the little mermaid-第4章

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twinkling　star。

　　　　So　she　passed　quickly　through　the　wood　and　the　marsh；　and

between　the　rushing　whirlpools。　She　saw　that　in　her　father's　palace

the　torches　in　the　ballroom　were　extinguished；　and　all　within

asleep；　but　she　did　not　venture　to　go　in　to　them；　for　now　she　was　dumb

and　going　to　leave　them　forever；　she　felt　as　if　her　heart　would　break。

She　stole　into　the　garden；　took　a　flower　from　the　flower…beds　of

each　of　her　sisters；　kissed　her　hand　a　thousand　times　towards　the

palace；　and　then　rose　up　through　the　dark　blue　waters。　The　sun　had　not

risen　when　she　came　in　sight　of　the　prince's　palace；　and　approached

the　beautiful　marble　steps；　but　the　moon　shone　clear　and　bright。

Then　the　little　mermaid　drank　the　magic　draught；　and　it　seemed　as　if　a

two…edged　sword　went　through　her　delicate　body：　she　fell　into　a　swoon；

and　lay　like　one　dead。　When　the　sun　arose　and　shone　over　the　sea；

she　recovered；　and　felt　a　sharp　pain；　but　just　before　her　stood　the

handsome　young　prince。　He　fixed　his　coal…black　eyes　upon　her　so

earnestly　that　she　cast　down　her　own；　and　then　became　aware　that　her

fish's　tail　was　gone；　and　that　she　had　as　pretty　a　pair　of　white

legs　and　tiny　feet　as　any　little　maiden　could　have；　but　she　had　no

clothes；　so　she　wrapped　herself　in　her　long；　thick　hair。　The　prince

asked　her　who　she　was；　and　where　she　came　from；　and　she　looked　at

him　mildly　and　sorrowfully　with　her　deep　blue　eyes；　but　she　could

not　speak。　Every　step　she　took　was　as　the　witch　had　said　it　would

be；　she　felt　as　if　treading　upon　the　points　of　needles　or　sharp

knives；　but　she　bore　it　willingly；　and　stepped　as　lightly　by　the

prince's　side　as　a　soap…bubble；　so　that　he　and　all　who　saw　her

wondered　at　her　graceful…swaying　movements。　She　was　very　soon

arrayed　in　costly　robes　of　silk　and　muslin；　and　was　the　most　beautiful

creature　in　the　palace；　but　she　was　dumb；　and　could　neither　speak

nor　sing。

　　　　Beautiful　female　slaves；　dressed　in　silk　and　gold；　stepped　forward

and　sang　before　the　prince　and　his　royal　parents：　one　sang　better　than

all　the　others；　and　the　prince　clapped　his　hands　and　smiled　at　her。

This　was　great　sorrow　to　the　little　mermaid；　she　knew　how　much　more

sweetly　she　herself　could　sing　once；　and　she　thought；　〃Oh　if　he

could　only　know　that！　I　have　given　away　my　voice　forever；　to　be　with

him。〃

　　　　The　slaves　next　performed　some　pretty　fairy…like　dances；　to　the

sound　of　beautiful　music。　Then　the　little　mermaid　raised　her　lovely

white　arms；　stood　on　the　tips　of　her　toes；　and　glided　over　the

floor；　and　danced　as　no　one　yet　had　been　able　to　dance。　At　each　moment

her　beauty　became　more　revealed；　and　her　expressive　eyes　appealed　more

directly　to　the　heart　than　the　songs　of　the　slaves。　Every　one　was

enchanted；　especially　the　prince；　who　called　her　his　little　foundling；

and　she　danced　again　quite　readily；　to　please　him；　though　each　time

her　foot　touched　the　floor　it　seemed　as　if　she　trod　on　sharp　knives。〃

　　　　The　prince　said　she　should　remain　with　him　always；　and　she

received　permission　to　sleep　at　his　door；　on　a　velvet　cushion。　He

had　a　page's　dress　made　for　her；　that　she　might　accompany　him　on

horseback。　They　rode　together　through　the　sweet…scented　woods；　where

the　green　boughs　touched　their　shoulders；　and　the　little　birds　sang

among　the　fresh　leaves。　She　climbed　with　the　prince　to　the　tops　of

high　mountains；　and　although　her　tender　feet　bled　so　that　even　her

steps　were　marked；　she　only　laughed；　and　followed　him　till　they

could　see　the　clouds　beneath　them　looking　like　a　flock　of　birds

travelling　to　distant　lands。　While　at　the　prince's　palace；　and　when

all　the　household　were　asleep；　she　would　go　and　sit　on　the　broad

marble　steps；　for　it　eased　her　burning　feet　to　bathe　them　in　the

cold　sea…water；　and　then　she　thought　of　all　those　below　in　the　deep。

　　　　Once　during　the　night　her　sisters　came　up　arm…in…arm；　singing

sorrowfully；　as　they　floated　on　the　water。　She　beckoned　to　them；　and

then　they　recognized　her；　and　told　her　how　she　had　grieved　them。　After

that；　they　came　to　the　same　place　every　night；　and　once　she　saw　in　the

distance　her　old　grandmother；　who　had　not　been　to　the　surface　of　the

sea　for　many　years；　and　the　old　Sea　King；　her　father；　with　his　crown

on　his　head。　They　stretched　out　their　hands　towards　her；　but　they

did　not　venture　so　near　the　land　as　her　sisters　did。

　　　　As　the　days　passed；　she　loved　the　prince　more　fondly；　and　he　loved

her　as　he　would　love　a　little　child；　but　it　never　came　into　his　head

to　make　her　his　wife；　yet；　unless　he　married　her；　she　could　not

receive　an　immortal　soul；　and；　on　the　morning　after　his　marriage

with　another；　she　would　dissolve　into　the　foam　of　the　sea。

　　　　〃Do　you　not　love　me　the　best　of　them　all？〃　the　eyes　of　the

little　mermaid　seemed　to　say；　when　he　took　her　in　his　arms；　and　kissed

her　fair　forehead。

　　　　〃Yes；　you　are　dear　to　me；〃　said　the　prince；　〃for　you　have　the　best

heart；　and　you　are　the　most　devoted　to　me；　you　are　like　a　young　maiden

whom　I　once　saw；　but　whom　I　shall　never　meet　again。　I　was　in　a　ship

that　was　wrecked；　and　the　waves　cast　me　ashore　near　a　holy　temple；

where　several　young　maidens　performed　the　service。　The　youngest　of

them　found　me　on　the　shore；　and　saved　my　life。　I　saw　her　but　twice；

and　she　is　the　only　one　in　the　world　whom　I　could　love；　but　you　are

like　her；　and　you　have　almost　driven　her　image　out　of　my　mind。　She

belongs　to　the　holy　temple；　and　my　good　fortune　has　sent　you　to　me

instead　of　her；　and　we　will　never　part。〃

　　　　〃Ah；　he　knows　not　that　it　was　I　who　saved　his　life；〃　thought　the

little　mermaid。　〃I　carried　him　over　the　sea　to　the　wood　where　the

temple　stands：　I　sat　beneath　the　foam；　and　watched　till　the　human

beings　came　to　help　him。　I　saw　the　pretty　maiden　that　he　loves

better　than　he　loves　me；〃　and　the　mermaid　sighed　deeply；　but　she　could

not　shed　tears。　〃He　says　the　maiden　belongs　to　the　holy　temple；

therefore　she　will　never　return　to　the　world。　They　will　meet　no

more：　while　I　am　by　his　side；　and　see　him　every　day。　I　will　take

care　of　him；　and　love　him；　and　give　up　my　life　for　his　sake。〃

　　　　Very　soon　it　was　said　that　the　prince　must　marry；　and　that　the

beautiful　daughter　of　a　neighboring　king　would　be　his　wife；　for　a　fine

ship　was　being　fitted　out。　Although　the　prince　gave　out　that　he　merely

intended　to　pay　a　visit　to　the　king；　it　was　generally　supposed　that　he

really　went　to　see　his　daughter。　A　great　company　were　to　go　with

him。　The　little　mermaid　smiled；　and　shook　her　head。　She　knew　the

prince's　thoughts　better　than　any　of　the　others。

　　　　〃I　must　travel；〃　he　had　said　to　her；　〃I　must　see　this　beautiful

princess；　my　parents　desire　it；　but　they　will　not　oblige　me　to　bring

her　home　as　my　bride。　I　cannot　love　her；　she　is　not　like　the　beautiful

maiden　in　the　temple；　whom　you　resemble。　If　I　were　forced　to　choose

a　bride；　I　would　rather　choose　you；　my　dumb　foundling；　with　those

expressive　eyes。〃　And　then　he　kissed　her　rosy　mouth；　played　with　her

long　waving　hair；　and　laid　his　head　on　her　heart；　while　she　dreamed　of

human　happiness　and　an　immortal　soul。　〃You　are　not　afraid　of　the

sea；　my　dumb　child；〃　said　he；　as　they　stood　on　the　deck　of　the　noble

ship　which　was　to　carry　them　to　the　country　of　the　neighboring　king。

And　then　he　told　her　of　storm　and　of　calm；　of　strange　fishes　in　the

deep　beneath　them；　and　of　what　the　divers　had　seen　there；　and　she

smiled　at　his　descriptions；　for　she　knew　better　than　any　one　what

wonders　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。

　　　　In　the　moonlight；　when　all　on　board　were　asleep；　excepting　the　man

at　the　helm；　who　was　steering；　she　sat　on　the　deck；　gazing　down

through　the　clear　water。　She　thought　she　could　distinguish　her

father's　castle；　and　upon　it　her　aged　grandmother；　with　the　silver

crown　on　her　head；　looking　through　the　rushing　tide　at　the　keel　of　the

vessel。　Then　her　sisters　came　up　on　the　waves；　and　gazed　at　her

mournfully；　wringing　their　white　hands。　She　beckoned　to　them；　and

smiled；　and　wanted　to　tell　them　how　happy　and　well　off　she　was；　but

the　cabin…boy　approached；　and　when　her　sisters　dived　down　he　thought

it　was　only　the　foam　of　the　sea　which　he　saw。

　　　　The　next　morning　the　ship　sailed　into　the　harbor　of　a　beautiful

town　belonging　to　the　king　whom　the　prince　was　going　to　visit。　The

church　bells　were　ringing；　and　from　the　high　towers　sounded　a　flourish

of　trumpets；　and　soldiers；　with　flying　colors　and　glittering　bayonets；

lined　the　rocks　through　which　they　passed。　Every　day　was　a　festival；

balls　and　entertainments　followed　one　another。

　　　　But　the　princess　had　not　yet　appeared。　People　said　that　she　was

being　brought　up　and　educated　in　a　religious　house；　where　she　was

learning　every　royal　virtue。　At　last　she　came。　Then　the　little

mermaid；　who　was　very　anxious　to　see　whether　she　was　really　beautiful；

was　obliged　to　acknowledge　that　she　had　never　seen　a　more　perfect

vision　of　beauty。　Her　skin　was　delicately　fair；　and　beneath　her　long

dark　eye…lashes　her　laughing　blue　eyes　shone　with　truth　and　purity。

　　　　〃It　was　you；〃　said　the　prince；　〃who　saved　my　life　when　I　lay

dead　on　the　beach；〃　and　he　folded　his　blushing　bride　in　his　arms。　〃Oh；

I　am　too　happy；〃　said　he　to　the　little　mermaid；　〃my　fondest　hopes

are　all　fulfilled。　You　will　rejoice　at　my　happiness；　for　your　devotion

to　me　is　great　and　sincere。〃

　　　　The　little　mermaid　kissed　his　hand；　and　felt　as　if　her　heart

were　already　broken。　His　wedding　morning　would　bring　death　to　her；　and

she　would　change　into　the　foam　of　the　sea。　All　the　church　bells

rung；　and　the　heralds　rode　about　the　town　proclaiming　the　betrothal。

Perfumed　oil　was　burning　in　costly　silver　lamps　on　every　altar。　The

priests　waved　the　censers；　while　the　bride　and　bridegroom　joined　their

hands　and　received　the　blessing　of　the　bishop。　The　little　mermaid；

dressed　in　silk　and　gold；　held　up　the　bride's　train；　but　her　ears

heard　nothing　of　the　festive　music；　and　her　eyes　saw　not　the　holy

ceremony；　she　thought　of　the　night　of　death　which　was　coming　to　her；

and　of　all　she　had　lost　in　the　world。　On　the　same　evening　the　bride

and　bridegroom　went　on　board　ship；　cannons　were　roaring；　flags　waving；

and　in　the　centre　of　the　ship　a　costly　tent　of　purple　and　gold　had

been　erected。　It　contained　elegant　couches；　for　the　reception　of　the

bridal　pair　during　the　night。　The　ship；　with　swelling　sails　and　a

favorable　wind；　glided　away　smoothly　and　lightly　over　the　calm　sea。

When　it　grew　dark　a　number　of　colored　lamps　were　lit；　and　the

sailors　danced　merrily　on　the　deck。　The　little　mermaid　could　not

help　thinking　of　her　first　rising　out　of　the　sea；　when　she　had　seen

similar　festivities　and　joys；　and　she　joined　in　the　dance；　poised

herself　in　the　air　as　a　swallow　when　he　pursues　his　prey；　and　all

present　cheered　her　with　wonder。　She　had　never　danced　so　elegantly

before。　Her　tender　feet　felt　as　if　cut　with　sharp　knives；　but　she

cared　not　for　it；　a　sharper　pang　had　pierced　through　her　heart。　She

knew　this　was　the　last　evening　she　should　ever　see　the　prince；　for

whom　she　had　forsaken　her　kindred　and　her　home；　she　had　given　up　her

beautiful　voice；　and　suffered　unh