荒誕的寓言之警察和惡棍(中英對照)
A CHIEF of Police who had seen an Officer beating a Thug was very indignant, and said he must not do so any more on pain of dismissal. "Don't be too hard on me," said the Officer, smiling; "I was beating him with a stuffed club." "Nevertheless," persisted the Chief of Police, "it was a liberty that must have been very disagreeable, though it may not have hurt. Please do not repeat it." "But," said the Officer, still smiling, "it was a stuffed Thug." In attempting to express his gratification, the Chief of Police thrust out his right hand with such violence that his skin was ruptured at the arm-pit and a stream of sawdust poured from the wound. He was a stuffed Chief of Police.
一個警察局長看到一個警察正在打一個惡棍，他很氣憤，告誡這個警察不許再這樣做，否則就開除他。“不要苛責我”，警察笑着說，“我打他是用的充氣棒。”“但是”，局長不依不饒的說，“打人這樣的行爲是十分可恥的，就算是用充氣棒也不行，以後不要再這樣做了。”“但是”，警察仍舊笑着說，“這個惡棍是個填充人偶。”爲表示他對這個回答的滿意，局長猛力地伸出右手，以至於他胳肢窩的皮膚裂了開來，木屑如注涌出。他是一個填充的警察局長。
