王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第18章

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

are　wrought　there。'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　not　his　Soul；　but　in　a　cleft　of

the　rock　he　built　himself　a　house　of　wattles；　and　abode　there　for

the　space　of　a　year。　　And　every　morning　he　called　to　the　Mermaid；

and　every　noon　he　called　to　her　again；　and　at　night…time　he　spake

her　name。　　Yet　never　did　she　rise　out　of　the　sea　to　meet　him；　nor

in　any　place　of　the　sea　could　he　find　her　though　he　sought　for　her

in　the　caves　and　in　the　green　water；　in　the　pools　of　the　tide　and

in　the　wells　that　are　at　the　bottom　of　the　deep。



And　ever　did　his　Soul　tempt　him　with　evil；　and　whisper　of　terrible

things。　　Yet　did　it　not　prevail　against　him；　so　great　was　the　power

of　his　love。



And　after　the　year　was　over；　the　Soul　thought　within　himself；　'I

have　tempted　my　master　with　evil；　and　his　love　is　stronger　than　I

am。　　I　will　tempt　him　now　with　good；　and　it　may　be　that　he　will

come　with　me。'



So　he　spake　to　the　young　Fisherman　and　said；　'I　have　told　thee　of

the　joy　of　the　world；　and　thou　hast　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　me。

Suffer　me　now　to　tell　thee　of　the　world's　pain；　and　it　may　be　that

thou　wilt　hearken。　　For　of　a　truth　pain　is　the　Lord　of　this　world；

nor　is　there　any　one　who　escapes　from　its　net。　　There　be　some　who

lack　raiment；　and　others　who　lack　bread。　　There　be　widows　who　sit

in　purple；　and　widows　who　sit　in　rags。　　To　and　fro　over　the　fens　go

the　lepers；　and　they　are　cruel　to　each　other。　　The　beggars　go　up

and　down　on　the　highways；　and　their　wallets　are　empty。　　Through　the

streets　of　the　cities　walks　Famine；　and　the　Plague　sits　at　their

gates。　　Come；　let　us　go　forth　and　mend　these　things；　and　make　them

not　to　be。　　Wherefore　shouldst　thou　tarry　here　calling　to　thy　love；

seeing　she　comes　not　to　thy　call？　　And　what　is　love；　that　thou

shouldst　set　this　high　store　upon　it？'



But　the　young　Fisherman　answered　it　nought；　so　great　was　the　power

of　his　love。　　And　every　morning　he　called　to　the　Mermaid；　and　every

noon　he　called　to　her　again；　and　at　night…time　he　spake　her　name。

Yet　never　did　she　rise　out　of　the　sea　to　meet　him；　nor　in　any　place

of　the　sea　could　he　find　her；　though　he　sought　for　her　in　the

rivers　of　the　sea；　and　in　the　valleys　that　are　under　the　waves；　in

the　sea　that　the　night　makes　purple；　and　in　the　sea　that　the　dawn

leaves　grey。



And　after　the　second　year　was　over；　the　Soul　said　to　the　young

Fisherman　at　night…time；　and　as　he　sat　in　the　wattled　house　alone；

'Lo！　now　I　have　tempted　thee　with　evil；　and　I　have　tempted　thee

with　good；　and　thy　love　is　stronger　than　I　am。　　Wherefore　will　I

tempt　thee　no　longer；　but　I　pray　thee　to　suffer　me　to　enter　thy

heart；　that　I　may　be　one　with　thee　even　as　before。'



'Surely　thou　mayest　enter；'　said　the　young　Fisherman；　'for　in　the

days　when　with　no　heart　thou　didst　go　through　the　world　thou　must

have　much　suffered。'



'Alas！'　cried　his　Soul；　'I　can　find　no　place　of　entrance；　so

compassed　about　with　love　is　this　heart　of　thine。'



'Yet　I　would　that　I　could　help　thee；'　said　the　young　Fisherman。



And　as　he　spake　there　came　a　great　cry　of　mourning　from　the　sea；

even　the　cry　that　men　hear　when　one　of　the　Sea…folk　is　dead。　　And

the　young　Fisherman　leapt　up；　and　left　his　wattled　house；　and　ran

down　to　the　shore。　　And　the　black　waves　came　hurrying　to　the　shore；

bearing　with　them　a　burden　that　was　whiter　than　silver。　　White　as

the　surf　it　was；　and　like　a　flower　it　tossed　on　the　waves。　　And　the

surf　took　it　from　the　waves；　and　the　foam　took　it　from　the　surf；

and　the　shore　received　it；　and　lying　at　his　feet　the　young

Fisherman　saw　the　body　of　the　little　Mermaid。　　Dead　at　his　feet　it

was　lying。



Weeping　as　one　smitten　with　pain　he　flung　himself　down　beside　it；

and　he　kissed　the　cold　red　of　the　mouth；　and　toyed　with　the　wet

amber　of　the　hair。　　He　flung　himself　down　beside　it　on　the　sand；

weeping　as　one　trembling　with　joy；　and　in　his　brown　arms　he　held　it

to　his　breast。　　Cold　were　the　lips；　yet　he　kissed　them。　　Salt　was

the　honey　of　the　hair；　yet　he　tasted　it　with　a　bitter　joy。　　He

kissed　the　closed　eyelids；　and　the　wild　spray　that　lay　upon　their

cups　was　less　salt　than　his　tears。



And　to　the　dead　thing　he　made　confession。　　Into　the　shells　of　its

ears　he　poured　the　harsh　wine　of　his　tale。　　He　put　the　little　hands

round　his　neck；　and　with　his　fingers　he　touched　the　thin　reed　of

the　throat。　　Bitter；　bitter　was　his　joy；　and　full　of　strange

gladness　was　his　pain。



The　black　sea　came　nearer；　and　the　white　foam　moaned　like　a　leper。

With　white　claws　of　foam　the　sea　grabbled　at　the　shore。　　From　the

palace　of　the　Sea…King　came　the　cry　of　mourning　again；　and　far　out

upon　the　sea　the　great　Tritons　blew　hoarsely　upon　their　horns。



'Flee　away；'　said　his　Soul；　'for　ever　doth　the　sea　come　nigher；　and

if　thou　tarriest　it　will　slay　thee。　　Flee　away；　for　I　am　afraid；

seeing　that　thy　heart　is　closed　against　me　by　reason　of　the

greatness　of　thy　love。　　Flee　away　to　a　place　of　safety。　　Surely

thou　wilt　not　send　me　without　a　heart　into　another　world？'



But　the　young　Fisherman　listened　not　to　his　Soul；　but　called　on　the

little　Mermaid　and　said；　'Love　is　better　than　wisdom；　and　more

precious　than　riches；　and　fairer　than　the　feet　of　the　daughters　of

men。　　The　fires　cannot　destroy　it；　nor　can　the　waters　quench　it。　　I

called　on　thee　at　dawn；　and　thou　didst　not　come　to　my　call。　　The

moon　heard　thy　name；　yet　hadst　thou　no　heed　of　me。　　For　evilly　had

I　left　thee；　and　to　my　own　hurt　had　I　wandered　away。　　Yet　ever　did

thy　love　abide　with　me；　and　ever　was　it　strong；　nor　did　aught

prevail　against　it；　though　I　have　looked　upon　evil　and　looked　upon

good。　　And　now　that　thou　art　dead；　surely　I　will　die　with　thee

also。'



And　his　Soul　besought　him　to　depart；　but　he　would　not；　so　great　was

his　love。　　And　the　sea　came　nearer；　and　sought　to　cover　him　with

its　waves；　and　when　he　knew　that　the　end　was　at　hand　he　kissed　with

mad　lips　the　cold　lips　of　the　Mermaid；　and　the　heart　that　was

within　him　brake。　　And　as　through　the　fulness　of　his　love　his　heart

did　break；　the　Soul　found　an　entrance　and　entered　in；　and　was　one

with　him　even　as　before。　　And　the　sea　covered　the　young　Fisherman

with　its　waves。





And　in　the　morning　the　Priest　went　forth　to　bless　the　sea；　for　it

had　been　troubled。　　And　with　him　went　the　monks　and　the　musicians；

and　the　candle…bearers；　and　the　swingers　of　censers；　and　a　great

company。



And　when　the　Priest　reached　the　shore　he　saw　the　young　Fisherman

lying　drowned　in　the　surf；　and　clasped　in　his　arms　was　the　body　of

the　little　Mermaid。　　And　he　drew　back　frowning；　and　having　made　the

sign　of　the　cross；　he　cried　aloud　and　said；　'I　will　not　bless　the

sea　nor　anything　that　is　in　it。　　Accursed　be　the　Sea…folk；　and

accursed　be　all　they　who　traffic　with　them。　　And　as　for　him　who　for

love's　sake　forsook　God；　and　so　lieth　here　with　his　leman　slain　by

God's　judgment；　take　up　his　body　and　the　body　of　his　leman；　and

bury　them　in　the　corner　of　the　Field　of　the　Fullers；　and　set　no

mark　above　them；　nor　sign　of　any　kind；　that　none　may　know　the　place

of　their　resting。　　For　accursed　were　they　in　their　lives；　and

accursed　shall　they　be　in　their　deaths　also。'



And　the　people　did　as　he　commanded　them；　and　in　the　corner　of　the

Field　of　the　Fullers；　where　no　sweet　herbs　grew；　they　dug　a　deep

pit；　and　laid　the　dead　things　within　it。



And　when　the　third　year　was　over；　and　on　a　day　that　was　a　holy　day；

the　Priest　went　up　to　the　chapel；　that　he　might　show　to　the　people

the　wounds　of　the　Lord；　and　speak　to　them　about　the　wrath　of　God。



And　when　he　had　robed　himself　with　his　robes；　and　entered　in　and

bowed　himself　before　the　altar；　he　saw　that　the　altar　was　covered

with　strange　flowers　that　never　had　been　seen　before。　　Strange　were

they　to　look　at；　and　of　curious　beauty；　and　their　beauty　troubled

him；　and　their　odour　was　sweet　in　his　nostrils。　　And　he　felt　glad；

and　understood　not　why　he　was　glad。



And　after　that　he　had　opened　the　tabernacle；　and　incensed　the

monstrance　that　was　in　it；　and　shown　the　fair　wafer　to　the　people；

and　hid　it　again　behind　the　veil　of　veils；　he　began　to　speak　to　the

people；　desiring　to　speak　to　them　of　the　wrath　of　God。　　But　the

beauty　of　the　white　flowers　troubled　him；　and　their　odour　was　sweet

in　his　nostrils；　and　there　came　another　word　into　his　lips；　and　he

spake　not　of　the　wrath　of　God；　but　of　the　God　whose　name　is　Love。

And　why　he　so　spake；　he　knew　not。



And　when　he　had　finished　his　word　the　people　wept；　and　the　Priest

went　back　to　the　sacristy；　and　his　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　　And

the　deacons　came　in　and　began　to　unrobe　him；　and　took　from　him　the

alb　and　the　girdle；　the　maniple　and　the　stole。　　And　he　stood　as　one

in　a　dream。



And　after　that　they　had　unrobed　him；　he　looked　at　them　and　said；

'What　are　the　flowers　that　stand　on　the　altar；　and　whence　do　they

come？'



And　they　answered　him；　'What　flowers　they　are　we　cannot　tell；　but

they　come　from　the　corner　of　the　Fullers'　Field。'　　And　the　Priest

trembled；　and　returned　to　his　own　house　and　prayed。



And　in　the　morning；　while　it　was　still　dawn；　he　went　forth　with　the

monks　and　the　musicians；　and　the　candle…bearers　and　the　swingers　of

censers；　and　a　great　company；　and　came　to　the　shore　of　the　sea；　and

blessed　the　sea；　and　all　the　wild　things　that　are　in　it。　　The　Fauns

also　he　blessed；　and　the　little　things　that　dance　in　the　woodland；

and　the　bright…eyed　things　that　peer　through　the　leaves。　　All　the

things　in　God's　world　he　blessed；　and　the　people　were　filled　with

joy　and　wonder。　　Yet　never　again　in　the　corner　of　the　Fullers'

Field　grew　flowers　of　any　kind；　but　the　field　remained　barren　even

as　before。　　Nor　came　the　Sea…folk　into　the　bay　as　they　had　been

wont　to　do；　for　they　went　to　another　part　of　the　sea。