death-of-a-pig-原文+翻译

DeathofaPig——E.B.White1.Ispentseveraldaysandnightsinmid-SeptemberwithanailingpigandIfeeldriventoaccountforthisstretchoftime,moreparticularlysincethepigdiedatlast,andIlived,andthingsmighteasilyhavegonetheotherwayroundandnonelefttodotheaccounting.Evennow,soclosetotheevent,Icannotrecallthehourssharplyandamnotreadytosaywhetherdeathcameonthethirdnightorthefourthnight.Thisuncertaintyafflictsmewithasenseofpersonaldeterioration;ifIwereindecenthealthIwouldknowhowmanynightsIhadsatupwithapig.2.Theschemeofbuyingaspringpiginblossomtime,feedingitthroughsummerandfall,andbutcheringitwhenthesolidcoldweatherarrives,isafamiliarschemetomeandfollowsanantiquepattern.Itisatragedyenactedonmostfarmswithperfectfidelitytotheoriginalscript.Themurder,beingpremeditated,isinthefirstdegreebutisquickandskillful,andthesmokedbaconandhamprovideaceremonialendingwhosefitnessisseldomquestioned.3.Onceinawhilesomethingslips-oneoftheactorsgoesupinhislinesandthewholeperformancestumblesandhalts.Mypigsimplyfailedtoshowupforameal.Thealarmspreadrapidly.Theclassicoutlineofthetragedywaslost.Ifoundmyselfcastsuddenlyintheroleofpig'sfriendandphysician-afarcicalcharacterwithanenemabagforaprop.Ihadapresentiment,theveryfirstafternoon,thattheplaywouldneverregainitsbalanceandthatmysympathieswerenowwhollywiththepig.Thiswasslapstick-thesortofdramatictreatmentwhichinstantlyappealedtomyolddachshund,Fred,whojoinedthevigil,heldthebag,and,whenallwasover,presidedattheinterment.Whenweslidthebodyintothegrave,webothworeshakentothecore.Thelosswefeltwasnotthelossofhambutthelossofpig.Hehadevidentlybecomeprecioustome,notthatherepresentedadistantnourishmentinahungrytime,butthathehadsufferedinasufferingworld.ButI'mrunningaheadofmystoryandshallhavetogoback.4.Mypigpenisatthebottomofanoldorchardbelowthehouse.ThepigsIhaveraisedhavelivedinafadedbuildingwhichoncewasanicehouse.Thereisapleasantyardtomoveaboutin,shadedbyanappletreewhichoverhangsthelowrailfence.Apigcouldn'taskforanythingbetter-ornonehas,atanyrate.Thesawdustintheicehousemakesacomfortablebottominwhichtoroot,andawarmbed.Thissawdust,however,cameundersuspicionwhenthepigtooksick.Oneofmyneighborssaidhethoughtthepigwouldhavedonebetteronnewground-thesameprinciplethatappliesinplantingpotatoes.Hesaidtheremightbesomethingunhealthyaboutthatsawdust,thatheneverthoughtwellofsawdust.5.Itwasaboutfouro'clockintheafternoonwhenIfirstnoticedthattherewassomethingwrongwiththepig.Hefailedtoappearatthetroughforhissupper,andwhenapig(orachild)refusessupperachillwaveoffearrunsthroughanyhousehold,oricehousehold.Afterexaminingmypig,whowasstretchedoutinthesawdustinsidethebuilding,Iwenttothephoneandcrankeditfourtimes.Mr.Hendersonanswered.What'sgoodforasickpig?Iasked.(Thereisneveranyidentificationneededonacountryphone;thepersonontheotherendknowswhoistalkingbythesoundofthevoiceandbythecharacterofthequestion.)6.Idon'tknow,Ineverhadasickpig,saidMr.Henderson,butIcanfindoutquickenough.YouhangupandI'llcallIrving.7.Mr.Hendersonwasbackonthelineagaininfiveminutes.Irvingsaysrollhimoveronhisbackandgivehimtwoouncesofcastoroilorsweetoil,andifthatdoesn'tdothetrickgivehimaninjectionofsoapywater.Hesayshe'salmostsurethepig'spluggedup,andevenifhe'swrong,itcan'tdoanyharm.8.1thankedMr.Henderson.Ididn'tgorightdowntothepig,though.Isankintoachairandsatstillforafewminutestothinkaboutmytroubles,andthenIgotupandwenttothebarn,catchinguponsomeoddsandendsthatneededtendingto.UnconsciouslyIheldoff,foranhour,thedeedbywhichIwouldofficiallyrecognizethecollapseoftheperformanceofraisingapig;Iwantednointerruptionintheregularityoffeeding,thesteadinessofgrowth,theevensuccessionofdays.Iwantednointerruption,wantednooil,nodeviation.Ijustwantedtokeeponraisingapig,fullmealafterfullmeal,springintosummerintofall.Ididn'tevenknowwhetherthereweretwoouncesofcastoroilontheplace.9.Shortlyafterfiveo'clockIrememberedthatwehadbeeninvitedouttodinnerthatnightandrealizedthatifIweretodoseapigtherewasnotimetolose.Thedinnerdateseemedafamiliarconflict:Imoveinadesultorysocietyandoftenaweekortwowillrollbywithoutmygoingtoanybody'shousetodinneroranyone'scomingtomine,butwhenanoccasiondoesarise,andIamsummoned,somethingusuallyturnsup(anhourortwoinadvance)tomakeallhumanintercourseseemvastlyinappropriate.Ihavecometobelievethatthereisinhostessesaspecialpowerofdivination,andthattheydeliberatelyarrangedinnerstocoincidewithpigfailureorsomeothersortoffailure.Atanyrate,itwasafterfiveo'clockandIknewIcouldputoffnolongertheevilhour.10.WhenmysonandIarrivedatthepigyard,armedwithasmallbottleofcastoroilandalengthofclothesline,thepighademergedfromhishouseandwasstandinginthemiddleofhisyard,listlessly.Hegaveusaslimgreeting.Icouldseethathefeltuncomfortableanduncertain.IhadbroughttheclotheslinethinkingI'dhavetotiehim(thepigweighedmorethanahundredpounds)butweneverusedit.Mysonreacheddown,grabbedbothfrontlegs,upsethimquickly,andwhenheopenedhismouthtoscreamIturnedtheoilintohisthroat-apink,corrugatedareaIhadneverseenbefore.Ihadjusttimetoreadthelabelwhiletheneckofthebottlewasinhismouth.ItsaidPuretest.Thescreams,slightlymuffledbyoil,werepitchedintheh