tanglewood tales-第25章

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g　the　red…hot　embers。　She　then　raked　the　ashes　over　him；　and　turned　quietly　away。

You　may　imagine；　if　you　can；　how　Queen　Metanira　shrieked；　thinking　nothing　less　than　that　her　dear　child　would　be　burned　to　a　cinder。　She　burst　forth　from　her　hiding…place；　and　running　to　the　hearth；　raked　open　the　fire；　and　snatched　up　poor　little　Prince　Demophoon　out　of　his　bed　of　live　coals；　one　of　which　he　was　gripping　in　each　of　his　fists。　He　immediately　set　up　a　grievous　cry；　as　babies　are　apt　to　do；　when　rudely　startled　out　of　a　sound　sleep。　To　the　queen's　astonishment　and　joy；　she　could　perceive　no　token　of　the　child's　being　injured　by　the　hot　fire　in　which　he　had　lain。　She　now　turned　to　Mother　Ceres；　and　asked　her　to　explain　the　mystery。

〃Foolish　woman；〃　answered　Ceres；　〃did　you　not　promise　to　intrust　this　poor　infant　entirely　to　me？　You　little　know　the　mischief　you　have　done　him。　Had　you　left　him　to　my　care；　he　would　have　grown　up　like　a　child　of　celestial　birth；　endowed　with　superhuman　strength　and　intelligence；　and　would　have　lived　forever。　Do　you　imagine　that　earthly　children　are　to　become　immortal　without　being　tempered　to　it　in　the　fiercest　heat　of　the　fire？　But　you　have　ruined　your　own　son。　For　though　he　will　be　a　strong　man　and　a　hero　in　his　day；　yet；　on　account　of　your　folly；　he　will　grow　old；　and　finally　die；　like　the　sons　of　other　women。　The　weak　tenderness　of　his　mother　has　cost　the　poor　boy　an　immortality。　Farewell。〃

Saying　these　words；　she　kissed　the　little　Prince　Demophoon；　and　sighed　to　think　what　he　had　lost；　and　took　her　departure　without　heeding　Queen　Metanira；　who　entreated　her　to　remain；　and　cover　up　the　child　among　the　hot　embers　as　often　as　she　pleased。　Poor　baby！　He　never　slept　so　warmly　again。

While　she　dwelt　in　the　king's　palace；　Mother　Ceres　had　been　so　continually　occupied　with　taking　care　of　the　young　prince；　that　her　heart　was　a　little　lightened　of　its　grief　for　Proserpina。　But　now；　having　nothing　else　to　busy　herself　about；　she　became　just　as　wretched　as　before。　At　length；　in　her　despair；　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　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　th