小说园

第2章 一只狗的遗嘱the t will and tetant f2（第1页）

askmyMasterandMistresstoremembermealways，butnottogrieveformetoolong。InmylifeIhavetriedtobeacomforttothemintimeofsorrow，andareasonforaddedjoyintheirhainess。ItisainfulformetothinkthatevenindeathIshouldcausethemain。

Letthemrememberthatwhilenodoghaseverhadahaierlife（andthisIowetotheirloveandcareforme），nowthatIhavegrownblindanddeafandlame，andevenmysenseofsmellfailsmesothatarabbitcouldberightundermynoseandImightnotknow，myridehassunktoasick，bewilderedhumiliation。Ifeellifeistauntingmewithhavingoverlingeredmywelcome。ItistimeIsaidgoodbye，beforeIbecometoosickaburdenonmyselfandonthosewholoveme。

Itwillbesorrowtoleavethem，butnotasorrowtodie。Dogsdonotfeardeathasmendo。Weaccetitasaartoflife，notassomethingalienandterriblewhichdestroyslife。Whatmaycomeafterdeath，whoknowsIwouldliketobelievethatthereisaParadisewhereoneisalwaysyoungandfull-bladdered;hereallthedayonedilliesanddallieswithanamorousmultitudeofhouris，beautifullysotted;wherejack-rabbitsthatrunfastbutnottoofast（likethehouris）areasthesandsofthedesert;whereeachblissfulhourismealtime;whereinlongeveningsthereareamillionfirelaceswithlogsforeverburningandonecurlsoneselfuandblinksintotheflamesandnodsanddreams，rememberingtheoldbravedaysonearth，andtheloveofone’sMasterandMistress。

IamafraidthisistoomuchforevensuchadogasIamtoexect。Buteace，atleast，iscertain。Peaceandlongrestforwearyoldheartandheadandlimbs，andeternalsleesintheearthIhavelovedsowell。Perhas，afterall，thisisbest。OnelastrequestIearnestlymake。IhaveheardmyMistresssay，“WhenBlemiedieswemustneverhaveanotherdog。IlovehimsomuchIcouldneverloveanotherone。”

NowIwouldaskher，forloveofme，tohaveanother。Itwouldbeaoortributetomymemorynevertohaveadogagain。

WhatIwouldliketofeelisthat，havingoncehadmeinthefamily，nowshecannotlivewithoutadog！Ihaveneverhadanarrowjealoussirit。Ihavealwaysheldthatmostdogsaregood（andonecat，theblackoneIhaveermittedtosharetheliving-roomrugduringtheevenings，whoseaffectionIhavetoleratedinakindlysirit，andinraresentimentalmoods，evenrecirocatedatrifle）。Somedogs，ofcourse，arebetterthanothers。Dalmatians，naturally，aseveryoneknows，arebest。

SoIsuggestaDalmatianasmysuccessor。Hecanhardlybeaswell-bred，oraswell-manneredorasdistinguishedandhandsomeasIwasinmyrime。MyMasterandMistressmustnotasktheimossible。Buthewilldohisbest，Iamsure，andevenhisinevitabledefectswillhelbycomarisontokeemymemorygreen。TohimIbequeathmycollarandleashandmyovercoatandraincoat，madetoorderin1929atHermesinParis。HecanneverwearthemwiththedistinctionIdid，walkingaroundthePlaceVendome，orlateralongParkAvenue，alleyesfixedonmeinadmiration;butagainIamsurehewilldohisutmostnottoaearameregaucherovincialdog。

Hereontheranch，hemayrovehimselfquiteworthyofcomarison，insomeresects。Hewill，Iresume，comeclosertojack-rabbitsthanIhavebeenabletoinrecentyears。And，forallhisfaults，IherebywishhimthehainessIknowwillbehisinmyoldhome。

Onelastwordoffarewell，dearMasterandMistress。

Wheneveryouvisitmygrave，saytoyourselveswithregretbutalsowithhainessinyourheartsattheremembranceofmylonghaylifewithyou：“Hereliesonewholovedusandwhomweloved。”

NomatterhowdeemysleeIshallhearyou，andnotalltheowerofdeathcankeemysiritfromwaggingagratefultail。