安徒生童话-第112章

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t　of　the　prince's　palace；　and　approachedthe　beautiful　marble　steps；　but　the　moon　shone　clear　and　bright。Then　the　little　mermaid　drank　the　magic　draught；　and　it　seemed　as　if　atwo…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　thehandsome　young　prince。　He　fixed　his　coal…black　eyes　upon　her　soearnestly　that　she　cast　down　her　own；　and　then　became　aware　that　herfish's　tail　was　gone；　and　that　she　had　as　pretty　a　pair　of　whitelegs　and　tiny　feet　as　any　little　maiden　could　have；　but　she　had　noclothes；　so　she　wrapped　herself　in　her　long；　thick　hair。　The　princeasked　her　who　she　was；　and　where　she　came　from；　and　she　looked　athim　mildly　and　sorrowfully　with　her　deep　blue　eyes；　but　she　couldnot　speak。　Every　step　she　took　was　as　the　witch　had　said　it　wouldbe；　she　felt　as　if　treading　upon　the　points　of　needles　or　sharpknives；　but　she　bore　it　willingly；　and　stepped　as　lightly　by　theprince'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