英文短篇故事（纽约）98 A Killer House Cat

（单词翻译）

 　　A dead bird was on the kitchen floor. Sam had left a "present" again. Sam was their black cat. He hunted at night. He was a good hunter. He brought home birds and lizards². Usually he left them outside on the patio³. Sometimes he brought them into the house. Ted¹ didn't mind. He was proud of his hunter cat. But Molly minded. "This cat is killing⁴ innocent animals," she told Ted. He said, "But that's the nature of cats. They're born killers⁵." Molly didn't care. She told Ted to stop the killing. "These animals are wild," she said. "They might have diseases. Caroline might catch a disease from one of these dead animals. Do something, please." Caroline was their young daughter. Ted didn't want to lock Sam in the house at night. That would be cruel. There was only one thing to do. Ted tied a bell around Sam's neck.