王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第17章

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booth。　　And　his　Soul　said　to　him；　'Take　that　silver　cup　and　hide

it。'



So　he　took　the　cup　and　hid　it　in　the　fold　of　his　tunic；　and　they

went　hurriedly　out　of　the　city。



And　after　that　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city；　the　young

Fisherman　frowned；　and　flung　the　cup　away；　and　said　to　his　Soul；

'Why　didst　thou　tell　me　to　take　this　cup　and　hide　it；　for　it　was　an

evil　thing　to　do？'



But　his　Soul　answered　him；　'Be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。'



And　on　the　evening　of　the　second　day　they　came　to　a　city；　and　the

young　Fisherman　said　to　his　Soul；　'Is　this　the　city　in　which　she

dances　of　whom　thou　didst　speak　to　me？'



And　his　Soul　answered　him；　'It　is　not　this　city；　but　another。

Nevertheless　let　us　enter　in。'　　So　they　entered　in　and　passed

through　the　streets；　and　as　they　passed　through　the　Street　of　the

Sellers　of　Sandals；　the　young　Fisherman　saw　a　child　standing　by　a

jar　of　water。　　And　his　Soul　said　to　him；　'Smite　that　child。'　　So　he

smote　the　child　till　it　wept；　and　when　he　had　done　this　they　went

hurriedly　out　of　the　city。



And　after　that　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city　the　young

Fisherman　grew　wroth；　and　said　to　his　Soul；　'Why　didst　thou　tell　me

to　smite　the　child；　for　it　was　an　evil　thing　to　do？'



But　his　Soul　answered　him；　'Be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。'



And　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day　they　came　to　a　city；　and　the

young　Fisherman　said　to　his　Soul；　'Is　this　the　city　in　which　she

dances　of　whom　thou　didst　speak　to　me？'



And　his　Soul　answered　him；　'It　may　be　that　it　is　in　this　city；

therefore　let　us　enter　in。'



So　they　entered　in　and　passed　through　the　streets；　but　nowhere

could　the　young　Fisherman　find　the　river　or　the　inn　that　stood　by

its　side。　　And　the　people　of　the　city　looked　curiously　at　him；　and

he　grew　afraid　and　said　to　his　Soul；　'Let　us　go　hence；　for　she　who

dances　with　white　feet　is　not　here。'



But　his　Soul　answered；　'Nay；　but　let　us　tarry；　for　the　night　is

dark　and　there　will　be　robbers　on　the　way。'



So　he　sat　him　down　in　the　market…place　and　rested；　and　after　a　time

there　went　by　a　hooded　merchant　who　had　a　cloak　of　cloth　of

Tartary；　and　bare　a　lantern　of　pierced　horn　at　the　end　of　a　jointed

reed。　　And　the　merchant　said　to　him；　'Why　dost　thou　sit　in　the

market…place；　seeing　that　the　booths　are　closed　and　the　bales

corded？'



And　the　young　Fisherman　answered　him；　'I　can　find　no　inn　in　this

city；　nor　have　I　any　kinsman　who　might　give　me　shelter。'



'Are　we　not　all　kinsmen？'　said　the　merchant。　　'And　did　not　one　God

make　us？　　Therefore　come　with　me；　for　I　have　a　guest…chamber。'



So　the　young　Fisherman　rose　up　and　followed　the　merchant　to　his

house。　　And　when　he　had　passed　through　a　garden　of　pomegranates　and

entered　into　the　house；　the　merchant　brought　him　rose…water　in　a

copper　dish　that　he　might　wash　his　hands；　and　ripe　melons　that　he

might　quench　his　thirst；　and　set　a　bowl　of　rice　and　a　piece　of

roasted　kid　before　him。



And　after　that　he　had　finished；　the　merchant　led　him　to　the　guest…

chamber；　and　bade　him　sleep　and　be　at　rest。　　And　the　young

Fisherman　gave　him　thanks；　and　kissed　the　ring　that　was　on　his

hand；　and　flung　himself　down　on　the　carpets　of　dyed　goat's…hair。

And　when　he　had　covered　himself　with　a　covering　of　black　lamb's…

wool　he　fell　asleep。



And　three　hours　before　dawn；　and　while　it　was　still　night；　his　Soul

waked　him　and　said　to　him；　'Rise　up　and　go　to　the　room　of　the

merchant；　even　to　the　room　in　which　he　sleepeth；　and　slay　him；　and

take　from　him　his　gold；　for　we　have　need　of　it。'



And　the　young　Fisherman　rose　up　and　crept　towards　the　room　of　the

merchant；　and　over　the　feet　of　the　merchant　there　was　lying　a

curved　sword；　and　the　tray　by　the　side　of　the　merchant　held　nine

purses　of　gold。　　And　he　reached　out　his　hand　and　touched　the　sword；

and　when　he　touched　it　the　merchant　started　and　awoke；　and　leaping

up　seized　himself　the　sword　and　cried　to　the　young　Fisherman；　'Dost

thou　return　evil　for　good；　and　pay　with　the　shedding　of　blood　for

the　kindness　that　I　have　shown　thee？'



And　his　Soul　said　to　the　young　Fisherman；　'Strike　him；'　and　he

struck　him　so　that　he　swooned　and　he　seized　then　the　nine　purses　of

gold；　and　fled　hastily　through　the　garden　of　pomegranates；　and　set

his　face　to　the　star　that　is　the　star　of　morning。



And　when　they　had　gone　a　league　from　the　city；　the　young　Fisherman

beat　his　breast；　and　said　to　his　Soul；　'Why　didst　thou　bid　me　slay

the　merchant　and　take　his　gold？　　Surely　thou　art　evil。'



But　his　Soul　answered　him；　'Be　at　peace；　be　at　peace。'



'Nay；'　cried　the　young　Fisherman；　'I　may　not　be　at　peace；　for　all

that　thou　hast　made　me　to　do　I　hate。　　Thee　also　I　hate；　and　I　bid

thee　tell　me　wherefore　thou　hast　wrought　with　me　in　this　wise。'



And　his　Soul　answered　him；　'When　thou　didst　send　me　forth　into　the

world　thou　gavest　me　no　heart；　so　I　learned　to　do　all　these　things

and　love　them。'



'What　sayest　thou？'　murmured　the　young　Fisherman。



'Thou　knowest；'　answered　his　Soul；　'thou　knowest　it　well。　　Hast

thou　forgotten　that　thou　gavest　me　no　heart？　　I　trow　not。　　And　so

trouble　not　thyself　nor　me；　but　be　at　peace；　for　there　is　no　pain

that　thou　shalt　not　give　away；　nor　any　pleasure　that　thou　shalt　not

receive。'



And　when　the　young　Fisherman　heard　these　words　he　trembled　and　said

to　his　Soul；　'Nay；　but　thou　art　evil；　and　hast　made　me　forget　my

love；　and　hast　tempted　me　with　temptations；　and　hast　set　my　feet　in

the　ways　of　sin。'



And　his　Soul　answered　him；　'Thou　hast　not　forgotten　that　when　thou

didst　send　me　forth　into　the　world　thou　gavest　me　no　heart。　　Come；

let　us　go　to　another　city；　and　make　merry；　for　we　have　nine　purses

of　gold。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　took　the　nine　purses　of　gold；　and　flung

them　down；　and　trampled　on　them。



'Nay；'　he　cried；　'but　I　will　have　nought　to　do　with　thee；　nor　will

I　journey　with　thee　anywhere；　but　even　as　I　sent　thee　away　before；

so　will　I　send　thee　away　now；　for　thou　hast　wrought　me　no　good。'

And　he　turned　his　back　to　the　moon；　and　with　the　little　knife　that

had　the　handle　of　green　viper's　skin　he　strove　to　cut　from　his　feet

that　shadow　of　the　body　which　is　the　body　of　the　Soul。



Yet　his　Soul　stirred　not　from　him；　nor　paid　heed　to　his　command；

but　said　to　him；　'The　spell　that　the　Witch　told　thee　avails　thee　no

more；　for　I　may　not　leave　thee；　nor　mayest　thou　drive　me　forth。

Once　in　his　life　may　a　man　send　his　Soul　away；　but　he　who　receiveth

back　his　Soul　must　keep　it　with　him　for　ever；　and　this　is　his

punishment　and　his　reward。'



And　the　young　Fisherman　grew　pale　and　clenched　his　hands　and　cried；

'She　was　a　false　Witch　in　that　she　told　me　not　that。'



'Nay；'　answered　his　Soul；　'but　she　was　true　to　Him　she　worships；

and　whose　servant　she　will　be　ever。'



And　when　the　young　Fisherman　knew　that　he　could　no　longer　get　rid

of　his　Soul；　and　that　it　was　an　evil　Soul　and　would　abide　with　him

always；　he　fell　upon　the　ground　weeping　bitterly。





And　when　it　was　day　the　young　Fisherman　rose　up　and　said　to　his

Soul；　'I　will　bind　my　hands　that　I　may　not　do　thy　bidding；　and

close　my　lips　that　I　may　not　speak　thy　words；　and　I　will　return　to

the　place　where　she　whom　I　love　has　her　dwelling。　　Even　to　the　sea

will　I　return；　and　to　the　little　bay　where　she　is　wont　to　sing；　and

I　will　call　to　her　and　tell　her　the　evil　I　have　done　and　the　evil

thou　hast　wrought　on　me。'



And　his　Soul　tempted　him　and　said；　'Who　is　thy　love；　that　thou

shouldst　return　to　her？　　The　world　has　many　fairer　than　she　is。

There　are　the　dancing…girls　of　Samaris　who　dance　in　the　manner　of

all　kinds　of　birds　and　beasts。　　Their　feet　are　painted　with　henna；

and　in　their　hands　they　have　little　copper　bells。　　They　laugh　while

they　dance；　and　their　laughter　is　as　clear　as　the　laughter　of

water。　　Come　with　me　and　I　will　show　them　to　thee。　　For　what　is

this　trouble　of　thine　about　the　things　of　sin？　　Is　that　which　is

pleasant　to　eat　not　made　for　the　eater？　　Is　there　poison　in　that

which　is　sweet　to　drink？　　Trouble　not　thyself；　but　come　with　me　to

another　city。　　There　is　a　little　city　hard　by　in　which　there　is　a

garden　of　tulip…trees。　　And　there　dwell　in　this　comely　garden　white

peacocks　and　peacocks　that　have　blue　breasts。　　Their　tails　when

they　spread　them　to　the　sun　are　like　disks　of　ivory　and　like　gilt

disks。　　And　she　who　feeds　them　dances　for　their　pleasure；　and

sometimes　she　dances　on　her　hands　and　at　other　times　she　dances

with　her　feet。　　Her　eyes　are　coloured　with　stibium；　and　her

nostrils　are　shaped　like　the　wings　of　a　swallow。　　From　a　hook　in

one　of　her　nostrils　hangs　a　flower　that　is　carved　out　of　a　pearl。

She　laughs　while　she　dances；　and　the　silver　rings　that　are　about

her　ankles　tinkle　like　bells　of　silver。　　And　so　trouble　not　thyself

any　more；　but　come　with　me　to　this　city。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　not　his　Soul；　but　closed　his　lips

with　the　seal　of　silence　and　with　a　tight　cord　bound　his　hands；　and

journeyed　back　to　the　place　from　which　he　had　come；　even　to　the

little　bay　where　his　love　had　been　wont　to　sing。　　And　ever　did　his

Soul　tempt　him　by　the　way；　but　he　made　it　no　answer；　nor　would　he

do　any　of　the　wickedness　that　it　sought　to　make　him　to　do；　so　great

was　the　power　of　the　love　that　was　within　him。



And　when　he　had　reached　the　shore　of　the　sea；　he　loosed　the　cord

from　his　hands；　and　took　the　seal　of　silence　from　his　lips；　and

called　to　the　little　Mermaid。　　But　she　came　not　to　his　call；　though

he　called　to　her　all　day　long　and　besought　her。



And　his　Soul　mocked　him　and　said；　'Surely　thou　hast　but　little　joy

out　of　thy　love。　　Thou　art　as　one　who　in　time　of　death　pours　water

into　a　broken　vessel。　　Thou　givest　away　what　thou　hast；　and　nought

is　given　to　thee　in　return。　　It　were　better　for　thee　to　come　with

me；　for　I　know　where　the　Valley　of　Pleasure　lies；　and　what　things

are　wrought　there。'



But　the　young　Fisherma