When the Clock Reached Two Chimes- 適合中高級的英語短篇故事

Thin smoke curled from the ceramic sample tray, yet the slot for a scent name stayed blank. “What scent is that?” Nora spoke toward the counter, while the shop bell rang again behind her.

The entrance shelf rattled softly as a bustling pair of shoppers moved gift boxes, and their movements mixed cedar notes with the outside breeze. A dried daisy, pressed beneath clear tape on one box, brushed the wood with a papery hiss. Nora had planned to choose three different bundles for her cousin, so she headed toward the mid-aisle display where rows of slim cartons had been arranged in even stacks. The brass scale on the wrapping counter gave a hollow ding each time Lars set its pan down, and the metal surface showed a wavering reflection of the rice-paper lantern above. Minutes ticked away; the wall clock chimed once, then twice. With every chime, sandalwood, jasmine, and pine smoke layered over one another until the scents blurred together. The adult with her, Janet, compared ribbon colours near the entrance, the spools clicking as they unrolled.

Another customer blocked the sample-burning tray, waiting for the previous stick to fade. A flattened sardine tin beside the tray collected grey ash; each grain landed with a near-silent tap. Nora’s own nose stopped separating notes, and the remaining time continued to whittle away. If the clock reached half past, the door would close for the night, so she shortened her plan. She chose the cedar bundle whose colour matched the old wooden shelves, pressed the powdery sticks against her palm, and nodded once to Lars. Tissue rustled, the scale dinged a final time, and ribbon brushed like a quick whisper as the bundle was tied. A faint tap from the lantern frame carried across the quiet aisle while Nora stepped outside.

陶瓷試聞盤裡細煙盤旋，卻沒有標示香味的卡片。「這是什麼味道？」諾拉對著櫃台開口，同時店門後方的鈴聲再次叮噹作響。

入口層架因一對忙碌的顧客挪動禮盒而輕輕顫動，雪松氣味與門縫吹進的微風交織。一朵被透明膠帶壓在盒上的乾燥雛菊發出紙般的刷聲。諾拉原先打算為表妹挑三種香，她朝走道中段擺滿紙盒的架子走去，那些紙盒被排得整整齊齊。包裝櫃檯上的黃銅秤每次放下秤盤都發出空洞的叮聲，金屬面映出紙燈籠搖曳的倒影。時針走動，牆上時鐘先後敲了兩下；隨著每一下敲響，檀香、茉莉與松木的煙層層疊疊，氣味開始混成一片。與她同行的珍娜在入口處比較緞帶顏色，卷軸滾動喀噠作響。

另一位顧客正等著上一支試香棒熄滅，擋住了試聞盤。盤旁一個被壓平的沙丁魚鐵盒收集灰燼，灰粒落下時幾乎聽不見。諾拉的鼻子已分辨不出新香，而剩餘的時間繼續一點點流逝。如果時鐘指到半點，店門就會關上，她遂縮小計畫。她挑了一束顏色與舊木架相近的雪松香，將乾燥而帶粉感的線香輕按在掌心，向拉爾斯點頭。紙巾沙沙作響，秤再度叮鳴，緞帶掠過禮束像急促耳語。諾拉跨出門檻時，燈籠框架在靜長的走道裡發出微敲聲。