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the little mermaid-第3部分

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Through the clear crystal of the lofty windows could be seen noble

rooms; with costly silk curtains and hangings of tapestry; while the

walls were covered with beautiful paintings which were a pleasure to

look at。 In the centre of the largest saloon a fountain threw its

sparkling jets high up into the glass cupola of the ceiling; through

which the sun shone down upon the water and upon the beautiful

plants growing round the basin of the fountain。 Now that she knew

where he lived; she spent many an evening and many a night on the

water near the palace。 She would swim much nearer the shore than any

of the others ventured to do; indeed once she went quite up the narrow

channel under the marble balcony; which threw a broad shadow on the

water。 Here she would sit and watch the young prince; who thought

himself quite alone in the bright moonlight。 She saw him many times of

an evening sailing in a pleasant boat; with music playing and flags

waving。 She peeped out from among the green rushes; and if the wind

caught her long silvery…white veil; those who saw it believed it to be

a swan; spreading out its wings。 On many a night; too; when the

fishermen; with their torches; were out at sea; she heard them

relate so many good things about the doings of the young prince;

that she was glad she had saved his life when he had been tossed about

half…dead on the waves。 And she remembered that his head had rested on

her bosom; and how heartily she had kissed him; but he knew nothing of

all this; and could not even dream of her。 She grew more and more fond

of human beings; and wished more and more to be able to wander about

with those whose world seemed to be so much larger than her own。

They could fly over the sea in ships; and mount the high hills which

were far above the clouds; and the lands they possessed; their woods

and their fields; stretched far away beyond the reach of her sight。

There was so much that she wished to know; and her sisters were unable

to answer all her questions。 Then she applied to her old

grandmother; who knew all about the upper world; which she very

rightly called the lands above the sea。

    〃If human beings are not drowned;〃 asked the little mermaid;

〃can they live forever? do they never die as we do here in the sea?〃

    〃Yes;〃 replied the old lady; 〃they must also die; and their term

of life is even shorter than ours。 We sometimes live to three

hundred years; but when we cease to exist here we only become the foam

on the surface of the water; and we have not even a grave down here of

those we love。 We have not immortal souls; we shall never live

again; but; like the green sea…weed; when once it has been cut off; we

can never flourish more。 Human beings; on the contrary; have a soul

which lives forever; lives after the body has been turned to dust。

It rises up through the clear; pure air beyond the glittering stars。

As we rise out of the water; and behold all the land of the earth;

so do they rise to unknown and glorious regions which we shall never

see。〃

    〃Why have not we an immortal soul?〃 asked the little mermaid

mournfully; 〃I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have

to live; to be a human being only for one day; and to have the hope of

knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars。〃

    〃You must not think of that;〃 said the old woman; 〃we feel

ourselves to be much happier and much better off than human beings。〃

    〃So I shall die;〃 said the little mermaid; 〃and as the foam of the

sea I shall be driven about never again to hear the music of the

waves; or to see the pretty flowers nor the red sun。 Is there anything

I can do to win an immortal soul?〃

    〃No;〃 said the old woman; 〃unless a man were to love you so much

that you were more to him than his father or mother; and if all his

thoughts and all his love were fixed upon you; and the priest placed

his right hand in yours; and he promised to be true to you here and

hereafter; then his soul would glide into your body and you would

obtain a share in the future happiness of mankind。 He would give a

soul to you and retain his own as well; but this can never happen。

Your fish's tail; which amongst us is considered so beautiful; is

thought on earth to be quite ugly; they do not know any better; and

they think it necessary to have two stout props; which they call legs;

in order to be handsome。〃

    Then the little mermaid sighed; and looked sorrowfully at her

fish's tail。 〃Let us be happy;〃 said the old lady; 〃and dart and

spring about during the three hundred years that we have to live;

which is really quite long enough; after that we can rest ourselves

all the better。 This evening we are going to have a court ball。〃

    It is one of those splendid sights which we can never see on

earth。 The walls and the ceiling of the large ball…room were of thick;

but transparent crystal。 May hundreds of colossal shells; some of a

deep red; others of a grass green; stood on each side in rows; with

blue fire in them; which lighted up the whole saloon; and shone

through the walls; so that the sea was also illuminated。 Innumerable

fishes; great and small; swam past the crystal walls; on some of

them the scales glowed with a purple brilliancy; and on others they

shone like silver and gold。 Through the halls flowed a broad stream;

and in it danced the mermen and the mermaids to the music of their own

sweet singing。 No one on earth has such a lovely voice as theirs。

The little mermaid sang more sweetly than them all。 The whole court

applauded her with hands and tails; and for a moment her heart felt

quite gay; for she knew she had the loveliest voice of any on earth or

in the sea。 But she soon thought again of the world above her; for she

could not forget the charming prince; nor her sorrow that she had

not an immortal soul like his; therefore she crept away silently out

of her father's palace; and while everything within was gladness and

song; she sat in her own little garden sorrowful and alone。 Then she

heard the bugle sounding through the water; and thought… 〃He is

certainly sailing above; he on whom my wishes depend; and in whose

hands I should like to place the happiness of my life。 I will

venture all for him; and to win an immortal soul; while my sisters are

dancing in my father's palace; I will go to the sea witch; of whom I

have always been so much afraid; but she can give me counsel and

help。〃

    And then the little mermaid went out from her garden; and took the

road to the foaming whirlpools; behind which the sorceress lived。

She had never been that way before: neither flowers nor grass grew

there; nothing but bare; gray; sandy ground stretched out to the

whirlpool; where the water; like foaming mill…wheels; whirled round

everything that it seized; and cast it into the fathomless deep。

Through the midst of these crushing whirlpools the little mermaid

was obliged to pass; to reach the dominions of the sea witch; and also

for a long distance the only road lay right across a quantity of warm;

bubbling mire; called by the witch her turfmoor。 Beyond this stood her

house; in the centre of a strange forest; in which all the trees and

flowers were polypi; half animals and half plants; they looked like

serpents with a hundred heads growing out of the ground。 The

branches were long slimy arms; with fingers like flexible worms;

moving limb after limb from the root to the top。 All that could be

reached in the sea they seized upon; and held fast; so that it never

escaped from their clutches。 The little mermaid was so alarmed at what

she saw; that she stood still; and her heart beat with fear; and she

was very nearly turning back; but she thought of the prince; and of

the human soul for which she longed; and her courage returned。 She

fastened her long flowing hair round her head; so that the polypi

might not seize hold of it。 She laid her hands together across her

bosom; and then she darted forward as a fish shoots through the water;

between the supple arms and fingers of the ugly polypi; which were

stretched out on each side of her。 She saw that each held in its grasp

something it had seized with its numerous little arms; as if they were

iron bands。 The white skeletons of human beings who had perished at

sea; and had sunk down into the deep waters; skeletons of land

animals; oars; rudders; and chests of ships were lying tightly grasped

by their clinging arms; even a little mermaid; whom they had caught

and strangled; and this seemed the most shocking of all to the

little princess。

    She now came to a space of marshy ground in the wood; where large;

fat water…snakes were rolling in the mire; and showing their ugly;

drab…colored bodies。 In the midst of this spot stood a house; built

with the bones of shipwrecked human beings。 There sat the sea witch;

allowing a toad to eat from her mouth; just as people sometimes feed a

canary with a piece of sugar。 She called the ugly water…snakes her

little chickens; and allowed them to crawl all over her bosom。

    〃I know what you want;〃 said the sea witch; 〃it is very stupid

of you; but you shall have your way; and it will bring you to

sorrow; my pretty princess。 You want to get rid of your fish's tail;

and to have two supports instead of it; like human beings on earth; so

that the young prince may fall in love with you; and that you may have

an immortal soul。〃 And then the witch laughed so loud and

disgustingly; that the toad and the snakes fell to the ground; and lay

there wriggling about。 〃You are but just in time;〃 said the witch;

〃for after sunrise to…morrow I should not be able to help you till the

end of another year。 I will prepare a draught for you; with which

you must swim to land tomorrow before sunrise; and sit down on the

shore and drink it。 Your tail will then disappear; and shrink up

into what mankind calls legs; and you will feel great pain; as if a

sword were passing through you。 But all who see you will say that

you are the prettiest little human being they ever saw。 You will still

have the same floating graceful
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