Butterfly Shadow and Coin Light at the Fountain - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Lily sat one arm-length from the fountain's basin, with Vernon close on her left. Two pigeons stood on the stone rim, one hand's width from her shoes. The fountain gave quiet service to the square; clear water rose and fell. Transparent water showed a mixture of coins and pale pebbles on the floor. Cool spray touched her forearm while warm sun pressed across her knees. The square sat on old stones from an ancient settlement, their tops worn smooth.

Light broke on the moving surface and laid rippled stripes on the basin floor. Lily held her hand over the rim until bright bands ran across her fingers. Cold drops tapped her knuckles, and she watched the stripes slide and blur. She lifted a small coin and tilted it between thumb and finger. A round glare jumped to the stone, then stretched long when she turned the edge. Vernon said, "That bright spot just ran right across your sleeve now." She set the coin down and raised her open palm into the sun again. Light and shade formed a soft pattern over her wrist and up her arm.

A butterfly crossed the square and settled on the warm rim near her hand. Its wings opened and closed; a thin shadow flickered over water and coins. Lily held her palm still and tried to match the shadow with the bands. A pigeon stepped closer and cast a second, heavier outline across the stripes. Both shapes broke apart as the surface wavered, and brightness spilled around them. She inched her wrist along the rim, then paused, waiting for a clean line. The insect lifted, and only a trembling patch of light stayed on the stone. Her wet palm print cooled on the rim beside the small coin. The bright bands still slid under the same shallow water and shimmered.

Lily 坐在距離噴泉水盆一個手臂長的地方，Vernon 就在她左邊。兩隻鴿子站在石製邊緣，離她的鞋只有一個手掌寬。噴泉安靜地為廣場服務；清澈的水起落流動。透明的水面下，可以看見硬幣和淡色鵝卵石交雜著。細涼的水霧拂過她的前臂，暖陽同時落在她的膝上。廣場鋪著舊石，有些來自古老聚落，表面被人腳踏得很平滑。

光在流動的水面上破碎，將一道道波紋條紋鋪在水盆底。Lily 把手伸到邊緣上方，直到亮帶划過她的手指。冰涼的水滴輕敲她的指節，她看著條紋滑動又變得模糊。她夾起一枚小硬幣，在拇指和食指間慢慢轉動。一個圓亮的光斑跳到石面上，她再轉一點邊緣，它就拉長了。Vernon 說：「那個亮點剛剛直接從你的袖子上跑過去。」她把硬幣放下，再把張開的手掌抬到陽光裡。明暗交錯，柔柔地鋪過她的手腕，往上爬到手臂。

一隻蝴蝶穿過廣場，停在她手邊溫熱的石邊。牠的翅膀開又合；一條細影在水面和硬幣上忽明忽暗。Lily 把手掌定住，想讓那道影子對上亮帶。一隻鴿子靠近一步，又投下第二個更厚的輪廓在條紋上。兩道形影在水面一晃時就分散，亮光四下流開。她沿著邊緣一點一點挪動手腕，停住，等著一條乾淨的邊線。蝴蝶飛起，只留下石面上一小塊發抖的亮光。她濕濕的手印在邊緣上慢慢變涼，就在那枚小硬幣旁。那些亮帶仍在同一層淺水下滑行，還在閃爍。