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安徒生童话-第126部分

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heprince's side as a soap…bubble; so that he and all who saw herwondered at her graceful…swaying movements。 She was very soonarrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin; and was the most beautifulcreature in the palace; but she was dumb; and could neither speaknor sing。

Beautiful female slaves; dressed in silk and gold; stepped forwardand sang before the prince and his royal parents: one sang better thanall the others; and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her。This was great sorrow to the little mermaid; she knew how much moresweetly she herself could sing once; and she thought; 〃Oh if hecould only know that! I have given away my voice forever; to be withhim。〃

The slaves next performed some pretty fairy…like dances; to thesound of beautiful music。 Then the little mermaid raised her lovelywhite arms; stood on the tips of her toes; and glided over thefloor; and danced as no one yet had been able to dance。 At each momenther beauty became more revealed; and her expressive eyes appealed moredirectly to the heart than the songs of the slaves。 Every one wasenchanted; especially the prince; who called her his little foundling;and she danced again quite readily; to please him; though each timeher foot touched the floor it seemed as if she trod on sharp knives。〃

The prince said she should remain with him always; and shereceived permission to sleep at his door; on a velvet cushion。 Hehad a page's dress made for her; that she might acpany him onhorseback。 They rode together through the sweet…scented woods; wherethe green boughs touched their shoulders; and the little birds sangamong the fresh leaves。 She climbed with the prince to the tops ofhigh mountains; and although her tender feet bled so that even hersteps were marked; she only laughed; and followed him till theycould see the clouds beneath them looking like a flock of birdstravelling to distant lands。 While at the prince's palace; and whenall the household were asleep; she would go and sit on the broadmarble steps; for it eased her burning feet to bathe them in thecold sea…water; and then she thought of all those below in the deep。

Once during the night her sisters came up arm…in…arm; singingsorrowfully; as they floated on the water。 She beckoned to them; andthen they recognized her; and told her how she had grieved them。 Afterthat; they came to the same place every night; and once she saw in thedistance her old grandmother; who had not been to the surface of thesea for many years; and the old Sea King; her father; with his crownon his head。 They stretched out their hands towards her; but theydid not venture so near the land as her sisters did。

As the days passed; she loved the prince more fondly; and he lovedher as he would love a little child; but it never came into his headto make her his wife; yet; unless he married her; she could notreceive an immortal soul; and; on the morning after his marriagewith another; she would dissolve into the foam of the sea。

〃Do you not love me the best of them all?〃 the eyes of thelittle mermaid seemed to say; when he took her in his arms; and kissedher fair forehead。

〃Yes; you are dear to me;〃 said the prince; 〃for you have the bestheart; and you are the most devoted to me; you are like a young maidenwhom I once saw; but whom I shall never meet again。 I was in a shipthat was wrecked; and the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple;where several young maidens performed the service。 The youngest ofthem 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 arelike her; and you have almost driven her image out of my mind。 Shebelongs to the holy temple; and my good fortune has sent you to meinstead of her; and we will never part。〃

〃Ah; he knows not that it was I who saved his life;〃 thought thelittle mermaid。 〃I carried him over the sea to the wood where thetemple stands: I sat beneath the foam; and watched till the humanbeings came to help him。 I saw the pretty maiden that he lovesbetter than he loves me;〃 and the mermaid sighed deeply; but she couldnot shed tears。 〃He says the maiden belongs to the holy temple;therefore she will never return to the world。 They will meet nomore: while I am by his side; and see him every day。 I will takecare 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 thebeautiful daughter of a neighboring king would be his wife; for a fineship was being fitted out。 Although the prince gave out that he merelyintended to pay a visit to the king; it was generally supposed that hereally went to see his daughter。 A great pany were to go withhim。 The little mermaid smiled; and shook her head。 She knew theprince's thoughts better than any of the others。

〃I must travel;〃 he had said to her; 〃I must see this beautifulprincess; my parents desire it; but they will not oblige me to bringher home as my bride。 I cannot love her; she is not like the beautifulmaiden in the temple; whom you resemble。 If I were forced to choosea bride; I would rather choose you; my dumb foundling; with thoseexpressive eyes。〃 And then he kissed her rosy mouth; played with herlong waving hair; and laid his head on her heart; while she dreamed ofhuman happiness and an immortal soul。 〃You are not afraid of thesea; my dumb child;〃 said he; as they stood on the deck of the nobleship 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 thedeep beneath them; and of what the divers had seen there; and shesmiled at his descriptions; for she knew better than any one whatwonders were at the bottom of the sea。

In the moonlight; when all on board were asleep; excepting the manat the helm; who was steering; she sat on the deck; gazing downthrough the clear water。 She thought she could distinguish herfather's castle; and upon it her aged grandmother; with the silvercrown on her head; looking through the rushing tide at the keel of thevessel。 Then her sisters came up on the waves; and gazed at hermournfully; wringing their white hands。 She beckoned to them; andsmiled; and wanted to tell them how happy and well off she was; butthe cabin…boy approached; and when her sisters dived down he thoughtit was only the foam of the sea which he saw。

The next morning the ship sailed into the harbor of a beautifultown belonging to the king whom the prince was going to visit。 Thechurch bells were ringing; and from the high towers sounded a flourishof trumpets; and soldiers; with flying colors and glittering bayos;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 wasbeing brought up and educated in a religious house; where she waslearning every royal virtue。 At last she came。 Then the littlemermaid; who was very anxious to see whether she was really beautiful;was obliged to acknowledge that she had never seen a more perfectvision of beauty。 Her skin was delicately fair; and beneath her longdark eye…lashes her laughing blue eyes shone with truth and purity。

〃It was you;〃 said the prince; 〃who saved my life when I laydead 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 hopesare all fulfilled。 You will rejoice at my happiness; for your devotionto me is great and sincere。〃

The little mermaid kissed his hand; and felt as if her heartwere already broken。 His wedding morning would bring death to her; andshe would change into the foam of the sea。 All the church bellsrung; and the heralds rode about the town proclaiming the betrothal。Perfumed oil was burning in costly silver lamps on every altar。 Thepriests waved the censers; while the bride and bridegroom joined theirhands and received the blessing of the bishop。 The little mermaid;dressed in silk and gold; held up the bride's train; but her earsheard nothing of the festive music; and her eyes saw not the holyceremony; she thought of the night of death which was ing to her;and of all she had lost in the world。 On the same evening the brideand bridegroom went on board ship; cannons were roaring; flags w
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