tanglewood tales-第35部分

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；　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　heard　a　scream；　but　supposed　it　to　be　some　childish　nonsense；　and　therefore　did　not　take　the　trouble　to　look　up。　The　stupid　people！　It　took　them　such　a　tedious　while　to　tell　the　nothing　that　they　knew；　that　it　was　dark　night　before　Mother　Ceres　found　out　that　she　must　seek　her　daughter　elsewhere。　So　she　lighted　a　torch；　and　set　forth；　resolving　never　to　come　back　until　Proserpina　was　discovered。

In　her　haste　and　trouble　of　mind；　she　quite　forgot　her　car　and　the　winged　dragons；　or；　it　may　be；　she　thought　that　she　could　follow　up　the　search　more　thoroughly　on　foot。　At　all　events；　this　was　the　way　in　which　she　began　her　sorrowful　journey；　holding　her　torch　before　her；　and　looking　carefully　at　every　object　along　the　path。　And　as　it　happened；　she　had　not　gone　far　before　she　found　one　of　the　magnificent　flowers　which　grew　on　the　shrub　that　Proserpina　had　pulled　up。

〃Ha！〃　thought　Mother　Ceres；　examining　it　by　torchlight。　〃Here　is　mischief　in　this　flower！　The　earth　did　not　produce　it　by　any　help　of　mine；　nor　of　its　own　accord。　It　is　the　work　of　enchantment；　and　is　therefore　poisonous；　and　perhaps　it　has　poisoned　my　poor　child。〃

But　she　put　the　poisonous　flower　in　her　bosom；　not　knowing　whether　she　might　ever　find　any　other　memorial　of　Proserpina。

All　night　long；　at　the　door　of　every　cottage　and　farm…house；　Ceres　knocked；　and　called　up　the　weary　laborers　to　inquire　if　they　had　seen　her　child；　and　they　stood；　gaping　and　half…　asleep；　at　the　threshold；　and　answered　her　pityingly；　and　besought　her　to　come　in　and　rest。　At　the　portal　of　every　palace；　too；　she　made　so　loud　a　summons　that　the　menials　hurried　to　throw　open　the　gate；　thinking　that　it　must　be　some　great　king　or　queen；　who　would　demand　a　banquet　for　supper　and　a　stately　chamber　to　repose　in。　And　when　they　saw　only　a　sad　and　anxious　woman；　with　a　torch　in　her　hand　and　a　wreath　of　withered　poppies　on　her　head；　they　spoke　rudely；　and　sometimes　threatened　to　set　the　dogs　upon　her。　But　nobody　had　seen　Proserpina；　nor　could　give　Mother　Ceres　the　least　hint　whi