tanglewood tales-第34部分

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〃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　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