The black cat 埃德加·爱伦·坡 （自译版）（2）

从幼年开始我就是有名的温顺。
我的软心肠常被同伴有意地拿来开玩笑。
我曾经特别喜欢动物，并且父母迁就着我，给我买了各种各样的动物。
我在他们身上花了大部分的时间，我从未有饲养、抚摸它们时那般快乐。
这一兴趣随着我的成长而持续着。在我成年之后，它依旧是我快乐的主要来源。
对于那些喜欢狗的人，我几乎不需要苦恼如何向他们解释这其中的乐趣。
这些动物身上有种无私的、自我牺牲的爱。
微不足道的友谊，一戳即破的忠诚，遭遇过这些的人准会被它们直击心脏。
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From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicious as to make me the jest of my companions. I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spent most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and, in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure. To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man.