Audiobook Dictation: “For all its appalling speed, the…”

For all its appalling speed, the sound of his flight was nothing more than a strong pulsating hiss.

儘管速度駭人，牠飛行的聲音也不過是一陣強勁而有節奏的嘶嘶聲。

Close ahead of him now the teal saw refuge--the flashing line of the rapids.

這時，小水鴨看見前方不遠處就是避難所——那道閃閃發光的急流。

But the hawk was already close upon him.

可是鷹已經逼近了牠。

In despair he hurled himself downward too soon.

絕望之中，牠過早地俯衝了下去。

It was enough, however, and the unhappy teal was hurled earthward, flapping through the tips of the branches.

然而這一擊已經足夠，不幸的小水鴨被打得朝地面墜去，撲騰著穿過枝梢。

The great hawk followed hurriedly, to retrieve his prey from the ground.

大鷹急忙跟著俯衝下去，想從地上叼回牠的獵物。

As it chanced, however, the victim came down with a thud almost beneath the whiskered nose of the wildcat.

可是事有湊巧，那獵物撲通一聲，幾乎正好落在野貓那長著鬍鬚的鼻子底下。

A pounce, and the great cat had her paw upon it, and crouched snarling up at the hawk.

猛地一撲，那隻大貓便用爪子按住了獵物，伏低身子，衝著鷹齜牙低吼。

But wisdom came to him just in time, and he did not strike home.

好在鷹及時清醒過來，沒有撲下去。