海的女儿（十五）

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 fishs 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 witchs 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.

在同一天晚上，新郎和新娘来到船上。礼炮响起来了，旗帜在飘扬着。一个金色和紫色的皇家帐篷在船中央架起来了，里面陈设得有最美丽的垫子。在这儿，这对美丽的新婚夫妇将度过他们这清凉和寂静的夜晚。

风儿在鼓着船帆。船在这清亮的海上，轻柔地航行着，没有很大的波动。当暮色渐渐垂下来的时候，彩色的灯光就亮起来了，水手们愉快地在甲板上跳起舞来。小人鱼不禁想起她第一次浮到海面上来的情景，想起她那时看到的同样华丽和欢乐的场面。她于是旋舞起来，飞翔着，正如一只被追逐的燕子在飞翔着一样。大家都在喝采，称赞她，她从来没有跳得这么美丽。快利的刀子似乎在砍着她的细嫩的脚，但是她并不感觉到痛，因为她的心比这还要痛。

她知道这是她看到他的最后一晚——为了他，她离开了她的族人和家庭，她交出了她美丽的声音，她每天忍受着没有止境的苦痛，然而他却一点儿也不知道。这是她能和他在一起呼吸同样空气的最后一晚，这是她能看到深沉的海和布满了星星的天空的最后一晚。同时一个没有思想和梦境的永恒的夜在等待着她——没有灵魂、而且也得不到一个灵魂的她。一直到半夜过后，船上的一切还是欢乐和愉快的。她笑着，舞着，但是她心中怀着死的思想。王子吻着自己的美丽的新娘：新娘抚弄着他的乌亮的头发。他们手搀着手到那华丽的帐篷里去休息。

船上现在是很安静的了。只有舵手站在舵旁。小人鱼把她洁白的手臂倚在舷墙上，向东方凝望，等待着晨曦的出现——她知道，头一道太阳光就会叫她灭亡，她看到她的姐姐们从波涛中涌现出来了。她们是像她自己一样地苍白。她们美丽的长头发已经不在风中飘荡了——因为它已经被剪掉了。

“我们已经把头发交给了那个巫婆，希望她能帮助你，使你今后不至于灭亡。她给了我们一把刀子。拿去吧，你看，它是多么快！在太阳没有出来以前，你得把它插进那个王子的心里去。当他的热血流到你脚上时，你的双脚将会又联到一起，成为一条鱼尾，那么你就可以恢复人鱼的原形，你就可以回到我们这儿的水里来；这样，在你没有变成无生命的咸水泡沫以前，你仍旧可以活过你三百年的岁月。快动手！在太阳没有出来以前，不是他死，就是你死了！我们的老祖母悲恸得连她的白发都落光了，正如我们的头发在巫婆的剪刀下落掉一样。刺死那个王子，赶快回来吧！快动手呀！你没有看到天上的红光吗，几分钟以后，太阳就出来了，那时你就必然灭亡！”

她们发出一个奇怪的、深沉的叹息声，于是她们便沉入浪涛里去了。

（未完待续）