紐約，長島 Long Island, New York
當 S 邀我去她家住的時候，我有點猶豫。長島在紐約東邊，橫躺在大西洋中，雖說是當年蔣宋美齡女士曾居住過的高級住宅區，我們每天坐火車進出紐約，頗費時間。S 說大都市停車開車不易，她自己也坐火車，老鳥說的準沒錯。不過真打動我大老遠跑去長島是她養了些寵物，包括暹羅貓和孔雀。
I hesitated when S invited me to stay with her family in Long Island, east of New York. Stretching out into Atlantic, Long Island has been known for its baronial estates and prestigious residential community. Madame Chiang Kai-shek, widow of the Chinese strongman, used to retire there. It takes hours to commute to NYC. Traffic congestion and parking hassle have tamed her into a train rider, said S. Being an old-time New Yorker she must be right. Yet what really brought me all the way to Long Island is the fact that she keeps pets, including Siamese and peacocks.
孔雀一向只在動物園裡見，對我這種土包子來說：那可是珍禽異獸。
我要見識見識。
Peacock? That's rare species to me. I only saw them in the zoo before. A curio I must see.
S 的家是無尾巷，後院連接森林，光禿禿的樹幹衝天較勁似地長，冬天的晨霧氤氳，看不分明山坡地勢。前院玫瑰冬眠中，砍下來的柴火整齊堆放一側。這附近房子真好看，建築、造型、園林固然各擅勝場，兩旁的参天古木増添沈靜穩重的氣勢。
Her house is at the end of a no-exit street. Back yard borders the forest where bare trunks shoot up skyward. Topography is vague due to winter fog. Firewood piled up neatly at side. Roses are trimmed back in front court. Houses in the neighbourhood are fascinating.
晨起聽見陣陣啼聲，我尋聲而去。鳥園圍著護欄，S 為我開門，她一路吹口哨，輕聲呼喚，藏在內室的孔雀現身了，牠們認得主人的聲音。打過招呼，餵過水果早餐，在 S 頻頻敦促下，年輕的那隻終於展開尾巴扇，讓我拍照留念。
A strange honking sound woke me up in the morning. Tracking that unusual singing I found the fenced yard where S opened the gate for me. She whistled and whisperd. The hidden peacocks turned up. They recognised her voice. Greetings, fruit breakies. At her nudge and urge, the younger one suddenly opened up its tail. Holding my breath I grabbed the camera and started shooting.
怎麼會想起養孔雀的? 原來有段傷心事。後山曾有一隻野火雞闖空門，大概看上這家人好客，就自動自發定居下來，無圈無籠養了一陣。
How come breeding peacocks as pet? It's a sad story. Sometime ago a wild turkey from the forest came to frolic around and it decided to take residence with this hospitable household. No cage, no fence. It became part of the family.
一天主人回家發現院子留一地毛，從此不見火雞，推測是被森林裡的狐狸吃了。S 懷念火雞，野生的找不到，報紙上倒有人賣孔雀，她就雞冠雀戴啦！這回，護欄圍籬不敢怠慢。
One day when the master came home the turkey wasn't around except a pile of feathers left on the ground. Presumably it's gobbled by the fox from the woods. In distress and missing the wild turkey S bought two peacocks to replace her favourite little friend. Of course, fence and gate were in place this time.
隔天早上我居然在她院裡看到一隻紅狐狸一閃而過。
The next morning I happened to glimpse a red fox flashing across her front yard.
不知是不是那隻吃火雞的凶手？或許牠又盯上孔雀啦？
I wonder would it be that turkey murderer? Or it took an eye on peacocks now?
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