王尔德童话四则(英文版)-第17部分

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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。