At first I thought it’d give me a chance to have a rest, and I was quite looking forward to it, but now I’ve been sitting here for a week, and it feels like forever - I just wish they’d hurry up and hatch. This is a pleasant area, you know, leafy and peaceful, but nothing ever seems to happen here ... and of course I’ve got so much to do to get the place ready, but I haven’t really managed to do any of it - because I can’t stay away for long, I just have to rush off and get something to eat, then come straight back.
Well, it’s quite lonely, really ... I mean, although the cat can be annoying sometimes - especially when she sits on one of the human’s laps and makes that stupid purring sound1 - if she gets shut out of the house, and it’s raining, I don’t mind if she comes in here to keep dry. I mean, it’s company for me, 2 and she seems to really hate getting wet. What really gets me is3 the fact that they’re in there all nice and cosy and eating all kinds of tasty food, while I’m stuck out here – of course I love living in this cramped, draughty little box - after all, that’s what man’s best friend deserves, isn’t it?
注：
1 purring sound （猫）呼噜声。
2 ... it’s company for me,... 它对于我来说是个伴儿。company此处的意思是“陪伴”。
3 What really gets me is...让我恼火的是……。get 此处的意思是“（大大地） 惹恼”。
Huh! They try to make you comfortable, and of course you have all the mod cons,1 you know, double glazing2, heating, etcetera, but you don’t have space! I need to feel part of the world, not just like an object in a box! I mean, how would you like to walk up and down this, this ... shoe box hundreds of times a day, with all those people staring at you? The problem is, they don’t really understand who I am, although I’ve tried to explain it to them - but you see, they’ve probably never met a king before, or they just wouldn’t be treating me like this.3 I mean look around you and you’ll see the kind of ordinary little animals they’re used to dealing with ...
注：
1 ... you have all the mod cons,...你有所有的现代化生活设备。mod cons 源自modern conveniences, 意思是“现代化生活设备”。
2 double glazing 双层玻璃窗。
3 ... they’ve probably never met a king before, or they justwouldn’t be treating me like this.他们可能从来没有见过“大王”，否则他们就不会这样对待我了。此处狮子自以为是森林之王，所以说话的口气有些自负；此处的or的意思是“否则； 不然”。
Well, it’s OK, you know, it can get a bit damp and there’s not much space ... But why do you ask? Is there something I should know? I mean, I did hear a rumour a while ago that the humans were going to make this whole area into a ‘golf course’1 or something ... but I haven’t heard any more about that ... Or maybe they’re going to build some houses. Of course nobody ever tells me anything, you know - I don’t get out much, well not in the daytime, anyway. It would be just my luck to get thrown out - this is the third house I’ve had in as many months,2 but who cares about that?
注：
1 golf course 高尔夫球场
2 ...this is the third house I’ve had in as many months,...这是三个月内的第三次搬家。in as many (= in the same number of) months中的as many是指与third相同数量。
I just moved in last weekend, and I can’t believe my luck, it’s an amazing place! The views are absolutely spectacular and there’s always something interesting going on.1 I’ve got really fascinating neighbours, too, and they’ve been very helpful, telling me all the things I need to know about the area. The only thing I’m not sure about is safety - there are a lot of huge, dark spaces out there, and you never know what might be hiding round the corner. I’ve already heard some rather alarming stories2 about fish ‘disappearing’, so I’m going to be very careful and not venture out too far, especially on my own.3
注：
1 ... there’s always something interesting going on.总是有有趣的事情发生。go on此处的意思是“发生”。
2 alarming stories 令人害怕的故事。
3 ...and not venture out too far, especially on my own. 尤其是我自己的时候， 不到太远的地方去冒险。venture此处是动词， 意思是“冒险”。