tanglewood tales-第27节

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g　Pluto　patted　them　all。　He　seemed　as　fond　of　his　three…headed　dog　as　if　it　had　been　a　sweet　little　spaniel；　with　silken　ears　and　curly　hair。　Cerberus；　on　the　other　hand；　was　evidently　rejoiced　to　see　his　master；　and　expressed　his　attachment；　as　other　dogs　do；　by　wagging　his　tail　at　a　great　rate。　Proserpina's　eyes　being　drawn　to　it　by　its　brisk　motion；　she　saw　that　this　tail　was　neither　more　nor　less　than　a　live　dragon；　with　fiery　eyes；　and　fangs　that　had　a　very　poisonous　aspect。　And　while　the　three…headed　Cerberus　was　fawning　so　lovingly　on　King　Pluto；　there　was　the　dragon　tail　wagging　against　its　will；　and　looking　as　cross　and　ill…natured　as　you　can　imagine；　on　its　own　separate　account。

〃Will　the　dog　bite　me？〃　asked　Proserpina；　shrinking　closer　to　Pluto。　〃What　an　ugly　creature　he　is！〃

〃O；　never　fear；〃　answered　her　companion。　〃He　never　harms　people；　unless　they　try　to　enter　my　dominions　without　being　sent　for；　or　to　get　away　when　I　wish　to　keep　them　here。　Down；　Cerberus！　Now；　my　pretty　Proserpina；　we　will　drive　on。〃

On　went　the　chariot；　and　King　Pluto　seemed　greatly　pleased　to　find　himself　once　more　in　his　own　kingdom。　He　drew　Proserpina's　attention　to　the　rich　veins　of　gold　that　were　to　be　seen　among　the　rocks；　and　pointed　to　several　places　where　one　stroke　of　a　pickaxe　would　loosen　a　bushel　of　diamonds。　All　along　the　road；　indeed；　there　were　sparkling　gems；　which　would　have　been　of　inestimable　value　above　ground；　but　which　here　were　reckoned　of　the　meaner　sort　and　hardly　worth　a　beggar's　stooping　for。

Not　far　from　the　gateway；　they　came　to　a　bridge；　which　seemed　to　be　built　of　iron。　Pluto　stopped　the　chariot；　and　bade　Proserpina　look　at　the　stream　which　was　gliding　so　lazily　beneath　it。　Never　in　her　life　had　she　beheld　so　torpid；　so　black；　so　muddy…looking　a　stream；　its　waters　reflected　no　images　of　anything　that　was　on　the　banks；　and　it　moved　as　sluggishly　as　if　it　had　quite　forgotten　which　way　it　ought　to　flow；　and　had　rather　stagnate　than　flow　either　one　way　or　the　other。

〃This　is　the　River　Lethe；〃　　observed　King　Pluto。　〃Is　it　　not　a　very　pleasant　stream？〃

〃I　think　it　a　very　dismal　one；〃　answered　Proserpina。

〃It　suits　my　taste；　however；〃　answered　Pluto；　who　was　apt　to　be　sullen　when　anybody　disagreed　with　him。　〃At　all　events；　its　water　has　one　excellent　quality；　for　a　single　draught　of　it　makes　people　forget　every　care　and　sorrow　that　has　hitherto　tormented　them。　Only　sip　a　little　of　it；　my　dear　Proserpina；　and　you　will　instantly　cease　to　grieve　for　your　mother；　and　will　have　nothing　in　your　memory　that　can　prevent　your　being　perfectly　happy　in　my　palace。　I　will　send　for　some；　in　a　golden　goblet；　the　moment　we　arrive。〃

〃O；　no；　no；　no！〃　cried　Proserpina；　weeping　afresh。　〃I　had　a　thousand　times　rather　be　miserable　with　remembering　my　mother；　than　be　happy　in　forgetting　her。　That　dear；　dear　mother！　I　never；　never　will　forget　her。〃

〃We　shall　see；〃　said　King　Pluto。　〃You　do　not　know　what　fine　times　we　will　have　in　my　palace。　Here　we　are　just　at　the　portal。　These　pillars　are　solid　gold；　I　assure　you。〃

He　alighted　from　the　chariot；　and　taking　Proserpina　in　his　arms；　carried　her　up　a　lofty　flight　of　steps　into　the　great　hall　of　the　palace。　It　was　splendidly　illuminated　by　means　of　large　precious　stones；　of　various　hues；　which　seemed　to　burn　like　so　many　lamps；　and　glowed　with　a　hundred…fold　radiance　all　through　the　vast　apartment。　And　yet　there　was　a　kind　of　gloom　in　the　midst　of　this　enchanted　light；　nor　was　there　a　single　object　in　the　hall　that　was　really　agreeable　to　behold；　except　the　little　Proserpina　herself；　a　lovely　child；　with　one　earthly　flower　which　she　had　not　let　fall　from　her　hand。　It　is　my　opinion　that　even　King　Pluto　had　never　been　happy　in　his　palace；　and　that　this　was　the　true　reason　why　he　had　stolen　away　Proserpina；　in　order　that　he　might　have　something　to　love；　instead　of　cheating　his　heart　any　longer　with　this　tiresome　magnificence。　And；　though　he　pretended　to　dislike　the　sunshine　of　the　upper　world；　yet　the　effect　of　the　child's　presence；　bedimmed　as　she　was　by　her　tears；　was　as　if　a　faint　and　watery　sunbeam　had　somehow　or　other　found　its　way　into　the　enchanted　hall。

Pluto　now　summoned　his　domestics；　and　bade　them　lose　no　time　in　preparing　a　most　sumptuous　banquet；　and　above　all　things；　not　to　fail　of　setting　a　golden　beaker　of　the　water　of　Lethe　by　Proserpina's　plate。

〃I　will　neither　drink　that　nor　anything　else；〃　said　Proserpina。　〃Nor　will　I　taste　a　morsel　of　food；　even　if　you　keep　me　forever　in　your　palace。〃

〃I　should　be　sorry　for　that；〃　replied　King　Pluto；　patting　her　cheek；　for　he　really　wished　to　be　kind；　if　he　had　only　known　how。　〃You　are　a　spoiled　child；　I　perceive；　my　little　Proserpina；　but　when　you　see　the　nice　things　which　my　cook　will　make　for　you；　your　appetite　will　quickly　come　again。〃

Then；　sending　for　the　head　cook；　he　gave　strict　orders　that　all　sorts　of　delicacies；　such　as　young　people　are　usually　fond　of；　should　be　set　before　Proserpina。　He　had　a　secret　motive　in　this；　for；　you　are　to　understand；　it　is　a　fixed　law；　that　when　persons　are　carried　off　to　the　land　of　magic；　if　they　once　taste　any　food　there；　they　can　never　get　back　to　their　friends。　Now；　if　King　Pluto　had　been　cunning　enough　to　offer　Proserpina　some　fruit；　or　bread　and　milk　（which　was　the　simple　fare　to　which　the　child　had　always　been　accustomed）；　it　is　very　probable　that　she　would　soon　have　been　tempted　to　eat　it。　But　he　left　the　matter　entirely　to　his　cook；　who；　like　all　other　cooks；　considered　nothing　fit　to　eat　unless　it　were　rich　pastry；　or　highly…seasoned　meat；　or　spiced　sweet　cakesthings　which　Proserpina's　mother　had　never　given　her；　and　the　smell　of　which　quite　took　away　her　appetite；　instead　of　sharpening　it。

But　my　story　must　now　clamber　out　of　King　Pluto's　dominions；　and　see　what　Mother　Ceres　had　been　about；　since　she　was　bereft　of　her　daughter。　We　had　a　glimpse　of　her；　as　you　remember；　half　hidden　among　the　waving　grain；　while　the　four　black　steeds　were　swiftly　whirling　along　the　chariot；　in　which　her　beloved　Proserpina　was　so　unwillingly　borne　away。　You　recollect；　too；　the　loud　scream　which　Proserpina　gave；　just　when　the　chariot　was　out　of　sight。

Of　all　the　child's　outcries；　this　last　shriek　was　the　only　one　that　reached　the　ears　of　Mother　Ceres。　She　had　mistaken　the　rumbling　of　the　chariot　wheels　for　a　peal　of　thunder；　and　imagined　that　a　shower　was　coming　up；　and　that　it　would　assist　her　in　making　the　corn　grow。　But；　at　the　sound　of　Proserpina's　shriek；　she　started；　and　looked　about　in　every　direction；　not　knowing　whence　it　came；　but　feeling　almost　certain　that　it　was　her　daughter's　voice。　It　seemed　so　unaccountable；　however；　that　the　girl　should　have　strayed　over　so　many　lands　and　seas　（which　she　herself　could　not　have　traversed　without　the　aid　of　her　winged　dragons）；　that　the　good　Ceres　tried　to　believe　that　it　must　be　the　child　of　some　other　parent；　and　not　her　own　darling　Proserpina；　who　had　uttered　this　lamentable　cry。　Nevertheless；　it　troubled　her　with　a　vast　many　tender　fears；　such　as　are　ready　to　bestir　themselves　in　every　mother's　heart；　when　she　finds　it　necessary　to　go　away　from　her　dear　children　without　leaving　them　under　the　care　of　some　maiden　aunt；　or　other　such　faithful　guardian。　So　she　quickly　left　the　field　in　which　she　had　been　so　busy；　and；　as　her　work　was　not　half　done；　the　grain　looked；　next　day；　as　if　it　needed　both　sun　and　rain；　and　as　if　it　were　blighted　in　the　ear；　and　had　something　the　matter　with　its　roots。

The　pair　of　dragons　must　have　had　very　nimble　wings；　for；　in　less　than　an　hour；　Mother　Ceres　had　alighted　at　the　door　of　her　home；　and　found　it　empty。　Knowing；　however；　that　the　child　was　fond　of　sporting　on　the　sea…shore；　she　hastened　thither　as　fast　as　she　could；　and　there　beheld　the　wet　faces　of　the　poor　sea　nymphs　peeping　over　a　wave。　All　this　while；　the　good　creatures　had　been　waiting　on　the　bank　of　sponge；　and　once；　every　half　minute　or　so；　had　popped　up　their　four　heads　above　water；　to　see　if　their　playmate　were　yet　coming　back。　When　they　saw　Mother　Ceres；　they　sat　down　on　the　crest　of　the　surf　wave；　and　let　it　toss　them　ashore　at　her　feet。

〃Where　is　Proserpina？〃　cried　Ceres。　〃Where　is　my　child？　Tell　me；　you　naughty　sea　nymphs；　have　you　enticed　her　under　the　sea？〃

〃O；　no；　good　Mother　Ceres；〃　said　the　innocent　sea　nymphs；　tossing　back　their　green　ringlets；　and　looking　her　in　the　face。　〃We　never　should　dream　of　such　a　thing。　Proserpina　has　been　at　play　with　us；　it　is　true；　but　she　left　us　a　long　while　ago；　meaning　only　to　run　a　little　way　upon　the　dry　land；　and　gather　some　flowers　for　a　wreath。　This　was　early　in　the　day；　and　we　have　seen　nothing　of　her　since。〃

Ceres　scarcely　waited　to　hear　what　the　nymphs　had　to　say；　before　she　hurried　off　to　make　inquiries　all　through　the　neighborhood。　But　nobody　told　her　anything　that　would　enable　the　poor　mother　to　guess　what　had　become　of　Proserpina。　A　fisherman；　it　is　true；　had　noticed　her　little　footprints　in　the　sand；　as　he　went　homeward　along　the　beach　with　a　basket　of　fish；　a　rustic　had　seen　the　child　stooping　to　gather　flowers；　several　persons　had　heard　either　the　rattling　of　chariot　wheels；　or　the　rumbling　of　distant　thunder；　and　one　old　woman；　while　plucking　vervain　and　catnip；　had