Version française

Do you know Pataud? T'is a little black dog;
He has Raton, a pedigreed cat for a friend,
--A beautiful white Angora; between them
Not a trace of a quarrel, what a pleasure to see!

Pataud strolls with Brother Raton,
No biting, no snarling, as docile as a sheep;
But Raton acts in another sense,
Cats, they tell us, are traitors and thieves—
Raton—and this is not just grating on a lyre—
Swearing to play with a velvety paw,
Clawed him from head to toe!—
"It's just a joke," said he to a looming Pataud:
"All this is just in fun,
"To anger, why do you always run?"
"Anyway, don't we have—why hide it –
"The same interests and our existence the same?
"Am I not your brother and friend?"
--Nicely said, Raton! but be a little less lame!
Call it like it is, don't be half and half
Believe me, I'd prefer a loyal enemy
To a brother who betrays in shadows and silence.

dimanche, le 26 mars 1865