Fountain Spray Reaches a Pigeon and a Shoe - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

A pigeon paced the first ring of stones around the old fountain each noon. Its toes gripped the smooth stone, and its body settled into a known rhythm. It pecked at dry husks and sipped from shallow beads that clung near drains. Water collected in small hollows near the drain cap by the third tile. It lowered its head, drank, and lifted with a shake that sent tiny rings. Its chest met cool air; neck feathers ruffled, then lay smooth along the curve. A crust of bread broke in Neve's hands, and crumbs slid onto the paving. Rafael sat within reach, his knees angled toward her and the square.

A cool mist met warm stone, and a soft hiss ran across the basin's lip. The mist cooled nearby hands, and the sound held a steady, even note. Sun warmed the bench slats, yet the rim stayed slick and dark in places. The spray kept its arc while light shifted, and ripples brushed the circle of tiles. The pigeon leaned to inspect a wet crumb near Neve's shoe and then pecked. It tilted its head, found another bead along a seam, and took a drink. It stepped and tested its grip with its claws before another careful sip.

A breeze rose and swept the spray sideways, and damp began to invade dry stones. Drops reached the pigeon, so it lifted one foot and shifted to a drier angle. It tucked the lifted foot close to its belly and held still for a beat. Then it angled its body away from the spray and kept the other side dry. New wet patches spread across the pale stone, darker than the first ring. A thin shadow passed over its back as birds migrated in a high line. High calls drifted from the migrating line, thin and quick against the sky. The arc swung farther for a breath; a splash dotted Neve's shoe leather dark. Rafael had not expected the splash; his eyebrows lifted, and he glanced at the rim. The pigeon kept pacing, left two wet prints on the tile, and pecked again.

每到中午，一隻鴿子沿著舊噴泉外第一圈石板來回走動。牠的趾頭抓緊平滑的石面，身體跟著熟悉的步調穩住。牠啄乾燥的殼，並從排水孔附近黏著的淺淺水珠啜飲。水聚在第三塊石板旁、排水蓋邊的小凹處。牠低頭飲水，又抬起來輕抖一下，細小水圈散開。涼風貼上牠的胸口；頸羽蓬起，隨後又貼平成弧線。Neve 手中的麵包脆皮裂開，碎屑滑到石板地上。Rafael 就在她身旁，膝蓋朝著她和廣場。

涼霧碰上溫熱的石面，盆邊傳出細細的嘶嘶聲。霧氣涼了周遭的手，聲音維持著平穩、均勻的一線。陽光烘熱了長椅木條，但邊緣幾處仍然濕滑而發暗。光線在移動，水花仍保持弧形，細紋掠過一圈石磚。鴿子俯身檢視 Neve 鞋旁的一粒濕屑，接著啄了一下。牠側頭，在接縫邊再找到一顆水珠，然後抿了一口。牠換步，用爪子試了抓力，才又小心啜飲一次。

一陣風起，把水花橫掃出去，潮意開始入侵乾石面。水點打到鴿子，牠便抬起一隻腳，換到較乾的角度。抬起的腳收向腹前，牠停住一瞬。然後牠把身體轉離水花，讓另一側保持乾爽。新的濕痕鋪開在淡色石面，比最外圈更深一點。一道細影掠過牠背上，高空有鳥排成線遷徙而過。高處傳來輕快短促的叫聲，沿著那條遷徙的隊列飄下。弧形一度甩得更遠；水點把 Neve 的鞋面點成一片深色。Rafael 沒料到這一記水花，他眉頭一抬，目光掠向盆邊。鴿子繼續踱步，在磚面留下兩個濕腳印，又啄了一下。