Dried Leaf Marks a Clay Pillar in a Breeze - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Jude stood in the clay workshop while Glynis sat nearby, shaping her own cup.

Daylight fell through the open door and lay in a clean stripe across the table.

A tray held plentiful dried leaves from last season, their edges thin and papery.

Thin paper leaves also hung from a string by the doorway, turning on small knots.

Jude rolled a fat coil and set it upright, building a small clay pillar.

He pressed the coil, checked the wobble, and smoothed a seam with a wooden tool.

Cool clay pushed against his palms and released a damp, earthy smell onto his skin.

He turned the pillar a little, found a bump, and rubbed it down with patience.

Air moved through the doorway and brushed the string, and the paper leaves began a waltz.

Their thin shadows crossed the floorboards and swam over Glynis's canvas bag near the stool.

A stronger breeze arrived and a dried leaf slipped free from a weak knot.

Its slow descent tilted and turned, and then it landed against Jude's wet pillar.

The surface gripped it, and his eyes widened when fine lines pressed into the clay.

He lifted the leaf by its stem and set it on the tray beside him.

A gray smear stayed on the leaf, and the pillar held a bright new print.

Jude kept turning the piece and chased the pattern around while the string of leaves swung.

Jude 站在做黏土的工作間，Glynis 坐在旁邊，正塑形她自己的杯子。

日光從敞開的門口斜進來，在桌面鋪下一道乾淨的光帶。

一個托盤盛著上個季節留下的乾葉，數量很多，邊緣薄而像紙。

門邊還掛著一串紙葉，它們繫在小結上，輕輕轉動。

Jude 搓了一條厚卷，立起來，慢慢堆高成一根小小的黏土柱。

他按壓那條卷，檢查會不會晃動，再用木工具把接縫抹平。

冷涼的黏土貼住他的手心，散出潮濕、帶土味的氣味，沾在皮膚上。

他把柱子轉一轉，找到一個小鼓起，耐心地把它揉順。

空氣從門口流進來，掠過那條繩子，紙葉便像在華爾滋般旋轉。

它們細細的影子越過木地板，掠過凳子旁 Glynis 的帆布袋。

一陣較強的風進來，一片乾葉從較鬆的結頭滑脫了。

它慢慢下降，斜著旋轉，最後貼在 Jude 溼潤的柱子上。

黏土表面黏住了它，細細的線條壓進去時，他的眼睛睜大了。

他捏住葉柄把葉子提起，放到身旁的托盤上。

葉片上留下灰色的抹痕，而柱子上留住一枚清亮的新印。

Jude 繼續轉著這件作品，沿著圖案追著走，而那串葉子還在搖擺。