Fairy Tale - The Fisherman And His Soul

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 18:33:30

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The Fisherman And His Soul By Oscar Wilde 
 
[TO H.S.H. ALICE, PRINCESS OF MONACO] 
 
 
Part I 
 
 
Every evening the young Fisherman went out upon the sea, and threw his nets into the water. 
 
When the wind blew from the land he caught nothing, or but little at best, for it was a bitter and black-winged wind, and rough waves rose up to meet it. But when the wind blew to the shore, the fish came in from the deep, and swam into the meshes of his nets, and he took them to the market-place and sold them. 
 
Every evening he went out upon the sea, and one evening the net was so heavy that hardly could he draw it into the boat. And he laughed, and said to himself, ‘Surely I have caught all the fish that swim, or snared some dull monster that will be a marvel to men, or some thing of horror that the great Queen will desire,’ and putting forth all his strength, he tugged at the coarse ropes till, like lines of blue enamel round a vase of bronze, the long veins rose up on his arms. He tugged at the thin ropes, and nearer and nearer came the circle of flat corks, and the net rose at last to the top of the water. 
 
But no fish at all was in it, nor any monster or thing of horror, but only a little Mermaid lying fast asleep. 
 
Her hair was as a wet fleece of gold, and each separate hair as a thread of fine gold in a cup of glass. Her body was as white ivory, and her tail was of silver and pearl. Silver and pearl was her tail, and the green weeds of the sea coiled round it; and like sea-shells were her ears, and her lips were like sea-coral. The cold waves dashed over her cold breasts, and the salt glistened upon her eyelids. 
 
So beautiful was she that when the young Fisherman saw her he was filled with wonder, and he put out his hand and drew the net close to him, and leaning over the side he clasped her in his arms. And when he touched her, she gave a cry like a startled sea-gull, and woke, and looked at him in terror with her mauve-amethyst eyes, and struggled that she might escape. But he held her tightly to him, and would not suffer her to depart. 
 
And when she saw that she could in no way escape from him, she began to weep, and said, ‘I pray thee let me go, for I am the only daughter of a King, and my father is aged and alone.’ 
 
But the young Fisherman answered, ‘I will not let thee go save thou makest me a promise that whenever I call thee, thou wilt come and sing to me, for the fish delight to listen to the song of the Sea-folk, and so shall my nets be full.’ 
 
‘Wilt thou in very truth let me go, if I promise thee this?’ cried the Mermaid. 
 
‘In very truth I will let thee go,’ said the young Fisherman. 
 
So she made him the promise he desired, and sware it by the oath of the Sea-folk. And he loosened his arms from about her, and she sank down into the water, trembling with a strange fear.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 21:00:14

第九部分 
 
 天明时分，年轻的渔夫站起身来，对他的灵魂说：“我要绑住我的双手，免得我会照你 
的吩咐去做，我还要闭紧嘴巴，免得我说出休想让我说的话，我要回到我所爱的人居住的地 
方去。我甚至要回到海里去，回到她过去经常唱歌的那个小海湾去，我要唤她上来，告诉她 
我做过的坏事以及你对我做过的坏事。” 他的灵魂诱惑着他，说：“谁是你的爱人？让你非回到她那儿去不可？世上有很多比她 
漂亮的美人。萨马里斯的舞女们可以学各种鸟兽的姿态跳舞。她们的脚用凤仙花染成了红 
色，她们手中握着好多小铜铃。她们一边跳一边笑，她们的笑容跟清溪一样明净。跟我走， 
我带你去见她们。你为那些罪恶的事操那份心是为了什么呢？难道那些美味可口的东西不是 
做来给人吃的吗？难道喝起来甘甜的东西里面放进了毒药吗？不要自寻烦恼了，跟我到另一 
个城市去吧。这儿附近就有一座小城市，里面有一个百合树的花园。在这个可爱的花园中住 
着一些白孔雀和有着蓝色胸脯的孔雀。当它们的尾巴向着太阳展开的时候，就像象牙的圆盘 
和镀金圆盘一样。给它们喂食的女人还为它们跳舞取乐，有时候她用手跳舞，有时候用脚 
跳。她的双眼用锑粉染了色，她的鼻孔长得像燕子的翅膀。在一个鼻孔中用小钩子挂着一朵 
用珍珠刻成的花儿。她一边跳舞一边笑，脚踝上的一对银镯子像银铃似的响着。所以不要再 
自寻烦恼了，跟我到这座城市去吧。” 可是年轻的渔夫却没有回答他的灵魂，而是用沉默封闭住自己的嘴，还用绳子紧紧绑着 
自己的双手，起身回到了他出来的地方，甚至回到了他的爱人过去常常唱歌的那个小海湾。 
尽管他的灵魂，一路上不停地引诱他，可是他却从未答复，他也不愿去做他的灵魂要他去做 
的任何坏事，他内心的爱情的力量真是太大了。 等他来到了大海的边上，他才把手上的绳子解开，将沉默的封条从嘴上撕去，他呼唤着 
小美人鱼。然而她并没有来会他，他呼唤了整整一天，恳求着她，结果却还是看不见她。 他的灵魂嘲笑着他，说：“你一定是没有从你的爱人那儿得到多少欢乐。你就像是大旱 
天里往漏船上倒水的人。你把你的一切都给予了出去，却没有得到丝毫的回报。你最好还是 
跟着我，因为我知道欢乐谷在什么地方，还有那儿有什么东西。” 不过年轻的渔夫并没有回答他的灵魂，他在岩石的裂缝中用树条为自己编造了一个房 
子，在那儿住了一年。每天清晨他都呼唤着美人鱼，每天中午他又呼唤她的名字，到了晚上 
他仍唤着她来。然而她再也没有从海中出来会他，他也不能够在大海的任何地方找到她，虽 
然他已在洞穴中，在碧水下，在海潮的漩涡里，或者在海底深处的井中，到处都去寻找过， 
但始终不见她的身影。 尽管他的灵魂不停地甩邪恶来引诱他，还对他悄悄地说着些可怕的事情，但是这些都没 
有能够阻止他，他的爱情的力量真是太大了。 一年的时间过去了，灵魂在他的体内暗想：“我已经用邪恶引诱了我的主人，可是他的 
爱比我强大。现在我要用善来引诱他，他也许会跟着我走的。” 于是他对年轻的渔夫说道：“我给你讲过世界上的欢乐的事情，而你却不听我的。现在 
我只好告诉你世间的痛苦了，这也许是你想听的。说真的，痛苦是这个世界的主人，没有一 
个人可以从它的网中逃出去。有些人缺少的是衣服，另一些人缺少的是面包。有穿着紫袍坐 
着的寡妇，也有穿着破衣的寡妇。在沼泽地上走来走去的是麻疯病人，他们相互之间都非常 
残酷，乞丐们在公路上来来往往，他们的袋中空空如也。在各个城市的街道上行走着饥荒， 
瘟疫坐在他们的门口。来吧，让我们出发，去改善这些事情，让它们不再发生。你既然知道 
你的爱人不愿前来回应你的呼唤，为什么还要停留在这儿呼唤她呢？爱到底是什么，你竟要 
为此付出如此高的代价？ 然而年轻的渔夫并不回答，他的爱的力量太大了。每天清晨他都要呼唤美人鱼，每天中 
午又要去呼唤她，夜里还要唤着她的名字。可是她从没有从海里出来会他，他也没有能够在 
海洋的任何地方找到她，尽管他在海中的河流寻过她，在波浪下的山谷里觅过她，在被夜晚 
染成紫色的大海上，以及被黎明抹成灰色的大海中，都不能找到她的影子。 第二年又过去了，一天晚上正当年轻的渔夫孤单单地坐在树条造的房子中时，灵魂便对 
他说：“喂！现在我是用恶来引诱你，我也用善来引诱了你，而你的爱比我更强大。因此， 
我不会再引诱你了，不过我恳求你让我进入到你的心中，这样我就会跟从前一样与你呆在一 
起了。” “你当然可以进来，”年轻的渔夫说，“因为在你没有心而去世界上流浪的那些日子 
里，你一定吃了不少苦头。” “哎呀！”他的灵魂叫了起来，“我找不到什么地方可以进去呀，你的这颗心被爱封闭 
得太紧了。” “可我仍希望我能够帮助你，”年轻的渔夫说。 就在说这句话的时候，从海洋中传来了好大一声哀叫，就象美人鱼家族中有什么人死了 
的时候人们听到的那种声音一样。年轻的渔夫一下子跳了起来，离开了他的树条屋，朝海滩 
跑去。黑色的波浪急匆匆地朝岸边扑打过来，波浪载着一个比银子更白的东西。它跟浪头一 
样的白，像是一朵花飘在波涛上面。海浪把它从波涛中接过来，泡沫又把它从海浪中接过来， 
最后是海岸接受了它，于是在年轻渔夫的脚下，他看见了小美人鱼的尸体。她躺在他的 
脚下死去了。 这位痛苦的泪人儿一下子扑倒在了她的身边，他吻着她那冰冷的红嘴唇，抚弄着湿琥珀 
一样的头发。他扑倒在沙滩上，躺在她的身边，哭得像一个因兴奋而颤抖的人，他用自己褐 
色的双臂把她紧紧地拥在胸中。她的嘴唇是冰冷的，但他依旧吻着它。她蜜色的头发是咸的， 
可他仍然带着痛苦的快乐去品尝它。他吻着她那双紧闭的眼皮，她眼角上挂着的浪花还没有 
他的眼泪咸。 他对着死尸忏悔起来。他把自己要倾述的苦难经历都灌进了她的耳朵里了。他把她的两 
只小手挽在自己的脖子上，并用他的手指头去抚摸她那细细的咽喉管。他的快乐是痛苦的， 
而他的痛苦中又充满了奇妙的欢乐。 黑色的海水愈来愈近了，白色的泡沫像麻疯病人一样地哀叫着。海洋用它泡沫的白爪爬 
上了海岸。从海王的官廷中又传来了哀苦的叫声，在遥远的大海上半人半鱼的海神们用号角 
吹出他们嘶哑的声音。 “快逃走吧，”他的灵魂说，“因为海水越来越近了，如果你还呆着不走的话，它会杀 
死你的。快逃走吧，因为我好害怕，我知道你的心对我关闭着的，原因是你的爱太强大了。 
快逃到一个安全的地方去吧。你一定不会不送给我一颗心，就把我送到另一个世界上去吧。” 然而年轻的渔夫并没有听他灵魂的话，却只是不停地呼唤着小美人鱼，并说道：“爱情 
比智慧更好，比财富更宝贵，比人类女儿的脚更漂亮。烈火烧毁不了它，海水淹没不了它。 
我在黎明时唤过你，可你没有回答我。月亮听见了你的名字，可你还是不理睬我。因为我离 
开你是千错万错，我这一走反而害了我自己。但是你的爱始终伴着我，它永远都是强大的， 
没有什么可以阻止得了它，不论我面对的是恶也好，是善也罢。现在你已经死了，因此我一 
定要跟你一起去死。” 他的灵魂又恳求他离开，但是他不肯，他的爱太深了。海水越来越近了，它要它的波涛 
把他盖住，此刻他知道死期已近，他便疯狂地吻着美人鱼冰冷的嘴唇，他的那颗心呀都碎 
了。就在他的心充满了太多的爱而破碎的时候，灵魂找到一个入口就进去了，就跟从前那样 
与他合为一体了。海水终于用它的波涛淹没了这位年轻的渔夫。 
 早晨，神父去给大海祝福，因为海水很不平静。与神父一起去的有僧侣和乐手，以及手 
持蜡烛的人，摇着香炉的人，还有好大一群人。 等神父来到海滩上时，他一下就看见躺在海浪里淹死的年轻渔夫，在他的胳膊中还紧紧 
地抱着小美人鱼的尸体。神父皱紧眉头往后退去，在胸前划了个十字符号后，他便大声喊着 
说：“我不会祝福大海和海里的任何东西了。美人鱼家族是该受到诅咒的，也该诅咒那些与 
他们来往的人。至于他呢，他为了爱情而抛弃了上帝，所以躺在这个被上帝裁判而给杀死的 
情妇的身边，抬走他的尸体和他情妇的尸体，把他们埋在漂洗工田地的角落里，上面不放任 
何标志，也不要做任何记号，这样就不会有人知道他们安息在什么地方。因为他们生前是该 
诅咒的，他们死后也是该诅咒的。” 人们按照他的吩咐去做了，在漂洗工田地的角落里，那儿一棵香草也没有长，他们就在 
地上挖了个深坑，把死尸放了进去。 第三年又过去了，在一个神圣的日子里，神父来到了礼拜堂上，他要把上帝的伤痕显示 
给人们看，他还要给他们讲上帝的仇恨。 等他给自己穿好了法衣后，他就进了礼拜堂，在祭坛上行礼，这时他看见祭坛上放满了 
他以前从未见过的奇异的鲜花。这些花看上去很奇怪，却又是异样的美丽，花儿的美使他心 
烦意乱，它们的气味在他的鼻孔中闻着很香。他觉得开心起来，却不知道为什么开心。 随后他打开了圣龛，在里面的圣饼台上烧了香，把美丽的圣饼拿给人们看，然后又把它 
藏在帐幔后面，他开始对人们说话，还想向人们讲述上帝的愤怒。但是那些白花的美使他心 
烦意乱，花儿的气味在鼻子里闻起来好香，而他的嘴里说出了另外一些话，他讲述的不是上 
帝的愤怒，却是名字叫做“爱”的上帝。他为什么要这么说，他自己也不知道。 神父说完的时候，人们哭了，神父回到了寺院中放圣器的地方，眼里充满了泪水。执事 
们走了进来，为他脱去法衣，给他脱下白麻布法服，以及腰带、饰带和丝带。他站在那儿就 
跟在梦境中似的。 等他们为他解衣宽带之后，他看着他们，开口说道：“坛上放的是什么花？它们是从哪 
儿来的？” 他们回答他说：“我们说不出它们是些什么花，可它们来自漂洗工田地场地的那个角落。” 
神父浑身发抖，并回到自己的住处，开始祷告起来。 早上，天刚刚发亮的时候，他同僧侣、乐师们以及手持蜡烛的人，摇香炉的人，以及一 
大群人们来到大海边，向大海祝福，也向海中一切野生的东西祝福。他还祝福了牧神，以及 
在森林中跳舞的小东西们，还有那些从树叶中朝外偷窥的亮眼睛的东西们。他对上帝创造的 
世间一切东西都为之祝福，人们充满了快乐和惊奇。不过从此以后漂洗工田地的角落里再也 
没有长出任何种类的鲜花，那儿变得跟从前一样荒凉了。美人鱼家族再也不像往常那样游进 
这个海湾里来，因为他们到大海的其它地方去了。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 21:04:13

<img src="../leadbbsfile/UBBicon/em01.GIF" width=46 height=46 align=absmiddle border=0>总算贴完了。想不到贴翻译部分更累人，太多的错字和明显的错译，我只能大致改一改。同志们一起来挑错吧，我闪了～～～<img src="../leadbbsfile/UBBicon/em41.GIF" width=46 height=46 align=absmiddle border=0>

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:41:58

第六部分 
 
 过了一年时候，灵魂又回到了海滩上，呼唤着年轻的渔夫，他从海底下浮了上来，并对 
它说：“你为什么要唤我呢？” 灵魂回答说：“走近一点，我好与你说话，因为我看见了好多奇妙的东西。” 于是他走近了一点，还蹲在水里，用手托着自己的头，聆听着。 
 灵魂对他说：“在我离开你的时候，我就转向东方去旅行了。一切来自东方的东西都是 
很聪明的。我旅行了6天，在第7天的早晨，我来到了一座小山，它位于鞑靼人国家的土地 
上。我坐在一棵柽柳的树荫下躲避太阳。土地干裂了，被炎热烤得发烫。人们在平原上来来 
回回地走着，如同飞蝇在磨光的铜盘子上面爬来爬去似的。 “在正午的时候，从地平线上升起了一团红色沙尘的云雾来。等鞑靼人看见它时，他们 
就张开了自己的画弓，并跳上他们的小马，朝着那个方向狂奔而去。女人们尖声叫看跑进大 
车里，躺藏在毛帘子的后面。 “黄昏的时候鞑靼人回来了，只是他们当中少了五个人，而在回来的人中间也有不少人 
受了伤。他们把马匹套在大车上，便匆匆地赶着大车上路了。三只胡狼从洞子中走出来，在 
他们的身后注视着。然后它们用鼻子吸了几口空气，就朝相反的方向奔去了。 “等到月亮升起来以后，我看见平原上燃起了簿火，便朝那个方向跑去了。一群商人围 
着火堆坐在地毯上。他们的骆驼拴在他们身后的桩上，那些做奴隶的黑人们正在沙地上搭好 
硝皮帐篷，并用霸王树筑起了高高的围墙。” “我走近他们的时候，商人中的头人站与身来，抽出他的刀，问我是干什么的。 “我回答说我是我那个国家的王子，我是从鞑靼人那儿跑出来的，因为他们要抓我给他 
们当奴隶。头人笑了，还指给我看了挂在长竹竿上的五个人头。 “随后他问我谁是上帝的先知，我告诉他是穆罕默德。 “听到假先知的名字后，他深深地鞠了一个躬，拉起了我的手，叫我坐在了他的身边。 
一位黑奴用木制的碗盛了一些马奶给我送来，还有一块烤好的小羊肉。 “黎明时我们又上路了。我骑在一匹红毛骆驼的身上，跟在头人的旁边走着，一个跑腿 
的人扛着一根长枪跑在我们的前边。当兵的人走在我们的两边，骡子驮着商品跟在后面。这 
个商队有四十只骆驼，骡子的数量却有两个四十这么多。 “我们从鞑靼人的国土走到了诅咒月亮人的国境中。我们看见鹰头狮身的怪物在白色的 
岩石上守卫着自己的黄金，有鳞甲的龙在它们的山洞中睡得正香。我们翻过群山的时候，连 
大气都不敢出，生伯积雪会落下来压住我们的身体，每个人的眼睛前都绑了一块纱布。我们 
穿越山谷的时候，小矮人们从大树的洞巢中朝我们射箭，夜晚的时候我们听见野人们在击鼓 
作乐。我们爬过猴塔的时候，就放一些水果在猴子面前，它们就不会伤害我们。等我们来到 
蛇塔的时候，我们便用铜碗盛些热牛奶给它们喝，蛇就让我们顺利地通过。旅途中我们有三 
次来到奥克苏姆斯河的岸边。我们坐在扎着胀鼓鼓的棕色皮口袋的木筏上渡过河去，河马怒 
气冲天地对着我们，像是要把我们通通吃掉似的。骆驼看见它们那样，也都不寒而栗起来。 “每一座城邦的郡主都向我们征收税金，但却不愿让我们进入他们的城门。他们从墙头 
上给我们扔下面包，还有用精粉做的蜂蜜玉米糕，以及装满大枣的面饼，并用每一百个篮子 
的食物换我们的一粒琥珀珠子。 “乡村里的居民们一看我们走近了，他们便在水井里放毒药，并逃到山顶上去。我们同 
马格达人打了仗，他们生下来时就是老人，且一年比一年长得年轻，等他们长成小孩的时 
候，就会死去了；我们还同拉克特罗伊人打过仗，他们声称自己是老虎的儿子，把自己涂成 
黄黑两种颜色；我们也同奥兰特斯人打过仗，他们会把死者埋葬在树顶上，而自己却住在黑 
暗的洞中，生怕他们的神即太阳会杀死他们；我们跟克里尼安人打了仗，他们崇拜的是鳄 
鱼，给它戴上绿色的玻璃耳环，并用牛油和活鸡去喂养它；我们与阿加中拜打了仗，他们长 
着狗一样的面孔；我们还同长着马脚的希班人打了仗，他们比马跑得更快。战斗中我们商队 
有三分之一的人阵亡了，另外三分之一的人因饥饿而死去。剩下的人都低声地抱怨我，说是 
我给他们带去了厄运。我从一块石头下面捉起一条有角的毒蛇，让它来咬我。他们看见我一 
点中毒的样子都没有，便害怕起来。 “到了第四个月，我们来到了伊勒尔市，到达城墙外的小树林时已经是夜里了，空气十 
分沉闷，因为月亮到天蝎宫去旅行了。我们从树上摘下成熟的石榴，切开来喝里面的甜汁， 
然后我们躺在地毯上等待着天明。 “天刚亮我们就起来了，敲响了城门。城门是用红铜制成的，上面刻有海龙和长了翅膀 
的飞龙。哨兵从城垛上往下张望着，并问我们是干什么的。商队的翻译告诉对方我们带着很 
多商品从叙利亚岛而来。他们要了我们几个人作人质，并告诉我们到中午时才能打开城门， 
吩咐我们耐心等待。 “中午时分，他们打开了城门。我们入城的时候，人们一群群地从屋里跑出来看我们， 
一个召集人到城内各处用海螺通知人们我们的到来。我们站到了集市中，黑奴们打开花布包 
裹，翻开雕花的枫木箱子。等他们做完了这些事之后，商人们便摆出了各种奇特的物品，有 
来自埃及的蜡染麻布，有来自埃塞俄比亚的花布，有泰尔城的紫色海绵，有希顿的蓝色帷 
帘，有冰冷的琥珀杯子，有玻璃精品和奇妙的陶器。一家房屋的顶部有一群女人在看着我 
们。其中一人戴着一副镀金的皮革面具。 “头一天来与我们交易的是僧侣们，第二天来的是贵族，第三天来的是手艺人和奴隶 
们。这是他们对待商人的习惯，只要商人们呆在城中的话。 “我们在这儿呆了一个月，等到月缺的时候，我已觉得好无聊，便到城里的大街上到处 
去闲荡，并来到了本城神社的花园中。身着黄袍的僧侣们静悄悄地穿过绿树丛，在黑色大理 
石铺就的道路上立着一座玫瑰色的寺院，里面供着他们的神。门是涂过金粉的，上面突出来 
的是金饰的闪闪发亮的公牛和孔雀。房顶是海绿色瓷瓦铺成的，伸出的屋檐上挂着小铃铛。 
每当白鸽飞过的时候，它们便用翅膀扑打铃铛，使铃锁叮叮当当地响起来。 “寺院的前面有一个用条纹玛瑙铺砌的净水池。我躺在池子旁边，用我苍白的手指抚摸 
那些宽大的树叶。其中的一位僧侣朝我走来，站在我的身后。他脚上穿着草鞋，一只是软蛇 
皮做的，另一只是用鸟的羽毛做的。他的头上戴着一顶黑毡的僧帽，帽上装饰着银制的新 
月。他的袍子上编织着七道黄色条，他卷曲的头发上抹上了锑粉。 “过了一小会儿，他开口对我说话，问我想要什么。 “我告诉他我的要求就是想见到神。 “‘神去打猎了，’僧侣说着，并用他那对小小的斜眼睛奇怪地看着我。 “我回答说，‘告诉我他在哪一个树林，我要与他一块几骑马。 “他又用长长的指甲梳理着袍子边上软软的穗子。‘神在睡觉，’他喃喃地说。 “我又答道，‘告诉我是哪一张床，我要去看护他。’ “‘神在开宴会，’他大声说。 “我回答说，‘如果酒是甜的，我就要与他共饮，而如果酒是苦的，我也会与他一同饮 
下去的。’ “他好奇地低下了头，并拉着我的手，把我拽了起来，领着我走进了寺院。 “在第一间房子里，我看见一座雕像坐在用东方大珍珠镶边的翠玉宝座上。这尊雕像是 
用乌木刻成的，跟真人一样大。在它的额头上有一块红宝石，厚厚的油从它的头发上滴下 
来，落到它的大腿上。它的双脚是用新宰的小羊羔的血染红的，腰间扎着一根铜带， “我对这位僧侣说，‘这就是神吗？’他回答我，‘这就是神，’ “‘快带我去见神，’我大声吼道，‘否则我一定要杀了你。’我还摸了一下他的手， 
那只手一下子就枯萎了。 “僧侣恳求着我说，‘请我的主人医治他的仆人吧，我要带他去见神了。’ “于是我便吹了一口气在他的手上，他的手又长好了，他把我领进第二间房子，同时浑 
身不住地颤抖着。在这里我看见一尊雕像立在用翡翠做成的莲花上面，莲花上面悬挂着好多 
硕大的绿宝石。这雕像是用象牙雕刻而成的，身材有普通人的两倍那么大。它的前额上是一 
块黄玉，它的胸部抹着没药和肉桂末，它一只手上拿着一根弯曲的翡翠玉杖，另一只手中握 
着一块圆圆的水晶。脚上穿着黄铜的靴子，粗壮的脖子上套着一个石膏做的圈子。 “我对这位僧侣说，‘这就是神吗？’他回答说，‘这就是神。’ “‘带我去见神，’我大声吼道，‘否则我一定会杀了你的，’我还摸了一下他的眼 
睛，他一下子就成了瞎子。 “僧侣恳求着我说，‘请我的主人医治他的仆人吧，我就要领他去见神了。’ “于是我吹了一口气在他的眼睛上，他马上又恢复了视力，而且他又浑身颤抖起来，并 
带着我走进了第三间房子。啊！原来这儿没有雕像，也没有任何品种的雕像，只是有一面圆 
圆的金属镜子，放在一个石头祭坛上。 “我对僧侣说，‘神在什么地方？’ “他回答说：‘这儿没有神，只有这面你看见的镜子，因为这是智慧之镜，它把天上和 
地上的一切东西都反映了出来，但只是朝镜子中看的了的脸是反映不出来的，所以朝镜子中 
看的人可能是聪明的。有很多其它的镜子，不过那些都是些意见之镜。只有这一面是智慧之 
镜。那些拥有这面镜子的人们便知道世间的一切，没有什么事可以瞒过他们的，那些没有这 
面镜子的人就没有智慧。所以，我们把它看成是神，我们也就崇拜它了。我于是便朝镜子里 
看去，它竟然与他所讲的情况一模一样。 “我做了一件奇怪的事，不过我做的事算不了什么，因为我把智慧之镜给藏了起来，藏 
在距这个地方一天行程的一个山谷里面。我只恳求你让我再进入到你的体内，做你的仆人 
吧，这样你就会比所有聪明的人都要聪明，智慧也就属于你了。就请让我进入到你的身体中 
去吧，那么世上就不会有比你更聪明的人了。” 然而年轻的渔夫却笑了。“爱情比智慧更好，”他大声叫道、“而且小美人鱼爱我。” “不，没有什么东西比智慧更好的了，”灵魂说。“还是爱更好，”年轻的渔夫回答 
说，说完便沉入到海底下去了，灵魂又哭泣着穿过沼泽地走了。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:43:33

Part VII 
 
 
And after the second 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 South and journeyed. From the South cometh everything that is precious. Six days I journeyed along the highways that lead to the city of Ashter, along the dusty red-dyed highways by which the pilgrims are wont to go did I journey, and on the morning of the seventh day I lifted up my eyes, and lo! the city lay at my feet, for it is in a valley. 
 
‘There are nine gates to this city, and in front of each gate stands a bronze horse that neighs when the Bedouins come down from the mountains. The walls are cased with copper, and the watch-towers on the walls are roofed with brass. In every tower stands an archer with a bow in his hand. At sunrise he strikes with an arrow on a gong, and at sunset he blows through a horn of horn. 
 
‘When I sought to enter, the guards stopped me and asked of me who I was. I made answer that I was a Dervish and on my way to the city of Mecca, where there was a green veil on which the Koran was embroidered in silver letters by the hands of the angels. They were filled with wonder, and entreated me to pass in. 
 
‘Inside it is even as a bazaar. Surely thou shouldst have been with me. Across the narrow streets the gay lanterns of paper flutter like large butterflies. When the wind blows over the roofs they rise and fall as painted bubbles do. In front of their booths sit the merchants on silken carpets. They have straight black beards, and their turbans are covered with golden sequins, and long strings of amber and carved peach-stones glide through their cool fingers. Some of them sell galbanum and nard, and curious perfumes from the islands of the Indian Sea, and the thick oil of red roses, and myrrh and little nail-shaped cloves. When one stops to speak to them, they throw pinches of frankincense upon a charcoal brazier and make the air sweet. I saw a Syrian who held in his hands a thin rod like a reed. Grey threads of smoke came from it, and its odour as it burned was as the odour of the pink almond in spring. Others sell silver bracelets embossed all over with creamy blue turquoise stones, and anklets of brass wire fringed with little pearls, and tigers’ claws set in gold, and the claws of that gilt cat, the leopard, set in gold also, and earrings of pierced emerald, and finger-rings of hollowed jade. From the tea-houses comes the sound of the guitar, and the opium-smokers with their white smiling faces look out at the passers-by. 
 
‘Of a truth thou shouldst have been with me. The wine-sellers elbow their way through the crowd with great black skins on their shoulders. Most of them sell the wine of Schiraz, which is as sweet as honey. They serve it in little metal cups and strew rose leaves upon it. In the market-place stand the fruitsellers, who sell all kinds of fruit: ripe figs, with their bruised purple flesh, melons, smelling of musk and yellow as topazes, citrons and rose-apples and clusters of white grapes, round red-gold oranges, and oval lemons of green gold. Once I saw an elephant go by. Its trunk was painted with vermilion and turmeric, and over its ears it had a net of crimson silk cord. It stopped opposite one of the booths and began eating the oranges, and the man only laughed. Thou canst not think how strange a people they are. When they are glad they go to the bird-sellers and buy of them a caged bird, and set it free that their joy may be greater, and when they are sad they scourge themselves with thorns that their sorrow may not grow less. 
 
‘One evening I met some negroes carrying a heavy palanquin through the bazaar. It was made of gilded bamboo, and the poles were of vermilion lacquer studded with brass peacocks. Across the windows hung thin curtains of muslin embroidered with beetles’ wings and with tiny seed-pearls, and as it passed by a pale-faced Circassian looked out and smiled at me. I followed behind, and the negroes hurried their steps and scowled. But I did not care. I felt a great curiosity come over me. 
 
‘At last they stopped at a square white house. There were no windows to it, only a little door like the door of a tomb. They set down the palanquin and knocked three times with a copper hammer. An Armenian in a caftan of green leather peered through the wicket, and when he saw them he opened, and spread a carpet on the ground, and the woman stepped out. As she went in, she turned round and smiled at me again. I had never seen any one so pale. 
 
‘When the moon rose I returned to the same place and sought for the house, but it was no longer there. When I saw that, I knew who the woman was, and wherefore she had smiled at me. 
 
‘Certainly thou shouldst have been with me. On the feast of the New Moon the young Emperor came forth from his palace and went into the mosque to pray. His hair and beard were dyed with rose-leaves, and his cheeks were powdered with a fine gold dust. The palms of his feet and hands were yellow with saffron. 
 
‘At sunrise he went forth from his palace in a robe of silver, and at sunset he returned to it again in a robe of gold. The people flung themselves on the ground and hid their faces, but I would not do so. I stood by the stall of a seller of dates and waited. When the Emperor saw me, he raised his painted eyebrows and stopped. I stood quite still, and made him no obeisance. The people marvelled at my boldness, and counselled me to flee from the city. I paid no heed to them, but went and sat with the sellers of strange gods, who by reason of their craft are abominated. When I told them what I had done, each of them gave me a god and prayed me to leave them. 
 
‘That night, as I lay on a cushion in the tea-house that is in the Street of Pomegranates, the guards of the Emperor entered and led me to the palace. As I went in they closed each door behind me, and put a chain across it. Inside was a great court with an arcade running all round. The walls were of white alabaster, set here and there with blue and green tiles. The pillars were of green marble, and the pavement of a kind of peach-blossom marble. I had never seen anything like it before. 
 
‘As I passed across the court two veiled women looked down from a balcony and cursed me. The guards hastened on, and the butts of the lances rang upon the polished floor. They opened a gate of wrought ivory, and I found myself in a watered garden of seven terraces. It was planted with tulip-cups and moonflowers, and silver-studded aloes. Like a slim reed of crystal a fountain hung in the dusky air. The cypress-trees were like burnt-out torches. From one of them a nightingale was singing. 
 
‘At the end of the garden stood a little pavilion. As we approached it two eunuchs came out to meet us. Their fat bodies swayed as they walked, and they glanced curiously at me with their yellow-lidded eyes. One of them drew aside the captain of the guard, and in a low voice whispered to him. The other kept munching scented pastilles, which he took with an affected gesture out of an oval box of lilac enamel. 
 
‘After a few moments the captain of the guard dismissed the soldiers. They went back to the palace, the eunuchs following slowly behind and plucking the sweet mulberries from the trees as they passed. Once the elder of the two turned round, and smiled at me with an evil smile. 
 
‘Then the captain of the guard motioned me towards the entrance of the pavilion. I walked on without trembling, and drawing the heavy curtain aside I entered in. 
 
‘The young Emperor was stretched on a couch of dyed lion skins, and a gerfalcon perched upon his wrist. Behind him stood a brass-turbaned Nubian, naked down to the waist, and with heavy earrings in his split ears. On a table by the side of the couch lay a mighty scimitar of steel. 
 
‘When the Emperor saw me he frowned, and said to me, “What is thy name? Knowest thou not that I am Emperor of this city?” But I made him no answer. 
 
‘He pointed with his finger at the scimitar, and the Nubian seized it, and rushing forward struck at me with great violence. The blade whizzed through me, and did me no hurt. The man fell sprawling on the floor, and when he rose up his teeth chattered with terror and he hid himself behind the couch. 
 
‘The Emperor leapt to his feet, and taking a lance from a stand of arms, he threw it at me. I caught it in its flight, and brake the shaft into two pieces. He shot at me with an arrow, but I held up my hands and it stopped in mid-air. Then he drew a dagger from a belt of white leather, and stabbed the Nubian in the throat lest the slave should tell of his dishonour. The man writhed like a trampled snake, and a red foam bubbled from his lips. 
 
‘As soon as he was dead the Emperor turned to me, and when he had wiped away the bright sweat from his brow with a little napkin of purfled and purple silk, he said to me, “Art thou a prophet, that I may not harm thee, or the son of a prophet, that I can do thee no hurt? I pray thee leave my city to-night, for while thou art in it I am no longer its lord.” 
 
‘And I answered him, “I will go for half of thy treasure. Give me half of thy treasure, and I will go away.” 
 
‘He took me by the hand, and led me out into the garden. When the captain of the guard saw me, he wondered. When the eunuchs saw me, their knees shook and they fell upon the ground in fear. 
 
‘There is a chamber in the palace that has eight walls of red porphyry, and a brass-sealed ceiling hung with lamps. The Emperor touched one of the walls and it opened, and we passed down a corridor that was lit with many torches. In niches upon each side stood great wine-jars filled to the brim with silver pieces. When we reached the centre of the corridor the Emperor spake the word that may not be spoken, and a granite door swung back on a secret spring, and he put his hands before his face lest his eyes should be dazzled. 
 
‘Thou couldst not believe how marvellous a place it was. There were huge tortoise-shells full of pearls, and hollowed moonstones of great size piled up with red rubies. The gold was stored in coffers of elephant-hide, and the gold-dust in leather bottles. There were opals and sapphires, the former in cups of crystal, and the latter in cups of jade. Round green emeralds were ranged in order upon thin plates of ivory, and in one corner were silk bags filled, some with turquoise-stones, and others with beryls. The ivory horns were heaped with purple amethysts, and the horns of brass with chalcedonies and sards. The pillars, which were of cedar, were hung with strings of yellow lynx-stones. In the flat oval shields there were carbuncles, both wine-coloured and coloured like grass. And yet I have told thee but a tithe of what was there. 
 
‘And when the Emperor had taken away his hands from before his face he said to me: “This is my house of treasure, and half that is in it is thine, even as I promised to thee. And I will give thee camels and camel drivers, and they shall do thy bidding and take thy share of the treasure to whatever part of the world thou desirest to go. And the thing shall be done to-night, for I would not that the Sun, who is my father, should see that there is in my city a man whom I cannot slay.” 
 
‘But I answered him, “The gold that is here is thine, and the silver also is thine, and thine are the precious jewels and the things of price. As for me, I have no need of these. Nor shall I take aught from thee but that little ring that thou wearest on the finger of thy hand.” 
 
‘And the Emperor frowned. “It is but a ring of lead,” he cried, “nor has it any value. Therefore take thy half of the treasure and go from my city.” 
 
‘“Nay,” I answered, “but I will take nought but that leaden ring, for I know what is written within it, and for what purpose.” 
 
‘And the Emperor trembled, and besought me and said, “Take all the treasure and go from my city. The half that is mine shall be thine also.” 
 
‘And I did a strange thing, but what I did matters not, for in a cave that is but a day’s journey from this place have, I hidden the Ring of Riches. It is but a day’s journey from this place, and it waits for thy coming. He who has this Ring is richer than all the kings of the world. Come therefore and take it, and the world’s riches shall be thine.’ 
 
But the young Fisherman laughed. ‘Love is better than Riches,’ he cried, ‘and the little Mermaid loves me.’ 
 
‘Nay, but there is nothing better than Riches,’ said the Soul. 
 
‘Love is better,’ answered the young Fisherman, and he plunged into the deep, and the Soul went weeping away over the marshes.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 20:06:07

第七部分 
 
 第二个年头过去了，灵魂又一次来到了海滩上，呼唤着年轻的渔夫，他便从水中冒出来 
开口问道：“你为什么唤我呢？” 灵魂回答说：“走近一点，我好对你讲话，因为我看见好多奇妙的东西。” 于是他步近了一些，并蹲在浅水里，用手托着自己的头．聆听着。 
 灵魂对他说：“我离开你以后，我就转身向南去旅行了。一切来自南方的东西都是珍贵 
的。我沿着公路朝着爱西特市走了整整六天，那是一条连香客们都不愿走的红色尘土飞扬的 
公路，到了第七天，我抬头望去，啊！城市就横躺在我的脚下，因为它就位于山谷里。 “入城的大门有九个之多，每一个城门前都站立着一匹青铜马，每当贝都因人从山上下 
来的时候，九匹马便齐声长啸。城墙上都裹着铜皮，哨塔的屋顶也是用黄铜做成的。每一个 
塔弹都站着一位手握弓箭的射手。日出的时候他用一支箭敲响铜锣；日落的时候，他就会吹 
响号角。 “我正准备进城时，守卫拦住了我，问我是什么人。我回答说我是回教徒，正要赶到麦 
加城去，那儿有一幅绿色的帐幔，上面有天使们用银字绣出的《可兰经》。我的话使他们充 
满了好奇，就让我进去了。 “城里面简直就是一个大集市。你真该跟我一块去的。在那些狭窄的街道上无数只精彩 
的纸灯笼像大彩蝶似的在翩翩起舞。风吹过屋顶的时候，这些灯笼一起一浮的，好像一些多 
彩的肥皂泡。商人们都坐在自己货摊前的丝毯上面。他们长着直挺挺的黑胡须，他们头帕上 
饰满了金币，长串的琥珀和雕花桃核在他们凉冰冰的手指上滑动着。他们中有的卖枫脂香和 
甘松油，也有的出售来自印度洋各岛屿的奇妙香水，还有浓重的红玫瑰油，以及没药和小钉 
子形状的丁香。一旦有人走上去与他们说话，他们便一把一把地将乳香投入炭火盆中，使空 
气一下子香味袭人。我看见一个叙利亚人手里握着一根芦苇似的细棍棒，缕缕灰烟从棒子上 
升起，棒燃着的时候发出的气味与春天中粉色杏花的气味是一样的。另一些人在出售一些上 
面嵌满了乳蓝色绿松石的银手镯和用铜丝串起小珍珠制成的脚环，以及嵌在金子里的老虎爪， 
还有被叫做镀金猫的豹子的脚爪，也嵌在金子里，还有穿了眼的绿宝石耳环，以及用中空的 
翡翠制成的戒指。从茶馆里传来了吉他的音乐声，那些抽鸦片烟的人带着他们苍白的笑容望 
着行人。 “说真的你应该跟我一起去的。卖酒的人肩上扛着黑色的大皮包，用肘部在人群中挤出 
一条通道。他们中的大部分人都卖来自色拉子的葡萄酒，它就跟蜜糖一样甜。他们用金属小 
杯子装上酒出售，并把玫瑰花瓣撒在上面。在市场上站着卖水果的人，他们出售各种水果， 
有熟透的无花果，带着受伤的紫色鲜肉，还有麝香味的甜瓜，像黄玉一样的黄，以及香橼、 
番石榴和一粒一粒的白葡萄，圆圆的金红色桔子和椭圆形的金绿色柠檬，有一次我看见一头 
大象走过。它的身上涂着银朱和姜黄，它的耳朵上网着一个朱红丝做的网子。它来到对面的 
一个货摊前站住了，吃起桔子来，那个卖水果的人只是笑了笑。你想不到他们是多么奇怪的 
一个民族。他们只要高兴的话就会到卖鸟人那儿去买一只关着一只小鸟的笼子，并把笼子打 
开让鸟飞走，这样他们会更加开心，等到他们伤心的时候，他们便用荆棘抽打他们自己，以 
使他们的忧愁越来越大。 “一天夜里，我遇见了一些黑奴抬着一个沉甸甸的轿于从集市中走过。轿子是用镀金的 
竹片做成的，轿杆是朱红色的，还有黄铜做的孔雀装饰。轿窗上挂着薄薄的纱幔，上面绣着 
甲虫的翅膀和小粒珍珠。轿子走过的时候一个脸色苍白的塞加西亚人从轿里往外望着，笑着 
注视我。我跟在它后面，黑奴们加快了步伐并皱紧眉头。不过我一点也不在意，我觉得有一 
股好奇心在驱使着我。 “最后他们在一栋四方形的白房子前停了下来。房子没有窗户，只有一个像墓门一样的 
小门。他们放下轿子，用一个铜锤连敲了三下门。一个身穿绿色皮长袍的亚美尼亚人从门洞 
里朝外张望着，等他看见我们后就打开了门，还铺了一张地毯在地上，轿中的女人走了出来。 
在她进屋的时候，她又转过头来，再一次望着我笑了。我还从未见过像她这么苍白的人。 “月亮升起的时候，我又回到了那个地方去寻找那所房子，可是就是找不着。看到这种 
情况，我便知道那女人是谁了，而且她为什么要对我笑了。 “你真该跟我一起去的。在新月节那天，年轻的皇帝从他的宫中走出来，到庙里去祈祷。 
他的头发和胡须都用玫瑰花瓣给染红了，他的脸颊上抹了一层细细的金粉，他的手掌和脚心 
都用着红花染成了黄色。 “太阳升起的时候他身着银袍从宫中走了出来，日落的时候他又穿着金袍回到宫中。人 
们都趴在地上把脸藏起来，可我不会那样做。我站在一个卖枣子的摊位前，等待着。皇帝看 
见我时，他便抬他那画过的眉毛，停住了脚步。我静静地站在那儿，并不向他跪拜。人们对 
我的大胆吃惊不小，都劝我快从城中逃走。我不理睬他们，却走到那些出售外来神祗的贩子 
们中去，与他们坐在一起，这些人不论如何在这儿都是遭人憎恨的，等我把自己所做的—切 
告诉给他们之后，他们人人都绘了我一个神像，并请我离开他们。 “那天夜里，我躺在石榴街茶馆里的一个垫子上面，皇帝的卫兵走了进来，把我带进了 
宫中。进了宫以后，他们把每一扇门都一个个地关上了，还加上了门锁。里面有一个大院 
子，四周环绕着一个拱廊。四周的墙都是用白色的雪花石膏做成的，到处都嵌有蓝色和绿色 
的瓷瓦。柱子是绿色大理石做的，地上铺着一种桃花色的大理石。我以前从没有见过像这样 
的东西。 “我跨过院子的时候，两个戴面纱的女人从阳台上往下望着，还开口骂我，守卫急勿匆 
地走着，他们手中的矛尖在磨光的地板上发出响声。他们打开一道精致的象牙门，我发现自 
己已经来到有七个坛子的带水的花园中了。园里种的是郁金香、月光花、银光闪闪的芦荟， 
一股喷泉在昏暗的空中悬挂着像是一根细长的水晶棒。柏树就像燃烧完了的火把。在这样的 
一棵柏树上有只夜莺在唱着歌。 “在花园的尽头有一个小亭子。我们走近它的时候，两位太监出来迎住我们。他们走起 
路来，肥胖的身躯左右摇摆着，还用他们那黄色眼皮的眼睛好奇地打量着我。其中的一人把 
卫士长拉到他身边，低声向对方耳语着什么。另一个不停地拿出香锭放在嘴里嚼起来，这些 
香锭都是他以做作的姿势从一个淡紫色的椭圆形的盒子中取出的。 “片刻之后卫士长把卫兵们遣散了。他们回到宫中去了，两个太监跟在后面慢慢地走着， 
一边走一边从树上摘下甜甜的桑果吃。那位年长的太监曾回过头来，带着恶意的笑容望着 
我。 “然后卫士长示意我走到亭子中去。我毫无胆怯地向前走去，拉开那幅沉重的帘子，我 
就进去了。 “年轻皇帝躺在上了色的狮皮长椅上休息着，他的手腕上栖息着一只白隼。他的身后站 
着一个头戴铜帽的努比亚黑人，赤棵着上半身，两只穿了眼的耳朵上垂着一副沉甸甸的耳环。 
长椅旁边的桌子上放着一把弯曲的大钢刀。 “皇帝一看见我，便皱起了眉头，对我说道，‘你叫什么名字？你不知道我就是这个城 
市的皇帝吗？’不过我并没有回答他。 “他用手指头指了指钢刀，那个努比亚人一下子抓住刀，冲着我用足了劲朝我砍过来。 
刀片嗖嗖地穿透了我的身体，可是并没有伤我分毫。而那个人却扑倒在地上，等他站起身 
时，他的牙齿害怕的直打颤，他自己也躺到长椅后面去了。 “皇帝马上跳了起来，从武器架上取下一根长矛，他朝我投了过来。我一把抓住了飞过 
来的长矛，并把矛杆折成两段。他又用箭射我，可是我举起了双手，箭在飞行途中就停住 
了。紧接着他从白皮腰带中抽出一把短剑，刺入努比亚黑人的咽喉，他担心这个奴隶会讲出 
他这些不体面的事情。那人像一条给人践踏了的蛇一样扭曲起来，嘴里也流出了鲜红的泡沫。 “那个人一死，皇帝就转向我，用一张镶了花边的紫色绸料小手绢，揩去额上亮闪闪的 
汗珠，对我说道，‘你是我不该伤害的先知吗？或者是一个我不能伤害的先知的儿子吗？ 
我恳求你今晚就离开我的城市吧，因为只要你还在城中，我就不再是这里的主人了。’ “我回答他说，‘给我一半你的财产，我就走。把你的财富给我一半，我就会离开的。’ “他牵着我的手，把我领到花园中。卫士长看见了我，他吃了一惊。太监们看见了我， 
他们的膝头颤抖不已，吓得纷纷跪在了地上， “宫中有一间屋子，八面都是用红云斑石修筑的围墙，铜皮装饰的天花板上悬掉着一些 
灯。皇帝触摸了一面墙，墙就自动打开了，我们走进了里而的一个长廊，廊里点了好多火 
炬。在长廊两旁的壁禽中，放着很多巨大的酒缸，里面装得满满的都是银币。我们来到了长 
廊的中央，皇帝说了一句不能说的话，一道装有秘密弹簧的花岗岩石大门一下子就弹开了， 
他用手挡住他的脸，以免他的眼睛给弄得发花。 “你不会相信这是个多么奇妙的地方吧。一个巨大的乌龟壳里装满了珍珠，巨型月亮石 
的空处里堆满了红色宝石。黄金都收藏在象皮箱中，金粉就放在皮制的瓶中。还有猫眼石和 
青玉，猫眼石放在水晶杯中，青玉放在翡翠杯中。圆圆的绿柱宝石整整齐齐地排列在细薄的 
象牙碟子上面，在一个角落里堆满了丝绸袋子，有的袋子中装的是绿松石，另一些袋子中装 
的是绿玉石。象牙做的牛角杯中盛满了紫水晶，黄铜做的牛角杯中装满了玉髓和红玉髓。用 
杉木做的梁柱上挂着一串串的黄色山猫石。在平坦的扁圆形盾牌上堆放着酒红色和草绿色两 
种颜色的玉。然而我对你说的这些仅仅是那儿的十分之一罢了。 “等皇帝把他自己的手从脸上拿开时，他对我说，‘这就是我的财宝屋，这里面的东西 
有一半是你的了，照我答应你那样的去做吧。我还会送你骆驼和赶骆驼的人，他们会照你的 
吩咐去做，把你那一份财宝带到你想去的世界上的任何地方。这件事今天晚上就得办，因为 
我不愿让太阳，也就是我的父亲，看见在我的城市里竟会有一个我杀不死的人。’ “不过我对他说，‘这儿的黄金都是你的，白银也是你的，珍贵的珠宝和值钱的东西全 
都是你的。对我来说，我不需要这些东西。我不会向你要任何东西，不过戴在你手指上的那 
个小戒指我倒想要。’ “皇帝皱起了眉头，‘这只是个铅戒指呀，’他大声说，‘也不值什么钱。所以还是带 
上你那一半财宝，离开我的城市吧。’ “‘不，’我回答说，‘我什么都不要，只要那个铅戒指，因为我知道那里面写着什 
么，也知道它有什么用处。’ “皇帝却颤抖起来，哀求着我说，‘把全部的财宝都拿去，快离开我的城市吧。我那一 
半财富也归你了。’ “不过我做了一件奇怪的事，但那也算不了什么，因为就在那个山洞我把这个财富指环 
给藏了起来，它离这儿有一整天的路程。也就只是一天的路程，那戒指正等着你的到来。谁 
要是占有了这个戒指，他会比世界上所有的国王都富有。去吧，把它拿到手，全世界的财富 
就都归你了。” 然而年轻的渔夫却笑了。“爱情比财富更重要，”他大声喊道，“而且小美人鱼非常爱 
我。” “不，没有什么比财富更重要的了，”灵魂说。 “爱情更好，”年轻的渔夫回答道，说完他又一头扎进海底深处，灵魂只好哭泣着穿过 
沼泽走了。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 20:12:17

Part VIII 
 
 
And after the third 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, ‘In a city that I know of there is an inn that standeth by a river. I sat there with sailors who drank of two different-coloured wines, and ate bread made of barley, and little salt fish served in bay leaves with vinegar. And as we sat and made merry, there entered to us an old man bearing a leathern carpet and a lute that had two horns of amber. And when he had laid out the carpet on the floor, he struck with a quill on the wire strings of his lute, and a girl whose face was veiled ran in and began to dance before us. Her face was veiled with a veil of gauze, but her feet were naked. Naked were her feet, and they moved over the carpet like little white pigeons. Never have I seen anything so marvellous; and the city in which she dances is but a day’s journey from this place.’ 
 
Now when the young Fisherman heard the words of his Soul, he remembered that the little Mermaid had no feet and could not dance. And a great desire came over him, and he said to himself, ‘It is but a day’s journey, and I can return to my love,’ and he laughed, and stood up in the shallow water, and strode towards the shore. 
 
And when he had reached the dry shore he laughed again, and held out his arms to his Soul. And his Soul gave a great cry of joy and ran to meet him, and entered into him, and the young Fisherman saw stretched before him upon the sand that shadow of the body that is the body of the Soul. 
 
And his Soul said to him, ‘Let us not tarry, but get hence at once, for the Sea-gods are jealous, and have monsters that do their bidding.’ 
 
 
 
So they made haste, and all that night they journeyed beneath the moon, and all the next day they journeyed beneath the sun, and on the evening of the 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 Jewellers the young Fisherman saw a fair silver cup set forth in a 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.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 20:29:14

第八部分 
 
 第三个年头又过去了，灵魂又从陆上下来到了海边，呼唤着年轻的渔夫，于是渔夫从水 
中冒出来，说道：“你唤我是为了什么？” 灵魂回答说：“走近一点，我好对你说话，因为我看见了奇妙的事情。” 因此渔夫走近了，并蹲在浅水中，用手托着自己的头，聆听着。 
 灵魂开口说道：“在一座我知道的城市中，有一家小旅店就位于一条河边。我跟水手们 
坐在那儿，他们饮着两种不同颜色的葡萄酒，吃着大麦做的面包，还有放上醋用桂叶包着的 
小咸鱼。就在我们坐着逗乐的时候，走进来一个上了年纪的人，他的肩上披着一个皮制的毯 
子，还拿着一把嵌有两个琥珀角的琴。正在这时也就是在他把毯子铺在地板上，用弦拔弹响 
他那把琴弦的时候，一个面戴细纱罩的少女跑了进来，并在我们面前跳起舞来。虽然她戴了 
面纱，可是她的双脚却是光着的。她赤着双脚，在毯子上跳来跳去，真像一对小白鸽。我从 
来没有见过这么美妙的事，她跳舞的那个城市离这儿只有一天的路程。” 此刻，年轻的渔夫听到了灵魂的这番话后，他想起了小美人鱼没有脚，不能跳舞。于是 
他的心中升起了极大的欲望，他对自己说：“只不过就一天的路程，我还可以回到我爱人的 
身边。”他笑了，便从浅水中站起身来，大步朝岸上走去。 来到干干的岸上后他又一次笑了，并向灵魂伸出双臂。他的灵魂也无比欣喜地大叫一声 
就朝他奔了过来，进人到他的体内，这时年轻的渔夫便看见在他面前伸展的沙地上出现了他 
自己的影子，那就是他灵魂的身体。 他的灵魂对他说：“我们不要耽误了，立即到那儿去吧，因为海神们会妒嫉的，而且还 
有好多怪物也听他们的。” 于是他们匆匆上路了，整个夜晚他们都在月色下赶路，第二天白昼他们又顶着烈日前 
进，当天晚上他们来到了城市。 年轻的渔夫对他的灵魂说：“这就是你对我说过的那座她跳舞的城市吗？” 他的灵魂回答说：“不是这座城市，是另外一座。不过我们可以进去看看。” 于是他们进了城，穿过一些街道，他们路经珠宝街的时候，年轻的渔夫看见在一个货摊 
上放着一只美丽的银杯子。他的灵魂对他说，“拿走那个银杯子，把它藏起来。” 他便拿起那只银杯子把它蒙在长袍的搁缝中，他们赶快出城走了。 他们离开城走了三英里之后，年轻的渔夫皱起了眉头，并把银杯子给扔掉了，对他的灵 
魂说：“你为什么要叫我拿起杯子藏起来呢？因为这可是一件坏事呀。” 然而他的灵魂回答他说：“不要生气，不要生气。” 第二天晚上他们又来到一个城市，年轻的渔夫对他的灵魂说：“这就是你对我说过的她 
跳舞的那座城市吗？” 他的灵魂回答他说：“这不是那座城市，而是另外一座。不过我们得进去。” 他们便进了城，穿过了好几条街。他们走过草鞋街的时候，年轻的渔夫看见一个小孩正 
站在一个水缸边。他的灵魂对他说：“去打那个孩子。”于是他动手打小孩，把小孩都打哭 
了，过后他们又赶紧匆匆地离开了城市。 他们离开城市后走了三英里，年轻的渔夫突然生起气来，对他的灵魂说：“你为什么叫 
我打那个小孩，这可是一件坏事呀？” 然而他的灵魂却回答说：“不要生气，不要生气。” 第三天晚上他们来到了另一座城市，年轻的渔夫对他的灵魂说：“这就是你对我说过的 
那座她跳舞的城市吗？” 他的灵魂回答他说：“也许就是这座城市吧，所以我们还是进去看看吧。” 他们便进了城，穿过了好几条街，不过年轻的渔夫怎么也找不到那间位于河边的小旅 
店。城市里的人都好奇地望着他，他开始害怕起来，并对他的灵魂说：“我们还是走吧，因 
为用一双白脚跳舞的人不在这儿。” 可是他的灵魂却回答说：“不，我们还是留下来吧，因为夜里太黑，途中会遇上强盗 
的。” 他便在市场上坐下来休息了，过了一会儿走过一个戴头巾的商人，他披着一件鞑靼人的 
布织斗篷，用一根有节的芦苇杆挑着用穿孔的牛角做成的灯笼。商人对他说：“你为什么还 
坐在市场上呢，你没有看见货摊都关门了，东西都打好包了吗？” 年轻的渔夫回答他说：“我在这座城里找不到那个小旅店，我又没有亲戚留我在此过 
夜。” “我们不都是亲戚吗？”商人说，“不都是由一个上帝创造出来的吗？所以就跟我去 
吧，我有一间客房。” 因此年轻的渔夫站起身来，跟着商人到他的家里去了。等他穿过一个石榴园走进屋中 
时，商人便用铜盘为他端来了玫瑰花水，让他洗干净手，还送来熟透的甜瓜让他解渴，以及 
一碗米饭和一块烤小山羊肉让他充饥。 这一切进行完了以后，商人就领他来到了客房，并叮嘱他好好休息。年轻的渔夫谢过了 
他，并吻了商人手指上戴的戒指，随后就躺在了染了色的山羊毛毯上而。他用一床黑色的羊 
羔毛被子盖好身体以后，就呼呼地入睡了。 离天亮还有三个小时，天依旧是黑乎乎的时候，他的灵魂便唤醒了他，并对他说：“快 
起来，到商人的房间里去，到他睡觉的房间里去，把他杀死，拿走他的金子，因为我们需要 
它。” 年轻的渔夫起了床，朝商人的房间里爬去，在商人的脚边放着一把弯刀，在商人身边的 
那个盘子里装着九个黄金小包。渔夫伸出手去拿那把弯刀。就在他的手刚刚挨到刀时，商人 
一下子惊醒了，他跳起来自己抓住刀，朝着年轻的渔夫大声吼道：“难道你要以怨报德吗？ 
你要用流淌的鲜血来回报我对你的善举吗？” 这时他的灵魂对年轻的渔夫说，“去打他。”于是他就把商人给打晕了过去，然后抓起 
九包金子，匆匆地穿过石榴园逃走了，他的脸朝着一颗星星，那是一颗晨星。 他们离开城市三英里之后，年轻的渔夫捶打着自己的胸膛，对他的灵魂说：“你为什么 
要我杀了商人，还抢走他的黄金？你真是太坏了。” 然而他的灵魂却回答说：“不要生气，不要生气。” “不，”年轻的渔夫大声喊道，“我平静不了，因为你要我做的一切事情都是我所恨 
的。你也让我恨，我要你告诉我为何要教我做这种事。” 他的灵魂回答说：“过去你把我送到世界上去的时候，你并没有给我一颗心，所以我学 
会了去做这一切事情，而且也喜欢这样。” “你在说什么？”年轻的渔夫喃喃地说。 “你是知道的，”他的灵魂回答说，“你知道得很清楚。你难道忘记了你没有送给我一 
颗心吗？我想你没忘。所以不要自寻烦恼，也不要为我担心，请放心吧，因为世上没有去除 
不掉的痛苦，也没有享受不到的快乐。” 年轻的渔夫听到这些话后，他浑身发抖起来，对他的灵魂说：“不，你是很坏的，甚至 
使我忘记了我的爱人，并用多种诱惑来引诱我，还使我的双脚踏上了罪恶之路。” 他的灵魂回答他说：“你过去把我送到世界上去的时候，你并没有给我一颗心啊，所以 
我学会了去做这一切事并喜欢做这些事。来吧，让我们到另一座城市去，去寻乐子吧，因为 
我们已有了九包黄金。” 然而年轻的渔夫拿出九包黄金后就一下子扔在了地上，并用脚猛踩着。 “不，”渔夫大声吼道，“我和你之间没有任何关系了，我也不会再跟你到什么地方去 
了，就跟我从前送走你那样，我现在也要那样赶你走了，因为你对我没有任何好处。”说完 
他转过身去背朝着月亮，用那把绿色蛇皮刀柄的小刀，准备把他自己身体的影子，也就是他 
的灵魂之躯从他双脚的四周切开。 然而他的灵魂连动都不动一下，不想离开他，也不理睬他的命令，还对他说：“那个女 
巫教给你的魔法已经不再管用了，因为我不可能离开你，你也不可能把我赶走了。一个人一 
生中只能把他的灵魂送走一次，但是他一旦把自己的灵魂收了回来，就得永远地留住它了， 
这既是对他的惩罚，也是给他的回报。” 年轻的渔夫脸色开始发白，握紧自己的拳头，大声叫着：“她没有告诉我这一点，她骗 
了我啦。” “不，”他的灵魂回答说，“她对她自己崇拜的那个‘他’是忠诚的，她是他永远的仆 
人。” 年轻的渔夫此刻已明白他再也不能够赶走他的灵魂，况且还是—个邪恶的灵魂，还要永 
远与他为伍，他一下子倒在地上伤心地哭了起来。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 20:30:16

Part IX 
 
 
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 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.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 18:45:36

（王尔德童话一共有九篇，这是我精选后贴上来的六篇中的最后一篇，也是我最喜欢的一篇。为了吸引更多眼球，现增加中译对照如下，不过不是我译的哦<img src="../leadbbsfile/UBBicon/em24.GIF" width=46 height=46 align=absmiddle border=0>，感觉译得很硬，凑和看吧。） 
 
 
渔夫和他的灵魂 
 
[献给摩纳哥公主艾丽丝] 
 
第一部分 
 每天晚上年轻的渔夫都要出海去打鱼，把他的网撒到海里去。 风从陆地上吹来的时候，他便什么也捕不到，或者最多只能捉到一小点，因为那是一种 
凶猛的长着黑翅膀的风，就连巨浪也跳起来欢迎它。不过当风朝岸上吹来的时候，鱼儿们便 
从深海里浮上来，游到他的网里，他把抓来的鱼带到市场上去卖掉。 每天晚上他都出海打鱼，有一天晚上，收网的时候，网重得很，他差一点没能把网给拖 
上船来。他笑了，自言自语的说：“我一定是把所有游动的鱼都给捕住了，要不就是把人们 
当成是奇迹的什么怪物给弄进了网中，再不然就是伟大的女王喜欢的那种可怕的东西。”他 
使出浑身的劲紧紧地拉着这根粗绳子，直到手臂上长长的血管给拉得冒了起来，就像绕在铜 
制花瓶上的蓝色彩釉的条纹一样。他又使劲地曳细绳，那个扁平的软木浮圈越来越近了，网 
终于升出了水面。 不过，网里面既没有一尾鱼，也没有什么怪物，或任何可怕的东西，只有一个熟睡的小 
美人鱼躺在里面。 她的头发像是湿满满的金羊毛，而每一根头发都如同放在玻璃杯中的细金线。她的身体 
白得跟象牙一样，她的尾巴如同银子和珍珠的颜色。银色和珍珠色就是她的尾巴，翠绿的海 
草缠绕着它；她的耳朵像贝壳，她的嘴唇像珊瑚。冰凉的波浪冲击着她的胸膛，海盐在她的 
眼皮上闪闪发光。 她有多美啊，年轻的渔夫一见到她，就充满了惊叹。他伸出手去把鱼网拉到自己身边， 
并俯下身去，把她搂在自己的怀中。他挨着她的时候，她像受惊的海鸥一样大叫了一声，就 
醒了，她用紫水晶般的眼睛惊恐地望着他，还挣扎着想脱身逃走。可他却紧紧地抱着她，不 
甘心就这样放她走。 她看见自己已无法逃脱时，便哭了起来，并说道：“我求求你放了我，我是国王唯一的 
女儿，我父亲年纪大了，身边没有别的亲人。” 可是年轻的渔夫却回答说：“我不会放你走的，除非你答应我不论我什么时候叫你，你 
都要来为我唱歌，因为鱼儿都喜欢听美人鱼的歌声，这样我的网就会装满了。” “如果我答应了你，你真的会放我走吗？”美人鱼哭着说。 “我一定会放你走的，”年轻的渔夫回答说。 于是她照他所希望的那样做了保证，并以美人鱼的誓言诅了咒。他从她身上松开了胳 
膊，她带着一种莫名的恐惧颤抖着，沉入到海水中去了。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 18:48:42

Part II 
 
Every evening the young Fisherman went out upon the sea, and called to the Mermaid, and she rose out of the water and sang to him. Round and round her swam the dolphins, and the wild gulls wheeled above her head. 
 
And she sang a marvellous song. For she sang of the Sea-folk who drive their flocks from cave to cave, and carry the little calves on their shoulders; of the Tritons who have long green beards, and hairy breasts, and blow through twisted conchs when the King passes by; of the palace of the King which is all of amber, with a roof of clear emerald, and a pavement of bright pearl; and of the gardens of the sea where the great filigrane fans of coral wave all day long, and the fish dart about like silver birds, and the anemones cling to the rocks, and the pinks bourgeon in the ribbed yellow sand. She sang of the big whales that come down from the north seas and have sharp icicles hanging to their fins; of the Sirens who tell of such wonderful things that the merchants have to stop their ears with wax lest they should hear them, and leap into the water and be drowned; of the sunken galleys with their tall masts, and the frozen sailors clinging to the rigging, and the mackerel swimming in and out of the open portholes; of the little barnacles who are great travellers, and cling to the keels of the ships and go round and round the world; and of the cuttlefish who live in the sides of the cliffs and stretch out their long black arms, and can make night come when they will it. She sang of the nautilus who has a boat of her own that is carved out of an opal and steered with a silken sail; of the happy Mermen who play upon harps and can charm the great Kraken to sleep; of the little children who catch hold of the slippery porpoises and ride laughing upon their backs; of the Mermaids who lie in the white foam and hold out their arms to the mariners; and of the sea-lions with their curved tusks, and the sea-horses with their floating manes. 
 
And as she sang, all the tunny-fish came in from the deep to listen to her, and the young Fisherman threw his nets round them and caught them, and others he took with a spear. And when his boat was well-laden, the Mermaid would sink down into the sea, smiling at him. 
 
Yet would she never come near him that he might touch her. Oftentimes he called to her and prayed of her, but she would not; and when he sought to seize her she dived into the water as a seal might dive, nor did he see her again that day. And each day the sound of her voice became sweeter to his ears. So sweet was her voice that he forgot his nets and his cunning, and had no care of his craft. Vermilion-finned and with eyes of bossy gold, the tunnies went by in shoals, but he heeded them not. His spear lay by his side unused, and his baskets of plaited osier were empty. With lips parted, and eyes dim with wonder, he sat idle in his boat and listened, listening till the sea-mists crept round him, and the wandering moon stained his brown limbs with silver. 
 
And one evening he called to her, and said: ‘Little Mermaid, little Mermaid, I love thee. Take me for thy bridegroom, for I love thee.’ 
 
But the Mermaid shook her head. ‘Thou hast a human soul,’ she answered. ‘If only thou wouldst send away thy soul, then could I love thee.’ 
 
And the young Fisherman said to himself, ‘Of what use is my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it. Surely I will send it away from me, and much gladness shall be mine.’ And a cry of joy broke from his lips, and standing up in the painted boat, he held out his arms to the Mermaid. ‘I will send my soul away,’ he cried, ‘and you shall be my bride, and I will be thy bridegroom, and in the depth of the sea we will dwell together, and all that thou hast sung of thou shalt show me, and all that thou desirest I will do, nor shall our lives be divided.’ 
 
And the little Mermaid laughed for pleasure and hid her face in her hands. 
 
‘But how shall I send my soul from me?’ cried the young Fisherman. ‘Tell me how I may do it, and lo! it shall be done.’ 
 
‘Alas! I know not,’ said the little Mermaid: ‘the Sea-folk have no souls.’ And she sank down into the deep, looking wistfully at him.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 18:54:37

第二部分 
 
 每天晚上只要年轻的渔夫外出打鱼，都要唤来美人鱼，她便从海水中冒出来，为他唱 
歌。海豚们在她的周围游来游去，海鸥们在她的头顶上空盘旋着。 她唱了一首美妙无比的歌。因为她唱的是自己同伴的故事。他们赶着牲口从一个山洞来 
到另一个山洞，肩头上扛着小牛犊；她还唱起了半人半鱼的海神们，他们长着绿色的长胡 
须，毛茸茸的胸膛，每当国王经过的时候，就吹响螺旋形的海螺；她唱到了国王的宫殿，那 
全部都是用琥珀造成的，屋顶用诱明的绿宝石垒成，道路由发光的珍珠铺就；她唱到了海中 
的花园，那里有巨大的珊瑚大扇整天都在舞动着，鱼儿像银鸟似的穿来游去，秋牡丹攀附在 
岩石上，粉红色的石竹在黄沙中发出幼芽。她唱起了那些来自北海底部的大白鲸，它们的鳍 
上挂着尖尖的冰柱，她唱到了那些会讲动人故事的女妖们，她们的故事实在奇妙，过往的商 
人们不得不用蜡来堵住自己的耳朵，以免听到她们讲的故事，而跳入大海失去性命；她还唱 
到那些有着高高桅杆的沉船，冻僵的水手们紧抱着帆缆，青花鱼通过开着的舱门游进游出； 
她唱到了那些小螺蛳，他们都是伟大的旅行家，粘贴在船的龙骨上把世界游了个遍；她唱到 
了住在悬崖边的乌贼鱼，伸出它们那些长长的黑手臂，只要它们愿意，随时可以叫黑夜降 
临；她还唱到了鹦鹉螺，她有一艘用猫眼石刻出来的属于她自己的小船，用一张丝绸帆去航 
行；她唱起那些弹着竖琴的雄性美人鱼，他们可以让大海怪进入梦乡；她唱到一群小孩子， 
他们捉住滑溜溜的海豚，笑着骑在它们身上；她又唱起了美人鱼，她们躺在白色的泡沫中， 
伸出手臂向水手们挥动；她唱到了那些身体长得弯弯的海狮，以及长着飘动的鬃毛的海马。 在她唱的时候，所有的金枪鱼都从水底下窜上来听她的歌声，年轻的渔夫在它们的四周 
撒下网，把它们一网打尽，网外的鱼又被他用鱼叉给捉住了。等他的船装满了以后，美人鱼 
便朝他笑笑，然后就沉入到水底下去了。 然而，她却不愿游近他身旁，让他摸到她。他经常呼唤她，并恳求她，可她就是不愿 
意；只要他想捉住她时，她便像一头海豹似的，一下子窜入水中，而且那一整天他再也看不 
见她了。日复一日，他觉得她的歌声越来越动听了。她的歌声是那么的美妙，连他也听得常 
忘了鱼网和手中的活计，甚至连本行也忘了。金枪鱼成群地游过来，带着朱红色的鳍和突出 
的金眼，可是他却没有去留意它们。他的鱼叉也闲在了一边，他那柳条篮子里面也是空空 
的。他张着嘴巴，瞪着惊异的眼睛，呆呆地坐在船上胜听着，一直听到茫茫海雾笼罩在他的 
四周，游荡的月亮用银白的光辉撒满他褐色的身躯。 有一天晚上，他把她唤来，说道：“小美人鱼，小美人鱼，我爱你，让我做你的新郎 
吧，因为我太爱你了。” 然而美人鱼却摇摇头。“你有一个人的灵魂，”她回答说，“如果你肯送走你的灵魂， 
那么我才会爱上你。” 年轻的渔夫对自己说：“我的灵魂对我有什么用呢？我看不见它，我也摸不着它，我更 
不了解它。我一定要把它从我身上拿走，这样我就会非常开心了。”接着他发出了幸福的狂 
叫声，并在彩色的船上站起身来，朝美人鱼伸出了胳膊。“我会把我的灵魂送走的，”他大 
声说，“你做我的新娘吧，我来做你的新郎，在大海的底部我们共同生活在一起，凡是你歌 
里唱过的都领我去看一看，凡是你希望的我都尽力去做，我们生活在一起永不分开。” 小美人鱼高兴地笑了，并把脸藏在自己的双手中。 “不过我如何才能把灵魂送走呢？”年轻的渔夫大声说，“告诉我我该怎样做，噢，我 
一定会去做的。” “啊呀！我也不知道，”小美人鱼说，“我们美人鱼家族是没有灵魂的。”说完她就沉 
入到水底，若有所思地望着他。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 18:55:45

Part III 
 
 
Now early on the next morning, before the sun was the span of a man’s hand above the hill, the young Fisherman went to the house of the Priest and knocked three times at the door. 
 
The novice looked out through the wicket, and when he saw who it was, he drew back the latch and said to him, ‘Enter.’ 
 
And the young Fisherman passed in, and knelt down on the sweet-smelling rushes of the floor, and cried to the Priest who was reading out of the Holy Book and said to him, ‘Father, I am in love with one of the Sea-folk, and my soul hindereth me from having my desire. Tell me how I can send my soul away from me, for in truth I have no need of it. Of what value is my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it.’ 
 
And the Priest beat his breast, and answered, ‘Alack, alack, thou art mad, or hast eaten of some poisonous herb, for the soul is the noblest part of man, and was given to us by God that we should nobly use it. There is no thing more precious than a human soul, nor any earthly thing that can be weighed with it. It is worth all the gold that is in the world, and is more precious than the rubies of the kings. Therefore, my son, think not any more of this matter, for it is a sin that may not be forgiven. And as for the Sea-folk, they are lost, and they who would traffic with them are lost also. They are as the beasts of the field that know not good from evil, and for them the Lord has not died.’ 
 
The young Fisherman’s eyes filled with tears when he heard the bitter words of the Priest, and he rose up from his knees and said to him, ‘Father, the Fauns live in the forest and are glad, and on the rocks sit the Mermen with their harps of red gold. Let me be as they are, I beseech thee, for their days are as the days of flowers. And as for my soul, what doth my soul profit me, if it stand between me and the thing that I love?’ 
 
‘The love of the body is vile,’ cried the Priest, knitting his brows, ‘and vile and evil are the pagan things God suffers to wander through His world. Accursed be the Fauns of the woodland, and accursed be the singers of the sea! I have heard them at night-time, and they have sought to lure me from my beads. They tap at the window, and laugh. They whisper into my ears the tale of their perilous joys. They tempt me with temptations, and when I would pray they make mouths at me. They are lost, I tell thee, they are lost. For them there is no heaven nor hell, and in neither shall they praise God’s name.’ 
 
‘Father,’ cried the young Fisherman, ‘thou knowest not what thou sayest. Once in my net I snared the daughter of a King. She is fairer than the morning star, and whiter than the moon. For her body I would give my soul, and for her love I would surrender heaven. Tell me what I ask of thee, and let me go in peace.’ 
 
‘Away! Away!’ cried the Priest: ‘thy leman is lost, and thou shalt be lost with her.’ 
 
And he gave him no blessing, but drove him from his door. 
 
And the young Fisherman went down into the market-place, and he walked slowly, and with bowed head, as one who is in sorrow. 
 
And when the merchants saw him coming, they began to whisper to each other, and one of them came forth to meet him, and called him by name, and said to him, ‘What hast thou to sell?’ 
 
‘I will sell thee my soul,’ he answered. ‘I pray thee buy it of me, for I am weary of it. Of what use is my soul to me? I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it.’ 
 
But the merchants mocked at him, and said, ‘Of what use is a man’s soul to us? It is not worth a clipped piece of silver. Sell us thy body for a slave, and we will clothe thee in sea-purple, and put a ring upon thy finger, and make thee the minion of the great Queen. But talk not of the soul, for to us it is nought, nor has it any value for our service.’ 
 
And the young Fisherman said to himself: ‘How strange a thing this is! The Priest telleth me that the soul is worth all the gold in the world, and the merchants say that it is not worth a clipped piece of silver.’ And he passed out of the market-place, and went down to the shore of the sea, and began to ponder on what he should do.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:05:42

第三部分 
 第二天一大早，太阳在山顶上升起还不足一掌高的时候，年轻的渔夫就来到神父家并连 
敲了三下门。 看门人从门洞中朝外面望去，等他看清了来人后，便拉下门栓，并对来人说：“请进。” 年轻的渔夫走了进来，他跪在地板上散发着芳香的灯心草垫上，向正在读圣经的神父大 
声说：“神父，我爱上了一位美人鱼，而我的灵魂阻碍着我，使我不能实现自己的愿望。请 
告诉我，我怎样才能把灵魂从我身上送走，因为我真是用不着它了。我的灵魂对我还有什么 
用处？我看不见它，也摸不着它，我又不了解它。” 神父却捶打着自己的胸膛说：“唉呀，唉呀，你是疯了吗？你是吃了什么毒草了吧？因 
为灵魂是人最高贵的部分，是上帝赐给我们的，我们应该用得高贵才对。世上没有比人的灵 
魂更珍贵的东西了，地上的任何东西都不能与它相比。它的价值比得上世上所有的金子，而 
且比国王们的红宝石要值钱得多。所以，我的孩子，不要再想此事了，因为这是一桩不可饶 
恕的罪过。至于美人鱼家族，他们已经迷失了，而且谁要是与他们在一块儿，也会迷失的。 
他们就同地上那些不分善与恶的野兽一样，基督不是为他们而死去的。” 听完神父这番严厉的忠言之后，年轻渔夫的双眼充满了泪水。他站起身来，对神父说 
道：“神父，牧神们住在森林中，他们都很快活，雄美人鱼坐在岩石上弹着他们金红色的竖 
琴。让我跟他们为伍吧，我求您了，因为他们过着跟花儿一样的日子。至于我的灵魂，如果 
它会在我和我所爱的东西之间形成障碍的话，那么我的灵魂对我会有什么好处呢？” “肉体的爱是邪恶的，”神父皱着眉头大声说道，“上帝漫步于他创造的世界所遇到的 
使他不快的异教东西，都是邪恶的。林中的牧神们应该受到诅咒，海洋中的歌唱者们也该受 
到诅咒！我在夜晚还听到过她们的歌声，她们要引诱我离开我的讲经课。她们敲我的窗户， 
大声笑着。她们往我的耳朵里轻声地讲述那些有毒的欢乐的故事。她们以种种诱惑来引诱我， 
我在祷告的时候，她们就来戏弄我。她们是没救的了。因为她们心中既没有天堂，也没有地 
狱，她们更不会赞美上帝的名字。” “神父，”年轻的渔夫大叫着说，“你不知道你自己在说什么。有一次我用鱼网捕捉了 
国王的女儿。她比晨星还要美丽，比明月还要洁白。为了她的肉体，我愿意交出我的灵魂； 
为了她的爱，我宁愿不要天堂。请告诉我求你的事吧，让我平静地离开吧。” “去吧！去吧！”神父叫喊起来，“你的情人是无可救药了，你也会跟她一起垮掉 
的。”神父没有给他说祝福的话就把他赶出了门。年轻的渔夫来到了市场上，他走得很慢， 
低着头，一副愁眉苦脸的样子。 商人们见他走来，他们便相互低语起来，他们中的一个人朝他走来，叫着他的名字，对 
他说：“你要卖什么东西？” “我要把我的灵魂卖给你们，”他回答说：“我恳求你把它从我身上买去吧，因为我已 
经讨厌它了。我的灵魂对我有什么用处呢？我看不见它，也摸不着它，我更不了解它。” 可是商人们开始嘲笑他，他们说：“人的灵魂对我们又有什么用呢？它连半个破银币也 
不值。把你的身体卖给我们当奴隶吧，我们会为你穿上海紫色的衣服，在你的手指上戴一个 
戒指，让你去给伟大的女王当奴才。但是不要再说什么灵魂了，因为它对我们无用，而且对 
我们的工作也毫无价值。” 年轻的渔夫对自己说：“这事有多么奇怪呀！神父对我说灵魂的价值比得上全世界的黄 
金，而商人们却说连半个破银币都不值。” 于是他离开了市场，走到海边，开始思考他该怎么办才好。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:09:14

Part IV 
 
 
And at noon he remembered how one of his companions, who was a gatherer of samphire, had told him of a certain young Witch who dwelt in a cave at the head of the bay and was very cunning in her witcheries. And he set to and ran, so eager was he to get rid of his soul, and a cloud of dust followed him as he sped round the sand of the shore. By the itching of her palm the young Witch knew his coming, and she laughed and let down her red hair. With her red hair falling around her, she stood at the opening of the cave, and in her hand she had a spray of wild hemlock that was blossoming. 
 
‘What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack?’ she cried, as he came panting up the steep, and bent down before her. ‘Fish for thy net, when the wind is foul? I have a little reed-pipe, and when I blow on it the mullet come sailing into the bay. But it has a price, pretty boy, it has a price. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? A storm to wreck the ships, and wash the chests of rich treasure ashore? I have more storms than the wind has, for I serve one who is stronger than the wind, and with a sieve and a pail of water I can send the great galleys to the bottom of the sea. But I have a price, pretty boy, I have a price. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as milk. Shouldst thou touch with this flower the hard lips of the Queen, she would follow thee all over the world. Out of the bed of the King she would rise, and over the whole world she would follow thee. And it has a price, pretty boy, it has a price. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? I can pound a toad in a mortar, and make broth of it, and stir the broth with a dead man’s hand. Sprinkle it on thine enemy while he sleeps, and he will turn into a black viper, and his own mother will slay him. With a wheel I can draw the Moon from heaven, and in a crystal I can show thee Death. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? Tell me thy desire, and I will give it thee, and thou shalt pay me a price, pretty boy, thou shalt pay me a price.’ 
 
‘My desire is but for a little thing,’ said the young Fisherman, ‘yet hath the Priest been wroth with me, and driven me forth. It is but for a little thing, and the merchants have mocked at me, and denied me. Therefore am I come to thee, though men call thee evil, and whatever be thy price I shall pay it.’ 
 
‘What wouldst thou?’ asked the Witch, coming near to him. 
 
‘I would send my soul away from me,’ answered the young Fisherman. 
 
The Witch grew pale, and shuddered, and hid her face in her blue mantle. ‘Pretty boy, pretty boy,’ she muttered, ‘that is a terrible thing to do.’ 
 
He tossed his brown curls and laughed. ‘My soul is nought to me,’ he answered. ‘I cannot see it. I may not touch it. I do not know it.’ 
 
‘What wilt thou give me if I tell thee?’ asked the Witch, looking down at him with her beautiful eyes. 
 
‘Five pieces of gold,’ he said, ‘and my nets, and the wattled house where I live, and the painted boat in which I sail. Only tell me how to get rid of my soul, and I will give thee all that I possess.’ 
 
She laughed mockingly at him, and struck him with the spray of hemlock. ‘I can turn the autumn leaves into gold,’ she answered, ‘and I can weave the pale moonbeams into silver if I will it. He whom I serve is richer than all the kings of this world, and has their dominions.’ 
 
‘What then shall I give thee,’ he cried, ‘if thy price be neither gold nor silver?’ 
 
The Witch stroked his hair with her thin white hand. ‘Thou must dance with me, pretty boy,’ she murmured, and she smiled at him as she spoke. 
 
‘Nought but that?’ cried the young Fisherman in wonder and he rose to his feet. 
 
‘Nought but that,’ she answered, and she smiled at him again. 
 
‘Then at sunset in some secret place we shall dance together,’ he said, ‘and after that we have danced thou shalt tell me the thing which I desire to know.’ 
 
She shook her head. ‘When the moon is full, when the moon is full,’ she muttered. Then she peered all round, and listened. A blue bird rose screaming from its nest and circled over the dunes, and three spotted birds rustled through the coarse grey grass and whistled to each other. There was no other sound save the sound of a wave fretting the smooth pebbles below. So she reached out her hand, and drew him near to her and put her dry lips close to his ear. 
 
‘To-night thou must come to the top of the mountain,’ she whispered. ‘It is a Sabbath, and He will be there.’ 
 
The young Fisherman started and looked at her, and she showed her white teeth and laughed. ‘Who is He of whom thou speakest?’ he asked. 
 
‘It matters not,’ she answered. ‘Go thou to-night, and stand under the branches of the hornbeam, and wait for my coming. If a black dog run towards thee, strike it with a rod of willow, and it will go away. If an owl speak to thee, make it no answer. When the moon is full I shall be with thee, and we will dance together on the grass.’ 
 
‘But wilt thou swear to me to tell me how I may send my soul from me?’ he made question. 
 
She moved out into the sunlight, and through her red hair rippled the wind. ‘By the hoofs of the goat I swear it,’ she made answer. 
 
‘Thou art the best of the witches,’ cried the young Fisherman, ‘and I will surely dance with thee to-night on the top of the mountain. I would indeed that thou hadst asked of me either gold or silver. But such as thy price is thou shalt have it, for it is but a little thing.’ And he doffed his cap to her, and bent his head low, and ran back to the town filled with a great joy. 
 
And the Witch watched him as he went, and when he had passed from her sight she entered her cave, and having taken a mirror from a box of carved cedarwood, she set it up on a frame, and burned vervain on lighted charcoal before it, and peered through the coils of the smoke. And after a time she clenched her hands in anger. ‘He should have been mine,’ she muttered, ‘I am as fair as she is.’

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:15:55

第四部分 
 
 正午时分，他想起了自己的一位伙伴，那是个采集伞形草的人，曾经对他讲过，有这么 
一位年轻的女巫，住在海湾入口处的一个洞穴中，她的巫术是如何如何的了不起。于是他便 
跑步出发了，他迫不及待地要把自己的灵魂给弄掉。他在海滩上狂奔着，身后扬起一股尘 
雾。年轻的女巫凭着自己的手掌发痒而知道了他的到来，她笑了起来，并把自己的一头红发 
散开了。她站在敞开的洞口处，一头红发披落下来，包裹着她的脸，在她的手中拿着一枝开 
放着的野毒芹。 “你缺少的是什么？你缺少的是什么？”她大声问道，此时他正气喘吁吁迈上悬崖，俯 
身向她行礼。“在风向不利的时候，让鱼儿进入到你的网中吗？我有一根小芦苇，只要我吹 
起它，鲤鱼便会游到海湾里来。不过这是有代价的，漂亮的孩子，这是有代价的。你缺少什 
么？你缺少什么呢？要一场风暴把船刮翻，以便把满载珍宝的箱子吹到岸上来吗？我的风暴 
超过了狂风，因为我所服侍的人比狂风更强大，用一个筛子和一桶水我就可以把大船送到海 
底下去。不过这是有代价的，漂亮的孩子，这是有代价的。你缺少什么？你缺少什么呢？我 
知道一种生长在山谷中的花，除了我无人知道这种花。它有紫色的叶子，花心上长着一颗 
星，它的汁像牛奶一样白。只要你用花去碰一下王后的紧闭着的嘴唇，她就会跟着你走到天 
涯海角。她会从国王的床榻上起来，跟着你走遍世界务地。不过这是有代价的，漂亮的孩 
子，这是有代价的。你缺少的是什么？你缺少的是什么呢？我能够在碾钵中捣蟾蜍，并把捣 
好的东西做成稀羹，还用一只死人的手去搅拌它。把羹洒在你仇人的身上，在他入睡的时 
候，他就会变成一条黑色的毒蛇，他的母亲也会把它给杀死的。用一只轮子我就能把月亮从 
天上给拉下来，我还可以让你在水晶球里看见死亡。你缺少什么？你还缺少什么呢？不过你 
要回报我的，漂亮的孩子，你可要回报我的。” “我所想要的只不过是件小事，”年轻的渔夫说，“然而神父却为此跟我生了气，把我 
给轰了出来。这只是件小事，商人们也拿我开玩笑，拒我于千里之外。所以我才来这儿找 
你，虽然人们都说你邪恶，但是不论你的开价是多少，我都会付给你的。” “你到底要什么呢？”女巫走到他面前，开口问道。 “我要把我的灵魂送掉，”年轻的渔夫回答道。 女巫的脸色变得苍白，并发起抖来，还把她的脸藏在蓝色的大履里。“漂亮的孩子，漂 
亮的孩子，”她喃喃地说，“那可是一件可怕的事情。” 他摇摇自己那头棕色的卷发，笑了起来。“我的灵魂对我已毫无用处，”他回答说， 
“我既不能看见它，也不能摸到它，更不能了解它”。 “如果我告诉了你，你会给我什么呢？”站在高处的女巫用美丽的眼睛望着他，一边问 
道。 “五个金币吧，”他说，“还有我的鱼网，我住的柳条编造的屋子，和我驾驶的涂着色 
彩的船。你只需告诉我如何去掉我的灵魂，我就会把我拥有的一切都送给你。” 她嘲弄他笑了起来，并用那枝毒芹草抽打着他。“我可以把秋天的树叶变成黄金，”她 
回答说，“要是我高兴，我还可以把惨淡的月色编织成银子。我服侍的人比世界上的所有的 
国王都更富有，并且占有他们的王国。” “那么我要给你什么东西呢？”他大声叫喊着，“如果你的代价既不是黄金又不是银子 
的话。” 女巫用她那纤细的白手抚了抚他的头发。“你得陪我跳舞，漂亮的孩子，”她轻轻地说 
着，还微笑着看着他。 “就只要这个吗？”年轻的渔夫吃惊地问着，并站起了身。 “就只有这个，”她一边说，一边微笑着望着他。 “那么等太阳下山后，我们就去一个秘密的地方去跳舞，”他说，“舞跳完后你就得告 
诉我我想知道的事情。” 女巫摇摇头。“到了月圆的时候，等到月圆的时候，”她轻声地说。接着她朝四下望了 
望，并侧耳所了听。一只蓝鸟尖叫着从巢窝中飞了起来，在沙丘上绕着圈子，三只有斑点的 
小鸟跳跃着窜过灰色的杂草，还相互打着口哨。此外还有下面波浪冲洗光滑的卵石的声音。 
于是她伸出双手，把他拉到她自己的身边，把干嘴唇靠近他的耳朵。 “今天晚上你一定要到山顶上来，”她轻声地说，“今天是安息日，‘他’会到这儿来 
的。” 年轻的渔夫吃惊地望着她，望着她那露出白色牙齿的笑脸。“你说的那个‘他，是什么 
人？”他开口问道。 “这倒无关紧要，”她回答说，“今晚你得来，站在鹅耳枥树的枝叶下面，等着我来。 
如果有一条黑狗朝你跑来，你就用一根柳条去抽打它，它就会走开的。如果有只猫头鹰对你 
说话，你可不要回答它。等月亮圆了的时候，我就会来到你的身边，我们便在草地上一起跳 
舞。” “不过你愿对我保证你会告诉我如何把我的灵魂送走吗？”他这样间道。 她来到了阳光底下，风轻轻地吹动着她那一头红发。“我以山羊的蹄子发誓，”她回答 
说。 “你是女巫中最好的，”年轻的渔夫大声说，“我今天晚上一定到山顶上跟你一起跳 
舞。其实，我更愿意你向我要黄金或白银，不过你既然需要这样的代价，且是件心事而已， 
那么你就会如愿以偿的。”说完他脱帽向她行礼，深深地鞠了一个躬，满心欢喜地跑回到城 
里去了。 女巫远远地看着他离去，等他的身影消失以后她才回到了自己的洞中，并从刻花的杉木 
匣子里面取出一面镜子，把它放在一个架子上面，还在架子前面烧得发亮的木炭上燃起马鞭 
草来，以便透过烟圈来观察镜子。“他本应该是我的，”她喃喃地说着，一边气呼呼地捏紧 
拳头，“我跟她一样漂亮。”

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:17:38

Part V 
 
 
 
 
And that evening, when the moon had risen, the young Fisherman climbed up to the top of the mountain, and stood under the branches of the hornbeam. Like a targe of polished metal the round sea lay at his feet, and the shadows of the fishing-boats moved in the little bay. A great owl, with yellow sulphurous eyes, called to him by his name, but he made it no answer. A black dog ran towards him and snarled. He struck it with a rod of willow, and it went away whining. 
 
At midnight the witches came flying through the air like bats. ‘Phew!’ they cried, as they lit upon the ground, ‘there is some one here we know not!’ and they sniffed about, and chattered to each other, and made signs. Last of all came the young Witch, with her red hair streaming in the wind. She wore a dress of gold tissue embroidered with peacocks’ eyes, and a little cap of green velvet was on her head. 
 
‘Where is he, where is he?’ shrieked the witches when they saw her, but she only laughed, and ran to the hornbeam, and taking the Fisherman by the hand she led him out into the moonlight and began to dance. 
 
Round and round they whirled, and the young Witch jumped so high that he could see the scarlet heels of her shoes. Then right across the dancers came the sound of the galloping of a horse, but no horse was to be seen, and he felt afraid. 
 
‘Faster,’ cried the Witch, and she threw her arms about his neck, and her breath was hot upon his face. ‘Faster, faster!’ she cried, and the earth seemed to spin beneath his feet, and his brain grew troubled, and a great terror fell on him, as of some evil thing that was watching him, and at last he became aware that under the shadow of a rock there was a figure that had not been there before. 
 
It was a man dressed in a suit of black velvet, cut in the Spanish fashion. His face was strangely pale, but his lips were like a proud red flower. He seemed weary, and was leaning back toying in a listless manner with the pommel of his dagger. On the grass beside him lay a plumed hat, and a pair of riding-gloves gauntleted with gilt lace, and sewn with seed-pearls wrought into a curious device. A short cloak lined with sables hang from his shoulder, and his delicate white hands were gemmed with rings. Heavy eyelids drooped over his eyes. 
 
The young Fisherman watched him, as one snared in a spell. At last their eyes met, and wherever he danced it seemed to him that the eyes of the man were upon him. He heard the Witch laugh, and 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.

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:29:47

第五部分 
 
 那天晚上，月亮升起来以后，年轻的渔夫便爬到了山顶上，站在鹅耳枥树的枝叶下面。 
在他脚底下横躺着环形海面，像一面磨光的金属的圆靶，渔船的影子在小海湾中晃动着。长 
着一双黄色硫磺般眼睛的一只大猫头鹰，叫起了他的名字，但是他没有理睬。一条黑狗朝他 
跑来，对他汪汪地叫着。他用一根柳条向它打去，狗儿哀叫着跑开了。 午夜时分女巫们像蝙蝠似的从空中飞来了。还没等她们脚跟在地上站稳，她们就叫了起 
来：“呸！这儿有一个我们不认识的人！”她们用鼻子到处嗅着，相互说着话，还做出暗 
号。最后赶来的是那位年轻的女巫，她的满头红发在风中飘舞着。她身着一件上面绣满孔雀 
眼睛的金线绒衣裳，一顶绿色的天鹅绒小帽戴在她的头上。 “他在什么地方？他在什么地方？”女巫们一看见她就尖声叫着问道，然而她却只是笑 
了笑，跑到鹅耳枥树下面，牵着年轻渔夫的手，把他领到月光底下，开始跳起舞来。 他们转了一圈又一圈，年轻的女巫跳得老高老高的，他都可以看清楚她那深红色的鞋 
跟。这时一阵马匹奔驰的蹄声冲着舞蹈者们传了过去，可是并不见马的影子，他便觉得好害 
怕。 “再快一点，”女巫大声说，她伸出胳膊挽着他的脖子，她的气息热乎乎地扑在他的脸 
上。“快点，再快点！”她大声叫道，他觉得脚下的地面仿佛都旋转了起来，他感到好难 
受，一股巨大的恐惧袭上身来，似乎有什么邪恶的东西在注视着他，最后他注意到了在岩石 
的阴影处有一个人，那是先前他不曾见过的人。 那是一个男人，身穿一套黑色的天鹅绒服装，是按西班牙式的剪裁方式。他的脸有一种 
古怪的苍白色，可是他的嘴唇却似是一朵骄傲的玫瑰花。他看上去好疲倦的样子，他朝后靠 
着身子，有气无力地抚弄着短剑的剑柄。在他身边的草地上放着一顶羽毛帽，还有一双镶着 
金边的骑马戴的手套，上面绣着设计非常新奇的珍珠饰品。他的肩膀上挂着一件黑貂皮衬里 
的短外套，他那双纤巧的雪白色手上戴满了戒指。沉重的眼皮垂盖在他的眼睛上。 年轻的渔夫望着他，仿佛是中了什么魔法似的。最后两人的眼睛相遇了，不论他跳舞跳 
到什么地方，他都似乎感觉到那人的一双眼睛一直注视着自己。他听见年轻的女巫笑了，于 
是便搂住了她的腰身，带着她疯狂地转起了圈来。 突然，一条狗在林子中叫了起来，跳舞的人都停住了，一对一对的舞伴走了过去，跪下 
身去，吻着那个男人的手。在人们这样做声时候，一丝微笑桂在了他骄傲的嘴唇上，就像是 
只小鸟用翅膀挨着了水面，让水挂上笑容一样。不过他的笑容中带着轻视的意味，也仍然一 
个劲地望着年轻的渔夫。 “来呀！我俩去拜见他，”女巫耳语道，并把他拉了过去，一股强行的欲望促使他想要 
去做她求他去做的事情，他就随着她去了。可在走近他的时候，不知道是为什么的缘故，他 
在自己的胸前划起了十字，并呼唤着圣名。 他刚刚做完了此事，女巫们便都像老鹰似地尖叫起来，且飞走了，而那张一直望着他的 
苍白的脸也因痛苦而扭曲了起来。那个人朝小树林中走去，吹起了口哨。一匹戴着银制辔头 
的小马跑过来接他。他跨上马鞍时，转过头来，悲伤地望了望年轻的渔夫。 有着一头红发的女巫也想飞走，可是渔夫却抓住了她的手腕，紧紧地捏住不放。 “放开我，”她大声叫着说，“让我去吧。因为你叫出了不应该叫的名字，并做出了我 
们不应该看到的记号。” “不，”他回答说，“除非你把秘密告诉我，否则我是不会放你去的。” “什么秘密？”女巫说，并像一头野猫似的挣扎着，还紧咬着她那冒泡沫的嘴唇。 “你知道的，”他回答说。 她那双草绿色的眼睛被泪水冲暗了，她对渔夫说：“你向我提什么都可以，除了这个以 
外。” 他笑了，并把她的手抓得更紧了。 她看见自己是跑不掉了，于是便悄声对他说：“其实，我跟大海的女儿一样美丽，也与 
那些住在碧蓝海水中的少女们一样可爱。”她一边向他讨好，一边把脸朝他的脸挨过去。 但是他皱着眉头把她推开了，并对她说：“如果你不能做到向我允诺的事情，那么我就 
要把你当作假女巫来杀死。” 她的脸一下子就变成了灰色，像洋苏木的鲜花一样，并颤抖起来。“既然如此，”她喃 
喃地说，“这是你的灵魂，不是我的。就照你说的那样去做吧。”说完从腰带上取出一把有 
着绿色蛇皮刀柄的小刀来，并交给了他。 “这个东西对我会有什么用处呢？”他不解地问他。 她沉默地停顿了一会儿，恐惧的表情袭上了她的脸。随后她把垂在前额的头发向后抹 
去，古怪地笑着对他说：“人们所说的人体的影子其实并不是身体的影子，而是灵魂的影 
子。你背对着月亮站在海滩上，然后把你双脚周围的影子用刀切开，那就是你灵魂的身体， 
叫你的灵魂离开你，它就会按你的话去做的。 年轻的渔夫打起了抖来。“这是真的吗？”他低声问。 “这是真的，我倒希望我没有告诉过你这件事，”她大声说，并抱住他的双膝哭了起来。 他把她推开，把她留在繁茂的草丛中，他走到山顶边，把小刀插进他的腰带里，开始下 
山去。 他的灵魂在他的体内呼唤着他，对他说：“喂！我和你一同生活了这么些年，一直是你 
的仆人。请不要让我离开你，难道我对你做了什么坏事吗？” 年轻的渔夫笑了。“你没有做什么对不起我的事，只是我不再需要你了，”他回答说， 
“世界宽阔无比，有天堂，也有地狱，以及位于这两者之间的那些阴森森的房子。去你喜欢 
去的地方吧！不要再打搅我了，因为我的爱人在召唤我。” 他的灵魂在苦苦地恳求着他，但是他并不理睬它，而只是从一个岩石跳到另一个岩石， 
脚步快得似一头野山羊那样，最后他跑到了一块平地上，来到了蜜色的海滩上。， 他站在海滩上，背对着月亮，他青铜色的四肢和结实的肌肉，看上去像一座希腊人完成 
的雕像一洋，从海水的泡沫中伸出好多白色的胳膊在召唤着他，从波浪中升出一些朦胧的身 
影在向他行礼，在他的面前横躺着他的影子，那就是他灵魂的身体，在他的身后蜜色的天空 
中悬挂着一轮明月。 这时他的灵魂对他说：“如果你真要赶我走的话，你就得先送一颗心给我才行。世界是 
残酷的，让你的那颗心跟我为伍一起走吧。” 他摇了摇头笑了。“如果我把我的心给了你，那么我拿什么去爱我的爱人呢？”他高声 
喊道。 “不，就发发慈悲吧，”他的灵魂说，“把你的心给我，因为这个世界太残酷了，我有 
些害怕。” “我的心是属于我的爱人的，”他回答说，“所以不要耽误时间了，你就快点离开这儿 
吧。” “难道我就不应该爱吗？”他的灵魂问道。 “你走吧，因为我不需要你了。”年轻的渔夫吼叫着，他抽出那把绿色蛇皮刀柄的小刀 
来，在他的双脚四周把他的身影切开去，影子立起了身子就站在他的面前，望着他，那样子 
简直跟他本人没有区别。 他朝后退缩着，把小刀插进自己的腰带中，一种莫名的恐惧袭上身来。“快走吧，”他 
喃喃地说，“不要让我再看见你的脸。” “不，我们一定会再见面的，”灵魂说，它的声音很低，好像笛子的声音，它说话的时 
候连嘴唇都没有动一下。 “我们怎么会再见面呢？”年轻的渔夫大声说，“你不会也跟我到海洋深处去的吧？” “我每年都来这儿一次，来呼唤你，”灵魂说，“也许你会有需要我的时候。” “我还需要你来做什么呢？”年轻的渔夫高声喊道，“不过随你的便吧。”说完他就一 
头扎进海水中去了，那些半人半鱼的海神们吹响了他们的号角，小美人鱼游上来去迎接他， 
并伸出她的手臂搂着他的脖子，还吻他的嘴。 这时灵魂却孤伶伶地站在海滩上，望着他们。等他们沉入到海水中去以后，它便哭泣着 
穿过沼泽地走了。

闲过信陵饮 · 发表于 5-1-2004 19:31:46

Part VI 
 
 
 
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 the snows might fall on us, and each man tied a veil of gauze before his eyes. As we passed through the valleys the Pygmies shot arrows at us from the hollows of the trees, and at night-time we heard the wild men beating on their drums. When we came to the Tower of Apes we set fruits before them, and they did not harm us. When we came to the Tower of Serpents we gave them warm milk in howls of brass, and they let us go by. Three times in our journey we came to the banks of the Oxus. We crossed it on rafts of wood with great bladders of blown hide. The river-horses raged against us and sought to slay us. When the camels saw them they trembled. 
 
‘The kings of each city levied tolls on us, but would not suffer us to enter their gates. They threw us bread over the walls, little maize-cakes baked in honey and cakes of fine flour filled with dates. For every hundred baskets we gave them a bead of amber. 
 
‘When the dwellers in the villages saw us coming, they poisoned the wells and fled to the hill-summits. We fought with the Magadae who are born old, and grow younger and younger every year, and die when they are little children; and with the Laktroi who say that they are the sons of tigers, and paint themselves yellow and black; and with the Aurantes who bury their dead on the tops of trees, and themselves live in dark caverns lest the Sun, who is their god, should slay them; and with the Krimnians who worship a crocodile, and give it earrings of green glass, and feed it with butter and fresh fowls; and with the Agazonbae, who are dog-faced; and with the Sibans, who have horses’ feet, and run more swiftly than horses. A third of our company died in battle, and a third died of want. The rest murmured against me, and said that I had brought them an evil fortune. I took a horned adder from beneath a stone and let it sting me. When they saw that I did not sicken they grew afraid. 
 
‘In the fourth month we reached the city of Illel. It was night-time when we came to the grove that is outside the walls, and the air was sultry, for the Moon was travelling in Scorpion. We took the ripe pomegranates from the trees, and brake them, and drank their sweet juices. Then we lay down on our carpets, and waited for the dawn. 
 
‘And at dawn we rose and knocked at the gate of the city. It was wrought out of red bronze, and carved with sea-dragons and dragons that have wings. The guards looked down from the battlements and asked us our business. The interpreter of the caravan answered that we had come from the island of Syria with much merchandise. They took hostages, and told us that they would open the gate to us at noon, and bade us tarry till then. 
 
‘When it was noon they opened the gate, and as we entered in the people came crowding out of the houses to look at us, and a crier went round the city crying through a shell. We stood in the market-place, and the negroes uncorded the bales of figured cloths and opened the carved chests of sycamore. And when they had ended their task, the merchants set forth their strange wares, the waxed linen from Egypt and the painted linen from the country of the Ethiops, the purple sponges from Tyre and the blue hangings from Sidon, the cups of cold amber and the fine vessels of glass and the curious vessels of burnt clay. From the roof of a house a company of women watched us. One of them wore a mask of gilded leather. 
 
‘And on the first day the priests came and bartered with us, and on the second day came the nobles, and on the third day came the craftsmen and the slaves. And this is their custom with all merchants as long as they tarry in the city. 
 
‘And we tarried for a moon, and when the moon was waning, I wearied and wandered away through the streets of the city and came to the garden of its god. The priests in their yellow robes moved silently through the green trees, and on a pavement of black marble stood the rose-red house in which the god had his dwelling. Its doors were of powdered lacquer, and bulls and peacocks were wrought on them in raised and polished gold. The tilted roof was of sea-green porcelain, and the jutting eaves were festooned with little bells. When the white doves flew past, they struck the bells with their wings and made them tinkle. 
 
‘In front of the temple was a pool of clear water paved with veined onyx. I lay down beside it, and with my pale fingers I touched the broad leaves. One of the priests came towards me and stood behind me. He had sandals on his feet, one of soft serpent-skin and the other of birds’ plumage. On his head was a mitre of black felt decorated with silver crescents. Seven yellows were woven into his robe, and his frizzed hair was stained with antimony. 
 
‘After a little while he spake to me, and asked me my desire. 
 
‘I told him that my desire was to see the god. 
 
‘“The god is hunting,” said the priest, looking strangely at me with his small slanting eyes. 
 
‘“Tell me in what forest, and I will ride with him,” I answered. 
 
‘He combed out the soft fringes of his tunic with his long pointed nails. “The god is asleep,” he murmured. 
 
‘“Tell me on what couch, and I will watch by him,” I answered. 
 
‘“The god is at the feast,” he cried. 
 
‘“If the wine be sweet I will drink it with him, and if it be bitter I will drink it with him also,” was my answer. 
 
‘He bowed his head in wonder, and, taking me by the hand, he raised me up, and led me into the temple. 
 
‘And in the first chamber I saw an idol seated on a throne of jasper bordered with great orient pearls. It was carved out of ebony, and in stature was of the stature of a man. On its forehead was a ruby, and thick oil dripped from its hair on to its thighs. Its feet were red with the blood of a newly-slain kid, and its loins girt with a copper belt that was studded with seven beryls. 
 
‘And I said to the priest, “Is this the god?” And he answered me, “This is the god.” 
 
‘“Show me the god,” I cried, “or I will surely slay thee.” And I touched his hand, and it became withered. 
 
‘And the priest besought me, saying, “Let my lord heal his servant, and I will show him the god.” 
 
‘So I breathed with my breath upon his hand, and it became whole again, and he trembled and led me into the second chamber, and I saw an idol standing on a lotus of jade hung with great emeralds. It was carved out of ivory, and in stature was twice the stature of a man. On its forehead was a chrysolite, and its breasts were smeared with myrrh and cinnamon. In one hand it held a crooked sceptre of jade, and in the other a round crystal. It ware buskins of brass, and its thick neck was circled with a circle of selenites. 
 
‘And I said to the priest, “Is this the god?” 
 
‘And he answered me, “This is the god.” 
 
‘“Show me the god,” I cried, “or I will surely slay thee.” And I touched his eyes, and they became blind. 
 
‘And the priest besought me, saying, “Let my lord heal his servant, and I will show him the god.” 
 
‘So I breathed with my breath upon his eyes, and the sight came back to them, and he trembled again, and led me into the third chamber, and lo! there was no idol in it, nor image of any kind, but only a mirror of round metal set on an altar of stone. 
 
‘And I said to the priest, “Where is the god?” 
 
‘And he answered me: “There is no god but this mirror that thou seest, for this is the Mirror of Wisdom. And it reflecteth all things that are in heaven and on earth, save only the face of him who looketh into it. This it reflecteth not, so that he who looketh into it may be wise. Many other mirrors are there, but they are mirrors of Opinion. This only is the Mirror of Wisdom. And they who possess this mirror know everything, nor is there anything hidden from them. And they who possess it not have not Wisdom. Therefore is it the god, and we worship it.” And I looked into the mirror, and it was even as he had said to me. 
 
‘And I did a strange thing, but what I did matters not, for in a valley that is but a day’s journey from this place have I hidden the Mirror of Wisdom. Do but suffer me to enter into thee again and be thy servant, and thou shalt be wiser than all the wise men, and Wisdom shall be thine. Suffer me to enter into thee, and none will be as wise as thou.’ 
 
But the young Fisherman laughed. ‘Love is better than Wisdom,’ he cried, ‘and the little Mermaid loves me.’ 
 
‘Nay, but there is nothing better than Wisdom,’ said the Soul. 
 
‘Love is better,’ answered the young Fisherman, and he plunged into the deep, and the Soul went weeping away over the marshes.

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