Burmese Days 缅甸岁月 Chapter 14

Like long curved needles threading through embroidery ², the two canoes that carried Flory and Elizabeth threaded their way up the creek ³ that led inland from the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy. It was the day of the shooting trip--a short afternoon trip, for they could not stay a night in the jungle together. They were to shoot for a couple of hours in the comparative cool of the evening, and be back at Kyauktada in time for dinner., ,The canoes, each hollowed out of a single tree-trunk, glided ⁴ swiftly, hardly rippling ⁵ the dark brown water. Water hyacinth with profuse ⁶ spongy foliage ⁷ and blue flowers had choked the stream so that the channel was only a winding ⁸ ribbon four feet wide. The light filtered, greenish, through interlacing boughs ¹⁰. Sometimes one could hear parrots scream overhead, but no wild creatures showed themselves, except once a snake that swam hurriedly away and disappeared among the water hyacinth., ,'How long before we get to the village?' Elizabeth called back to Flory. He was in a larger canoe behind, together with Flo and Ko S'la, paddled by a wrinkly old woman dressed in rags., , ,The old woman took her cigar out of her mouth and rested her paddle on her knees to think. 'The distance a man can shout,' she said after reflection., ,'About half a mile,' Flory translated., ,They tried to make themselves heard over the din of the crowd.他们力图让自己的声音盖过人群的喧闹声。,This exquisite embroidery won people's great admiration.这件精美的绣品，使人惊叹不已 。