Corn Kernel in the Dye Tub: A Pale Dot Appears - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Bea stood with Eve in a small glen behind the shed that afternoon.

A shallow tub of deep dye rested on blocks, its surface still and dark.

A sharp herbal tang hung over the tub, and the wood felt slightly damp.

Pale cloth lay folded beside a rinsing basin, and a drying line stretched overhead.

A tar-dark stain marked the rim where old color had dried in rings.

Eve steadied the tub while Bea lowered a small square by two corners.

The cloth met the dye; trapped air pushed back, and the center rose.

Bea pressed slowly, and a rush of tiny bubbles slid out along her fingers.

The dye moved thick and smooth around her knuckles, then curled in slow swirls.

When she lifted the cloth to the light, a fine blue spray jumped from its edge.

Drops pecked the wood and spotted her wrist, and the surface turned still again.

As Bea raised the dripping square higher, a dry corn kernel slipped from her sleeve.

It fell into the bath, sank a little, and stuck against one fold.

A slow current tugged it under, and that small place stayed pale.

Bea moved the cloth to the rinsing basin, and clear water carried blue away.

They pinned the square to the line; it changed from green to deep blue.

Near the middle, one light oval showed where the kernel had rested.

A last drip slid off the corner and tapped the basin rim.

那天下午，Bea 和 Eve 站在倉房後面的一處小山谷。

一個淺淺的染色桶放在木塊上，液面平靜而深沉。

辛辣的草本氣味飄在桶上方，木頭摸起來微微潮濕。

淡色的布疊在清洗盆旁，頭頂拉著一條晾衣繩。

桶緣上有一圈像瀝青般深黑的舊色痕。

Eve 穩住桶，而 Bea 兩手捏著一塊小方布往下放。

布碰到染液，夾住的空氣往上撐，中間微微鼓起。

Bea 慢慢按下去，一陣細小氣泡竄出，滑過她的手指。

染液在她的指節周圍厚而順地移動，接著慢慢打出渦紋。

她把布提到光下，邊緣抖出一層細細的藍色水霧。

水滴啄著木面，也點在她的手腕上，液面又回到平靜。

當 Bea 把滴著水的方布舉得更高時，一粒乾玉米粒從袖口滑出。

它落進染缸，稍微沉下去，並貼在一處摺痕上。

慢慢的水流把它帶到下面，那小小一塊地方就保持較淺。

Bea 把布移到清洗盆，清水把藍色沖散開去。

她們把方布夾上晾衣繩；顏色從綠轉成濃藍。

靠近中央，有一枚較亮的橢圓，正是玉米粒待過的位置。

最後一滴水從角落滑下，輕輕敲到盆沿。