王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第15章

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caught　her　by　the　waist；　and　whirled　her　madly　round　and　round。



Suddenly　a　dog　bayed　in　the　wood；　and　the　dancers　stopped；　and

going　up　two　by　two；　knelt　down；　and　kissed　the　man's　hands。　　As

they　did　so；　a　little　smile　touched　his　proud　lips；　as　a　bird's

wing　touches　the　water　and　makes　it　laugh。　　But　there　was　disdain

in　it。　　He　kept　looking　at　the　young　Fisherman。



'Come！　let　us　worship；'　whispered　the　Witch；　and　she　led　him　up；

and　a　great　desire　to　do　as　she　besought　him　seized　on　him；　and　he

followed　her。　　But　when　he　came　close；　and　without　knowing　why　he

did　it；　he　made　on　his　breast　the　sign　of　the　Cross；　and　called

upon　the　holy　name。



No　sooner　had　he　done　so　than　the　witches　screamed　like　hawks　and

flew　away；　and　the　pallid　face　that　had　been　watching　him　twitched

with　a　spasm　of　pain。　　The　man　went　over　to　a　little　wood；　and

whistled。　　A　jennet　with　silver　trappings　came　running　to　meet　him。

As　he　leapt　upon　the　saddle　he　turned　round；　and　looked　at　the

young　Fisherman　sadly。



And　the　Witch　with　the　red　hair　tried　to　fly　away　also；　but　the

Fisherman　caught　her　by　her　wrists；　and　held　her　fast。



'Loose　me；'　she　cried；　'and　let　me　go。　　For　thou　hast　named　what

should　not　be　named；　and　shown　the　sign　that　may　not　be　looked　at。'



'Nay；'　he　answered；　'but　I　will　not　let　thee　go　till　thou　hast　told

me　the　secret。'



'What　secret？'　said　the　Witch；　wrestling　with　him　like　a　wild　cat；

and　biting　her　foam…flecked　lips。



'Thou　knowest；'　he　made　answer。



Her　grass…green　eyes　grew　dim　with　tears；　and　she　said　to　the

Fisherman；　'Ask　me　anything　but　that！'



He　laughed；　and　held　her　all　the　more　tightly。



And　when　she　saw　that　she　could　not　free　herself；　she　whispered　to

him；　'Surely　I　am　as　fair　as　the　daughters　of　the　sea；　and　as

comely　as　those　that　dwell　in　the　blue　waters；'　and　she　fawned　on

him　and　put　her　face　close　to　his。



But　he　thrust　her　back　frowning；　and　said　to　her；　'If　thou　keepest

not　the　promise　that　thou　madest　to　me　I　will　slay　thee　for　a　false

witch。'



　She　grew　grey　as　a　blossom　of　the　Judas　tree；　and　shuddered。　　'Be

it　so；'　she　muttered。　　'It　is　thy　soul　and　not　mine。　　Do　with　it　as

thou　wilt。'　　And　she　took　from　her　girdle　a　little　knife　that　had　a

handle　of　green　viper's　skin；　and　gave　it　to　him。



'What　shall　this　serve　me？'　he　asked　of　her；　wondering。



She　was　silent　for　a　few　moments；　and　a　look　of　terror　came　over

her　face。　　Then　she　brushed　her　hair　back　from　her　forehead；　and

smiling　strangely　she　said　to　him；　'What　men　call　the　shadow　of　the

body　is　not　the　shadow　of　the　body；　but　is　the　body　of　the　soul。

Stand　on　the　sea…shore　with　thy　back　to　the　moon；　and　cut　away　from

around　thy　feet　thy　shadow；　which　is　thy　soul's　body；　and　bid　thy

soul　leave　thee；　and　it　will　do　so。'



The　young　Fisherman　trembled。　　'Is　this　true？'　he　murmured。



'It　is　true；　and　I　would　that　I　had　not　told　thee　of　it；'　she

cried；　and　she　clung　to　his　knees　weeping。



He　put　her　from　him　and　left　her　in　the　rank　grass；　and　going　to

the　edge　of　the　mountain　he　placed　the　knife　in　his　belt　and　began

to　climb　down。



And　his　Soul　that　was　within　him　called　out　to　him　and　said；　'Lo！

I　have　dwelt　with　thee　for　all　these　years；　and　have　been　thy

servant。　　Send　me　not　away　from　thee　now；　for　what　evil　have　I　done

thee？'



And　the　young　Fisherman　laughed。　　'Thou　hast　done　me　no　evil；　but　I

have　no　need　of　thee；'　he　answered。　　'The　world　is　wide；　and　there

is　Heaven　also；　and　Hell；　and　that　dim　twilight　house　that　lies

between。　　Go　wherever　thou　wilt；　but　trouble　me　not；　for　my　love　is

calling　to　me。'



And　his　Soul　besought　him　piteously；　but　he　heeded　it　not；　but

leapt　from　crag　to　crag；　being　sure…footed　as　a　wild　goat；　and　at

last　he　reached　the　level　ground　and　the　yellow　shore　of　the　sea。



Bronze…limbed　and　well…knit；　like　a　statue　wrought　by　a　Grecian；　he

stood　on　the　sand　with　his　back　to　the　moon；　and　out　of　the　foam

came　white　arms　that　beckoned　to　him；　and　out　of　the　waves　rose　dim

forms　that　did　him　homage。　　Before　him　lay　his　shadow；　which　was

the　body　of　his　soul；　and　behind　him　hung　the　moon　in　the　honey…

coloured　air。



And　his　Soul　said　to　him；　'If　indeed　thou　must　drive　me　from　thee；

send　me　not　forth　without　a　heart。　　The　world　is　cruel；　give　me　thy

heart　to　take　with　me。'



He　tossed　his　head　and　smiled。　　'With　what　should　I　love　my　love　if

I　gave　thee　my　heart？'　he　cried。



'Nay；　but　be　merciful；'　said　his　Soul：　　'give　me　thy　heart；　for　the

world　is　very　cruel；　and　I　am　afraid。'



'My　heart　is　my　love's；'　he　answered；　'therefore　tarry　not；　but　get

thee　gone。'



'Should　I　not　love　also？'　asked　his　Soul。



'Get　thee　gone；　for　I　have　no　need　of　thee；'　cried　the　young

Fisherman；　and　he　took　the　little　knife　with　its　handle　of　green

viper's　skin；　and　cut　away　his　shadow　from　around　his　feet；　and　it

rose　up　and　stood　before　him；　and　looked　at　him；　and　it　was　even　as

himself。



He　crept　back；　and　thrust　the　knife　into　his　belt；　and　a　feeling　of

awe　came　over　him。　　'Get　thee　gone；'　he　murmured；　'and　let　me　see

thy　face　no　more。'



'Nay；　but　we　must　meet　again；'　said　the　Soul。　　Its　voice　was　low

and　flute…like；　and　its　lips　hardly　moved　while　it　spake。



'How　shall　we　meet？'　cried　the　young　Fisherman。　　'Thou　wilt　not

follow　me　into　the　depths　of　the　sea？'



'Once　every　year　I　will　come　to　this　place；　and　call　to　thee；'　said

the　Soul。　　'It　may　be　that　thou　wilt　have　need　of　me。'



'What　need　should　I　have　of　thee？'　cried　the　young　Fisherman；　'but

be　it　as　thou　wilt；'　and　he　plunged　into　the　waters　and　the　Tritons

blew　their　horns　and　the　little　Mermaid　rose　up　to　meet　him；　and

put　her　arms　around　his　neck　and　kissed　him　on　the　mouth。



And　the　Soul　stood　on　the　lonely　beach　and　watched　them。　　And　when

they　had　sunk　down　into　the　sea；　it　went　weeping　away　over　the

marshes。





And　after　a　year　was　over　the　Soul　came　down　to　the　shore　of　the

sea　and　called　to　the　young　Fisherman；　and　he　rose　out　of　the　deep；

and　said；　'Why　dost　thou　call　to　me？'



And　the　Soul　answered；　'Come　nearer；　that　I　may　speak　with　thee；

for　I　have　seen　marvellous　things。'



So　he　came　nearer；　and　couched　in　the　shallow　water；　and　leaned　his

head　upon　his　hand　and　listened。





And　the　Soul　said　to　him；　'When　I　left　thee　I　turned　my　face　to　the

East　and　journeyed。　　From　the　East　cometh　everything　that　is　wise。

Six　days　I　journeyed；　and　on　the　morning　of　the　seventh　day　I　came

to　a　hill　that　is　in　the　country　of　the　Tartars。　　I　sat　down　under

the　shade　of　a　tamarisk　tree　to　shelter　myself　from　the　sun。　　The

land　was　dry　and　burnt　up　with　the　heat。　　The　people　went　to　and

fro　over　the　plain　like　flies　crawling　upon　a　disk　of　polished

copper。



'When　it　was　noon　a　cloud　of　red　dust　rose　up　from　the　flat　rim　of

the　land。　　When　the　Tartars　saw　it；　they　strung　their　painted　bows；

and　having　leapt　upon　their　little　horses　they　galloped　to　meet　it。

The　women　fled　screaming　to　the　waggons；　and　hid　themselves　behind

the　felt　curtains。



'At　twilight　the　Tartars　returned；　but　five　of　them　were　missing；

and　of　those　that　came　back　not　a　few　had　been　wounded。　　They

harnessed　their　horses　to　the　waggons　and　drove　hastily　away。

Three　jackals　came　out　of　a　cave　and　peered　after　them。　　Then　they

sniffed　up　the　air　with　their　nostrils；　and　trotted　off　in　the

opposite　direction。



'When　the　moon　rose　I　saw　a　camp…fire　burning　on　the　plain；　and

went　towards　it。　　A　company　of　merchants　were　seated　round　it　on

carpets。　　Their　camels　were　picketed　behind　them；　and　the　negroes

who　were　their　servants　were　pitching　tents　of　tanned　skin　upon　the

sand；　and　making　a　high　wall　of　the　prickly　pear。



'As　I　came　near　them；　the　chief　of　the　merchants　rose　up　and　drew

his　sword；　and　asked　me　my　business。



'I　answered　that　I　was　a　Prince　in　my　own　land；　and　that　I　had

escaped　from　the　Tartars；　who　had　sought　to　make　me　their　slave。

The　chief　smiled；　and　showed　me　five　heads　fixed　upon　long　reeds　of

bamboo。



'Then　he　asked　me　who　was　the　prophet　of　God；　and　I　answered　him

Mohammed。



'When　he　heard　the　name　of　the　false　prophet；　he　bowed　and　took　me

by　the　hand；　and　placed　me　by　his　side。　　A　negro　brought　me　some

mare's　milk　in　a　wooden　dish；　and　a　piece　of　lamb's　flesh　roasted。



'At　daybreak　we　started　on　our　journey。　　I　rode　on　a　red…haired

camel　by　the　side　of　the　chief；　and　a　runner　ran　before　us　carrying

a　spear。　　The　men　of　war　were　on　either　hand；　and　the　mules

followed　with　the　merchandise。　　There　were　forty　camels　in　the

caravan；　and　the　mules　were　twice　forty　in　number。



'We　went　from　the　country　of　the　Tartars　into　the　country　of　those

who　curse　the　Moon。　　We　saw　the　Gryphons　guarding　their　gold　on　the

white　rocks；　and　the　scaled　Dragons　sleeping　in　their　caves。　　As　we

passed　over　the　mountains　we　held　our　breath　lest　th