As the days passed, she loved the prince more fondly, and he loved her as he would love a little child, but it never came into his head to make her his wife;
然而，除非他娶了她，否则她无法获得不朽的灵魂；
yet, unless he married her, she could not receive an immortal soul;
而且，在他与别人结婚后的第二天早晨，她就会化为海中的泡沫。
and, on the morning after his marriage with another, she would dissolve into the foam of the sea.
“在所有人当中，你难道不是最爱我吗？”
“do you not love me the best of them all?”
当王子把她抱在怀里，亲吻她光洁的额头时，小美人鱼的眼神似乎在这样说。
the eyes of the little mermaid seemed to say, when he took her in his arms, and kissed her fair forehead.
“是的，你对我来说很珍贵，” 王子说；
“Yes, you are dear to me,” said the prince;
“因为你有最善良的心，而且你对我最忠诚；
“for you have the best heart, and you are the most devoted to me;
你就像我曾经见过的一个少女，但我再也见不到她了。
you are like a young maiden whom I once saw, but whom I shall never meet again.
我在一艘失事的船上，海浪把我冲到一座圣殿附近的岸上，那里有几个少女在做礼拜。
I was in a ship that was wrecked, and the waves cast me ashore near a holy temple, where several young maidens performed the service.
她们中最年轻的那个在岸上发现了我，救了我的命。
the youngest of them found me on the shore, and saved my life.
我只见过她两次，她是这个世界上我唯一能爱的人；
I saw her but twice, and she is the only one in the world whom I could love;
但你像她，你几乎把她的形象从我脑海里赶走了。
but you are like her, and you have almost driven her image out of my mind.
她属于圣殿，我的好运让你来到我身边代替了她；
She belongs to the holy temple, and my good fortune has sent you to me instead of her;
我们永远不会分开。”
and we will never part.”
“啊，他不知道是我救了他的命，” 小美人鱼想。
“Ah, he knows not that it was I who saved his life,” thought the little mermaid.
“我带着他越过大海来到有圣殿的树林：
“I carried him over the sea to the wood where the temple stands:
我坐在泡沫下面，一直看着直到人类来救他。
I sat beneath the foam, and watched till the human beings came to help him.
我看到了那个他爱得比爱我还深的美丽少女；”
I saw the pretty maiden that he loves better than he loves me;”
小美人鱼深深地叹了口气，但她流不出眼泪。
and the mermaid sighed deeply, but she could not shed tears.
“他说那个少女属于圣殿，所以她永远不会回到尘世。
“he says the maiden belongs to the holy temple, therefore she will never return to the world.
他们不会再见面了：
they will meet no more:
而我在他身边，每天都能见到他。
while I am by his side, and see him every day.
我会照顾他，爱他，为他献出我的生命。”
I will take care of him, and love him, and give up my life for his sake.”
很快就传言说王子必须结婚了，邻国国王美丽的女儿将成为他的妻子，因为一艘华丽的船正在装备。
Very soon it was said that the prince must marry, and that the beautiful daughter of a neighboring king would be his wife, for a fine ship was being fitted out.
虽然王子宣称他只是打算去拜访国王，但大家普遍认为他实际上是去看他的女儿。
Although the prince gave out that he merely intended to pay a visit to the king, it was generally supposed that he really went to see his daughter.
一大群人将与他同行。
A great pany were to go with him.
小美人鱼笑了笑，摇了摇头。
the little mermaid smiled, and shook her head.
她比任何人都更了解王子的想法。
She knew the prince’s thoughts better than any of the others.
“我必须旅行，” 他对她说；
“I must travel,” he had said to her;
“我必须见到这位美丽的公主；
“I must see this beautiful princess;
我的父母希望如此；
my parents desire it;
但他们不会强迫我把她带回家做我的新娘。
but they will not oblige me to bring her home as my bride.
我不能爱她；
I cannot love her;
她不像你所类似的圣殿里的那位美丽少女。
she is not like the beautiful maiden in the temple, whom you resemble.
如果我被迫选择一位新娘，我宁愿选择你，我不会说话的小宝贝，有着那双富有表现力的眼睛的你。”
If I were forced to choose a bride, I would rather choose you, my dumb foundling, with those expressive eyes.”
然后他亲吻她玫瑰色的嘴唇，把玩她长长的飘动的头发，把头靠在她的心上，而她则梦想着人类的幸福和不朽的灵魂。
And then he kissed her rosy mouth, played with her long waving hair, and laid his head on her heart, while she dreamed of human happiness and an immortal soul.
“你不害怕大海，我不会说话的孩子，” 当他们站在将要载着他们去邻国国王的国家的华丽船只的甲板上时，他说道。
“You are not afraid of the sea, my dumb child,” said he, as they stood on the deck of the noble ship which was to carry them to the country of the neighboring king.
然后他给她讲述风暴和平静，讲述他们下方深海里的奇异鱼类，以及潜水者在那里看到的东西；
And then he told her of storm and of calm, of strange fishes in the deep beneath them, and of what the divers had seen there;
她对他的描述报以微笑，因为她比任何人都更清楚海底有哪些奇观。
and she smiled at his descriptions, for she knew better than any one what wonders were at the bottom of the sea.
月光下，当船上所有人都睡着时，除了正在掌舵的舵手，她坐在甲板上，透过清澈的海水向下凝视。
In the moonlight, when all on board were asleep, excepting the man at the helm, who was steering, she sat on the deck, gazing down through the clear water.
她觉得她能分辨出她父亲的城堡，在城堡上她年迈的祖母头戴银冠，透过汹涌的潮水看着船的龙骨。
She thought she could distinguish her father’s castle, and upon it her aged grandmother, with the silver crown on her head, looking through the rushing tide at the keel of the vessel.
然后她的姐妹们浮上海浪，悲伤地凝视着她，绞着她们洁白的双手。
then her sisters came up on the waves, and gazed at her mournfully, wringing their white hands.
她向她们招手，微笑着，想要告诉她们自己是多么幸福和幸运；
She beckoned to them, and smiled, and wanted to tell them how happy and well off she was;
但是船上的侍者走近了，当她的姐妹们潜入水下时，他以为自己看到的只是海面上的泡沫。
but the cabin - boy approached, and when her sisters dived down he thought it was only the foam of the sea which he saw.
第二天早晨，船驶进了一个美丽城镇的港口，这个城镇属于王子即将拜访的国王。
the next morning the ship sailed into the harbor of a beautiful town belonging to the king whom the prince was going to visit.
教堂的钟声敲响，高塔上传来嘹亮的喇叭声；
the church bells were ringing, and from the high towers sounded a flourish of trumpets;
士兵们举着飘扬的旗帜，拿着闪亮的刺刀，排列在他们经过的礁石两旁。
and soldiers, with flying colors and glittering bayonets, lined the rocks through which they passed.
每一天都是节日；
Every day was a festival;
舞会和娱乐活动接连不断。
balls and entertainments followed one another.
但是公主还没有露面。
but the princess had not yet appeared.
人们说她正在一个宗教场所接受教养，在那里她正在学习每一种皇家美德。
people said that she was being brought up and educated in a religious house, where she was learning every royal virtue.
最后她来了。
At last she came.
小美人鱼非常急切地想看看她是否真的美丽，不得不承认她从未见过如此完美的美人。
then the little mermaid, who was very anxious to see whether she was really beautiful, was obliged to acknowledge that she had never seen a more perfect vision of beauty.
她的皮肤娇嫩白皙，长长的黑色睫毛下，她那欢笑的蓝色眼睛闪烁着真诚和纯洁。
her skin was delicately fair, and beneath her long dark eye - lashes her laughing blue eyes shone with truth and purity.
“是你，” 王子说，“当我躺在海滩上奄奄一息的时候救了我的命。” 然后他把脸红的新娘抱在怀里。
“It was you,” said the prince, “who saved my life when I lay dead on the beach,” and he folded his blushing bride in his arms.
“哦，我太幸福了，” 他对小美人鱼说；
“oh, I am too happy,” said he to the little mermaid;
“我最美好的愿望都实现了。
“my fondest hopes are all fulfilled.
你会为我的幸福而高兴的；
you will rejoice at my happiness;
因为你对我的爱是伟大而真诚的。”
for your devotion to me is great and sincere.”
小美人鱼吻了他的手，感觉自己的心好像已经碎了。
the little mermaid kissed his hand, and felt as if her heart were already broken.
他的新婚早晨将给她带来死亡，她将变成海里的泡沫。
his wedding morning would bring death to her, and she would change into the foam of the sea.
所有的教堂钟声都敲响了，传令官骑马在城里宣告订婚的消息。
All the church bells rung, and the heralds rode about the town proclaiming the betrothal.
每个祭坛上昂贵的银灯里都燃着香油。
perfumed oil was burning in costly silver lamps on every altar.
牧师们挥舞着香炉，与此同时新娘和新郎手牵手接受主教的祝福。
the priests waved the censers, while the bride and bridegroom joined their hands and received the blessing of the bishop.
小美人鱼身着丝绸和金饰，托着新娘的裙摆；
the little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride’s train;
但她的耳朵听不见喜庆的音乐，她的眼睛看不到神圣的仪式；
but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes saw not the holy ceremony;
她想着即将降临到自己身上的死亡之夜，以及她在这世上所失去的一切。
she thought of the night of death which was ing to her, and of all she had lost in the world.
就在同一个晚上，新娘和新郎登上了船；
on the same evening the bride and bridegroom went on board ship;
大炮轰鸣，旗帜飘扬，船中央搭起了一座用紫色和金色装饰的昂贵帐篷。
cannons were roaring, flags waving, and in the centre of the ship a costly tent of purple and gold had been erected.
帐篷里有精致的长椅，供新婚夫妇夜间休息。
It contained elegant couches, for the reception of the bridal pair during the night.
船帆鼓起，顺风而行，在平静的海面上轻快而平稳地滑行。
the ship, with swelling sails and a favorable wind, glided away smoothly and lightly over the calm sea.
天黑时，许多彩灯被点亮，水手们在甲板上欢快地跳舞。
when it grew dark a number of colored lamps were lit, and the sailors danced merrily on the deck.
小美人鱼不禁想起她第一次浮出海面时看到的类似的欢庆和喜悦场景；
the little mermaid could not help thinking of her first rising out of the sea, when she had seen similar festivities and joys;
她也加入到舞蹈中，像燕子追逐猎物时那样在空中盘旋，在场的所有人都惊叹地为她欢呼。
and she joined in the dance, poised herself in the air as a swallow when he pursues his prey, and all present cheered her with wonder.
她以前从未跳得如此优雅。
She had never danced so elegantly before.
她娇嫩的双脚感觉就像被锋利的刀子割着一样，但她不在乎；
her tender feet felt as if cut with sharp knives, but she cared not for it;
一种更强烈的痛苦刺痛了她的心。
a sharper pang had pierced through her heart.
她知道这是她能见到王子的最后一个夜晚，为了他，她已经抛弃了自己的亲人和家园；
She knew this was the last evening she should ever see the prince, for whom she had forsaken her kindred and her home;
她放弃了自己美妙的声音，每天为他忍受着难以想象的痛苦，而他却一无所知。
she had given up her beautiful voice, and suffered unheard - of pain daily for him, while he knew nothing of it.
这是她能和他呼吸同样空气、凝视星空和深海的最后一个夜晚；
this was the last evening that she would breathe the same air with him, or gaze on the starry sky and the deep sea;
一个没有思想、没有梦境的永恒之夜在等着她：
an eternal night, without a thought or a dream, awaited her:
她没有灵魂，现在她永远也无法得到一个了。
she had no soul and now she could never win one.
船上一直充满欢乐和喜庆，直到午夜过后很久；
All was joy and gayety on board ship till long after midnight;
她和其他人一起欢笑、跳舞，而死亡的念头却在她心中。
she laughed and danced with the rest, while the thoughts of death were in her heart.
王子亲吻他美丽的新娘，而她把玩着他乌黑的头发，直到他们手挽手走进华丽的帐篷休息。
the prince kissed his beautiful bride, while she played with his raven hair, till they went arm - in - arm to rest in the splendid tent.
然后船上变得一片寂静；
then all became still on board the ship;
只有舵手醒着，站在舵旁。
the helmsman, alone awake, stood at the helm.
小美人鱼把她洁白的手臂靠在船舷上，朝着东方望去，等待着清晨的第一缕红晕，等待着那将带来她死亡的第一道曙光。
the little mermaid leaned her white arms on the edge of the vessel, and looked towards the east for the first blush of morning, for that first ray of dawn that would bring her death.
她看到她的姐姐们从海水中浮了出来：
She saw her sisters rising out of the flood:
她们和她一样苍白；
they were as pale as herself;
但是她们长长的美丽秀发不再随风飘动，已经被剪掉了。
but their long beautiful hair waved no more in the wind, and had been cut off.
“我们把头发给了女巫，” 她们说，“为了得到帮助来救你，这样你今晚就不会死了。
“we have given our hair to the witch,” said they, “to obtain help for you, that you may not die to - night.
她给了我们一把刀：
She has given us a knife:
看，就在这儿，它非常锋利。
here it is, see it is very sharp.
在太阳升起之前，你必须把它刺进王子的心脏；
before the sun rises you must plunge it into the heart of the prince;
当温热的血滴到你的脚上时，它们会重新长在一起，变成鱼尾，你将再次成为美人鱼，回到我们身边，在你死去变成咸的海泡沫之前过完你的三百年。
when the warm blood falls upon your feet they will grow together again, and form into a fish’s tail, and you will be once more a mermaid, and return to us to live out your three hundred years before you die and change into the salt sea foam.
快点，那么；
haste, then;
在日出之前他或者你必须死。
he or you must die before sunrise.
我们的老祖母因为你悲叹不已，她的白发因悲伤而脱落，就像我们的头发在女巫的剪刀下掉落一样。
our old grandmother moans so for you, that her white hair is falling off from sorrow, as ours fell under the witch’s scissors.
杀死王子然后回来；
Kill the prince and e back;
快点：
hasten:
你没看到天空中最初的红色条纹吗？
do you not see the first red streaks in the sky?
再过几分钟太阳就要升起了，而你必须得死。”
In a few minutes the sun will rise, and you must die.”
然后她们深深地、悲伤地叹了口气，沉入了海浪之下。
And then they sighed deeply and mournfully, and sank down beneath the waves.
小美人鱼拉开帐篷的深红色帘子，看到美丽的新娘头靠在王子的胸膛上。
the little mermaid drew back the crimson curtain of the tent, and beheld the fair bride with her head resting on the prince’s breast.
她弯下腰亲吻他光洁的额头，然后看向天空，玫瑰色的黎明在天空中越来越明亮；
She bent down and kissed his fair brow, then looked at the sky on which the rosy dawn grew brighter and brighter;
然后她看了一眼锋利的刀，又把目光投向王子，王子在梦中低语着他新娘的名字。
then she glanced at the sharp knife, and again fixed her eyes on the prince, who whispered the name of his bride in his dreams.
她在他的思绪里，小美人鱼手中的刀颤抖起来：
She was in his thoughts, and the knife trembled in the hand of the little mermaid:
然后她把刀远远地抛进海浪里；
then she flung it far away from her into the waves;
刀落水的地方水变红了，溅起的水滴看起来像血。
the water turned red where it fell, and the drops that spurted up looked like blood.
她又带着留恋、半昏厥地看了王子一眼，然后从船上跳进海里，觉得自己的身体正在化为泡沫。
She cast one more lingering, half - fainting glance at the prince, and then threw herself from the ship into the sea, and thought her body was dissolving into foam.
太阳升上海面，他温暖的光线落在小美人鱼冰冷的泡沫上，小美人鱼并没有感觉到自己正在死去。
the sun rose above the waves, and his warm rays fell on the cold foam of the little mermaid, who did not feel as if she were dying.
她看到明亮的太阳，数百个透明而美丽的生灵在她周围漂浮；
She saw the bright sun, and all around her floated hundreds of transparent beautiful beings;
透过它们她能看到船上白色的船帆和天空中的红色云彩；
she could see through them the white sails of the ship, and the red clouds in the sky;
它们的话语悦耳动听，但太空灵了，凡人的耳朵听不到，就像凡人的眼睛也看不见它们一样。
their speech was melodious, but too ethereal to be heard by mortal ears, as they were also unseen by mortal eyes.
小美人鱼发觉自己有一个和它们一样的身体，并且她不断地从泡沫中越升越高。
the little mermaid perceived that she had a body like theirs, and that she continued to rise higher and higher out of the foam.
“我在哪里？”
“where am I?”
她问道，她的声音听起来很空灵，就像和她在一起的那些生灵的声音一样；
asked she, and her voice sounded ethereal, as the voice of those who were with her;
世间的音乐无法模仿这种声音。
no earthly music could imitate it.
“在空中的女儿们中间。” 其中一个回答道。
“Among the daughters of the air,” answered one of them.
“美人鱼没有不朽的灵魂，除非她赢得一个人类的爱，否则也无法获得一个。
“A mermaid has not an immortal soul, nor can she obtain one unless she wins the love of a human being.
她永恒的命运取决于他人的力量。
on the power of another hangs her eternal destiny.
但是空中的女儿们，虽然她们没有不朽的灵魂，却能通过自己的善行，为自己获得一个。
but the daughters of the air, although they do not possess an immortal soul, can, by their good deeds, procure one for themselves.
我们飞往温暖的国度，使那用瘟疫毁灭人类的闷热空气变得凉爽。
we fly to warm countries, and cool the sultry air that destroys mankind with the pestilence.
我们带着花朵的芬芳去传播健康和活力。
we carry the perfume of the flowers to spread health and restoration.
在我们竭尽全力做了三百年善事之后，我们就会得到一个不朽的灵魂并分享人类的幸福。
After we have striven for three hundred years to all the good in our power, we receive an immortal soul and take part in the happiness of mankind.
你，可怜的小美人鱼，已经全心全意地尝试像我们一样去做了；
You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing;
你受苦受难，通过自己的善行使自己提升到精灵的世界；
you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit - world by your good deeds;
现在，通过以同样的方式奋斗三百年，你就可以获得一个不朽的灵魂。”
and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul.”
小美人鱼抬起她那充满荣耀的眼睛望向太阳，第一次感觉到自己的眼睛里充满了泪水。
the little mermaid lifted her glorified eyes towards the sun, and felt them, for the first time, filling with tears.
在她离开王子的那艘船上，有生机和喧闹声；
on the ship, in which she had left the prince, there were life and noise;
她看到他和他美丽的新娘在寻找她；
she saw him and his beautiful bride searching for her;
他们悲伤地凝视着珍珠般的泡沫，仿佛知道她已经跳进了海浪里。
sorrowfully they gazed at the pearly foam, as if they knew she had thrown herself into the waves.
她悄悄地亲吻了新娘的额头，为王子扇风，然后和其他空中的孩子一起升上一朵在天空中漂浮的玫瑰色云彩。
Unseen she kissed the forehead of her bride, and fanned the prince, and then mounted with the other children of the air to a rosy cloud that floated through the aether.
“三百年后，我们将这样飘入天国，” 她说。
“After three hundred years, thus shall we float into the kingdom of heaven,” said she.
“我们甚至可能更快到达那里，” 她的一个同伴小声说。
“And we may even get there sooner,” whispered one of her panions.
“我们可以悄悄地进入有孩子的人家，如果我们发现一个好孩子，他是父母的欢乐、值得父母的爱，那我们的考验时间就会缩短。
“Unseen we can enter the houses of men, where there are children, and for every day on which we find a good child, who is the joy of his parents and deserves their love, our time of probation is shortened.
孩子不知道，当我们飞过房间时，我们会为他的良好行为而高兴地微笑，因为我们可以把三百年的时间减少一年。
the child does not know, when we fly through the room, that we smile with joy at his good conduct, for we can count one year less of our three hundred years.
但是当我们看到一个淘气或者邪恶的孩子时，我们会悲伤地流泪，每一滴眼泪都会使我们的考验时间增加一天！”
but when we see a naughty or a wicked child, we shed tears of sorrow, and for every tear a day is added to our time of trial!”