tanglewood tales-第26节

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whether　to　like　it　or　not。　It　bore　above　a　hundred　flowers　of　the　most　brilliant　hues；　and　each　different　from　the　others；　but　all　having　a　kind　of　resemblance　among　themselves；　which　showed　them　to　be　sister　blossoms。　But　there　was　a　deep；　glossy　luster　on　the　leaves　of　the　shrub；　and　on　the　petals　of　the　flowers；　that　made　Proserpina　doubt　whether　they　might　not　be　poisonous。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　foolish　as　it　may　seem；　she　was　half　inclined　to　turn　round　and　run　away。

〃What　a　silly　child　I　am！〃　thought　she；　taking　courage。　〃It　is　really　the　most　beautiful　shrub　that　ever　sprang　out　of　the　earth。　I　will　pull　it　up　by　the　roots；　and　carry　it　home；　and　plant　it　in　my　mother's　garden。〃

Holding　up　her　apron　full　of　flowers　with　her　left　hand；　Proserpina　seized　the　large　shrub　with　the　other；　and　pulled；　and　pulled；　but　was　hardly　able　to　loosen　the　soil　about　its　roots。　What　a　deep…rooted　plant　it　was！　Again　the　girl　pulled　with　all　her　might；　and　observed　that　the　earth　began　to　stir　and　crack　to　some　distance　around　the　stem。　She　gave　another　pull；　but　relaxed　her　hold；　fancying　that　there　was　a　rumbling　sound　right　beneath　her　feet。　Did　the　roots　extend　down　into　some　enchanted　cavern？　Then　laughing　at　herself　for　so　childish　a　notion；　she　made　another　effort：　up　came　the　shrub；　and　Proserpina　staggered　back；　holding　the　stem　triumphantly　in　her　hand；　and　gazing　at　the　deep　hole　which　its　roots　had　left　in　the　soil。

Much　to　her　astonishment；　this　hole　kept　spreading　wider　and　wider；　and　growing　deeper　and　deeper；　until　it　really　seemed　to　have　no　bottom；　and　all　the　while；　there　came　a　rumbling　noise　out　of　its　depths；　louder　and　louder；　and　nearer　and　nearer；　and　sounding　like　the　tramp　of　horses'　hoofs　and　the　rattling　of　wheels。　Too　much　frightened　to　run　away；　she　stood　straining　her　eyes　into　this　wonderful　cavity；　and　soon　saw　a　team　of　four　sable　horses；　snorting　smoke　out　of　their　nostrils；　and　tearing　their　way　out　of　the　earth　with　a　splendid　golden　chariot　whirling　at　their　heels。　They　leaped　out　of　the　bottomless　hole；　chariot　and　all；　and　there　they　were；　tossing　their　black　manes；　flourishing　their　black　tails；　and　curvetting　with　every　one　of　their　hoofs　off　the　ground　at　once；　close　by　the　spot　where　Proserpina　stood。　In　the　chariot　sat　the　figure　of　a　man；　richly　dressed；　with　a　crown　on　his　head；　all　flaming　with　diamonds。　He　was　of　a　noble　aspect；　and　rather　handsome；　but　looked　sullen　and　discontented；　and　he　kept　rubbing　his　eyes　and　shading　them　with　his　hand；　as　if　he　did　not　live　enough　in　the　sunshine　to　be　very　fond　of　its　light。

As　soon　as　this　personage　saw　the　affrighted　Proserpina；　he　beckoned　her　to　come　a　little　nearer。

〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　said　he；　with　as　cheerful　a　smile　as　he　knew　how　to　put　on。　〃Come！　　Will　you　not　like　to　ride　a　little　way　with　me；　in　my　beautiful　chariot？〃

But　Proserpina　was　so　alarmed；　that　she　wished　for　nothing　but　to　get　out　of　his　reach。　And　no　wonder。　The　stranger　did　not　look　remarkably　good…natured；　in　spite　of　his　smile；　and　as　for　his　voice；　its　tones　were　deep　and　stern；　and　sounded　as　much　like　the　rumbling　of　an　earthquake　underground　than　anything　else。　As　is　always　the　case　with　children　in　trouble；　Proserpina's　first　thought　was　to　call　for　her　mother。

〃Mother；　Mother　Ceres！〃　cried　she；　all　in　a　tremble。　〃Come　quickly　and　save　me。〃

But　her　voice　was　too　faint　for　her　mother　to　hear。　Indeed；　it　is　most　probable　that　Ceres　was　then　a　thousand　miles　off；　making　the　corn　grow　in　some　far　distant　country。　Nor　could　it　have　availed　her　poor　daughter；　even　had　she　been　within　hearing；　for　no　sooner　did　Proserpina　begin　to　cry　out；　than　the　stranger　leaped　to　the　ground；　caught　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　again　mounted　the　chariot；　shook　the　reins；　and　shouted　to　the　four　black　horses　to　set　off。　They　immediately　broke　into　so　swift　a　gallop；　that　it　seemed　rather　like　flying　through　the　air　than　running　along　the　earth。　In　a　moment；　Proserpina　lost　sight　of　the　pleasant　vale　of　Enna；　in　which　she　had　always　dwelt。　Another　instant；　and　even　the　summit　of　Mount　Aetna　had　become　so　blue　in　the　distance；　that　she　could　scarcely　distinguish　it　from　the　smoke　that　gushed　out　of　its　crater。　But　still　the　poor　child　screamed；　and　scattered　her　apron　full　of　flowers　along　the　way；　and　left　a　long　cry　trailing　behind　the　chariot；　and　many　mothers；　to　whose　ears　it　came；　ran　quickly　to　see　if　any　mischief　had　befallen　their　children。　But　Mother　Ceres　was　a　great　way　off；　and　could　not　hear　the　cry。

As　they　rode　on；　the　stranger　did　his　best　to　soothe　her。

〃Why　should　you　be　so　frightened；　my　pretty　child？〃　said　he；　trying　to　soften　his　rough　voice。　〃I　promise　not　to　do　you　any　harm。　What！　you　have　been　gathering　flowers？　Wait　till　we　come　to　my　palace；　and　I　will　give　you　a　garden　full　of　prettier　flowers　than　those；　all　made　of　pearls；　and　diamonds；　and　rubies。　Can　you　guess　who　I　am？　They　call　my　name　Pluto；　and　I　am　the　king　of　diamonds　and　all　other　precious　stones。　Every　atom　of　the　gold　and　silver　that　lies　under　the　earth　belongs　to　me；　to　say　nothing　of　the　copper　and　iron；　and　of　the　coal　mines；　which　supply　me　with　abundance　of　fuel。　Do　you　see　this　splendid　crown　upon　my　head？　You　may　have　it　for　a　plaything。　O；　we　shall　be　very　good　friends；　and　you　will　find　me　more　agreeable　than　you　expect；　when　once　we　get　out　of　this　troublesome　sunshine。〃

〃Let　me　go　home！〃　cried　Proserpina。　〃Let　me　go　home！〃

〃My　home　is　better　than　your　mother's；〃　answered　King　Pluto。　〃It　is　a　palace；　all　made　of　gold；　with　crystal　windows；　and　because　there　is　little　or　no　sunshine　thereabouts；　the　apartments　are　illuminated　with　diamond　lamps。　You　never　saw　anything　half　so　magnificent　as　my　throne。　If　you　like；　you　may　sit　down　on　it；　and　be　my　little　queen；　and　I　will　sit　on　the　footstool。〃

〃I　don't　care　for　golden　palaces　and　thrones；〃　sobbed　Proserpina。　〃Oh；　my　mother；　my　mother！　Carry　me　back　to　my　mother！〃

But　King　Pluto；　as　he　called　himself；　only　shouted　to　his　steeds　to　go　faster。

〃Pray　do　not　be　foolish；　Proserpina；〃　said　he；　in　rather　a　sullen　tone。　〃I　offer　you　my　palace　and　my　crown；　and　all　the　riches　that　are　under　the　earth；　and　you　treat　me　as　if　I　were　doing　you　an　injury。　The　one　thing　which　my　palace　needs　is　a　merry　little　maid；　to　run　upstairs　and　down；　and　cheer　up　the　rooms　with　her　smile。　And　this　is　what　you　must　do　for　King　Pluto。〃

〃Never！〃　answered　Proserpina；　looking　as　miserable　as　she　could。　〃I　shall　never　smile　again　till　you　set　me　down　at　my　mother's　door。〃

But　she　might　just　as　well　have　talked　to　the　wind　that　whistled　past　them；　for　Pluto　urged　on　his　horses；　and　went　faster　than　ever。　Proserpina　continued　to　cry　out；　and　screamed　so　long　and　so　loudly　that　her　poor　little　voice　was　almost　screamed　away；　and　when　it　was　nothing　but　a　whisper；　she　happened　to　cast　her　eyes　over　a　great　broad　field　of　waving　grainand　whom　do　you　think　she　saw？　Who；　but　Mother　Ceres；　making　the　corn　grow；　and　too　busy　to　notice　the　golden　chariot　as　it　went　rattling　along。　The　child　mustered　all　her　strength；　and　gave　one　more　scream；　but　was　out　of　sight　before　Ceres　had　time　to　turn　her　head。

King　Pluto　had　taken　a　road　which　now　began　to　grow　excessively　gloomy。　It　was　bordered　on　each　side　with　rocks　and　precipices；　between　which　the　rumbling　of　the　chariot　wheels　was　reverberated　with　a　noise　like　rolling　thunder。　The　trees　and　bushes　that　grew　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks　had　very　dismal　foliage；　and　by　and　by；　although　it　was　hardly　noon；　the　air　became　obscured　with　a　gray　twilight。　The　black　horses　had　rushed　along　so　swiftly；　that　they　were　already　beyond　the　limits　of　the　sunshine。　But　the　duskier　it　grew；　the　more　did　Pluto's　visage　assume　an　air　of　satisfaction。　After　all；　he　was　not　an　ill…looking　person；　especially　when　he　left　off　twisting　his　features　into　a　smile　that　did　not　belong　to　them。　Proserpina　peeped　at　his　face　through　the　gathering　dusk；　and　hoped　that　he　might　not　be　so　very　wicked　as　she　at　first　thought　him。

〃Ah；　this　twilight　is　truly　refreshing；〃　said　King　Pluto；　〃after　being　so　tormented　with　that　ugly　and　impertinent　glare　of　the　sun。　How　much　more　agreeable　is　lamplight　or　torchlight；　more　particularly　when　reflected　from　diamonds！　It　will　be　a　magnificent　sight；　when　we　get　to　my　palace。〃

〃Is　it　much　farther？〃　asked　Proserpina。　〃And　will　you　carry　me　back　when　I　have　seen　it？〃

〃We　will　talk　of　that　by　and　by；〃　answered　Pluto。　〃We　are　just　entering　my　dominions。　Do　you　see　that　tall　gateway　before　us？　When　we　pass　those　gates；　we　are　at　home。　And　there　lies　my　faithful　mastiff　at　the　threshold。　Cerberus！　Cerberus！　Come　hither；　my　good　dog！〃

So　saying；　Pluto　pulled　at　the　reins；　and　stopped　the　chariot　right　between　the　tall；　massive　pillars　of　the　gateway。　The　mastiff　of　which　he　had　spoken　got　up　from　the　threshold；　and　stood　on　his　hinder　legs；　so　as　to　put　his　fore　paws　on　the　chariot　wheel。　But；　my　stars；　what　a　strange　dog　it　was！　Why；　he　was　a　big；　rough；　ugly…looking　monster；　with　three　separate　heads；　and　each　of　them　fiercer　than　the　two　others；　but　fierce　as　they　were；　King　Pluto　patted　them　all。　He　seemed　as　fond　of　his　three…headed　dog　as　if　it　had　been　a　sweet　little