第3章 小美人鱼 The Little Mermaid 续【5 / 11】

但是她不敢进去找他们，因为现在她变成了哑巴，而且即将永远离开他们，她感觉自己的心好像要碎了。

but she did not venture to go in to them, for now she was dumb and going to leave them forever, she felt as if her heart would break

她偷偷溜进花园，从每个姐姐的花坛里摘了一朵花，朝着宫殿千百次地亲吻自己的手，然后从深蓝色的海水中升了起来。

she stole into the garden, took a flower from the flower - beds of each of her sisters, kissed her hand a thousand times towards the palace, and then rose up through the dark blue waters

当她看到王子的宫殿并靠近美丽的大理石台阶时，太阳还没有升起，但是月亮清澈明亮地照耀着。

the sun had not risen when she came in sight of the prince’s palace, and approached the beautiful marble steps, but the moon shone clear and bright

然后小美人鱼喝下了魔药，就好像一把双刃剑穿过了她娇弱的身体：

then the little mermaid drank the magic draught, and it seemed as if a two - edged sword went through her delicate body:

她昏了过去，像死人一样躺着。

she fell into a swoon, and lay like one dead

当太阳升起，阳光洒在海面上时，她苏醒过来，感到一阵剧痛；

when the sun arose and shone over the sea, she recovered, and felt a sharp pain;

而就在她面前站着年轻英俊的王子。

but just before her stood the handsome young prince

他非常热切地将他乌黑的眼睛盯着她，她垂下了自己的眼睛，然后意识到自己的鱼尾不见了，她有了一双任何少女都会羡慕的漂亮的白腿和纤小的双脚；

he fixed his coal - black eyes upon her so earnestly that she cast down her own, and then became aware that her fish’s tail was gone, and that she had as pretty a pair of white legs and tiny feet as any little maiden could have;

但她没有衣服，所以她用自己又长又厚的头发裹住身体。

but she had no clothes, so she wrapped herself in her long, thick hair

王子问她是谁，从哪里来，她用深蓝色的眼睛温柔又悲伤地看着他；

the prince asked her who she was, and where she came from, and she looked at him mildly and sorrowfully with her deep blue eyes;

但她不能说话。

but she could not speak

她每走一步都像巫婆说的那样，感觉像是踩在针尖或者锋利的刀刃上；

every step she took was as the witch had said it would be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives;

但她心甘情愿地忍受着，在王子身边走得像肥皂泡一样轻盈，所以王子和所有看到她的人都对她优雅摇曳的身姿感到惊奇。

but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince’s side as a soap - bubble, so that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful - swaying movements

很快她就穿上了昂贵的丝绸和薄纱长袍，成了宫殿里最美丽的人；

she was very soon arrayed in costly robes of silk and muslin, and was the most beautiful creature in the palace;

但她是哑巴，既不能说话也不能唱歌。

but she was dumb, and could neither speak nor sing

穿着丝绸和金饰的美丽女奴走上前，在王子和他的皇室父母面前唱歌：

beautiful female slaves, dressed in silk and gold, stepped forward and sang before the prince and his royal parents:

其中一个唱得比其他人都好，王子鼓掌并对她微笑。

one sang better than all the others, and the prince clapped his hands and smiled at her

这让小美人鱼非常悲伤；

this was great sorrow to the little mermaid;

她知道自己以前唱歌要甜美得多，她想：“哦，要是他能知道就好了！我为了能和他在一起，永远地失去了我的声音。”

she knew how much more sweetly she herself could sing once, and she thought, “oh if he could only know that! i have given away my voice forever, to be with him”

女奴们接着伴着美妙的音乐跳起了仙女般的舞蹈。

the slaves next performed some pretty fairy - like dances, to the sound of beautiful music

然后小美人鱼举起她可爱的白色手臂，踮起脚尖，在地板上滑行，跳起了无人能及的舞蹈。

then the little mermaid raised her lovely white arms, stood on the tips of her toes, and glided over the floor, and danced as no one yet had been able to dance

每时每刻她的美丽都更加展露无遗，她那富有表现力的眼睛比女奴们的歌声更能直击人心。

at each moment her beauty became more revealed, and her expressive eyes appealed more directly to the heart than the songs of the slaves

每个人都被迷住了，尤其是王子，他称她为他捡到的小宝贝；

every one was enchanted, especially the prince, who called her his little foundling;

她很乐意再次跳舞来取悦他，尽管每次她的脚触碰到地板，都感觉像是踩在锋利的刀刃上。

and she danced again quite readily, to please him, though each time her foot touched the floor it seemed as if she trod on sharp knives

王子说她应该永远和他在一起，她得到许可睡在他的房门前，睡在一个天鹅绒垫子上。

the prince said she should remain with him always, and she received permission to sleep at his door, on a velvet cushion

他让人给她做了一套侍童的衣服，这样她就可以陪他骑马了。