|
| Every day was a festival, balls and entertainments following one another. But the princess had not yet appeared. People said that she had been brought up and educated in a religious house, where she was learning every royal virtue. | Начались празднества, балы следовали за балами, но принцессы еще не было, - она воспитывалась где-то далеко в монастыре, куда ее отдали учиться всем королевским добродетелям. |
| At last she came. | Наконец прибыла и она. |
| Then the little mermaid, who was anxious to see whether she was really beautiful, was obliged to admit that she had never seen a more perfect vision of beauty. | Русалочка жадно смотрела на нее и не могла не признать, что лица милее и прекраснее она еще не видала. |
| Her skin was delicately fair, and beneath her long, dark eyelashes her laughing blue eyes shone with truth and purity. | Кожа на лице принцессы была такая нежная, прозрачная, а из-за длинных темных ресниц улыбались синие кроткие глаза. |
| "It was you," said the prince, "who saved my life when I lay as if dead on the beach," and he folded his blushing bride in his arms. | - Это ты! - сказал принц. - Ты спасла мне жизнь, когда я полумертвый лежал на берегу моря! И он крепко прижал к сердцу свою краснеющую невесту. |
| "Oh, I am too happy!" said he to the little mermaid; "my fondest hopes are now fulfilled. | - Ах, я так счастлив! - сказал он русалочке. - То, о чем я не смел и мечтать, сбылось! |
| You will rejoice at my happiness, for your devotion to me is great and sincere." | Ты порадуешься моему счастью, ты ведь так любишь меня! |
| The little mermaid kissed his hand and felt as if her heart were already broken. His wedding morning would bring death to her, and she would change into the foam of the sea. | Русалочка поцеловала ему руку, и ей показалось, что сердце ее вот-вот разорвется от боли: его свадьба должна ведь убить ее, превратить в морскую пену. |
| All the church bells rang, and the heralds rode through the town proclaiming the betrothal. | Колокола в церквах звонили, по улицам разъезжали герольды, оповещая народ о помолвке принцессы. |
| Perfumed oil was burned in costly silver lamps on every altar. | В алтарях в драгоценных сосудах курились благовония. |
| The priests waved the censers, while the bride and the bridegroom joined their hands and received the blessing of the bishop. | Священники кадили ладаном, жених и невеста подали друг другу руки и получили благословение епископа. |
| The little mermaid, dressed in silk and gold, held up the bride's train; but her ears heard nothing of the festive music, and her eyes saw not the holy ceremony. She thought of the night of death which was coming to her, and of all she had lost in the world. |
