Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals, but they recently took considerable interest in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay’s cat. Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years.
    绑架犯很少对动物感兴趣，但最近他们对埃莉诺·拉姆齐太太的猫起了很大的兴趣。埃莉诺·拉姆齐太太是一个非常阔气的老妇人，与他的猫，拉斯图斯在一所公寓住了很多年。
    PS：take considerable interest, 起了很大的兴趣。

    Rastus leads an orderly life. He usually takes a short walk in the evenings and is always home by seven’o clock. One evening, however, he failed to arrive. Mrs. Ramsay got very worried. She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.
    拉斯图斯作息规律，他通常在晚上散步，七点就回家.然而有一天，他没回来。拉姆齐太太非常着急，她到处找，但是总找不到。
    PS: lead a … life，以…生活方式生活。leads an orderly life，作息规律。

    Three days after Rastus’ disappearance, Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter. The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands and would be returned immediately if Mrs. Ramsay paid a ransom of 1000 pounds.
    拉斯图斯失踪三天后，拉姆齐太太收到了一封匿名信。歹徒说明了拉斯图斯很安全，如果她交1000英镑的赎金，拉斯图斯马上就可以回到她身边。
    PS：anonymous letter，匿名信
    PS++：in safe hands，在可靠的人手里。

    Mrs. Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door. At first, she decided to go to the police, but fearing that she would never see Rastus again—the letter had made that quite clear—she changed her mind.
    他们指示拉姆齐太太把钱放进一个纸盒里，并将之放在门口。起初，拉姆齐太太想报警，但她又害怕永远见不到拉斯图斯了—歹徒在信里讲得很清楚—她改变了主意。
    She withdrew 1000 pounds from her bank and followed the kidnapper’s instructions. The next morning, the box had disappeared but Mrs. Ramsay was sure that the kidnapper would keep his word.

    她去银行取了1000英镑，并按照歹徒的指示将钱放在门口。第二天，纸箱不见了，而且她也相信歹徒会信守承诺。
    PS: follow one’s instructions，遵循某人的指示。
    PS++：keep one’s word，信守诺言。

    Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven’o clock that evening. He looked very well, though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk.
    果然，拉斯图斯当晚七点准时回来了。他看起来还好，就是有点渴，一口气喝了半瓶牛奶。
    PS：sure enough，果然。

    The police were astounded when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done. She explained that Rastus was very dear to her. Considering the amount she paid, he was dear in more ways than one!
    听了拉姆齐太太的所作所为，警察都惊呆了。她解释道拉斯图斯对她很贵重。考虑到她花的钱，他对她就更加贵重了！
    PS: Considering … 做状语，翻译为“考虑到”。这里译为“考虑到她花的钱”。