王尔德童话四则(英文版)- 第14部分

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。





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。'





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　dance