The Chalk Clinic and a Hidden Crumb - 適合初學者的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Tess rests her palms on the smooth table. The wood holds a faint dust line. Her fingers press the table edge. Cool slate waits at eye level. The mother draws on the slate. Lines form a small chalk clinic. Dust drifts down. A dry wool smell sits near the eraser.

Tess leans toward the picture. She moves past the chalk tray. Short colored pieces line the groove. A fine dust lines the groove. She comes to the slate face. The tray’s lower lip blocks the bottom. She lowers her head and kneels. "A small door here," the mother says. A fresh line holds a sharp edge. An earlier one stays as pale haze.

Tess shifts back the same way. She eases from the slate to the tray. At the slate’s lower edge, a faint shine stays. Her tongue taps her lower lip. It only touches skin. Back at the tray, a tiny dirt crumb sits.

Tess stays still and looks. Hands stay flat on the table. The mother sets the pink stub back. Light falls in. The tiny dirt crumb lies in the groove.

Tess把手掌放在光滑的桌面上。木頭上留著一道淡淡的粉痕。她的手指抵住桌緣。冷涼的石板在視線高度前。母親在石板上畫線。幾筆線條排成一座小小的粉筆診所。粉塵緩緩往下飄。橡皮擦旁邊有股乾乾的羊毛味。

Tess把身子向圖畫傾去。她移過粉筆托盤。一排短短的彩色粉筆排在槽裡。細粉沿著槽邊一線鋪著。她來到石板正面前。托盤的下緣擋住了底部。她把頭放低並跪下。母親說：「這裡有一扇小門。」新畫的線還帶著銳利的邊。早先的線留成淡淡的一層霧。

Tess照原路往回挪。她從石板邊慢慢移到托盤旁。在石板的下緣，有一道微微的亮。她的舌尖輕點下唇。只碰到皮膚。回到托盤，一粒小小的灰土就靜靜地在那裡。

Tess停住不動看著。她的手平放在桌上。母親把粉紅色短筆放回去。光線斜斜落進來。那粒小小的灰土躺在槽裡。