PART III

As she fed him, he contrived to kiss the tips of her fingers now and then. She did not seem to mind it, one way or the other. But the prince felt better.

"Now for your own sake, princess," said he, "I cannot let you go to sleep. You must sit and look at me, else I shall not be able to keep up."

"Well, I will do anything I can to oblige you," answered she, with condescension; and, sitting down, she did look at him, and kept looking at him with wonderful steadiness, considering all things.

The sun went down, and the moon rose, and, gush after gush, the waters were rising up the prince's body. They were up to his waist now.

"Why can't we go and have a swim?" said the princess. "There seems to be water enough Just about here."

"I shall never swim more," said the prince.

"Oh, I forgot," said the princess, and was silent.

So the water grew and grew, and rose up and up on the prince. And the princess sat and looked at him. She fed him now and then. The night wore on. The waters rose and rose. The moon rose likewise higher and higher, and shone full on the face of the dying prince. The water was up to his neck.

"Will you kiss me, princess?" said he, feebly.

The nonchalance was all gone now.

"Yes, I will," answered the princess, and kissed him with a long, sweet, cold kiss.

"Now," said he, with a sigh of content, "I die happy."

He did not speak again. The princess gave him some wine for the last time: he was past eating. Then she sat down again, and looked at him.

第3节

在公主喂他的时候，王子不时地设法亲她的指尖。因为这样或者那样的原因，公主似乎对此并不在意。王子觉得心里美美的。

王子说：“公主，现在为了你好，我不能让你睡过去。你要坐在这里看着我，以免我支撑不下去。”

“好吧，所有能够报答你的事情我都会做。”公主殷勤地娇声答道。然后她坐下来，就这么看着他，一直极为坚定地看着他，凝视着一切。

太阳落山了，月亮升起来，水“咕噜咕噜”地涌出来，湖水渐渐升到了王子的腰部。

“为什么我们不去游一会儿？”公主说道，“看起来这里的水已经够多了。”

“我再也不能去游泳了。”

“哦，我忘了。”公主回答，然后就不说话了。

湖水越涨越高，慢慢从王子身边升起。公主坐在那里看着他，不时地喂东西给他吃。

夜幕渐渐降临，湖水越升越高，月亮也同样越升越高，月光照耀在即将死去的王子的面庞上。这时候湖水已经没到他的脖子了。

“你愿意吻我一下吗，公主？”他极为虚弱地说道。

那暗淡的眼神已经随波而逝了。

“是的，我愿意。”公主说完，给了他一个长长的、甜甜的、凉凉的吻。

王子带着满意的叹息声说：“这下，我可以幸福地死去了。”

王子没有再说话。公主给他喝了一点葡萄酒，因为他刚吃过一点东西。接着她又坐了下来，看着王子。

第14章03 This Is Very Kind of You 你人真好！