the little mermaid-第6章

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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　unheard…of　pain　daily　for　him；　while

he　knew　nothing　of　it。　This　was　the　last　evening　that　she　would

breathe　the　same　air　with　him；　or　gaze　on　the　starry　sky　and　the

deep　sea；　an　eternal　night；　without　a　thought　or　a　dream；　awaited　her：

she　had　no　soul　and　now　she　could　never　win　one。　All　was　joy　and

gayety　on　board　ship　till　long　after　midnight；　she　laughed　and

danced　with　the　rest；　while　the　thoughts　of　death　were　in　her　heart。

The　prince　kissed　his　beautiful　bride；　while　she　played　with　his　raven

hair；　till　they　went　arm…in…arm　to　rest　in　the　splendid　tent。　Then　all

became　still　on　board　the　ship；　the　helmsman；　alone　awake；　stood　at

the　helm。　The　little　mermaid　leaned　her　white　arms　on　the　edge　of

the　vessel；　and　looked　towards　the　east　for　the　first　blush　of

morning；　for　that　first　ray　of　dawn　that　would　bring　her　death。　She

saw　her　sisters　rising　out　of　the　flood：　they　were　as　pale　as　herself；

but　their　long　beautiful　hair　waved　no　more　in　the　wind；　and　had

been　cut　off。

　　　　〃We　have　given　our　hair　to　the　witch；〃　said　they；　〃to　obtain

help　for　you；　that　you　may　not　die　to…night。　She　has　given　us　a　knife：

here　it　is；　see　it　is　very　sharp。　Before　the　sun　rises　you　must　plunge

it　into　the　heart　of　the　prince；　when　the　warm　blood　falls　upon　your

feet　they　will　grow　together　again；　and　form　into　a　fish's　tail；　and

you　will　be　once　more　a　mermaid；　and　return　to　us　to　live　out　your

three　hundred　years　before　you　die　and　change　into　the　salt　sea

foam。　Haste；　then；　he　or　you　must　die　before　sunrise。　Our　old

grandmother　moans　so　for　you；　that　her　white　hair　is　falling　off

from　sorrow；　as　ours　fell　under　the　witch's　scissors。　Kill　the

prince　and　come　back；　hasten：　do　you　not　see　the　first　red　streaks

in　the　sky？　In　a　few　minutes　the　sun　will　rise；　and　you　must　die。〃　And

then　they　sighed　deeply　and　mournfully；　and　sank　down　beneath　the

waves。

　　　　The　little　mermaid　drew　back　the　crimson　curtain　of　the　tent；

and　beheld　the　fair　bride　with　her　head　resting　on　the　prince's

breast。　She　bent　down　and　kissed　his　fair　brow；　then　looked　at　the　sky

on　which　the　rosy　dawn　grew　brighter　and　brighter；　then　she　glanced　at

the　sharp　knife；　and　again　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　prince；　who　whispered

the　name　of　his　bride　in　his　dreams。　She　was　in　his　thoughts；　and

the　knife　trembled　in　the　hand　of　the　little　mermaid：　then　she　flung

it　far　away　from　her　into　the　waves；　the　water　turned　red　where　it

fell；　and　the　drops　that　spurted　up　looked　like　blood。　She　cast　one

more　lingering；　half…fainting　glance　at　the　prince；　and　then　threw

herself　from　the　ship　into　the　sea；　and　thought　her　body　was

dissolving　into　foam。　The　sun　rose　above　the　waves；　and　his　warm

rays　fell　on　the　cold　foam　of　the　little　mermaid；　who　did　not　feel

as　if　she　were　dying。　She　saw　the　bright　sun；　and　all　around　her

floated　hundreds　of　transparent　beautiful　beings；　she　could　see

through　them　the　white　sails　of　the　ship；　and　the　red　clouds　in　the

sky；　their　speech　was　melodious；　but　too　ethereal　to　be　heard　by

mortal　ears；　as　they　were　also　unseen　by　mortal　eyes。　The　little

mermaid　perceived　that　she　had　a　body　like　theirs；　and　that　she

continued　to　rise　higher　and　higher　out　of　the　foam。　〃Where　am　I？〃

asked　she；　and　her　voice　sounded　ethereal；　as　the　voice　of　those　who

were　with　her；　no　earthly　music　could　imitate　it。

　　　　〃Among　the　daughters　of　the　air；〃　answered　one　of　them。　〃A　mermaid

has　not　an　immortal　soul；　nor　can　she　obtain　one　unless　she　wins　the

love　of　a　human　being。　On　the　power　of　another　hangs　her　eternal

destiny。　But　the　daughters　of　the　air；　although　they　do　not　possess　an

immortal　soul；　can；　by　their　good　deeds；　procure　one　for　themselves。

We　fly　to　warm　countries；　and　cool　the　sultry　air　that　destroys

mankind　with　the　pestilence。　We　carry　the　perfume　of　the　flowers　to

spread　health　and　restoration。　After　we　have　striven　for　three　hundred

years　to　all　the　good　in　our　power；　we　receive　an　immortal　soul　and

take