王尔德童话四则(英文版)- 第13部分

makest　me　a　promise　that　whenever　I　call　thee；　thou　wilt　come　and

sing　to　me；　for　the　fish　delight　to　listen　to　the　song　of　the　Sea…

folk；　and　so　shall　my　nets　be　full。'



'Wilt　thou　in　very　truth　let　me　go；　if　I　promise　thee　this？'　cried

the　Mermaid。



'In　very　truth　I　will　let　thee　go；'　said　the　young　Fisherman。



So　she　made　him　the　promise　he　desired；　and　sware　it　by　the　oath　of

the　Sea…folk。　　And　he　loosened　his　arms　from　about　her；　and　she

sank　down　into　the　water；　trembling　with　a　strange　fear。





Every　evening　the　young　Fisherman　went　out　upon　the　sea；　and　called

to　the　Mermaid；　and　she　rose　out　of　the　water　and　sang　to　him。

Round　and　round　her　swam　the　dolphins；　and　the　wild　gulls　wheeled

above　her　head。



And　she　sang　a　marvellous　song。　　For　she　sang　of　the　Sea…folk　who

drive　their　flocks　from　cave　to　cave；　and　carry　the　little　calves

on　their　shoulders；　of　the　Tritons　who　have　long　green　beards；　and

hairy　breasts；　and　blow　through　twisted　conchs　when　the　King　passes

by；　of　the　palace　of　the　King　which　is　all　of　amber；　with　a　roof　of

clear　emerald；　and　a　pavement　of　bright　pearl；　and　of　the　gardens

of　the　sea　where　the　great　filigrane　fans　of　coral　wave　all　day

long；　and　the　fish　dart　about　like　silver　birds；　and　the　anemones

cling　to　the　rocks；　and　the　pinks　bourgeon　in　the　ribbed　yellow

sand。　　She　sang　of　the　big　whales　that　come　down　from　the　north

seas　and　have　sharp　icicles　hanging　to　their　fins；　of　the　Sirens

who　tell　of　such　wonderful　things　that　the　merchants　have　to　stop

their　ears　with　wax　lest　they　should　hear　them；　and　leap　into　the

water　and　be　drowned；　of　the　sunken　galleys　with　their　tall　masts；

and　the　frozen　sailors　clinging　to　the　rigging；　and　the　mackerel

swimming　in　and　out　of　the　open　portholes；　of　the　little　barnacles

who　are　great　travellers；　and　cling　to　the　keels　of　the　ships　and

go　round　and　round　the　world；　and　of　the　cuttlefish　who　live　in　the

sides　of　the　cliffs　and　stretch　out　their　long　black　arms；　and　can

make　night　come　when　they　will　it。　　She　sang　of　the　nautilus　who

has　a　boat　of　her　own　that　is　carved　out　of　an　opal　and　steered

with　a　silken　sail；　of　the　happy　Mermen　who　play　upon　harps　and　can

charm　the　great　Kraken　to　sleep；　of　the　little　children　who　catch

hold　of　the　slippery　porpoises　and　ride　laughing　upon　their　backs；

of　the　Mermaids　who　lie　in　the　white　foam　and　hold　out　their　arms

to　the　mariners；　and　of　the　sea…lions　with　their　curved　tusks；　and

the　sea…horses　with　their　floating　manes。



And　as　she　sang；　all　the　tunny…fish　came　in　from　the　deep　to　listen

to　her；　and　the　young　Fisherman　threw　his　nets　round　them　and

caught　them；　and　others　he　took　with　a　spear。　　And　when　his　boat

was　well…laden；　the　Mermaid　would　sink　down　into　the　sea；　smiling

at　him。



Yet　would　she　never　come　near　him　that　he　might　touch　her。

Oftentimes　he　called　to　her　and　prayed　of　her；　but　she　would　not；

and　when　he　sought　to　seize　her　she　dived　into　the　water　as　a　seal

might　dive；　nor　did　he　see　her　again　that　day。　　And　each　day　the

sound　of　her　voice　became　sweeter　to　his　ears。　　So　sweet　was　her

voice　that　he　forgot　his　nets　and　his　cunning；　and　had　no　care　of

his　craft。　　Vermilion…finned　and　with　eyes　of　bossy　gold；　the

tunnies　went　by　in　shoals；　but　he　heeded　them　not。　　His　spear　lay

by　his　side　unused；　and　his　baskets　of　plaited　osier　were　empty。

With　lips　parted；　and　eyes　dim　with　wonder；　he　sat　idle　in　his　boat

and　listened；　listening　till　the　sea…mists　crept　round　him；　and　the

wandering　moon　stained　his　brown　limbs　with　silver。



And　one　evening　he　called　to　her；　and　said：　　'Little　Mermaid；

little　Mermaid；　I　love　thee。　　Take　me　for　thy　bridegroom；　for　I

love　thee。'



But　the　Mermaid　shook　her　head。　　'Thou　hast　a　human　soul；'　she

answered。　　'If　only　thou　wouldst　send　away　thy　soul；　then　could　I

love　thee。'



And　the　young　Fisherman　said　to　himself；　'Of　what　use　is　my　soul　to

me？　　I　cannot　see　it。　　I　may　not　touch　it。　　I　do　not　know　it。

Surely　I　will　send　it　away　from　me；　and　much　gladness　shall　be

mine。'　　And　a　cry　of　joy　broke　from　his　lips；　and　standing　up　in

the　painted　boat；　he　held　out　his　arms　to　the　Mermaid。　　'I　will

send　my　soul　away；'　he　cried；　'and　you　shall　be　my　bride；　and　I

will　be　thy　bridegroom；　and　in　the　depth　of　the　sea　we　will　dwell

together；　and　all　that　thou　hast　sung　of　thou　shalt　show　me；　and

all　that　thou　desirest　I　will　do；　nor　shall　our　lives　be　divided。'



And　the　little　Mermaid　laughed　for　pleasure　and　hid　her　face　in　her

hands。



'But　how　shall　I　send　my　soul　from　me？'　cried　the　young　Fisherman。

'Tell　me　how　I　may　do　it；　and　lo！　it　shall　be　done。'



'Alas！　　I　know　not；'　said　the　little　Mermaid：　　'the　Sea…folk　have

no　souls。'　　And　she　sank　down　into　the　deep；　looking　wistfully　at

him。





Now　early　on　the　next　morning；　before　the　sun　was　the　span　of　a

man's　hand　above　the　hill；　the　young　Fisherman　went　to　the　house　of

the　Priest　and　knocked　three　times　at　the　door。



The　novice　looked　out　through　the　wicket；　and　when　he　saw　who　it

was；　he　drew　back　the　latch　and　said　to　him；　'Enter。'



And　the　young　Fisherman　passed　in；　and　knelt　down　on　the　sweet…

smelling　rushes　of　the　floor；　and　cried　to　the　Priest　who　was

reading　out　of　the　Holy　Book　and　said　to　him；　'Father；　I　am　in　love

with　one　of　the　Sea…folk；　and　my　soul　hindereth　me　from　having　my

desire。　　Tell　me　how　I　can　send　my　soul　away　from　me；　for　in　truth

I　have　no　need　of　it。　　Of　what　value　is　my　soul　to　me？　　I　cannot

see　it。　　I　may　not　touch　it。　　I　do　not　know　it。'



And　the　Priest　beat　his　breast；　and　answered；　'Alack；　alack；　thou

art　mad；　or　hast　eaten　of　some　poisonous　herb；　for　the　soul　is　the

noblest　part　of　man；　and　was　given　to　us　by　God　that　we　should

nobly　use　it。　　There　is　no　thing　more　precious　than　a　human　soul；

nor　any　earthly　thing　that　can　be　weighed　with　it。　　It　is　worth　all

the　gold　that　is　in　the　world；　and　is　more　precious　than　the　rubies

of　the　kings。　　Therefore；　my　son；　think　not　any　more　of　this

matter；　for　it　is　a　sin　that　may　not　be　forgiven。　　And　as　for　the

Sea…folk；　they　are　lost；　and　they　who　would　traffic　with　them　are

lost　also。　　They　are　as　the　beasts　of　the　field　that　know　not　good

from　evil；　and　for　them　the　Lord　has　not　died。'



The　young　Fisherman's　eyes　filled　with　tears　when　he　heard　the

bitter　words　of　the　Priest；　and　he　rose　up　from　his　knees　and　said

to　him；　'Father；　the　Fauns　live　in　the　forest　and　are　glad；　and　on

the　rocks　sit　the　Mermen　with　their　harps　of　red　gold。　　Let　me　be

as　they　are；　I　beseech　thee；　for　their　days　are　as　the　days　of

flowers。　　And　as　for　my　soul；　what　doth　my　soul　profit　me；　if　it

stand　between　me　and　the　thing　that　I　love？'



'The　love　of　the　body　is　vile；'　cried　the　Priest；　knitting　his

brows；　'and　vile　and　evil　are　the　pagan　things　God　suffers　to

wander　through　His　world。　　Accursed　be　the　Fauns　of　the　woodland；

and　accursed　be　the　singers　of　the　sea！　　I　have　heard　them　at

night…time；　and　they　have　sought　to　lure　me　from　my　beads。　　They

tap　at　the　window；　and　laugh。　　They　whisper　into　my　ears　the　tale

of　their　perilous　joys。　　They　tempt　me　with　temptations；　and　when　I

would　pray　they　make　mouths　at　me。　　They　are　lost；　I　tell　thee；

they　are　lost。　　For　them　there　is　no　heaven　nor　hell；　and　in

neither　shall　they　praise　God's　name。'



'Father；'　cried　the　young　Fisherman；　'thou　knowest　not　what　thou

sayest。　　Once　in　my　net　I　snared　the　daughter　of　a　King。　　She　is

fairer　than　the　morning　star；　and　whiter　than　the　moon。　　For　her

body　I　would　give　my　soul；　and　for　her　love　I　would　surrender

heaven。　　Tell　me　what　I　ask　of　thee；　and　let　me　go　in　peace。'



'Away！　　Away！'　cried　the　Priest：　　'thy　leman　is　lost；　and　thou

shalt　be　lost　with　her。'



And　he　gave　him　no　blessing；　but　drove　him　from　his　door。



And　the　young　Fisherman　went　down　into　the　market…place；　and　he

walked　slowly；　and　with　bowed　head；　as　one　who　is　in　sorrow。



And　when　the　merchants　saw　him　coming；　they　began　to　whisper　to

each　other；　and　one　of　them　came　forth　to　meet　him；　and　called　him

by　name；　and　said　to　him；　'What　hast　thou　to　sell？'



'I　will　sell　thee　my　soul；'　he　answered。　　'I　pray　thee　buy　it　of

me；　for　I　am　weary　of　it。　　Of　what　use　is　my　soul　to　me？　　I　cannot

see　it。　　I　may　not　touch　it。　　I　do　not　know　it。'



But　the　merchants　mocked　at　him；　and　said；　'Of　what　use　is　a　man's

soul　to　us？　　It　is　not　worth　a　clipped　piece　of　silver。　　Sell　us

thy　body　for　a　slave；　and　we　will　clothe　thee　in　sea…purple；　and

put　a　ring　upon　thy　finger；　and　make　thee　the　minion　of　the　great

Queen。　　But　talk　not　of　the　soul；　for　to　us　it　is　nought；　nor　has

it　any　value　for　our　service。'



And　the　young　Fisherman　said　to　himself：　　'How　strange　a　thing　this

is！　　The　Priest　telleth　me　that　the　soul　is　worth　all　the　gold　in

the　world；　and　the　merchants　say　that　it　is　not　worth　a　clipped

piece　of　silver。'　　And　he　passed　out　of　the　mark