tanglewood tales-第40部分

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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　afterwards　be　at　liberty　to　quit　them。

〃No　indeed；〃　said　Proserpina。　〃Your　head　cook　is　always　baking；　and　stewing；　and　roasting；　and　rolling　out　paste；　and　contriving　one　dish　or　another；　which　he　imagines　may　be　to　my　liking。　But　he　might　just　as　well　save　himself　the　trouble；　poor；　fat　little　man　that　he　is。　I　have　no　appetite　for　anything　in　the　world；　unless　it　were　a　slice　of　bread；　of　my　mother's　own　baking；　or　a　little　fruit　out　of　her　garden。〃

When　Pluto　heard　this；　he　began　to　see　that　he　had　mistaken　the　best　method　of　tempting　Proserpina　to　eat。　The　cook's　made　dishes　and　artificial　dainties　were　not　half　so　delicious；　in　the　good　child's　opinion；　as　the　simple　fare　to　which　Mother　Ceres　had　accustomed　her。　Wondering　that　he　had　never　thought　of　it　before；　the　king　now　sent　one　of　his　trusty　attendants　with　a　large　basket；　to　get　some　of　the　finest　and　juiciest　pears；　peaches；　and　plums　which　could　anywhere　be　found　in　the　upper　world。　Unfortunately；　however；　this　was　during　the　time　when　Ceres　had　forbidden　any　fruits　or　vegetables　to　grow；　and；　after　seeking　all　over　the　earth；　King　Pluto's　servant　found　only　a　single　pomegranate；　and　that　so　dried　up　as　not　to　be　worth　eating。　Nevertheless；　since　there　was　no　better　to　be　had；　he　brought　this　dry；　old　withered　pomegranate　home　to　the　palace。

put　it　on　a　magnificent　golden　salver；　and　carried　it　up　to　Proserpina。　Now；　it　happened；　curiously　enough；　that；　just　as　the　servant　was　bringing　the　pomegranate　into　the　back　door　of　the　palace；　our　friend　Quicksilver　had　gone　up　the　front　steps；　on　his　errand　to　get　Proserpina　away　from　King　Pluto。

As　soon　as　Proserpina　saw　the　pomegranate　on　the　golden　salver；　she　told　the　servant　he　had　better　take　it　away　again。

〃I　shall　not　touch　it；　I　assure　you；〃　said　she。　〃If　I　were　ever　so　hungry；　I　should　never　think　of　eating　such　a　miserable；　dry　pomegranate　as　that。〃

〃It　is　the　only　one　in　the　world；〃　said　the　servant。

He　set　down　the　golden　salver；　with　the　wizened　pomegranate　upon　it；　and　left　the　room。　When　he　was　gone；　Proserpina　could　not　help　coming　close　to　the　table；　and　looking　at　this　poor　specimen　of　dried　fruit　with　a　great　deal　of　eagerness；　for；　to　say　the　truth；　on　seeing　something　that　suited　her　taste；　she　felt　all　the　six　months'　appetite　taking　possession　of　her　at　once。　To　be　sure；　it　was　a　very　wretched…looking　pomegranate；　and　seemed　to　have　no　more　juice　in　it　than　an　oyster　shell。　But　there　was　no　choice　of　such　things　in　King　Pluto's　palace。　This　was　the　first　fruit　she　had　seen　there；　and　the　last　she　was　ever　likely　to　see；　and　unless　she　ate　it　up　immediately；　it　would　grow　drier　than　it　already　was；　and　be　wholly　unfit　to　eat。

〃At　least；　I　may　smell　it；〃　thought　Proserpina。

So　she　took　up　the　pomegranate；　and　applied　it　to　her　nose；　and；　somehow　or　other；　being　in　such　close　neighborhood　to　her　mouth；　the　fruit　found　its　way　into　that　little　red　cave。　Dear　me！　what　an　everlasting　pity！　Before　Proserpina　knew　what　she　was　about；　her　teeth　had　actually　bitten　it；　of　their　own　accord。　Just　as　this　fatal　deed　was　done；　the　door　of　the　apartment　opened；　and　in　came　King　Pluto；　followed　by　Quicksilver；　who　had　been　urging　him　to　let　his　little　prisoner　go。　At　the　first　noise　of　their　entrance；　Proserpina　withdrew　the　pomegranate　from　her　mouth。　But　Quicksilver　（whose　eyes　were　very　keen；　and　his　wits　the　sharpest　that　ever　anybody　had）　perceived　that　the　child　was　a　little　confused；　and　seeing　the　empty　salver；　he　suspected　that　she　had　been　taking　a　sly　nibble　of　something　or　other。　As　for　honest　Pluto；　he　never　guessed　at　the　secret。

〃My　little　Proserpina；〃　said　the　king；　sitting　down；　and　affectionately　drawing　her　between　his　knees；　〃here　is　Quicksilver；　who　tells　me　that　a　great　many　misfortunes　have　befallen　innocent　people　on　account　of　my　detaining　you　in　my　dominions。　To　confess　the　truth；　I　myself　had　already　reflected　that　it　was　an　unjustifiable　act　to　take　you　away　from　your　good　mother。　But；　then；　you　must　consider；　my　dear　child；　that　this　vast　palace　is　apt　to　be　gloomy　（although　the　precious　stones　certainly　shine　very　bright）；　and　that　I　am　not　of　the　most　cheerful　disposition；　and　that　therefore　it　was　a　natural　thing　enough　to　seek　for　the　society　of　some　merrier　creature　than　myself。　I　hoped　you　would　take　my　crown　for　a　plaything；　and　meah；　you　laugh；　naughty　Proserpiname；　grim　as　I　am；　for　a　playmate。　It　was　a　silly　expectation。〃

〃Not　so　extremely　silly；〃　whispered　Proserpina。　〃You　have　really　amused　me　very　much；　sometimes。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　King　Pluto；　rather　dryly。　〃But　I　can　see　plainly　enough；　that　you　think　my　palace　a　dusky　prison；　and　me　the　iron…hearted　keeper　of　it。　And　an　iron　heart　I　should　surely　have；　if　I　could　detain　you　here　any　longer；　my　poor　child；　when　it　is　now　six　months　since　you　tasted　food。　I　give　you　your　liberty。　Go　with　Quicksilver。　Hasten　home　to　your　dear　mother。〃

Now；　although　you　may　not　have　supposed　it；　Proserpina　found　it　impossible　to　take　leave　of　poor　King　Pluto　without　some　regrets；　and　a　good　deal　of　compunction　for　not　telling　him　about　the　pomegranate。　She　even　shed　a　tear　or　two；　thinking　how　lonely　and　cheerless　the　great　palace　would　seem　to　him；　with　all　its　ugly　glare　of　artificial　light；　after　she　herselfhis　one　little　ray　of　natural　sunshine；　whom　he　had　stolen；　to　be　sure；　but　only　because　he　valued　her　so　muchafter　she　should　have　departed。　I　know　not　how　many　kind　things　she　might　have　said　to　the　disconsolate　king　of　the　mines；　had　not　Quicksilver　hurried　her　way。

〃Come　along　quickly；〃　whispered　he　in　her　ear；　〃or　his　majesty　may　change　his　royal　mind。　And　take　care；　above　all　things；　that　you　say　nothing　of　what　was　brought　you　on　the　golden　salver。〃

In　a　very　short　time；　they　had　passed　the　great　gateway　（leaving　the　three…headed　Cerberus；　barking；　and　yelping；　and　growling；　with　threefold　din；　behind　them）；　and　emerged　upon　the　surface　of　the　earth。　It　was　delightful　to　behold；　as　Proserpina　hastened　along；　how　the　path　grew　verdant　behind　and　on　either　side　of　her。　Wherever　she　set　her　blessed　foot；　there　was　at　once　a　dewy　flower。　The　violets　gushed　up　along　the　wayside。　The　grass　and　the　grain　began　to　sprout　with　tenfold　vigor　and　luxuriance；　to　make　up　for　the　dreary　months　that　had　been　wasted　in　barrenness。　The　starved　cattle　immediately　set　to　work　grazing；　after　their　long　fast；　and　ate　enormously；　all　day；　and　got　up　at　midnight　to　eat　more。

But　I　can　assure　you　it　was　a　busy　time　of　year　with　the　farmers；　when　they　found　the　summer　coming　upon　them　with　such　a　rush。　Nor　must　I　forget　to　say；　that　all　the　birds　in　the　whole　world　hopped　about　upon　the　newly…blossoming　trees；　and　sang　together；　in　a　prodigious　ecstasy　of　joy。

Mother　Ceres　had　returned　to　her　deserted　home；　and　was　sitting　disconsolately　on　the　doorstep；　with　her　torch　burning　in　her　hand。　She　had　been　idly　watching　the　flame　for　some　moments　past；　when；　all　at　once；　it　flickered　and　went　out。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　thought　she。　〃