Windowsill Glass and the Slowly Moving Rainbow - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Each afternoon, Petra set a clear glass of water on the windowsill.

The simple vessel sat heavy and cool, and the painted wood felt warm.

She eased it into the bright strip of sun to harness the light.

On the sill, a bright bar already lay, long and straight across the paint.

Ivan sat close on a low chair, turning a page and resting his arm.

His newspaper gave a soft whisper each time a corner slid under his thumb.

She nudged the base a little at a time until the rim met the stripe.

The sill gave off gentle heat, while the glass rim chilled her fingertips.

A faint clean smell from the tap rose as a damp ring marked the paint.

Her forearms pressed the sill, and her sleeves picked up fine dust arcs.

A white line broke into a small rainbow on the pale wall by the table.

Petra leaned closer, and an inquisitive tilt held her head as colors spread.

She turned the glass a little, and the band sharpened along its edges.

Warmth from the sun lay harmless on her knuckles and the back of her hand.

The rainbow crept slowly, less than a finger’s width, while minutes drifted by.

She kept the vessel steady, then breathed out and shifted it by a hair.

Minutes passed; before she looked up, a cool brush of air touched her cheek.

The curtain moved, and the rainbow slid off the wall and broke into spots.

One patch landed on Ivan’s sleeve, and tiny colors climbed the fabric weave.

Another patch fell on the tablecloth and lay across a spoon’s bowl.

Petra refused the first dull patch and tipped the vessel two finger-widths.

Ivan’s fingers steadied the base, and the thin band crossed the open page.

A wet circle stayed on the sill, and cool water dotted Petra’s skin.

The colors inched over the open page and slipped across its edge.

每個下午，Petra 把一杯清水放在窗臺上。

這個簡單的容器沉穩又冰涼，漆過的木頭帶著溫熱。

她把杯子推進陽光的亮帶，想把光線收住。

在窗臺上，一道亮亮的光條已經橫著躺在漆面上。

Ivan 坐在一張矮椅旁邊，翻著書頁，手臂靠在一邊。

每次他翻動一角，報紙都發出輕輕的摩擦聲。

她一點一點推正杯底，直到杯口對齊那條亮帶。

窗臺送出溫熱，而玻璃杯口冰著她的指尖。

自來水的清味輕輕升起，一個濕圓圈在漆面上留下痕跡。

她前臂貼住窗臺，袖口上沾了幾道細細的灰弧。

一道白線在桌邊的淺色牆上分開，變成一條小彩虹。

Petra 靠得更近，她的頭微微側著，帶著探問的姿勢，顏色慢慢展開。

她把杯子輕輕一轉，色帶在邊緣變得更清楚。

太陽的暖意落在她的指節和手背上，很柔和，沒有灼痛。

彩虹很慢地爬移，不到一指寬，時間一分一分過去。

她讓杯子穩住，然後吐口氣，再把它挪動一點點。

幾分鐘過去；她還沒抬頭前，一陣涼意掃過她的臉頰。

窗簾動了，彩虹離開牆面，碎成幾塊小色斑。

有一塊落在 Ivan 的袖子上，細小的顏色沿著布紋往上爬。

另一塊落在桌布上，剛好橫過一支湯匙的匙面。

Petra 不接受那個暗淡的區塊，把杯子又傾了兩指寬。

Ivan 的手指扶住杯底，那一道細細的光帶越過攤開的頁面。

一個濕圓圈留在窗臺上，涼水在 Petra 的皮膚上點成幾滴。

彩色的帶子在那頁紙上慢慢前進，最後滑過頁緣。