4.1 Stone and the flower 石头与花儿

"You have hardened" said the flower,bending her petals¹ downward toward the half stone at her roots."These rains should have softened² you.made you more fertile and receptive to the seeds of minerals;but no. You have accumulated minerals，become more silent. Why do you stay here? Why do you resist the brook³ that gives us water?"

The stone said nothing .

A number of clouds passed by,the sun set and the night arrived . The silent stone still had not fallen asleep.The flower had tucked in her petals and slept perfoundly, and at this the stone began to answer:

"I stay here because your roots have made me yours.I stay here because it is no longer about my feelings about the earth rather because I have because part of that which functions as a support of your stem which resists the wind and the rain .Everthing changes,my sweet flowers,"said the stone,"but I stay here because love is that microscopic⁴ space between your feet and my salted skin.You would only be able to feel it if destiny were ever to separate the two of us."

The moon followed the fade of the stars.Dawn gave a yawn as the sun began to burn its horizon on the mouth of a new day.The flower awoke and extended her beautiful petals."Good morning ,"she said,"I dreamt that you were singing to me .How foolish of me ,don't you think?"

The stone said nothing.

1 petals   

n.花瓣( petal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣
• The petals of many flowers expand in the sunshine. 许多花瓣在阳光下开放。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

3 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

4 microscopic   

adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的

参考例句：

• It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
• A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。