Introduction：The Storm is plotted as a sequel of Chopin’s another story“The Cadian Ball”in which Calixta and Alcee had a flirtation several years before this story takes place，but each made a more suitable marriage to someone else and they have not seen each other since。During a storm，Alcee happens to step into Calixta’s house for a shelter from rain。Will the appearance of Alcee change Calixta’s life？
1.The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain。Bobint，who was accustomed to converse on terms of perfect equality with his little son，called the child’s attention to certain sombre clouds that were rolling withsinister intention from the west，accompanied by a sullen，threatening roar。They were at Friedheimer’s store and decided to remain there till the storm had passed。They sat within the door on two empty kegs。Bibi was four years old and looked very wise。
2.“Mama’ll be’fraid，yes，”he suggested with blinking eyes。
3.“She’ll shut the house。Maybe she got Sylvie helpin’her this evenin’。”Bobint responded reassuringly。
4.“No she ent got Sylvie。Sylvie was help in‘her yistiday，’”piped Bibi。
評注：肖邦是美國南方鄉土作家。對“鄉土”語言的真實再現是她創作的風格之一。在上下文的對話中，讀者會發現一些殘缺的詞或非正常拚寫的詞，這正是南方人下層人的語言風格。
5.Bobint arose and going across to the counter purchased a canof shrimps，of which Calixtawas very fond。Then he returned to his perch on the keg and sat stolidly holdingthe can of shrimps while the storm burst。It shook the wooden store and seemed to be ripping great furrows in the distant field。Bibi laid his little hand on his father’s knee and was not afraid。
be accustomed to：習慣於
converse：v。交談，對話，交流
sombre：adj。昏暗的
sinister：adj。險惡的
accompany：v。伴奏
sullen：adj。（天氣等）陰沉的
keg：n。小桶
pipe：v。用尖嗓子說
purchase：v。買，購買
stolidly：adv。遲鈍地
6.Calixta，at home，felt no uneasiness for their safety。She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine。She was greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm。But she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration gathered in beads。She unfastened her white sacque at the throat。It began to grow dark，and suddenly realizing the situation shegot up hurriedly and went about closing windows and doors。
評注：“天氣狀況”在小說中起到了特殊重要的作用。從風暴前的悶熱，到狂風暴雨，到雨過天晴，天氣變化成了貫穿情節發展的一條複線，與故事情節的跌宕起伏緊密呼應。此外，天氣變化同時也是主人公內心世界的外投，請讀者注意本部分中風暴對推動情節的作用和它的象征意義。
7.Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobint’s Sundayclothes to dry and she hastened out to gather them before the rain fell。As she stepped outside，Alcée Laballière rode in at the gate。She had not seen him very often since her marriage，and never alone。She stood there with Bobint’s coat in her hands，and the big rain drops began to fall。Alcée rode his horse under the shelter ofa side projection where the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a harrow piled up in the corner。
8.“May I come and wait on your gallery till the storm is over，Calixta？”he asked。
9.“Come‘long in，M’sieur Alcée。”
10.His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance，and she seized Bobint’s vest。Alcée，mounting to the porch，grabbed the trousers and snatched Bibi’s braided jacket that was about to be carried away by a sudden gust of wind。Heexpressed an intention to remain outside，but it was soon apparent that he might as well have been out in the open：the water beat in upon the boards in driving sheets，and he went inside，closing the door after him。It was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep the water out。
11.“My！what a rain！It’s good two years sence it rain’like that，”exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alcée helped her to thrust it beneath the crack。
uneasiness：n。不安
approaching：adj。臨近的
perspiration：n。流汗
bead：n。汗珠
sacque：n。寬大衣
hasten：v。趕緊，匆忙
shelter：n。遮蔽處
projection：n。突出部分
huddle：v。擁擠，蜷縮
startle：v。使震驚
vest：n。汗衫
mount：v。登上
apparent：adj。明顯的
might as well：最好
exclaim：v。驚叫
bagging：n。製造袋子的布
thrust：v。塞入，插入
crack：n。裂紋
12.She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she married but she had lost nothing of her vivacity。Her blue eyes still retained their melting quality and her yellow hair，disheveled by the wind and rain，kinked more stubbornly than ever about her ears and temples。
13.The rain beat upon the low，shingled roof with a force and clatter that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there。They were in the dining room—the sitting room—the general utility room。Adjoining was her bed room，with Bibi’s couch along side her own。The door stood open，and the room with its white，monumental bed，its closed shutters，looked dim and mysterious。
14.Alcée flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which she had been sewing。
15.“If this keeps up，Dieu sait if the levees goin’to stanit！”she exclaimed。
vivacity：n。活潑
dishevel：v。使頭發淩亂
stubbornly：adv。倔強地，頑固地
temples：n。太陽穴
clatter：n。嘩啦聲
deluge：v。淹，浸
adjoining：adj。隔壁的
shutter：n。百葉窗
dim：adj。昏暗的
fling：v。猛然擲出
levees：n。防洪提16“What have you got to do with the levees？”
17.“I got enough to do！An’there’s Bobint with Bibi out in that storm—if heonly didn’left Friedheimer’s！”
18.“Let us hope，Calixta，that Bobint’s got sense enough to come in out of a cyclone。”
19.She went and stood at the window with a greatly disturbed look on her face。She wiped the frame that was clouded with moisture。It was stiflingly hot。Alcée got up and joined her at the window，looking over her shoulder。The rain was coming down in sheets obscuring the view of far-off cabins and enveloping the distant wood in a gray mist。The playing of the lightning was incessant。A bolt struck a tall chinaberry tree at the edge of the field。It filled all visible spacewith a blinding glare and the crash seemed to invade the very boards they stood upon。
20.Calixta put her hands to her eyes，and with a cry，staggeredbackward。Alcée’s arm encircled her，and for an instant he drew her close andspasmodically to him。