There was a moment of sinister silence, then a multitudinous stirring of the leaves. A shiver ran through the tree, and the wind sent forth a blast that would have knocked me off had I not clung to the branch with might and main. The tree swayed and strained. The small twigs snapped and fell about me in showers. A wild impulse to jump seized me, but terror held me fast. I crouched down in the fork of the tree. The branches lashed about me. I felt the intermittent jarring that came now and then, as if something heavy had fallen and the shock had traveled up till it reached the limb I sat on. It worked my suspense up to the highest point, and just as I was thinking the tree and I should fall together, my teacher seized my hand and helped me down. I clung to her, trembling with joy to feel the earth under my feet once more. I had learned a new lesson--that nature "wages open war against her children, and under softest touch hides treacherous claws."
接着，是片刻的宁静，令人产生不祥的预感。随后，周围的树叶大肆抖动起来，我身下的樱桃树发出一阵震颤，如果不是我用尽力气紧紧抱住树干，迎面而来的一股狂风就会把我掀到地上。树摇晃得很厉害，在风雨的裹挟下，我身边的小树枝噼啪作响，似乎在嘲笑我的渺小。一阵狂暴的悸动攫住了我，恐惧感令我难以自抑。我蜷缩在树杈之间，任凭枝叶的鞭打。我断断续续地感到了身边强烈的震动，仿佛有某种重物坠落。震颤在头顶上划过，一直传到了我身下的树杈上。我的不安已经达到了极限，因为我觉得我和大树会一起倒下。幸好我的老师及时抓住了我的手，把我从树上弄下来。我紧紧地依附在老师身边，高兴得浑身颤抖，我又一次感受到了脚下坚实的土地。我想我已经学会了新的一课——大自然时常会“向她的子民公然发起战争，在其最温柔的触摸之下，隐藏着一双险恶的利爪”。
After this experience it was a long time before I climbed another tree. The mere thought filled me with terror. It was the sweet allurement of the mimosa tree in full bloom that finally overcame my fears. One beautiful spring morning when I was alone in the summer-house, reading, I became aware of a wonderful subtle fragrance in the air. I started up and instinctively stretched out my hands. It seemed as if the spirit of spring had passed through the summer-house. "What is it?" I asked, and the next minute I recognized the odour of the mimosa blossoms. I felt my way to the end of the garden, knowing that the mimosa tree was near the fence, at the turn of the path. Yes, there it was, all quivering in the warm sunshine, its blossom-laden branches almost touching the long grass. Was there ever anything so exquisitely beautiful in the world before! Its delicate blossoms shrank from the slightest earthly touch; it seemed as if a tree of paradise had been transplanted to earth. I made my way through a shower ofpetals to the great trunk and for one minute stood irresolute; then, putting my foot in the broad space between the forked branches, I pulled myself up into the tree. I had some difficulty in holding on, for the branches were very large and the bark hurt my hands. But I had a delicious sense that I was doing something unusual and wonderful, so I kept on climbing higher and higher, until I reached a little seat which somebody had built there so long ago that it had grown part of the tree itself. I sat there for a long, long time, feeling like a fairy on a rosy cloud. After that I spent many happy hours in my tree of paradise, thinking fair thoughts and dreaming bright dreams.
在经历了这件事之后，有很长一段时间，我都没有再爬树。我留下来的唯一记忆就是恐惧。但是，金合欢树盛开的花朵和迷人的芬芳终于使我战胜了恐惧。那是一个春天的早晨，我正独自在凉亭里阅读。渐渐地，我觉察到空气中弥漫着一股淡淡的香气。于是，我一下子站起来，本能地伸出双手，仿佛在探寻着穿过凉亭的春天的气息。“这是什么东西？”我在心里发出疑问。紧接着，我就认出了这是金合欢花的气味。我摸索着来到花园尽头，我知道那棵金合欢树就在篱笆附近小路的拐角处。不错，它就在那里，在和煦的阳光下，金合欢树轻轻摇曳，它那缀满花朵的枝桠几乎垂到了长长的草丛上。世上怎么会有如此精巧美丽的花朵！即使是最轻微的触动，它那精致的花瓣也会立刻回缩并拢，就像是一棵天堂之树被移植到了人间。拨开繁茂的花枝，我走到了巨大的树干下面。我先是犹豫地站了一小会，然后，我把双脚放在了树杈之间的宽阔地带，并且开始向上攀。保持攀登姿态相当吃力，因为树干非常粗大，树皮还磨破了我的双手。可是我依然斗志昂扬，沉浸在征服困难的喜悦之中。我继续往高处爬，一直爬到了一个凳子上。这个小凳子是很早以前的什么人绑在这里的，如今，它已经长成了大树的一部分。在高高的树杈之间，我坐了很长时间，我觉得自己就像一个坐在玫瑰祥云上的仙女。一连好几个小时，我在这棵天堂之树上展开神思遐想，做了一个又一个有关光明的梦。