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