Stretching Yarn and a Curious Cat in the Weaving Room - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Warm lanolin drifted from a fresh skein of wool near the loom. Beckett pressed the pedal, and the warp threads answered with a light twang. Seren stood on the low bench, winding an emerald strand around a narrow bobbin. Each loop slid over wood with a soft hiss, then settled. A stray curl brushed her temple, and she pushed it aside. Every third turn she gave the yarn a quick stretch, watched it rebound, and let it settle again. Under the window, a grey cat lounged, tail flicking whenever the shuttle struck the frame.

Seren reached for a thicker crimson thread and began again. The new yarn rubbed rougher across her fingers, and tiny fibers floated under the sunbeam. She twisted her wrist, feeling tension rise, then ease as the bobbin rotated. Beckett said, "That rhythm sounds like rain on leaves." Seren kept turning, and she did not notice the cat creeping closer until a sudden bounce shook the bench. The cat pawed the dangling crimson end, and the yarn snapped back, slapping the floor with a dusty puff.

Several warp lines slipped from neat equilibrium, yet nothing tore. Beckett leaned forward and guided the loosened weft toward center; the loom flexed and grew still. Seren left the cat-claimed crimson behind and grasped a pale gold skein instead. Its lighter weight slid faster, the bobbin growing heavier through slow compression of layers. After twelve turns she paused. The half-filled bobbin rested in her palm, rims warm from friction. She placed it beside the basket. Bright loops still sagged over the edge, unchanged.

帶著羊脂脂香的溫暖氣味從織布機旁那束剛紡好的羊毛飄散出來。貝克特踩下踏板，經線隨即發出輕輕的「嗆」響。瑟倫站在矮凳上，把一條祖母綠色的線纏在細長梭管上。每一圈都貼著木頭發出柔和的擦聲，然後安穩落下。一縷散髮掃過她的太陽穴，她抬手撥開。每纏三圈，她便將線輕輕拉長，看它彈回，再讓它停定。窗下，一隻灰貓伏著，每當梭子撞上機架便甩尾。

瑟倫改拿較粗的深紅線，重新開始。新線在指間更顯粗糙，細絨在陽光中浮動。她扭腕時，能感到張力升起又隨梭管轉動而放鬆。貝克特說：「這節奏聽起來像雨落在樹葉。」瑟倫維持動作，沒發現灰貓已悄悄靠近。忽然凳子一震，那貓撲向垂下的紅線，線頭猛然彈回，拍在地上揚起細塵。

幾根經線失了平衡，但沒有斷裂。貝克特俯身，把鬆掉的緯線順回中央，織機輕輕彎曲後再次安靜。瑟倫放下被貓纏住的紅線，改抓一束淡金色的線。它更輕滑，層層纏繞使梭管慢慢變重。十二圈後，她停下。半滿的梭管在掌心，邊緣因摩擦帶著微溫。她把它放在籃旁。明亮的線圈依舊垂在邊緣，沒有任何變化。