The man was very sad. He knew that the Cat’s days were numbered（屈指可数，有限） . The doctor had said there wasn’t anything more that could be done, that he should take the cat home and make him as comfortable as possible.
The man stroked the Cat on his lap and sighed. The Cat opened his eyes, purred and looked up at the Man. A tear rolled down the Man’s cheek and landed on the Cat’s forehead. The Cat gave him a slightly annoyed look.
"Why do you cry, Man?" the Cat asded. "Because you can’t bear the thought of losing me? Because you think you can never replace me?" The Man nodded "yes."
"And where do you think I’ll be when I leave you?" the Cat asked. The Man shrugged（耸肩） helplessly. "Close your eyes, Man," the Cat said. The Man gave him a questioning look, but did as he was told.
"What color are my eyes and fur?" the Cat asked. "Your eyes are gold and your fur is a rich, warm brown," the Man replied.
"And where is it that you most often see me?"asked the Cat. "I see you…on the kitchen windowsill watching the birds…on my favorite chair…on my desk lying on the papers I need…on the pillow next to my head at night." "Then, whenever you wish to see me, all you must do is close your eyes," said the Cat.
"Pick up that piece of string from the floor -- there, my ‘toy’. " The Man opened his eyes, then reached over and picked up the string. It was
"The end in your left hand is my birth and the end in your right hand is my death. Now bring the two ends together," the Cat said. The Man complied（遵照，依从） .
"You have made a continuous circle," said the cat." Does any point along the string appear to be different, worse or better than any other part of the string?" The Man inspected the string and then shook his head "no".
"Close your eyes again," the Cat said."Now lick your hand." The Man widened his eyes in surprise.
"Just do it," the Cat said. "Lick your hand, think of me in all my familiar places, think
The Man felt foolish, licking his hand, but he did as he was told. He discovered what a cat must know, that licking a paw（爪子，手） is very calming and allows one to think more clearly. He continued licking and the corners of his mouth turned upward into the first smile he had shown in days. He waited for the Cat to tell him to stop, and when he didn’t, he opened his eyes. The Cat’s eyes were closed.The Man stroked the warm, brown fur, but the Cat was gone.
The Man shut his eyes hard as the tears poured down his face. He saw the Cat on the windowsill（窗台，窗沿） , then in his bed, then lying across his
One day, not long after, there was a new Cat on his lap. She was a lovely calico（白棉布） and white…very different from his earlier beloved Cat and very much the same.
相关单词：shrugged
shrugged解释：vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
shrugged例句：
Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：complied
complied解释：遵从，依从，服从( comply的过去式和过去分词 )
complied例句：
The rule must be complied with. 这条规则必须遵守。
Accustomed to helping her with her tads, he complied. 平日帮她办惯了事，他只好服从。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
相关单词：lick
lick解释：vt.舔（吃），打败，轻拍，吞卷；n.舔，少许
lick例句：
I think we could lick the best teams there.我想我们能打败那儿最好的队。
The house would look better with a lick of paint.这房子稍加颜色就好看了。
相关单词：licking
licking解释：n. 殴打，挫败 动词lick的现在分词形式
licking例句：
The steak is so delicious that he's licking his lips. 牛排这么香，使得他垂涎欲滴了。
The little boy is licking the ice-cream cone. 小男孩在舔着冰淇淋蛋卷。
相关单词：clutched
clutched解释：抓住，紧紧抓住( clutch的过去式和过去分词 )； （因害怕或痛苦）突然抓住
clutched例句：
He clutched the child to him. 他紧紧地抱住小孩。
He clutched at the rope we threw to him. 他紧紧抓住我们扔给他的绳子。
