猫咪事务所 The Feline Firm

猫咪事务所· 卷一 The Feline Firm (I)

神秘的猫咪事务所，有一天向门童佩洛发来了请柬…等待着佩洛的会是怎样的冒险呢？

One day, the mysterious Feline Firm sends an invitation to the doorman Perroux... Just what kind of adventures await him?

和许多个寻常的午后一样，佩洛打了个长长的哈欠，又揉了揉眼睛，忽然瞥见花坛里，静静地躺着一封金色的请柬。

On an afternoon much like many others, Perroux let out an extended yawn and was rubbing his eyes when he suddenly caught sight of a golden invitation lying silently in the flowerbed.

请柬的封皮被阳光照着，「佩洛先生敬启」几个字比散落的摩拉还耀眼。

Sunlight illuminated the card's cover, and the words emblazoned upon it — "To Monsieur Perroux" — shone brighter than scattered Mora.

佩洛的眼睛睁大了。

His eyes widened.

他只是个小小的门童，为前来拜访老爷的「先生」、「太太」们开门，还是头一次有人如此恭敬地称呼他为「佩洛先生」呢。

He was but the humblest of bellboys, greeting every visitor who came calling at the Master's door with a respectful "Monsieur" or "Madame." This was the first time anyone had ever addressed him so politely as "Monsieur Perroux"!

谁丢在这里的呢？在他毫无察觉的时候。

Who left it here? And without him ever noticing, too!

佩洛眨了眨眼，又眨了眨眼，再三确认那不是彩虹一样的幻景，打开了请柬…

He blinked a few times, then blinked again, confirming over and over that it was not some iridescent trick of the light. Then, he opened the invitation...

「感谢您用美味招待我们，请务必赏咣前来。——猫咪事务所呈上」

"We are deeply grateful for the deliciousness you provided for us. Please do us the homor of paging us a visit. —Yours, The Feline Firm"

歪歪扭扭的文字，像是用最粗劣的羽毛笔写的，和金色的封皮倒显得不相配了。

The crooked lettering seemed as though it had been written with the coarsest of quill pens, and was utterly unsuited to the golden cover of the card.

猫咪事务所？有那种名叫「猫咪」的事务所吗？总不会是猫咪开办的事务所吧…

Feline Firm? Was there really some kind of firm named "Feline"? It couldn't really be an agency started by cats, right?

佩洛倒是常常用剩饭喂街角的流浪猫。

Perroux did often feed the stray cats on the street with leftovers.

只要发出「咪咪」、「咪咪」的叫声，猫咪们就会亲热地围过来。不过，在手里没有猫食的时候，猫咪们即使是对佩洛，也是很警惕的。

Just call out "Kitty kitty, kitty kitty," and the cats would come running right over. However, without any food on offer, the cats would be quite cautious, even around Perroux.

佩洛这样想着，翻到了请柬的背面。

With that in mind, Perroux flipped the invitation over to look at the back.

「或许，您还不知道事务所的位置吧…

"Perhaps you are unfamiliar with our agency's location...

「在北风的第十二道转弯处，沿着地上的鱼粦片向前，您会看到一排马车。

At the twelfth turning of the north wind, follow the fish scales forward, and you will see a row of carriages.

「第十遍钟响后，马车将会仅剩下一辆，跃入马车下方的黑影…我们在此工候…」

After the tenth chiming of the bells, there will be but one carriage left over. Jump into the shadows beneath it... We will be vaiting there..."

这种记录时间和地点的方式，简直…像某种摸不着头脑的魔法。

Giving the time and location like that... Was this... some kind of nonsensical magic?

是谁的恶作剧吧？

Maybe someone was pranking him?

可是，成篇的错别字和对鱼鳞的尤其关注，的确很像猫呢——如果猫真的会写字，又真的有一座事务所的话。

Still, all the typos littered throughout the letter and the special attention to fish scales really did make it seem like a cat — That is, if cats could write and really had their own offices.

北风…鱼鳞…马车…啊，对了！从这里向南走过十二个路口，来到白天是鱼贩摊位的地方，每晚十点，不是有运送垃圾的马车，停泊在那里吗？

North wind... fish scales... carriages... Oh, right! During the day, fishmongers set up their stalls twelve blocks south from where he was, and did the rubbish collection carriages not come every night at ten o'clock and stop there?

将一整天里城市产生的庞大垃圾运出城外，直到十二点再「吱呀、吱呀」地回来。

They would take the massive heaps of trash generated in the city over the entire day outside, and then, at twelve, they'd come back, ""clickity-clack."

是的，这一定是猫咪们的语言魔法。只有像佩洛这样，了解猫如同了解这座城市，了解这座城市如同了解猫的人，才会破译出来。

Yes, this must be the language magic of cats! Only someone like Perroux who understood cats as well as he understood the city and understood the city as well as he understood its cats could decipher it.

佩洛的心砰砰地跳了起来，这是只有他一个人知道的秘密。

Perroux's heart began to pound, for this was a secret known only to him.

「换班的时刻，快点快点来吧！我呀！要去赴猫咪们的约会了。」

"When it's time to change shifts, better hurry! Me, I've got an appointment to keep with the cats."

猫咪事务所· 卷二 The Feline Firm (II)

破解了猫语魔法的佩洛找到了事务所的入口，就这样「跃入黑影下方」，然后呢？

Having deciphered the Felinese spell, Perroux finds the entrance to the firm, and just like that, "jumps into the shadows beneath"... And then?

「您来了呀！请坐请坐。」

"You're here! Please, have a seat."

猫咪们很高兴。

The cats were quite happy.

「是呀！要找到你们的事务所，真是不容易。」

"Yeah! It sure wasn't easy finding your offices."

那天晚上，佩洛沿着请柬上的指示，一路看着，找着。

That night, Perroux had followed the directions given in the invitation, looking, searching.

原来，那些运垃圾的马车当中，有一辆车轮坏了的马车，一直停在原地。在马车下方的阴影里，佩洛找到了黑洞洞的、和阴影融为一体的窖井，里面传来隐约的灯光和声音，还有向下的螺旋楼梯。

As it turned out, there was a single carriage among the trash carriages with a broken wheel that was always parked in place. Beneath it, he had found a dark hole that had merged with the shadows, with faint light and indistinct sounds coming from within, as well as a spiral staircase descending downward.

这就是非常隐蔽的猫咪事务所了。

And this was the well-hidden Feline Firm.

「这是流浪的家伙们的天性，请您谅解嘛！」

"This is the nature of strays, please try to understand."

眯着金色眼睛、有着虎形斑纹的猫，貌似谦卑地说着，尾巴却摆出了一个骄傲的弯。

Golden eyes narrowed, the cat with stripes like those of a tiger seemed to speak humbly, yet its tail was arched most proudly.

佩洛认了出来，是他常喂的虎斑猫，这家伙，常常趴在老爷家的窗户上，悠闲地摇尾巴。至于其他的猫，佩洛就有些面生了。

Perroux recognized it immediately. This fellow would often laze about upon the Master's windowsill, languidly swishing his tail. As for the others, Perroux was not quite so familiar.

虎斑猫向佩洛一一介绍着：

The tiger-striped tabby cat introduced each of them:

猫老大，正是虎斑猫本尊。

The Boss Cat, none other than the tabby himself.

打手，是左边的这位花臂猫。

The Enforcer, the cat to the left with a full-sleeve tattoo.

右边的三色猫，非常机灵。给佩洛的信，是每只猫拔下一根胡须，凑成一支笔，蘸上墨水，由三色猫来写的。

The calico to the right was quite clever. The letter to Perroux had been written by a brush fashioned from hairs pulled from every cat, and written by this very calico.

「还有这只柴火猫，有点丑，身上有秃一块少一块的癞皮。不过，可不要嫌弃这家伙唷！」

"And then there's this firewood cat too. Bit ugly and mangy, missing some fur, but don't even think about underestimating her!"

正是这样的几只猫组成了猫咪事务所，为城市里的猫咪们解决难题。

These were the very cats that comprised the Feline Firm, which solved the problems that perplexed the cats of the city.

「那么，事务所都解决过什么难题呢？」

"In that case, just what difficulties has the Feline Firm resolved?"

佩洛好奇地问道。

Perroux asked curiously.

虎斑猫往左摇了摇尾巴，轮到花臂猫堂堂出场了。

The tabby's tail twitched to the left, and the cat with the full-sleeve came forward.

「咱是勇猛的花臂猫嗷爱打呼噜的猫老板发来过委托，就是咱解决的嗷

"I'm the muscle here, see? The full-sleeve they call me, yeah? Our Boss snorezilla over there, he gives me commissions, and I'm the one that what solves them, see?"

「那位猫老板，开了一家特别特别豪华的旅馆，不输人类的大饭店嗷开业的时候，有无数客人入住嗷」

"That cat boss, he opened up a right big fancy hotel, yeah? Every bit as tip-top as what the humans got~ When it first opened, was tons of customers t'be had."

猫咪们也有自己的大饭店！佩洛差点要掏出笔记记下来。

The cats even had their own grand hotel! Perroux nearly reached for his notebook to write it all down.

连佩洛都只是路过门口，羡慕地往里看一看。那种心情，大概像小时候捡到玻璃糖纸，忍不住舔一舔一样。

Even Perroux had only passed by the door, peering inside with envy. That feeling was like... picking up a candy wrapper as a child, and being unable to stop himself from licking it.

「但是，猫老板的呼噜声实在是太大了嗷吵的客人们睡不着，生意变得惨淡了嗷

"But wouldn't-cha know, Boss's snoring was so roaring loud, the customers couldn't even catch a single wink! Business took a dive, see?"

「突然有一天，旅馆里出现了一大批老鼠，咬坏了客人的东西嗷这下猫老板立了大功嗷

"Then one day, a horde of rats showed up and started bitin' them customer's things and whatnot, yeah? Then Boss showed them what for, was the hero, eh?"

「从那以后，听到猫老板的呼噜声，客人们都安心地说：好猫——好猫——

"After that, whenever customers heard his snores, theys would be at peace, and say 'good kitty, good kitty~'"

「其实，旅馆里原本没有老鼠嗷都是咱半夜把老鼠抓到旅馆来，再抓住的嗷」

"But yous see, that hotel didn't have any rats in the first place, yeah? It was all me, catchin' 'em at night and bringing 'em back, then catchin' 'em again, you follow?"

猫咪事务所· 卷三 The Feline Firm (III)

花臂猫完成了爱打呼噜的猫老板的委托，其他的猫咪都做了什么呢？佩洛的好奇心还在继续…

The cat with the full-sleeve arm tattoo completed the ever-snoring cat boss's commission, but what did the other do? Perroux's curiosity remained unabated...

花臂猫的故事讲完了，虎斑猫又向右摇了摇尾巴。

The full-sleeve cat finished its story, and the tabby's tail twitched to the right.

三色猫优雅上前，轻盈地鞠了一躬。

The calico stepped forward elegantly, before delivering a graceful bow.

「俗话说，猫们当中也有懒汉喵~

"As they say, even amongst felines, there are lazybones too, meow~

「住在城门处的懒猫发来过委托，征求一劳永逸的捕鼠办法喵~

"The lounging layabout outside the city gates sent us a commission for a one-and-done permanent mouse-catching method, meow~

「在本猫的授意下，懒猫将居住的『猫之家』门牌取下，改名为『鼠之驿站』了喵~

"In accordance with my instructions, our paws-on-pillow friend changed the sign above his abode from 'Cat's Cabin' to 'Mousy Rest Stop,' meow~

「从那以后，每逢老鼠进城喵都能听到温柔可亲的声音说着，『老鼠们，老鼠们，给辛苦赶路的双脚和双手涂点膏吧！』，『老鼠们，老鼠们，把身上尖锐的东西拿下来，做个舒舒服服的磨砂吧！』喵

"From then on, whenever rodents enter the city, mrow, they'll hear a gentle, friendly voice saying, 'Mice, rats, give your weary little paws a rest and apply some ointment, for your journey must have been tiring!' or 'Mice, rats, take those sharp little things off, and enjoy a good scrub down!' meow~

「就这样，老鼠们涂上了盐，又抹上了油，排着队走进了贴着『汤浴』的热水中喵~

"And just like that, the mice scrub themselves with salt, smear themselves with oil, and line up to enter the hot water labeled 'Warm Bath' meow~

「然后，全进了懒猫的嘴巴里喵~」

"And then, right into the mouth of our lazy friend, mrow!"

佩洛忍不住「噗嗤」笑了出来，「啊啊，真是聪明的三色猫啊！」

With a "Pfft," Perroux failed to fully suppress his laugh. "Ah! What a clever calico!"

三色猫又轻盈地鞠了一躬，淑女般回去了。

The calico bowed gracefully once more, and returned to her place with the elegance of a noblewoman.

「轮、轮到奴家说话了吧…」柴火猫谄媚地说道。

"I—It's time for this loyal servant to speak now, isn't it..." The firewood cat spoke flatteringly.

「奴家的毛皮，是在柴火堆里取暖时烧坏的…

"The fur of your humble servant was burned away when I was seeking warmth in a pile of firewood...

「真是怪事，明明刚睡着的时候，很暖和，很暖和…奴家梦到了还是一只小猫的时候，睡在妈妈的毛皮上…睡着睡着，身上就着火了…

"It was really so strange. Your humble servant had just fallen asleep, and it was warm, so warm... one dreamt of being a kitten once more, and sleeping in mother's fur... As I slept, my fur caught fire...

「多、多亏猫老大不嫌弃，奴家不怕脏污，常常在城市的下水道里行走，干着传递情报、跑腿之类的活。

"Th—Thanks to the Boss's support, your humble servant often roams through the city sewers, delivering messages, passing info, running errands, that sort of thing, for I'm not afraid of getting dirty...

「除、除此之外，奴家就没有别的本事了…」

"O—Other than that, I'm really isn't good for anything else..."

虎斑猫清了清嗓子，柴火猫畏缩地一笑，悄悄回去了。

The tabby cat cleared his throat, and the firewood cat flinched, smiling and quietly retreating.

「好了，猫咪事务所的日常，佩洛先生也知道了。」

"Very well. You should now be well aware of the work we regularly do here at the Feline Firm.

「这次邀请佩洛先生来，是因为遇到了解决不了的事情，想请求佩洛先生的帮助唷！」

"We have invited you here because we've encountered an unsolvable problem, and would like to request your help, Monsieur Perroux!"

猫咪事务所· 卷四 The Feline Firm (IV)

百灵百验的猫咪事务所也有困扰的时候，究竟是什么难题，让骄傲的虎斑猫老大要向佩洛求助呢？

Even the Feline Firm, which has seen nearly everything, can find itself at a loss from time to time. Just what devilish difficulty has confounded the conceited tabby boss that he must seek succor from Perroux?

「我的帮助吗？」佩洛的眼睛又睁大了。

"My help?" Perroux's eyes widened once more.

虎斑猫郑重地点着头，「而且是非佩洛先生不可。」

The tabby solemnly nodded. "And it must be you, and none other.

「佩洛先生所侍奉的老爷家里，养着一只长毛的猫咪，对吧？」

"In the house of the master you serve, there is a long-haired cat, is there not?"

「哦，是那只雪白、高贵的长毛猫呀！」

"Oh, that snow-white, noble-looking longhair!"

佩洛是知道的，那只猫，是老爷珍爱如命的宝贝。生着幽绿色，古代公主般的眼睛，总是斜睨着看人，常常像鹭鸟临水浣洗羽毛那样，用桃粉色的舌头，从头到尾，仔仔细细梳洗自己的毛皮。

It was well known to Perroux that the Master adored that cat, and it was as precious to him as life itself. Her sea-green eyes, like those of a princess of yore, were oft looking askance at people as she carefully groomed herself from whisker to tail with her peach-pink tongue, like a heron preening its feathers by the water.

老爷无论用餐，就寝，还是外出赴约，都把长毛猫带在身边。

Whether taking his meals, his rest, or out on appointments, the Master always kept that cat by his side.

「我呢，打算和长毛猫结婚，已经商量好啦！」

"As for me, I'm going to get married to the long-haired cat, it's already been settled!"

「哦，结婚呀…什么？结、结婚？」

"Oh, married, that's... What? Ma—Ma—Married!?"

佩洛一下子变得比柴火猫还磕巴，「那、那你们怎么生活呢？像长毛猫那样的猫，可是过不了流浪生活的呀！」

In a whisker's twitch, Perroux became even more flustered than the firewood cat. "Th—Then how will you live together? Cats like her aren't the type to live like strays, you know!"

「这就不用担心了，婚后我们会搬去遥远国度的神社。听说那是一座猫的神社，人们像供奉神明一样供奉着猫，不用愁吃，也不用愁喝…」

"You needn't worry about that. After we are wed, we shall move to a shrine in a faraway land. I have heard that it is a cat shrine, and the people there worship cats like gods, and thus we shall worry for neither food nor drink..."

「可是，这、这怎么行呀？老爷是不会同意长毛猫离开的…」，佩洛继续磕磕巴巴地说道。

"But th—th—that simply won't do! The Master will never let his longhair leave..." Perroux continued to stammer out his response.

「所以，我们才需要佩洛先生出手。」

"So, Monsieur Perroux, that is precisely why we need you."

虎斑猫跳到了柜子上，金色的眼睛望着佩洛。

The tabby jumped onto the cabinet, his golden eyes fixed on Perroux.

「可我根本不是什么先生，只是个小小的门童」，

"But I'm no respected gentleman, only a... lowly bellboy."

佩洛连连摆着手。

Perroux kept waving his hands about together.

「偷猫的事情，如果被老爷发现了，我不但工作不保，还会被送上法庭啊…」

"If I were to steal his cat... If the Master knew, not only would I lose my job, I would certainly be taken to court..."

「不不，佩洛先生误解啦！」

"No, no, you misunderstand, Monsieur Perroux!"

虎斑猫露出了神秘的微笑，嘴边的猫胡须，也像微笑一般，轻轻地颤动着。

The tabby showed a mysterious grin, the whiskers around its mouth trembling in the semblance of a smile.

「绝对不是让佩洛先生去偷窃。猫是有魔法的动物，我们…有另外的办法呐…」

"We were never even considering asking you to steal, good sir. Cats are magical creatures, and we... have other ways..."

说着，虎斑猫吹了个口哨。

Having spoken, the tabby whistled.

两边的花臂猫和三色猫，像变戏法一样，分别掏出了一双靴子和一个面具。

And the full-sleeve and calico cats pulled out a pair of boots and a mask respectively, as if by magic.

「这是猫的魔法靴子和猫的神奇面具。

"These are magical cat boots and a mysterious cat mask.

「呶！试试看吧！」

"Come now! Try them on!"

无可奈何地，佩洛接过了这两样宝贝。

Perroux had no choice but to take the treasures.

等等，这靴子，看着小小的，穿在佩洛脚上，突然变得舒适又妥帖了。

But wait, though the boots seemed small, the moment he pulled them on, they became comfortable and fit snugly.

走起路来，像踮起脚尖一样轻盈…

And as he walked, he felt so light, as if he were tip-toeing...

佩洛戴上面具，想要开口说话，却多了一些不易分辨的悠长颤音，怎么听，都不像是自己的声音了。

Putting on the mask, he tried to open his mouth to speak, but now some long, difficult-to-distinguishable trills accompanied the sound, and it sounded nothing like his own voice.

「这就是猫的魔法，」虎斑猫高兴地说， 「只要穿戴上这两样东西，谁也认不出是佩洛先生了。」

"This is cat magic," the tabby cheerfully said, "As long as you wear these two items, none will recognize you.

「佩洛先生只需要照常回家，舒舒服服的睡上一觉。

"All you need do is go home as always, and have yourself a good night's sleep.

「待到三日后，您按照我们的嘱咐，把老爷和长毛猫一同接到猫咪事务所来，三日后哟！

"After three days, bring the longhair cat and your Master both to the Feline Firm in accordance with our instructions! Remember, three days hence!

「一定要记住哟！」

"You mustn't forget!"

猫咪事务所· 卷五 The Feline Firm (V)

猫的魔法靴子和猫的神奇面具，会用什么手段把长毛猫带到猫咪事务所来呢？

A cat's magical boots and a cat's mysterious mask. Just how will they bring the long-furred cat to the Feline Firm?

新的请柬发出了，这回是给老爷的。

A new invitation was sent, this one to the Master.

「伯爵老爷，久闻您家猫儿的芳名。我家亦有一只名贵的异国猫，愿同老爷爱猫一结连理，请赏光前来蓬舍一叙。

"Master Baron, long have we heard of your esteemed cat. I also have a valuable and exotic cat, and hope that we may bond over our mutually shared appreciation for the feline race. It would be my great honor if you would do me the pleasure of calling upon my home such that we might discuss such things in person.

届时将有马车接您和猫儿前往。——冯·弗丽嘉夫人」

"A carriage will take you and your cat there at the appointed time. — Lady von Frigga"

在佩洛的纠正下，三色猫特意改掉了错别字的写法。

Thanks to Perroux's guidance, the calico carefully corrected the typos.

猫咪们的忙碌开始了。

And then the cats got to work.

许许多多曾受过猫咪事务所帮助的猫儿都来了，带来了白绸缎、临期的花鳉鱼罐头、葡萄酒…为了将事务所布置成婚礼现场。

Many cats who had once been recipients of the Firm's assistance came to help, bringing white satin, nearly-expired cans of snapper fish, wines... all to turn the agency into a wedding venue.

倘若有人在夜间路过，一定大惊失色，城市的阴影里，竟会生活着这样多的流浪猫。

Any passing by at night would be struck pale with fright to see so many stray cats passing by in the shadows of the city.

那辆损坏的马车，悄然之间也被修好了，装饰成了童话里才有的华丽模样。

The broken carriage was quietly repaired, and decorated like a gorgeous carriage straight out of a fairytale.

铺着柔软的天鹅绒脚垫，悬挂着猫咪喜欢的捕风铃，一路「叮叮当当」的响着，驶到了老爷家门前。

With soft swan-feather pillows and the sort of wind chimes cats adore hanging from it ringing all the way, it arrived at the Master's stoop.

「请上车吧！」

"Please, if you would, Sir."

扮演着「冯·弗丽嘉夫人家的车夫」的佩洛，低着头，恭敬地对老爷说着。

Perroux respectfully addressed his Master with bowed head, acting as "Lady von Frigga's coachman."

尽管戴着猫的神奇面具，佩洛依然有做错事般的紧张，担心哪里露出了破绽。

Though he was wearing the mysterious cat mask, Perroux could not help but feel nervous, as though he'd done something wrong, as though he had done something to give the whole game away.

幸好，老爷只顾着欢喜马车的华丽，甚至赏给了「车夫」一袋摩拉，「一点小费，拿着吧！」

Fortunately, the Master had a mind only for the luxurious carriage, even tipping the "coachman" a bag of Mora. "A small token, here!"

一路上，马车前方不断有猫咪在穿行。

All along the way, cats crossed before the coach.

「请让一让呀！」戴着猫的神秘面具的佩洛，担心会迟到，小声说道。

"Step aside, make way!" whispered Perroux from beneath the mask, for he feared being late.

「对不住了，我们也要赶路，赶着去参加婚礼呀！」猫咪们回答道。

"Sorry, but we're in a hurry too, we have a wedding to attend!" replied the cats.

直到终于没有穿行的猫咪时，猫咪事务所到了。

When there were finally no more cats crossing, they had already arrived at the Feline Firm.

「噢！多么名贵的绸缎…铺满了整个厅…」老爷啧啧赞叹。

"Oh! Such rare and expensive silk... And the whole hall is covered in it..." gushed the Master, bursting with admiration.

「火腿焗时蔬的味道…真是不错，想必大厨也很地道…

"The Ham and Vegetable Bake... tastes quite good, the chef must be the real deal too...

「还请来了这么多猫儿，太吃惊了！冯·弗丽嘉夫人真是有心。看来，她一定很宠爱家中的异国猫，和我宠爱长毛猫一样啊！」

And so many cats! I'm astonished. Lady von Frigga is so considerate. The must truly dote on her own exotic cat, just like I love my longhair!"

老爷简直赞不绝口了。

The Master could simply not stop effusing praise.

「大好的喜事，喝一杯！您再喝一杯吧！」三色猫举着葡萄酒，向老爷劝着酒。

"Such a wonderful event, come, have a drink! And another!" The calico raised a cup of wine, urging the Master to drink more.

「那就再喝一杯吧！」

"Then I'll have another!"

老爷高兴地有些醉醺醺了，甚至忘记了疑惑「猫怎么会说话呢？」这回事。

The Master was in a great mood, and tipsy enough that he forgot to ask himself "Can cats even speak?"

猫咪事务所· 卷六 The Feline Firm (VI)

在众猫和老爷的见证下，虎斑猫和长毛猫会顺利地结为猫夫妇，还是…？

Witnessed by all the cats and the Master, will the tabby cat and the long-furred cat get hitched without a hitch, becoming cat husband-and-wife... or...?

和着竖琴的节拍，盛装的长毛猫出场了。

The longhair cat entered, in step with the harp music.

「哎呀呀，你这小东西，刚下马车就不见了，原来是去梳洗打扮了！」老爷嗔怪又自豪地看着自家的猫儿。

"Oho, you little rascal, the moment we stepped off the carriage you upped and vanished! Turns out you were off tidying up!" The Master was glowing with pride even as he rebuked his cat.

长毛猫的白绸缎拖尾上，盛满了花朵，洁白的，春日落雪般的塞西莉亚花。

The white satin trailing from the longhair was overflowing with flowers, pure white Cecilias like snow falling on a spring day.

「啪啪——啪啪——」猫们齐齐鼓起掌来。

Clap, clap — The cats began to applaud in unison.

「真美啊…」

"So beautiful..."

佩洛情不自禁放下了手中的刀叉。

Perroux put down his knife and fork without even realizing it.

「哗啦——哗啦——」猫们掀开了帘子。

Swoosh Woosh The cats lifted the curtains.

虎斑猫戴上了领结和礼帽，胡须和耳毛修剪的整整齐齐，迈着骑士的庄严步伐，迎接自己的新娘猫。

The tabby cat had put on a bowtie and top hat, and his whiskers and the fur upon his ears was neatly trimmed. He walked towards her with the solemn steps of a night, welcoming his bride.

身后的花臂猫连忙一抖，肩上的包袱抖落开来，里面是送给猫夫妇的礼物。

The full-sleeve cat behind him swiftly shook out the bag he had shouldered, and within were gifts for the cat couple.

五颜六色的线团，一拨弄就会叽叽响的布老鼠，吹得鼓鼓的团雀形状的气球，还有早就准备好的、前往遥远国度的猫之神社的船票…

Colorful balls of thread, toy mice that squeaked when played with, and a finch-shaped balloon, as well as the long-prepared boat tickets to a cat shrine in a faraway nation...

「等一等！」

"WAIT!"

一个冷酷、严厉的声音从上方落下，打断了猫咪们的喜气洋洋。

A cold, harsh voice came from above, interrupting the cats' cheerful revelry.

老爷的酒醒了，摇摇晃晃站了起来，抬起手指着虎斑猫。

The Master had sobered up slightly, and stood up, swaying. He pointed his finger at the tabby.

「这家伙，不是经常趴在我家窗台上的野猫吗？我可认得你这家伙啊，总是不怀好意地往窗户里打量…

"This lout... Isn't he the stray always lying about on my windowsill? I know you, always leering inside, and always up to no good...

「不是说是夫人家的名贵异国猫吗？夫人在哪里？

"Didn't the invitation mention a precious, exotic cat? And where's Lady von Frigga?

「这些猫玩具…哎唷，这不是我家里的吗，你们什么时候偷来的啊？这些绸缎、美酒，也都是偷来的吧？」

"These cat toys... Hey, aren't these from my house? When did you lot steal them? And all this silk and wine... All stolen too, I presume?"

「爸爸，您先不要生气…」长毛猫连忙撒着娇。

"Daddy, please, don't get angry..." The longhair cat quickly began to pout.

「是啊，爸爸，我当然会照顾好…」虎斑猫不以为然地说道。

"yes, Daddy, I'll take good care of..." The tabby said dismissively.

这一声两声的「爸爸」，激怒了老爷。

Hearing "Daddy" twice like that infuriated the Master.

「给我闭嘴！！

"You shut your dirty mouth!

「这样一只来路不明、血统不纯的野猫，怎么配和我的长毛猫结婚啊！

"How could some random stray from Archon knows where with an impure bloodline possibly be worthy of marrying my longhair!

「还有这小子，自称是什么弗丽嘉夫人的车夫的小子…

"And you. You, the scoundrel calling himself the coachman of Lady von Frigga...

「你也参与了这群野猫的骗局，对吧？让我看看你的面具下是什么人…」

"You're in cahoots with this gaggle of strays, helping them with their little scam, aren't you? Let me see just who's hiding under that mask..."

老爷大迈步向佩洛走过来，一把就要扯掉佩洛脸上的面具。

The Master stalked towards Perroux, and was about to wrench the mask off his face.

佩洛浑身的血液都像是被磁铁吸到了一起。

All the blood in Perroux's body seemed to drain, as though it had been siphoned by some powerful magnet.

「快跑，快跑，」七嘴八舌的小人声音在耳蜗里响起，佩洛心如擂鼓，可是双腿僵硬，无论如何也动不了一步。

"Run, run!" A host of voices echoed in his ear, and his heart beat like drum, yet his legs were stiff and wouldn't move even a single step.

「完了，完了，」佩洛绝望地闭上了眼睛，余光却瞥到自己的脸颊边上，有什么一根一根的东西在颤动。

"It's over, I'm done for!" Perroux covered his eyes in despair, but just as he did so he glimpsed something that seemed to be on his cheeks, something that seemed to be shaking, like trembling hairs.

啊！佩洛的脸颊上，长出了雪白的，一根一根的胡子，猫的胡子。

Ah! Snow-white whiskers had grown on his cheeks, but it was no old man's whiskers, but those of a cat.

佩洛动了动耳朵，尖尖的，伶俐的耳朵，身体也不由自主地弓了起来，发出了「喵呜——」的叫声。

He twitched his ears, and found they were pointy and quick. He subconsciously arched his back, and let out a "Meeoow~"

在被老爷抓住之前，佩洛灵活地窜到了桌子下面。

Just before he would have been caught by the Master, he agilely fled under the table.

猫咪事务所· 卷七 The Feline Firm (VII)

「跑！佩洛，跑！」长出了猫耳朵的佩洛，脑海中只剩下这几个字…

"Run, Perroux, run!" — For the Perroux that had grown cat ears, these words alone remained ringing in his mind...

「快跑，快跑。」

"Run, run."

佩洛像一阵披着黑斗篷的风。

Perroux was like a gust of wind in a black cloak.

「快跑，快跑。」

"Run, run."

沿着螺旋楼梯，佩洛向猫咪事务所的出口跑着。

Following the spiral staircase upward, he ran towards the Feline Firm's exit.

猫的魔法靴子去哪里了呢？佩洛不知道，只知道自己跑起来和猫一样敏捷，视角也变得和猫一样矮了。

Just where did those magical cat boots go? Perroux knew not; all he did know was that he ran as swiftly as agilely as a cat, and he also saw the world from below like a cat.

猫的神奇面具又去哪里了？佩洛的心里渐渐有了答案。

Where did the mysterious cat mask go? The answer gradually became clear to Perroux.

靴子和面具都成了佩洛的一部分，或者说，佩洛变成一只猫了！由于手上还戴着驾驶马车的白手套，佩洛现在是一只黑白猫！

The boots and mask had become a part of him, or rather, he had become a cat! As he had been wearing the coachman's white gloves, he was now a piebald cat!

「快跑，快跑…」

"Run, run..."

是谁在说话？

Who was saying that?

佩洛偏过头，戴着领结的虎斑猫，和拖着白绸缎的长毛猫，也在身边，一前一后地跑着。

Perroux tilted his head, and the tabby with his bowtie and the longhair with white satin trailing her were beside him, running one behind the other.

「快跑，快跑…佩洛先生，还请您驾驶上那辆马车，把我们送到港口呀！」

"Run, run... Monsieur Perroux, please, drive us to the port on that carriage!"

在他们的身后，猫咪们上蹿下跳，扯掉装饰用的彩带，撞翻宴席桌上的沙拉和葡萄酒，乱成一团，牢牢地绊住了老爷的脚步。

Behind them, cats were jumping up and down, tearing off the decorative ribbons. The wine and salad upon the banquet table had been knocked over, and the entire mess had stopped the Master in his tracks.

「长毛猫，回来呀——」

"My longhair, come back~"

没有人顾得上老爷的叫喊。

None heeded the Master's cries.

事情到了这种地步，只能把虎斑猫和长毛猫平安送到港口，除此之外佩洛什么也顾不得想了，而且，猫的脑袋本来就是小小的，只能装下一件事。

With things being as they were, all he could do was take the tabby and the longhair to the port safely. Perroux simply couldn't deal with anything else, and besides, cats have small paws, so they can only handle one thing at a time.

「哧啦——噼啪——」外面下起了雨，又有了闪电。

Pitter-patter, plip plop It began to rain outside, and lightning flashed.

黑漆漆的，雷鸣之前才有片刻白亮光的夜里，只有那座小门还在开着，一个看守的人也没有。

In the pitch-black night, there was but a brief moment of illumination before the rumble of thunder rolled in, and only that one small door was still open, without a single guard.

大概都在躲雨吧。

They were probably hiding from the rain.

起了无数个涡旋的湖面上，停泊着一艘船，如果不仔细看，还以为那是桥的阴影。然而变成了猫的佩洛，视力出奇的好，一下子就看到了。

Countless whirlpools swirled upon the surface of the lake upon which the ship was docked. If you didn't look too carefully, you might think it but a shadow of the bridge. But for Perroux, who now had the exceptional vision of a cat, it was immediately apparent.

拎着花臂猫给的新婚礼物，虎斑猫挽着长毛猫，从马车上跳下，「噌」地一下就钻到了船里。

Holding the wedding gifts from the full-sleeve cat, the tabby grabbed the longhair and jumped from the carriage, swishing through the air and onto the boat in an instant.

「多亏了您唷！佩洛先生…」虎斑猫难得恭敬，真正地鞠了一躬。

"It is all thanks to you! Monsieur Perroux..." The tabby gave a rare show of respect, genuinely bowing.

「趁老爷还没追上来，快走吧！」

"Now away, ere the Master catches up!"

去吧，去吧，去那座猫的神社。

Go, go, go to that cat shrine.

去吧，去吧，过上幸福的生活。

Go, go, live a life of joy.

出于偷偷做了一件大事的激动，佩洛的眼睛里渐渐有了眼泪。

Moved by having accomplished something so great in secret, tears began to flow from Perroux's eyes.

虽然佩洛还不知道，变成一只猫的自己要如何生活呢？

Though he still didn't know just how he was going to live as a cat.

猫咪事务所· 卷八 The Feline Firm (VIII)

「不过，老爷好像迎来了爱情的第二春？」侍从们偷偷地说着…

"That said, it seems the Master has come into another springtime of love?" whispered the servants...

但是，这也是很久之后的事情了。

But this was something that happened much later.

被刺眼的太阳光晃醒，佩洛睁开了双眼，下意识地，用手揉了揉眼睛…

Awakened by the blinding sunlight, Perroux opened his eyes and subconsciously began to rub them...

手和脚回来了，不再是毛茸茸的猫的爪子了。

His hands and feet were back! They were no longer furry cat's paws.

昨天晚上发生了什么？佩洛竭力回想着。

What happened last night? He tried his best to remember.

…那时候，黑白猫佩洛掉转马车头，「嗒嗒、嗒嗒」地回去了。

...The piebald Perroux had turned the carriage around, and come back with a clickety-clack.

这时辰，时钟还没敲十二下。

The clock then had not yet chimed twelve times.

在其他的马车回来之前，佩洛像一只再普通不过的猫一样，从马车上跳下来，避人耳目地回到了家里…

Before the other carriages had returned, he had leaped off like any other cat might, and gone back inside the house without anyone noticing...

那么现在…？糟糕！太阳已经升得这么高，早就到佩洛值班的时间了！

So now...? Blast! If the sun was that high in the sky, he should've started his shift already!

佩洛猛地从床上弹射起来，重新穿戴上服装，变回了门童佩洛。

He bounced up from the bed, and put his uniform back on, becoming the bellboy Perroux once more.

老爷家的大门，却紧紧地闭着，立着「谢绝见客」的字牌。

Yet the great door to the Master's manse was shut tight, and the hanging sign read "No visitors."

「猫丢了，老爷难受得病倒了啊…」

"The cat's gone, and the Master is so distraught he's taken ill and collapsed..."

「那么漂亮的猫，连我看了都喜欢，被贼人惦记上了，也不奇怪吧…」

"Such a beautiful cat! Even I liked it when I saw it. No wonder thieves set their sights on it."

「可怜呐，会有人像老爷对它那么好吗？」

"Poor thing. Could anyone ever treat it as well as our Master?"

服侍老爷的侍从们，窃窃地说着。

So whispered the Master's servants in secret.

看来今天不需要门童值班了，佩洛难得有了假期，却忧心忡忡。

Looks like the Master didn't need a bellboy on duty today! Perroux had gotten a rare day off, but he was still deeply worried.

去哪了呢？猫咪事务所。

So where did he go? The Feline Firm.

那天晚上，又接连好几个晚上，佩洛回到运垃圾的马车的地方，一辆一辆地查看路灯下的影子，然而再没有什么黑洞洞的窖井了。

That night, and for many nights more, Perroux returned to where the trash-carting carriages stopped, and checked the shadows under every lamp, but never saw any dark entrance to a cellar.

靴子和面具也不见了。

The boots and mask, too, were gone.

仿佛魔法从来没有发生过，佩洛也从来没有遇见过会说话的猫一样。

It was just as though no magic had ever occurred and Perroux had never met any talking cats.

也许是虎斑猫老大走了，猫咪事务所就此取缔了吧…

Perhaps as the tabby cat boss had left, the Feline Firm had been made to disband...

老爷和病缠绵了三个月，在一个夏日的清晨，突然好了。

The illness plagued the Master for three months, until one summer morning, he suddenly recovered.

卧房里传来老爷哼歌的声音，活泼轻快的小曲，是舞会上的年轻人邀约舞伴时爱唱的那种。

The sound of the Master's humming emanated from his bedroom. It was a lively, happy song, the kind of song youths loved to sing when inviting a partner to dance.

「佩洛，你过来。」老爷对佩洛招了招手。

"Perroux, come here." The Master waved to him.

「砰砰——砰砰——」佩洛的心又紧张地跳了起来，该不会…？

Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Perroux's heart began to pound nervously once more. It couldn't be that...?

「我这件礼服，已经穿旧了，你拿去扔了，再去为我购置一件新礼服吧！样式…要时髦一点的那种。」老爷和善地说道。

"This suit of mine is already quite worn. Dispose of it, and purchase a new one for me! As for the style... something fashionable will do." The Master spoke kindly.

「喔…」佩洛放下心，抱着旧礼服出门了。

"Oh..." Perroux relaxed, and walked out holding the old suit.

「不过，老爷不是最古板、守旧的那种人吗？」佩洛和侍从们，都在心里偷偷地想着。

"Though, isn't the Master the really old-fashioned, conservative type?" Perroux and the other servants were all thinking the same thing.

旧礼服的口袋里，飘落出来一封纸张。

A piece of paper fell from the pocket of the suit.

乃是虎斑猫走后，众猫假借长毛猫的口吻，写给老爷的汇报平安的信：

After the tabby had left, the other cats had written a letter to the Master, masquerading as the longhair writing to report she was safe and sound:

「爸爸，我很好，附上鱼干和鼠干，请您享用。」

"Daddy, I'm fine. I've attached some dried fish and mouse jerky, please enjoy.

「另，求婚的冯·弗丽嘉夫人确有其人，但她是对爸爸您心有所属。您也该找个老伴了。」

Also, the Lady von Frigga who proposed is a real person, and she has feelings for you, Daddy. You should find someone too."