海的女儿（十二）

While at the princes 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.”

在王子的宫殿里，夜里大家都睡了以后，她就向那宽大的台阶走去。为了使她那双发烧的脚可以感到一点清凉，她就站进寒冷的海水里。这时她不禁想起了住在海底的人们。

有一天夜里，她的姐姐们手挽着手浮过来了。她们一面在水上游泳，一面唱出凄凉的歌。这时她就向她们招手。她们认出了她；她们说她曾经多么叫她们难过。这次以后，她们每天晚上都来看她。有一晚，她遥远地看到了多年不曾浮出海面的老祖母和戴着王冠的海王。他们对她伸出手来，但他们不像她的那些姐姐，没有敢游近地面。

王子一天比一天更爱她。他像爱一个亲热的好孩子那样爱她，但是他从来没有娶她为皇后的意思。然而她必须做他的妻子，否则她就不能得到一个不灭的灵魂，而且会在他结婚的头一个早上就变成海上的泡沫。

“在所有的人中，你是最爱我的吗？”当他把她抱进怀里吻她前额的时候，小人鱼的眼睛似乎在这样说。

“是的，你是我最亲爱的人！”王子说，“因为你在一切人中有一颗最善良的心。你对我是最亲爱的，你很像我某次看到过的一个年轻女子，可是我永远再也看不见她了。那时我是坐在一艘船上——这船已经沉了。巨浪把我推到一个神庙旁的岸上。有几个年轻女子在那儿作祈祷。她们最年轻的一位在岸旁发现了我，因此救了我的生命。我只看到过她两次：她是我在这世界上能够爱的唯一的人，但是你很像她，你几乎代替了她留在我的灵魂中的印象。她是属于这个神庙的，因此我的幸运特别把你送给我。让我们永远不要分离吧！”

“啊，他却不知道我救了他的生命！”小人鱼想。“我把他从海里托出来，送到神庙所在的一个树林里。我坐在泡沫后面，窥望是不是有人会来。我看到那个美丽的姑娘——他爱她胜过于爱我。”这时小人鱼深深地叹了一口气——她哭不出声来。“那个姑娘是属于那个神庙的——他曾说过。她永不会走向这个人间的世界里来——他们永不会见面了。我是跟他在一起，每天看到他的。我要照看他，热爱他，对他献出我的生命！”