The Marble Beneath the Bench- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

The grey squirrel leaped from stone to stone along the riverbank. A refreshing breeze lifted its tail and cooled the midday air. Cool mist rose above the surface, and wet stone scented the moving air. Rain has softened the soil near the water. Marks from last week’s boots still curve beside the path. Geese roam farther downstream, leaving narrow trails through floating weeds. Ahead, an oak spreads heavy branches; dry leaves carpet the ground under the thick trunk. The squirrel grasps a single fat acorn between its teeth and darts toward that quiet spot. It pauses when roots arch like small walls, blocking an easy hole.

Claws scrape, yet the packed earth resists each quick dig. A fallen bench from the picnic area lies tilted nearby. One leg is sunk deep into mud that has cracked in the sun. The squirrel circles the bench, nose twitching rapidly. Bright glass flashes under a splintered plank nearby. A green marble rests where water once pooled and vanished. Startled by the shine, the squirrel jumps back. The acorn drops and rolls beneath the bench. It settles inside a shallow groove already pressed by the broken leg. The groove offers softer soil than the hard ridge beside the roots. Small paws pat the place until the nut disappears, hidden beside the marble. A final flick of the tail sends loose dust over both objects. The squirrel springs toward the next tree nearby.

一隻灰松鼠沿著河岸在石頭間跳躍。清新的微風掀動牠的尾巴，帶走正午的熱氣。薄薄的霧氣從水面升起，濕石的氣味飄散在流動的空氣中。雨水已經讓靠近水邊的土壤變得鬆軟，因此上週留下的靴印仍沿著小徑彎曲。鵝群在下游緩緩巡遊，漂浮的水草上留著細窄的痕跡。前方，一棵橡樹展開粗壯枝條；乾葉鋪滿粗大的樹幹下方。松鼠咬著一顆飽滿橡實，衝向那片寧靜的地方。根鬚像矮牆般拱起，牠停下來，簡單的洞口被擋住。

爪子刮著地面，但結實的泥土阻止每一次快速挖掘。野餐區倒下的一張長椅傾斜在旁，一隻桌腳深陷於被太陽曬裂的泥中。松鼠繞著長椅迅速轉圈，鼻尖不停顫動。一片碎板近旁，亮閃的玻璃反光跳動。一顆綠色彈珠靜靜躺在曾積水後又乾涸的凹處。耀眼的光芒讓松鼠猛然後跳。橡實掉落，滾到長椅下方。它停在長椅壓出的淺槽內，泥比樹根旁的硬脊更柔軟。小爪拍壓，直到堅果消失，靠著彈珠藏好。尾巴最後輕甩，鬆土覆蓋兩件小東西；松鼠向附近下一棵樹跳去。