodideaifIletmyhairgrowout?’sheasked,lookingatherprofileagain.Georgelookedupandsawthebackofherneck,clippedcloselikeaboy’s.‘Ilikeitthewayitis.’‘Igetsotiredofit,’shesaid.‘Igetsotiredoflookinglikeaboy.’Georgeshiftedhispositioninthebed.Hehadn’tlookedawayfromhersinceshestartedtospeak.‘Youlookprettydarnnice,’hesaid.Shelaidthemirrordownonthedresserandwentovertothewindowandlookedout.Itwasgettingdark.‘IwanttopullmyhairbacktightandsmoothandmakeabigknotatthebackthatIcanfeel,’shesaid.‘IwanttohaveakittytositonmylapandpurrwhenIstrokeher.’‘Yeah?’Georgesaidfromthebed.‘AndIwanttoeatatatablewithmyownsilverandIwantcandles.AndIwantittobespringandIwanttobrushmyhairoutinfrontofamirrorandIwantakittyandIwantsomenewclothes.’‘Oh,shutupandgetsomethingtoread,’Georgesaid.Hewasreadingagain.Hiswifewaslookingoutofthewindow.Itwasquitedarknowandstillraininginthepalmtrees.‘Anyway,Iwantacat,’shesaid,‘Iwantacat.Iwantacatnow.IfIcan’thavelonghairoranyfun,Icanhaveacat.’Georgewasnotlistening.Hewasreadinghisbook.Hiswifelookedoutofthewindowwherethelighthadcomeoninthesquare.Someoneknockedatthedoor.‘Avanti,’Georgesaid.Helookedupfromhisbook.Inthedoorwaystoodthemaid.Sheheldabigtortoiseshellcatpressedtightagainstherandswungdownagainstherbody.‘Excuseme,’shesaid,‘thepadroneaskedmetobringthisfortheSignora.’