一隻狗的遺囑:一隻狗充滿愛與感恩的肺腑遺言
諾貝爾文學獎＆普立茲獎得主 20世紀最偉大的劇作家之一
尤金‧奧尼爾不朽的動物文學名著 給喜愛動物的人最美麗的心意
無論何時，你們到墳前來看我時，請想著我與你們長久相伴的幸福回憶，以滿懷思念而且是愉快的口吻對自己說：「這裏埋葬著愛我們和我們所愛的朋友。」不管我睡得多沈，仍然可以聽見你們的呼喚，即使是死神也無法抑制我對你們滿懷雀躍的感激之心。 ──伯萊明
一隻討人喜愛的狗──伯萊明，在他年老體衰之際，感受到自己將走到生命盡頭。因為一種離開的深切哀傷與不捨，他將自己最誠摯的感激與最後的願望，留在主人的心中，給他敬愛的主人，以及所有愛他的人。
希望主人以歡喜的心情思念他，不要因為他的離去而哀傷；也期望主人再養一隻狗，把對他的愛再去呵愛一隻狗，這一狗必定會給他們無限歡樂。因為身為一隻狗，唯一能做的就是永遠愛他的主人，希望主人永遠快樂。
<一隻狗的遺囑>
The Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Distinguished Dog
文：尤金 « 歐尼爾
譯：莊靜君
by Eugene O’Neill
我，席爾維丹«安伯倫«歐尼爾（家人、朋友和熟識我的人，都叫我伯萊明），衰老之於我的負擔，以及沈重地壓迫著我的病痛，讓我深刻地體認到自己已到了生命的盡頭，所以特此在主人的心裡，埋葬我最後的情感和遺囑。直到我死了之後，他才會知道這就埋藏在他心裡的某個角落。他在孤寂時想起我的那一刻，會突然體會到這份遺囑的內容，我盼望他能將此銘記在心，當作對我的紀念。
I, Silverdene Emblem O’Neil (familiarly known to my family, friends and acquaintances as Blemie), because the burden of my years and infirmities is heavy upon me, and I realize the end of my life is near, do hereby bury my last will and testament in the mind of my master. He will not know it is there until after I am dead. Then, remembering me in his loneliness, he will suddenly know of this testament, and I ask him then to inscribe it as a memorial to me.
我可以留下的實質東西少得可憐。其實狗比人還聰明，牠們不會為了收藏雜七雜八的東西，設個大倉庫。也不會浪費時間儲存財務。更不會因為擔心如何保存既有的東西、如何得到沒有的東西，因而毁了自已的睡眠。
I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than me. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain objects they have not.
我沒有什麼值錢的東西可以留給他人，除了我的愛和信賴。我將這些留給所有愛過我的人，尤其是我的男主人和女主人，我知道他們會為我的離去獻上最深的哀悼。
There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my faith. These I leave to those who have loved me, especially to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me the most.
期盼我的男主人和女主人能將我牢記在心，但不要為我哀傷太久。在我的有生之年裡，曾極盡所能地安撫他們悲傷的時光，只為了在他們的幸福裡增添喜悅。但一想到我的死會帶給他們的悲傷，便讓我痛苦不已。
I ask my Master and Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain.
讓他們記得，沒有任何的狗曾有過像我如此快樂的生活（這全都得歸功於他們對我的愛和照顧），如今我已經老得又瞎又聾又瘸，連我靈敏的嗅覺也已喪失殆盡，才會讓兔子得以在我鼻子底下恣意走動，我卻渾然不覺，我的尊嚴儼然消失在病痛和迷失方向的恥辱中，生命似乎在嘲弄我的到來。該是道別的時刻了，在我病到成了自己以及所有愛我的人的負擔之前。
Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation. I feel life is taunting me with having overlingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me.
我悲傷來自於即將離開所愛的人，而非死亡。狗不像人一樣懼怕死亡。我們接受死亡為生命的一部份，並非那些會毁掉生命的靈異或是可怕的東西。死亡之後會是什麼，誰會知道？
It will be a sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die. Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows?
寧願相信那裡有個天堂。在那裡每個人都永遠年輕，吃得飽飽的。
I would like to believe that there is a Paradise. Where one is always young and full-bladdered.
那裡整天都有精彩和好玩的事情發生。每個快樂的時光都是享受美食的時刻。
Where all the day one dillies and dallies. Where each blissful hour is mealtime.
每個漫長的夜晚，都有無數的壁爐，永無止盡地在那兒燃燒柴火，木柴一根根捲曲起來，閃爍著火焰的光芒，我們打著盹，進入夢鄉，憶起我們在人世間的舊日英勇時光，以及對男主人和女主人的愛。
Where in long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth and the love of one’s Master and Mistress.
要預期死亡這等事，即使是對我這樣的狗來說，恐怕都太難了。但安詳，至少是一定有的。給予疲倦殘老的心、頭和四肢和長久的休憩之所，讓我在人世間得以長眠。我愛已足夠，或許，這終是我最好的歸所。
I am afraid this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and long rest for weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well. Perhaps, after all, this is best.
我最後一個誠摯的要求。我曾聽到女主人說：「伯萊明死後，我再也不要養別狗了。我是這麼愛牠，再也不可能愛別的狗了。」
One last request I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, “When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one.”
如今我要懇求她，再養一隻狗，將我的愛給牠。永不飼養其他的狗，將是對我的回憶最淺薄的貢獻。
Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have anther. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again.
我希望感受到的是，這個家庭一旦有了我之後，便無法過著沒有狗的生活。
What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a dog.
我絕不是那種心胸狹窄、善妒的狗。我總是抱持著大部份的狗都是好的這樣想法。
I never had a narrow, jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good.
我的接班人很難像我在壯年時，有那麼強的繁殖能力、那麼好的禮貌、那般的傑出和帥氣。我的男主人和女主人千萬別強求牠無法辦到的事。
但牠會盡全力做到最好，一定會的。而牠那些無法避免的缺陷，老會讓人把牠拿來和我做比較，反倒有助於他們對我的回憶常保如新。
My successor can hardly be as well bred or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible.
But he will do his best. I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green.
我把我的頸圈、皮帶、外套和雨衣遺留給牠。過往大家總會帶著讚嘆的眼光看著我穿戴這些東西，雖然牠穿戴起來絕對無法像我那般帥氣出眾，但我深信牠一定會竭盡所能地不要表現得僅像個笨拙、沒見過世面的狗。
To him I bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat. He can never wear them with the distinction I did, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial dog.
在這個牧場上，牠也許會在某些方面，證明自己是值得和我相媲美。我想，在長逐長耳大野兔這件事上，牠一定會表現得比我最後這幾年來得好。為了彌補牠全部的缺點，我特此希望牠在我的老家過得幸福快樂。
Here on the ranch, he may prove himself quite worthy of comparison, in some respects. He will, I presume, come closer to jackrabbits than I have been able to in recent years. And, for all his faults, I hereby wish him the happiness I know will be his in my old home.
親愛的男主人和女主人，是我道別的最後一個請要求。
One last word of farewell, dear Master and Mistress.
不論在甚麼時候，你們到我的墳前來看我時，請因著我長久、快樂的一生與你們相伴的回憶，以滿懷哀傷和滿心喜樂的口吻跟你們自己說：「這裡埋葬著愛著我們和我們所愛的朋友。」
Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long, happy life with you: “Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved.”
不管我睡得多沈，依舊能聽到你們的呼喚，所有的死神都無力阻止我，興奮快活地對你們搖擺尾巴的心意。
No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.
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