乱世猫(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。

乱世猫
near the end of the american civil war, while visiting general grant's headquarters in city point, virginia, president lincoln came upon three kittens in a telegraph hut. as they appeared to be lost and were wandering around meowing, lincoln took one of the kittens up."where is your mother?" he asked.
"the mother," someone explained,"is dead."
"she can't grieve as many a poor mother is grieving for a son lost in battle," lincoln remarked, collecting the other kittens."kitties, thank god you are cats, and can't understand this terrible strife that is going on. poor little creatures, don't cry; you'll be taken care of." he then asked colonel bowers to"see that these poor little motherless waifs are given plenty of milk and treated kindly".

美国南北战争将近结束。林肯总统有一天到弗吉尼亚州锡蒂波因特市格兰特将军总部，在电报棚屋里看见三只小猫。小猫看来很迷惘，一边咪咪叫，一边四处走。林肯把一只抱起来问：「你妈妈在哪里？」
在旁者告诉他：「猫妈妈死了。」
林肯说：「这个妈妈不会像许多妈妈那样，为战死沙场的儿子哀伤。」他把其余两只小猫也抱起来。「猫咪，你们生而为猫，不明白目前这场可怕的战争，应该感谢上天。可怜的小东西，不要哭。你们会有人照料。」他叫鲍尔斯上校「照料这些无母无家的可怜小东西，务求牠们有充足的奶吃，获得好好对待。」