tanglewood tales-第39部分

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espair；　she　came　to　the　dreadful　resolution　that　not　a　stalk　of　grain；　nor　a　blade　of　grass；　not　a　potato；　nor　a　turnip；　nor　any　other　vegetable　that　was　good　for　man　or　beast　to　eat；　should　be　suffered　to　grow　until　her　daughter　were　restored。　She　even　forbade　the　flowers　to　bloom；　lest　somebody's　heart　should　be　cheered　by　their　beauty。

Now；　as　not　so　much　as　a　head　of　asparagus　ever　presumed　to　poke　itself　out　of　the　ground；　without　the　especial　permission　of　Ceres；　you　may　conceive　what　a　terrible　calamity　had　here　fallen　upon　the　earth。　The　husbandmen　plowed　and　planted　as　usual；　but　there　lay　the　rich　black　furrows；　all　as　barren　as　a　desert　of　sand。　The　pastures　looked　as　brown　in　the　sweet　month　of　June　as　ever　they　did　in　chill　November。　The　rich　man's　broad　acres　and　the　cottager's　small　garden　patch　were　equally　blighted。　Every　little　girl's　flower　bed　showed　nothing　but　dry　stalks。　The　old　people　shook　their　white　heads；　and　said　that　the　earth　had　grown　aged　like　themselves；　and　was　no　longer　capable　of　wearing　the　warm　smile　of　summer　on　its　face。　It　was　really　piteous　to　see　the　poor；　starving　cattle　and　sheep；　how　they　followed　behind　Ceres；　lowing　and　bleating；　as　if　their　instinct　taught　them　to　expect　help　from　her；　and　everybody　that　was　acquainted　with　her　power　besought　her　to　have　mercy　on　the　human　race；　and；　at　all　events；　to　let　the　grass　grow。　But　Mother　Ceres；　though　naturally　of　an　affectionate　disposition；　was　now　inexorable。

〃Never；〃　said　she。　〃If　the　earth　is　ever　again　to　see　any　verdure；　it　must　first　grow　along　the　path　which　my　daughter　will　tread　in　coming　back　to　me。〃

Finally；　as　there　seemed　to　be　no　other　remedy；　our　old　friend　Quicksilver　was　sent　post…haste　to　King　Pluto；　in　hopes　that　he　might　be　persuaded　to　undo　the　mischief　he　had　done；　and　to　set　everything　right　again；　by　giving　up　Proserpina。　Quicksilver　accordingly　made　the　best　of　his　way　to　the　great　gate；　took　a　flying　leap　right　over　the　three…headed　mastiff；　and　stood　at　the　door　of　the　palace　in　an　inconceivably　short　time。　The　servants　knew　him　both　by　his　face　and　garb；　for　his　short　cloak；　and　his　winged　cap　and　shoes；　and　his　snaky　staff　had　often　been　seen　thereabouts　in　times　gone　by。　He　requested　to　be　shown　immediately　into　the　king's　presence；　and　Pluto；　who　heard　his　voice　from　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　who　loved　to　recreate　himself　with　Quicksilver's　merry　talk；　called　out　to　him　to　come　up。　And　while　they　settle　their　business　together；　we　must　inquire　what　Proserpina　had　been　doing　ever　since　we　saw　her　last。

The　child　had　declared；　as　you　may　remember；　that　she　would　not　taste　a　mouthful　of　food　as　long　as　she　should　be　compelled　to　remain　in　King　Pluto's　palace。　How　she　contrived　to　maintain　her　resolution；　and　at　the　same　time　to　keep　herself　tolerably　plump　and　rosy；　is　more　than　I　can　explain；　but　some　young　ladies；　I　am　given　to　understand；　possess　the　faculty　of　living　on　air；　and　Proserpina　seems　to　have　possessed　it　too。　At　any　rate；　it　was　now　six　months　since　she　left　the　outside　of　the　earth；　and　not　a　morsel；　so　far　as　the　attendants　were　able　to　testify；　had　yet　passed　between　her　teeth。　This　was　the　more　creditable　to　Proserpina；　inasmuch　as　King　Pluto　had　caused　her　to　be　tempted　day　by　day；　with　all　manner　of　sweetmeats；　and　richly…preserved　fruits；　and　delicacies　of　every　sort；　such　as　young　people　are　generally　most　fond　of。　But　her　good　mother　had　often　told　her　of　the　hurtfulness　of　these　things；　and　for　that　reason　alone；　if　there　had　been　no　other；　she　would　have　resolutely　refused　to　taste　them。

All　this　time；　being　of　a　cheerful　and　active　disposition；　the　little　damsel　was　not　quite　so　unhappy　as　you　may　have　supposed。　The　immense　palace　had　a　thousand　rooms；　and　was　full　of　beautiful　and　wonderful　objects。　There　was　a　never…ceasing　gloom；　it　is　true；　which　half　hid　itself　among　the　innumerable　pillars；　gliding　before　the　child　as　she　wandered　among　them；　and　treading　stealthily　behind　her　in　the　echo　of　her　footsteps。　Neither　was　all　the　dazzle　of　the　precious　stones；　which　flamed　with　their　own　light；　worth　one　gleam　of　natural　sunshine；　nor　could　the　most　brilliant　of　the　many…colored　gems；　which　Proserpina　had　for　playthings；　vie　with　the　simple　beauty　of　the　flowers　she　used　to　gather。　But　still；　whenever　the　girl　went　among　those　gilded　halls　and　chambers；　it　seemed　as　if　she　carried　nature　and　sunshine　along　with　her；　and　as　if　she　scattered　dewy　blossoms　on　her　right　hand　and　on　her　left。　After　Proserpina　came；　the　palace　was　no　longer　the　same　abode　of　stately　artifice　and　dismal　magnificence　that　it　had　before　been。　The　inhabitants　all　felt　this；　and　King　Pluto　more　than　any　of　them。

〃My　own　little　Proserpina；〃　he　used　to　say。　〃I　wish　you　could　like　me　a　little　better。　We　gloomy　and　cloudy…natured　persons　have　often　as　warm　hearts；　at　bottom；　as　those　of　a　more　cheerful　character。　If　you　would　only　stay　with　me　of　your　own　accord；　it　would　make　me　happier　than　the　possession　of　a　hundred　such　palaces　as　this。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Proserpina；　〃you　should　have　tried　to　make　me　like　you　before　carrying　me　off。　And　the　best　thing　you　can　now　do　is；　to　let　me　go　again。　Then　I　might　remember　you　sometimes；　and　think　that　you　were　as　kind　as　you　knew　how　to　be。　Perhaps；　too；　one　day　or　other；　I　might　come　back；　and　pay　you　a　visit。〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Pluto；　with　his　gloomy　smile；　〃I　will　not　trust　you　for　that。　You　are　too　fond　of　living　in　the　broad　daylight；　and　gathering　flowers。　What　an　idle　and　childish　taste　that　is！　Are　not　these　gems；　which　I　have　ordered　to　be　dug　for　you；　and　which　are　richer　than　any　in　my　crownare　they　not　prettier　than　a　violet？〃

〃Not　half　so　pretty；〃　said　Proserpina；　snatching　the　gems　from　Pluto's　hand；　and　flinging　them　to　the　other　end　of　the　hall。　〃O　my　sweet　violets；　shall　I　never　see　you　again？〃

And　then　she　burst　into　tears。　But　young　people's　tears　have　very　little　saltness　or　acidity　in　them；　and　do　not　inflame　the　eyes　so　much　as　those　of　grown　persons；　so　that　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at；　if；　a　few　moments　afterwards；　Proserpina　was　sporting　through　the　hall　almost　as　merrily　as　she　and　the　four　sea　nymphs　had　sported　along　the　edge　of　the　surf　wave。　King　Pluto　gazed　after　her；　and　wished　that　he；　too；　was　a　child。　And　little　Proserpina；　when　she　turned　about；　and　beheld　this　great　king　standing　in　his　splendid　hall；　and　looking　so　grand；　and　so　melancholy；　and　so　lonesome；　was　smitten　with　a　kind　of　pity。　She　ran　back　to　him；　and；　for　the　first　time　in　all　her　life；　put　her　small；　soft　hand　in　his。

〃I　love　you　a　little；〃　whispered　she；　looking　up　in　his　face。

〃Do　you；　indeed；　my　dear　child？〃　cried　Pluto；　bending　his　dark　face　down　to　kiss　her；　but　Proserpina　shrank　away　from　the　kiss；　for；　though　his　features　were　noble；　they　were　very　dusky　and　grim。　〃Well；　I　have　not　deserved　it　of　you；　after　keeping　you　a　prisoner　for　so　many　months；　and　starving　you　besides。　Are　you　not　terribly　hungry？　Is　there　nothing　which　I　can　get　you　to　eat？〃

In　asking　this　question；　the　king　of　the　mines　had　a　very　cunning　purpose；　for；　you　will　recollect；　if　Proserpina　tasted　a　morsel　of　food　in　his　dominions；　she　would　never　afterw