古顿老太太养了一只猫，是斑猫，是一种最可爱的猫，像母鹿一样光滑，温顺，肥胖，爪子柔软，脸上长着胡须;维纳斯的鸽子没有那么美丽，朱诺的孔雀也没有古顿夫人的虎斑猫那么高贵，那是呜呜声中最骄傲的;她的一举一动都那么端庄——她仿佛是上帝的学生!在大自然变幻莫测的奇想中，再也没有比她更好的了!大家都喜欢格里马尔金，传球很好!除了葛顿太太，据说，当有人看见猫叼着一根偷来的碎木条，在茅屋的棚子底下骂骂咧咧的时候，她就会勃然大怒。因为，就像有些人的癖好一样，她什么都想做，但什么都不满足。然而，不管她的地位和饮食如何，她还是不能安静地剔骨头。有时，GRIMALKIN偷了新牛奶，有时，打翻了碗!因为过分的渴望，往往是我们所爱之物的祸根;有时，GRIMALKIN会像个小偷一样游荡到邻居家，教可怜的、卑微的猫，因为高尚的榜样会影响心灵! Sometimes she paced the garden wall, Thick guarded by the shatter'd pane, And lightly treading with disdain, Fear'd not Ambition's certain fall! Old China broke, or scratch'd her Dame And brought domestic friends to shame! And many a time this Cat was curst, Of squalling, thieving things, the worst! Wish'd Dead ! and menanc'd with a string, For Cats of such scant Fame, deserv'd to swing! One day, report, for ever busy, Resolv'd to make Dame Gurton easy; A Neighbour came, with solemn look, And thus, the dismal tidings broke. "Know you, that poor GRIMALKIN died "Last night, upon the pent-house side? "I heard her for assistance call; "I heard her shrill and dying squall! "I heard her, in reproachful tone, "Pour, to the stars, her feeble groan! "Alone, I heard her piercing cries-- "With not a Friend to close her Eyes!" "Poor Puss ! I vow it grieves me sore, "Never to see thy beauties more! "Never again to hear thee purr, "To stroke thy back, of Zebra fur; "To see thy emral'd eyes--so bright, "Flashing around their lust'rous light "Amid the solemn shades of night! "Methinks I see her pretty paws-- "As gracefully she paced along; "I hear her voice, so shrill, among "The chimney rows ! I see her claws, "While, like a Tyger, she pursued "Undauntedly the pilf'ring race; "I see her lovely whisker'd face "When she her nimble prey subdued! "And then, how she would frisk, and play, "And purr the Evening hours away: "Now stretch'd beside the social fire; "Now on the sunny lawn, at noon, "Watching the vagrant Birds that flew, "Across the scene of varied hue, "To peck the Fruit. Or when the Moon "Stole o'er the hills, in silv'ry suit, "How would she chaunt her lovelorn Tale "Soft as the wild Eolian Lyre! "'Till ev'ry brute, on hill, in dale, "Listen'd with wonder mute!" "O! Cease!" exclaim'd DAME GURTON, straight, "Has my poor Puss been torn away? "Alas ! how cruel is my fate, "How shall I pass the tedious day? "Where can her mourning mistress find "So sweet a Cat? so meek! so kind! "So keen a mouser, such a beauty, "So orderly, so fond, so true, "That every gentle task of duty "The dear, domestic creature knew! "Hers, was the mildest tend'rest heart! "She knew no little cattish art; "Not cross, like fav'rite Cats , was she "But seem'd the queen of Cats to be! "I cannot live--since doom'd, alas ! to part "From poor GRIMALKIN kind, the darling of my heart!" And now DAME GURTON, bath'd in tears, With a black top-knot vast, appears: Some say that a black gown she wore, As many oft have done before, For Beings, valued less, I ween, Than this, of Tabby Cats, the fav'rite Queen! But lo ! soon after, one fair day, Puss, who had only been a roving-- Across the pent-house took her way, To see her Dame, so sad, and loving; Eager to greet the mourning fair She enter'd by a window, where A China bowl of luscious cream Was quiv'ring in the sunny beam. Puss, who was somewhat tired and dry, And somewhat fond of bev'rage sweet; Beholding such a tempting treat, Resolved its depth to try. She saw the warm and dazzling ray Upon the spotless surface play: She purr'd around its circle wide, And gazed, and long'd, and mew'd and sigh'd! But Fate, unfriendly, did that hour controul, She overset the cream, and smash'd the gilded bowl! As MISTRESS GURTON heard the thief, She started from her easy chair, And, quite unmindful of her grief, Began aloud to swear! "Curse that voracious beast!" she cried, "Here SUSAN bring a cord-- I'll hang the vicious, ugly creature-- "The veriest plague e