n a respectful fashion； after the best models of polite deportment2 with strangers； I was soon lending it some warmth； for I was touched to find that I had a friend； yes； even here； at the ends of the tubes in Southwest 99。 I proceeded （as is right） from caress to speech； and said； “Amathea； most beautiful of cats； why have you deigned to single me out for so much favour？ Did you recognize in me a friend to all that breathes； or were you yourself suffering from loneliness （though I take it you are near your own dear home）； or is there pity in the hearts of animals as there is in the hearts of some humans？ What； then； was your motive？ Or am I； indeed； foolish to ask； and not rather to take whatever good es to me in whatever way from the gods？”
To these questions Amathea answered with a loud purring noise； expressing with closed eyes of ecstasy her delight in the encounter。
“You will never leave me； Amathea；” I said。 “I will respect your sleep and we will sit here together through all uncounted time； I holding you in my arms and you dreaming of the fields of Paradise。 Nor shall anything part us； Amathea； you are my cat and I am your human。 Now and onwards into the fullness of peace。”
Then it was that Amathea lifted herself once more； and with delicate； discreet； unweighted movement of perfect limbs leapt lightly to the floor as lovely as a wave。 She walked slowly away from me without so much as looking back over her shoulder； she had another purpose in her mind； and as she so gracefully and so majestically neared the door which she was seeking； a short； unpleasant man standing at the bar said； “Puss； Puss； Puss！” and stooped to scratch her gently behind the ear。 With what a wealth of singular affection； pure and profound； did she not gaze up at him； and then rub herself against his leg in token and external expression of a sacramental friendship that should never die。
txt电子书分享平台
看不见的微笑
佚名
道森先生是一个脾气很怪的老头，这在镇上是众所周知的事。孩子们都害怕去他的院子里摘美味的苹果，因为大家都说道森会拿着气枪追着打进了院子的人。
星期五那天，珍妮特和艾米走近道森先生家时，他如往常一样眉头紧锁地望着她们，可是当他认出艾米时，便立刻微笑着问候道：“你好，艾米小姐，今天和朋友在一起啊。”
艾米也微笑着回答他，今晚她们要一起过夜、听音乐、玩游戏。道森先生说，这听起来很有趣，还从他的树上给她们每个人摘了新鲜的苹果。她们兴奋地收下了——道森先生家的苹果是镇上最美味的。
走远后，珍妮特问：“每个人都说他是镇上最吝啬的人，可他为什么对我们这么好呢？”
艾米解释说，她第一次路过道森家时，他很不友好，艾米很怕他，可她假定道森脸上有一种别人看不见的微笑，所以她总是微笑着面对他。过了一段时间之后，有一天，道森也冲她挤出了微笑。
后来过了很久，他才开始绽放出真正的笑容，还开始与她交谈，一开始仅仅是“你好”，后来慢慢地话就多了。艾米说他现在总是给她苹果，而且一直很友好。
“看不见的微笑？”珍妮特问。
“是的，” 艾米回答说，“奶奶告诉我，只要我装作一点也不惧怕，假装道森先生正在对我绽露他看不见的微笑，同时我也冲他微笑，他迟早会绽露出真正的笑容。奶奶说微笑是可以传染的。”
如果我们记住艾米的奶奶说过的话，每个人都有看不见的微笑，我们就会发现，其实大多数人很快会对真正的微笑妥协的。要让每一天都激情振奋，切记要时刻绽露笑容！你无需保留微笑，也无需储存微笑。使微笑体现其价值的唯一方法就是分享。赠送一个微笑并不费力，也不费时。让我们来确定一下，我们自己不是那种要让别人来假定我们是带着看不见的微笑的人。
An Invisible Smile
Anonymous
M。 Dawson was an old grouch1； and everyone in town knew it。 Kids dared not to go into his yard to pick a yummy apple； because Dawson； they said； would e after you with his BB gun。
When； one Friday； Janet and Amy got close enough to his house； Dawson looked up with his usual frown。 But when he saw it was Amy； he put on a broad smile and said； “Hello！Miss Amy。 I see you’ve got a little friend today。 ”
Amy smiled back and told him Janet was staying overnight and they were going to listen to music and play games。 Dawson told them that sounded fun； and offered them each a fresh apple picked off his tree。 They gladly accepted—Dawson had the best apple in town。
When they got out of Dawson’s earshot2； Janet asked； “Everyone says he’s the meanest man in town。 How e he was so nice to us？”
Amy explained that when she first started walking past his house he wasn’t very friendly and she was afraid of him； but she pretended he was wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him。 It took a while； but one day he half…smiled back at her。
After some more time； he started smiling real smiles and then started talking to her； just a“hello”at first； and then more。 She said he always offers her an apple now； and is always very kind。
“An invisible smile？”questioned Janet。
“Yes； ”answered Amy； “my grandma told me that if I pretended I wasn’t afraid and pretended he was wearing an invisible smile at me and I smiled back at him； that sooner or later he really would smile。 Grandma says smiles are contagious3。 ”
If we remember what Amy’s grandma said； that everyone wears all invisible smile； we too will find that most people can’t resist our smile after a while。 All it takes to uplift the day is to remember to give that smile away！You can’t save them； you can’t store them。 The only way they are any good is to share。 Giving a smile away takes so little effort and time。 Let’s make sure that we are not the one that others have to pretend is wearing an invisible smile。
一双新鞋（1）
佚名
“您不喜欢我的新鞋吗？”
当丽贝卡将一双雅致的高跟鞋放在我的膝盖上时，眼睛里闪烁着喜悦的光芒。这双鞋外观很简单，毫无瑕疵，只是我这双长满老茧的手会破坏了它们圆滑的曲线。
“多么优质的皮革！真不错。”
“才85块钱！”
“上帝啊！我一定是变老了，丽贝卡。买一双鞋好像是花了很多钱啊。”
“噢，奶奶，我明白您所说的那些。”
丽贝卡倾斜着身体吻了一下我的脸颊，她那柔软而富有光泽的头发晃动着。她的香水弥漫着春天和青春的气息。23岁的她可是全家的宝贝。
“奶奶，先不要睡觉，您的生日宴会就要开始啦。” 她轻轻地说着，溜出了房间。
睡觉，让我多皱的眼皮垂下来，就像太阳底下的老胖猫一样。为了让自己清醒，我眨了几下眼，将目光转向餐厅，插着黄玫瑰的银碗雅致地摆放在餐桌上，这都是为了庆祝我的86岁生日。亚麻制的桌布铺好了，我抚摸着，指尖上的感觉是那么舒服。沉甸甸的银器就在桌上，那一刻，我怀疑自己虚弱的老手能否抓得住它，不会出现这精美的瓷器摔落的令人尴尬的声音吧。说话声和宴会的准备声让我平静了许多，我爱抚着膝上这双丽贝卡的光滑而凉爽的新皮鞋，每一次抚摸，我都很放松，很愉悦。每一次抚摸，都让我回忆起很久以前的另一双新鞋。那时我才39岁吧？难以置信！ 1935年的一个炎热的午后，我站在花园里，好像听到有人叫我。
“夫人，您好，夫人！”
沙哑的声音让我很震惊，我很快转过身。站在篱笆旁的是一位年轻的男子，还不到20岁，一头凌乱的金发像个小男孩。他的衣服又脏又皱，我警惕地看着他。我常常看到粗糙、疲惫而孤独的男人从房子附近的围栏院子前经过。他们要么是从货轮上下来的，要么是城市的流浪者，要么是找工作的。我的杰克也在外面的某个地方。
“夫人，能让我喝口水吗？”
“进院子来吧。”我喊道，并指给他门外水龙头上挂着的瓷杯。我刚刚接了3桶水，准备浇园子用。我把水放在了太阳底下晒晒。现在水龙头还滴着水。
他大口吞饮，却慢慢咽下，接着，将水拍到脸上，用手把头发上的灰尘抹掉，又抹了抹他的后脖颈。他说：“感觉真好。” 算是以这种方式道了谢。当注意到太阳下的水桶时，他拘谨而尴尬地站在那里。
“我能为您分担什么工作吗？除草或是浇花？”
这是什么花园啊！豆类、番茄，在坚硬而干裂的土地上挣扎着生存，稀疏的草地也好不到哪去。我能让他做点什么呢？房子要重新粉刷，粉刷就要花钱，我却没有。在我向他摇头之前，我象征性地四处张望了一下。
当他倒在地上，双臂抱着头的时候，我感觉到他的劳累和绝望。我的心一下子揪了起来。我想，他可能是我的儿子，他的年龄与艾丽斯相仿。我知道他是饿了。我能给他点什么呢？冰箱里的东西太少了：一些牛奶、一块黄油，还有少许为晚餐准备的波罗尼亚香肠。
“进来吧，别在太阳底下了，坐在门廊上。” 我说，对自己这样直接的命令我感到很惊讶。“我给你拿些吃的。”在这些艰难的岁月中，我的情感有些交错，我不能信任自己，正如我不能忍受他眼中流露出的害羞一样。当我爬上楼梯回房时，我对自己很生气，气自己无能，气空空的食橱，气无情的干旱，气整个遭受苦难的村庄。
我狠狠地切下一块面包，猛地一下打开冰箱取出牛奶，拧下自制的果酱盖子，好像我狂乱的举动能够消除我的内疚感一样，因为我给他的东西太少了。当我端着食物走向门廊时，我看到花园附近的男孩，正在