CATVILLE GOSSIP

Mr. Tommy Kat was in love with Tabby Gray—at least so all the gossips in Catville say, for Tabby was as graceful¹ as a little kit² can be. Said Tommy, when he saw her, “She’s just the wife for me.”

 

But Tabby Gray was fickle³, as sometimes kittens are; so she giggled⁴ and told Tommy he would have to ask her pa. For there was big white Tom Cat, with coat as smooth as silk, who often took her walking and treated her to milk. He had told her he would give her a ribbon bright of red, if she would only promise no other cat to wed⁵.

 

Then there was Tommy Mouser, who by all was called a sport. He had told her that he loved her, and once for her had fought.

 

And there was Tommy Black, the dandy[Pg 152] of the town, who was called by all who watched him the best dancer to be found.

 

He often danced with Tabby Gray, and frightened all the rest away; for when he danced they all stood by and looked on him with jealous eye.

 

And Tiger Tom, another swain, who always said he felt a pain around his heart when any other danced with her except her brother.

 

An admirer, too, was Tommy Buff; he said and vowed⁶ it was no bluff⁷ when he declared he loved Miss Gray and in his heart she held full sway.

 

And there was Tommy Black-and-White, who said he sat up many a night to serenade Miss Tabby Gray on the back-yard fence till break of day.

 

And Tommy, who was nicknamed Slim, said she was the only girl for him and that his eyes had turned to green because another cat was seen to walk with Tabby down the road. Since that his heart was like a load.

 

And so, you see, Miss Tabby Gray needed time these things to weigh, and that was why she told Tom Kat her pa would have to answer that question he had asked that night on the back-yard fence in the bright moonlight.

 

[Pg 153]

 

Said Tommy Kat as he looked at a star: “I don’t want to marry your pa. Now why do you keep me here a-guessing when we might go round and get pa’s blessing⁸?”

 

Miss Tabby stretched and heaved a sigh, then on Tommy Kat she cast her eye. He was handsomer, far, than all the rest, and she felt quite sure she loved him best. But, like all others of her kind, she pretended to make up her mind.

 

But Tommy Kat was a hasty fellow. He knew present time was always mellow⁹; so he told Miss Tabby ’twas getting late, and whisked her over the back-yard gate. And before she knew where she was at they stood at the door of Minister Cat.

 

In a minute more they came out married, for Minister Cat he never tarried. He married off couples quick as scat, and for his fee he took a rat.

 

The reception they held was a howling success, as all who came to it had to confess. And all the way through Catville Town bottles and shoes were strewn up and down. And when Old Sun Man o’er the hill did peep every kit in the town was fast asleep.

1 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

2 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

3 fickle   

adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的

参考例句：

• Fluctuating prices usually base on a fickle public's demand.物价的波动往往是由于群众需求的不稳定而引起的。
• The weather is so fickle in summer.夏日的天气如此多变。

4 giggled   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The girls giggled at the joke. 女孩子们让这笑话逗得咯咯笑。
• The children giggled hysterically. 孩子们歇斯底里地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 wed   

v.娶，嫁，与…结婚

参考例句：

• The couple eventually wed after three year engagement.这对夫妇在订婚三年后终于结婚了。
• The prince was very determined to wed one of the king's daughters.王子下定决心要娶国王的其中一位女儿。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 bluff   

v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗

参考例句：

• His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
• John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

8 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

9 mellow   

adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟

参考例句：

• These apples are mellow at this time of year.每年这时节，苹果就熟透了。
• The colours become mellow as the sun went down.当太阳落山时，色彩变得柔和了。