The Princess was always brightest in spring, just after the conifers emerged from the snow, their deep green needles seeming almost black against the tawny browns of soil and bark. It was autumn now. I could still see her but she was fading: the reds and yellows of a dying summer obscured her dark form. Soon it would snow. In the valley that first snow would melt but on the mountain it would linger, burying the Princess until spring, when she would reappear, watchful.
conifer[ˈkɒnɪfə]针叶树
needle[ˈniːdl]松针
tawny [ˈtɔːni]茶色的
bark[bɑːk]吠声、吠叫；此处意为树皮
linger[ˈlɪŋɡə]逗留
春天，在针叶树刚从雪里露出头时，公主山总是最为醒目。深绿色的针叶，看起来几乎是黑色的，与土壤和树皮的黄褐色形成鲜明的对比。现在几乎是秋天了。我仍然能够看见她，但她在逐渐消失：晚夏的红色和黄色遮住了她的黑色轮廓。很快山上便会下起雪来。在山谷里第一场雪会融化，但在山上雪会继续留存，覆盖住公主山直到来年春天，那时她会小心翼翼地重新出现。
