The First Snow

The first snow came. How beautiful it was, falling so silently all day long, all night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs of the living, on the graves of the dead! All white save the river, that marked its course by a winding black line across the landscape; and the leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now revealed more fully the wonderful beauty and intricacies of their branches. What silence, too, came with the snow, and what seclusion! Every sound was muffled, every noise changed to something soft and musical. No more tramping hoofs, no more ratting wheels! Only the chiming of sleigh-bells, beating as swift and merrily as the hearts of children.

　　注释：
　　1. meadows：n. 草地、牧场
　　2. save：prep. 除了......以外
　　3. leaden：adj. 铅灰色的
　　4. intricacies：n. 原指错综复杂，这里指树枝盘结交错
　　5. seclusion：n. 宁静、远离喧嚣
　　6. was muffled：被压抑而低沉
　　7. tramping：形容马蹄踏地发出“得得”声的样子
　　8. rattling：形容车轮发出“咯咯”声的样子
　　9. sleigh-bells：雪橇的铃铛